Disney+ joins the puppet renaissance, announces new series Muppets Now coming in July
It’s possible that the real news here is that it took this long for Disney to trot out Kermit and the crew out for its streaming service, but nevertheless: Disney+ has announced its first original Muppet Studios series Muppets Now, which will begin streaming this summer. The streaming juggernaut tweeted the news in conjunction with a newly sacred holiday, National Streaming Day, which it is using to unleash a number of presumably big reveals. The Muppets series, which is some version of “unscripted,” is the first of a couple of announcements scheduled for today.
Here is Disney’s official synopsis, in case the premise isn’t exactly apparent:
“In the six-episode season, Scooter rushes to make his delivery deadlines and upload the brand-new Muppet series for streaming. They are due now, and he’ll need to navigate whatever obstacles, distractions, and complications the rest of the Muppet gang throws at him.”
Hijinks! Buffoonery! Statler and Waldorf’s unhelpful commentary! But don’t look for skits or (too many) ornate musical numbers, as this appears to follow a more “spontaneous” model that we’ve seen in modern Muppets attempts. At least we can likely look forward to the same startling star power that has always defined this universe as Disney does promise guest stars.
The timing of this announcement is also notable. Exactly one month after Apple TV+ announced its quarantine-stricken Fraggle Rock reboot and on the heels of HBO Max’s Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo, the reveal of a streaming Muppets Show now signals a very apparent puppet renaissance for which we should steady ourselves. If Quibi announces a gritty revival of Allegra’s Window, we might be in trouble.
Muppets Now will begin streaming July 31 on Disney+.