Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, Animal, and friends may be returning to television after a two decade-long hiatus (movies excluded, of course) from The Muppet Show; that is, if ABC has anything to say about it.
According to TIME, the network has ordered a pilot presentation that feature the team of puppet misfits. Bill Prady, co-creator of Big Bang Theory, will write the pilot along with Anger Management’s Bob Kushell, who will be showrunner.
Prady has already knocked it out of the park with Big Bang Theory, but what some may not know is that he has also had plenty of involvement with The Muppets, including writing for The Jim Henson Hour, Muppet Classic Theater, and other Muppet specials. He’s a Muppet veteran of sorts, perfectly suited for the reboot.
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Created by Jim Henson in 1955, The Muppets are a group of puppets that set out to create and perform a variety of sketch comedies. Each puppet has his own unique personality and style, not to mention quirks. Some of the most popular characters include the leader Kermit, his constant admirer and total diva Miss Piggy, and Gonzo, among others.
For anyone who grew up in the ‘70s or ‘80s, The Muppets were likely a staple of childhood. The show aired from 1976 through to 1981, but those lovable characters have reappeared many times over the past three decades, including the 10-episode TV revival, Muppets Tonight, back in 1996. That show, by the way, also aired on ABC.
But there have been several reboot attempts on the movie side already this generation, including the 2011 Disney film The Muppets written by Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) and Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall). Muppets Most Wanted, the eighth film in the franchise, was released in March 2014, and starred heavyweights like Tina Fey (30 Rock), Ricky Gervais (Derek), and Ty Burrell (Modern Family.) Disney purchased the rights to The Muppets in 2004.
