Frank Oz's thoughts on Disney's Muppets.

Frank Oz giving his honest thoughts about the Muppets since Disney bought them.

[TheGaryNOVA]

Frank Oz is the only person on earth who could criticize the Muppets and have me take them seriously.

[mstersupertar]

I think Frank has hit the nail on the head.

[shine]

The humour and anarchy that Jim Henson brought to the Muppets is what made them so funny. Although it remained for some of the movies that were made after his death, Disney have wiped all traces of that style of humour from the Muppets now

[jmuduke]

I’ve gotten to know Mr. Oz over the last 18 years. Nicest guy ever. Love him.

[ElanaVital]

There's too much drama in the new series. The characters aren't wacky and zany, they act like regular neurotic humans. There isn't any slapstick, no one really blows anything up...All they do is sit around sipping coffee and booze and bitch about their sex lives. I love Disney...but sometimes I really HATE Disney....they can be the worst when it comes to respecting the creativity of art. I bet if Walt Disney were alive, he'd want to stay truer to the original source material of the Muppets, instead of turning it into another cash cow, because that is what TRUE artists do.

[nine_tails]

Frank Oz has a point there.
I watched the first episode of "The Muppets" TV Series, and it felt like a re-enactment of the Office.
Seriously, I barely cracked a Smile, let alone laughed.

[Mac]

I'm glad Frank Oz is a lot more civil in his opinions than a lot of critics on the internet.
Speaking of which, I wonder what he thinks of the Muppets Hollywood Bowl/O2 show.

[kgjcinc.]

Jim Henson made the Muppets work perfectly. Unfortunately, Sesame Workshop and The Walt Disney Company will never be able to make the Muppets perfect like Jim Henson did. Look at what happened to Disney and the Disney Channels focusing mostly on teenage actors and actresses singing. Walt Disney would hate the fact of what the Disney Channel has turned into recently. Without people like icons Jim Henson, Walt Disney etc. their franchises will never have the same magic they once did.

[davidbreen]

Good for Frank Oz for criticizing Disney's Muppets.

[alyxg]

I legitimately think the muppets were a great explosive loud outlet for Jim who was very quiet and reserved and when he died they just couldn’t replicate it

[echoecho]

Frank is absolutely correct.
I grew up with the Muppets, starting with Sam and Friends and Wilkins Coffee ads.
The Muppets have always been witty, fun, destructive little beasts.
Diz has totally dumbed them down to where they're no fun any more.
And that's a shame.
Fortunately, we have YouTube, and can see the old witty, fun, funny bits from Sam and Friends, The Muppet Show, Ed Sullivan, Wilkins ads, Rowlf with Jimmy Dean, Johhny Carson, Hollywood Palace . . .

[Nickelberrynsc]

I agree. The Muppets during Jim’s life were always conveying a message, they had layers.

[brandonbutler]

As much as I love the Muppets, I have to agree with Frank here. The Muppets anymore are too cute. He is probably the only person who has been involved with the Muppets who can give his two cents while not having to bow down to the Mouse in charge hahaha. They are made to be this group of innocent, non-rebellious, sweet characters you can hug and squeeze.

I have to wonder how much input the Henson family had after Disney purchased the Muppets. Because If they would have had someone close to Jim Henson (who actually knows how Jim would have intended the Muppets) to be President of the Muppet Studio or whatever subsidiary name Disney licensed them under, I think you would see a totally different mindset of the Muppets. The only person I can think of who tried their best in disputing Disney's vision was Steve Whitmire, and most Muppet fans know what happened when he decided to open his mouth.

[IgnatiusThorogood]

He makes a very good point here, and mentions a name that doesn't get used nearly as often as it should: Jerry Juhl. The quality of Muppet projects has suffered the greatest since the loss of Jerry Juhl. More than anyone else, he understood how to write for the characters, what their dynamics are and how to portray them.

The Muppet Christmas Carol proved the brand could survive Jim Henson's passing, largely because of Juhl's excellent screenplay. The 2011 Muppets film showed that, while it will still be good, it will be different now, because nobody could write for these characters like Jerry Juhl.

[TheThrashmaster]

Some would argue that the recent ABC series resolved the problem that Mr. Oz described here, the matter of conflict; but I feel differently. The conflict that was among the characters under The Jim Henson Company took place among innocents in a safe environment not seeing eye to eye with each other. The characters were vibrant personalities, uninhibited by mature problems, and when they collided, powerful comedy resulted. Now, whereas all prior Muppet material was lighthearted, usually at the PG level, and generally cheerful, the recent series was dark, mature, and generally unhappy. The conflict that generated the natural humor of Jim Henson's wonderful creations requires the lightness; such conflict is found floating, at the surface, where the innocence is. In the series, these characters were not floating; they were sinking. The series required us to find amusement in the plight of these dying, sinking people. (The members of the band, drugged to the point of hallucination, were especially disturbing.) The outcome, from my point of view, was that this pillar of encouragement, one of the few that this world has left, was torn down in order to reflect the ever-growing depression of our culture. The Muppets of ABC's "The Muppets" are simply *two* steps away from the Muppets as they ought to be. I hope that they move back toward where they were.

[criticssuck]

Nickelodeon fans were not happy when Disney destroyed the image of their 90s show Doug. Disney has a habit of changing things they buy in my personal opinion.

[mcamac]

I'm leaping with joy just to see what Disney does with Star Wars (sarcasm). I mean we all know SW went really south since the prequels, but with Disney on board....
I always tell my friends about the "Hare Krishna" running gag in The Muppet Movie, and how it wouldn't happen in Disney no sir...well who knows...less we forget Song of the South etc. I'm with you Frank Oz!!!

[cryptidworthy]

hearing frank say this himself is so good for me because i keep thinking/saying the same thing whenever i try to watch new muppet things. going back and rewatching the muppet show made me realize i would LOVE to see a reboot with current celebrity guests and everything but there is NO way disney could EVER pull it off

[brianheistan]

I love how after he's asked the question, he sighs & goes straight for the glass of water. You can tell he's dissatisfied with Disney's take on the Muppets & he makes some great points.

[jonathanfunnell]

walt disney and jim henson would both be very disappointed if they could see what their creations have become today. they both were very smart men and geniuses