The Muppets are one of those rare properties that almost every generation has grown up with. Rebooting such a property is always a daunting task because they have to please the purists and longtime fans while also updating the material to reach a new audience. Since purchasing the rights to The Muppets Studios in 2004, Disney has been hit or miss with their Muppet projects. The incredible 2011 film The Muppets was a financial and critical hit but its sequel, 2014's Muppets Most Wanted, while still a really good film, didn't achieve near the amount of box-office success as its predecessor. Then there was the short-lived ABC sitcom, which had mixed reception and low ratings (I cannot be the only person who adored this show, right? If more fans of it exist out there, please give me a sign). Now, after an over 4-year hiatus, The Muppets are back in the new Disney+ show Muppets Now. How will this new attempt at revitalizing the franchise fare? Well, if the first episode is any indication of how the entire series will be, there's a lot of promise.
The series takes the Muppets back to their sketch comedy days, updating it for the digital age. The series premiere is formatted where Scooter uploads each individual sketch to a file while messages of disapproval and concern show up from some of the other Muppets (a minuscule detail I adored, as it provides the lovable chaos that's always been a part of the Muppets). Each sketch is shown as it is uploaded to the file. Some of the segments work better than others (my personal favorite being "Okey Dokey Kookin-classic Swedish chef) but each one definitely has its moments and there are certainly consistent laughs to be had. Admittedly, a lot of the humor revolving around modern culture felt a little forced and, unfortunately, incited a few cringes along the way. What made the two most recent Muppet movies work so well was how they kept the classic, clever humor of The Muppets alive. Muppets Now certainly has a lot of that but by trying too hard to relate to modern audiences, it takes away from that charming Muppets humor and starts to feel a little corporate.
Still, returning to the classic variety/sketch format seems to be exactly what The Muppets needed to make a comeback. Even though many of our favorite Muppets got sidelined this episode, there's still plenty of episodes for everyone to get their shining moment. Despite a few bumps, 'Due Date' was a delight to watch and a really solid start to the series, especially after so long being without these characters. There's a ton of potential here and hopefully, the next episodes lean more into the classic Muppet elements and less into meme culture.
P.S. In regards to Kermit's voice, it certainly takes some getting used to but after a few minutes, it starts to sink in.
★★★½
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