A Little Nostalgia

After weeks of waiting patiently for new episodes of Supernatural to start airing again, I learned yesterday on io9 that the CW (damn them! Damn them all to Hell!) decided to postpone the mid-season premiere for another week to give shallow, worthless teenagers the opportunity to catch up on Vampire Diaries, a show that stars shallow, worthless teenage vampires. So, instead of the recap I was hoping to be writing today, which would have been rife with speculation about this season's Big Bad and whether things will start to return to normal now that Sam's been re-souled like an old pair of shoes, I'll instead set aside my anger and write about something that makes me happy. Enter the Muppets.

Recently I've been buying and watching the first three seasons of The Muppet Show, which is truly a wonderful blast from the past. I didn't grow up with The Muppet Show - it was a little before my time, but I did love the Muppet movies, particularly The Great Muppet Caper. I also grew up watching Sesame Street, which is Muppet-adjacent, and was completely awesome before Elmo completely took it over, like a little fuzzy red dictator. Watching The Muppet Show has given me the opportunity to watch the evolution and development of characters that I've loved my entire life, and the guest stars that they had have helped me to really understand the cultural climate of the time period. The show in which Harry Belafonte was the guest star was particularly striking, because it was the first time "The Banana Boat Song" had appeared on television - as song that I knew and loved from the film Beetlejuice. He also debuted "Turn the World Around", which he performed again at Jim Henson's memorial service (which is enough to reduce any person to tears. RIP, Jim). Jim Henson gave Harry Belafonte a venue that not many TV shows were willing to provide in the late 1970s.

I also saw a few familiar faces among The Muppet Show's guest stars: Danny Kaye, Madeline Kahn, Steve Martin, John Cleese, etc. The recurring bits on the show tickle me greatly, especially when the guest stars get in on the fun. I'd have to say that cooking with the Swedish Chef is my favorite act, though. I love Statler and Waldorf, too. Also, Sam the Eagle, Rolf the Dog, and - well, all of them. I also love the acts that really showcased the skill of the Muppeteers, and make me wish that I could do that, too. I'm always appreciative of seeing someone truly talented do what they do best, and I completely geek out over the craft that goes into the construction of the puppets as well (I've watched the "making of" special features of The Dark Crystal more times than I care to admit).

Okay, I'm feeling happier now. And just make you feel happy, too, I'll leave you with my absolutely favorite musical act from the first season of The Muppet Show.