A muppet family Christmas is the best holiday special that has ever been created. Oh, that's right. I said it
I'm not gonna waste your time here people. We're getting right to the point in this one
in fact
That's really all you need to know so you could leave right now if you want it satisfied with knowing that this is the best
made-for-tv holiday special
But if you do leave you're going to miss this flirtatious turkey who tries to steal Gonzo's girlfriend
Take a chicken little you're my kind of poultry a Muppet family Christmas aired on ABC in December of 1987
It was written by Jerry Juhl whose name might not sound as familiar as Jim Henson's or Frank Oz's
But he's a vital part of the Muppet legacy
He was the head writer on the Muppet Show wrote for Fraggle Rock and was involved in some way with all of the Muppet movies
According to Jim Henson's daughter Lisa so much of the humor irreverence caring and heart began with Jerry
He was in many ways the real voice of the Muppets
I just wanted to make sure I included that because while the puppeteers were amazing
I think Jule deserves a lot of credit for his contributions and he's going to get it in spades for this special because it is
Fantastic, it was shot in Ontario and stars all of our favorite Muppet performers
Jim Henson Richard Hunt Jerry Nelson, Karen prowl Frank Oz Steve Whitmire all the regulars
I do like holiday specials
So I'd be drawn to this even if it was a piece of shit, but it's not this is the most ambitious
Crossover event in history. Yeah. Yeah fuck infinity war. It's all about a muppet family Christmas
We get Muppets we get Sesame Street we get Fraggles and we get Muppet Babies Thank You next this is a musical
So the special starts with the Muppets singing merrily in a pickup truck heading to Emily bear's house
Aka Fozzie's mom
Fozzie decided to surprise her because he feared that she might be lonely on Christmas Eve little does
He know mama bear has been planning a trip to Malibu. Well, I think I have everything
Yes, the airline ticket my suntan lotion
sure do hope I intrusive son doesn't show up as she's about to leave doc and sprocket show up two characters from Fraggle Rock this
Is Doc's first appearance on British television because in the UK version of the show?
Sprockets owner was a retired sailor who lived in a lighthouse doc had planned on renting mahse house while she was away on holiday
But then Fozzie surprises her
I have to mention the recurring icy patch gag
Because when I was a wee Rosa's
I thought it was the most hilarious
Thing in the world and me and my family would repeat it and tell each other to watch the icy patch
My childhood was exciting
Instead of kicking her son and his motley crew out the door so she can enjoy her vacation with her stylin hat and sunglasses
She welcomes them in and the conflict becomes where are all these weirdos going to sleep. That really is the main conflict
It's nothing overly serious. Santa Claus is not in trouble. There's no weird. Love triangle, Melissa
Joan Hart is not kidnapping someone the problem is that we have so much love
How are we going to fit it all under one roof?
Miss Piggy is the only one missing because she got caught up at a photo shoot but plans to meet up with everyone later
I love this shot where Piggy lifts her leg up and I know someone else is lifting another puppet part up from behind the pillar
But it still looks convincing. I'd expect nothing less of the Muppets
I've always been convinced that they are real characters all trying to get along into mama bears
Farmhouse as they sing songs and tell extremely bad jokes
Burned down
Another minor problem is that the Swedish chef needs a nice juicy turkey to cook up for Christmas Eve dinner
For whatever reason a turkey was invited to the party but manages to dodge a grisly death
Brush I guess I was wrong about the whole no weird. Love triangles thing
It was my girlfriend. Meanwhile Fozzie has found a new comedy partner. It's a snowman
He's alive while the storm starts to rage on outside the Muppets watch a home movie of when they were babies
And this is meant to be a puppet version of the popular animated series Muppet Babies, though
You may recall seeing their first appearance in the Muppets Take Manhattan
I want to adopt baby gonzo and love him and squeeze him forever. Even though he's not a bird
Nobody's perfect the most important thing I took away from this scene is Doc's reaction
weirdos act cute when the babies
Yep can confirm doc who was initially rather annoyed that his quiet vacation?
rental was invaded by a diverse bunch of eccentric creatures is now warming up to their presence and
Even started to help everyone find a place to sleep for the night
Despite the winter storm kicking into high gear the Sesame Street crew makes their way to the house
Christmas packed the song for this segment is here. We come a Caroline previously known as here. We come a-wassailing. But have you ever wondered?
What is waffling?
You are entitled to his day a bit card in pain
Well in the traditional English song
Wasallam refers to the act of going door to door singing loudly and carrying a pot of Wasel and sharing the Wasel with your neighbours
Which honestly sounds rather unhygenic get your fucking dirty pot of Wasel away from me. It was not originally
synonymous with Christmas
But it definitely became so when the lyric was changed to a caroling and that is your annual Christmas fact presented by pushing up roses
Meanwhile, the smooth-talking turkey gets captured by the Swedish Chef
But somehow weasels him out of becoming roasted again by completely selling out from the best Sesame Street characters of all time
I
Did not edit in that lightning by the way
that really is the
reaction and I think it's amazing when the chef invites Big Bird into the kitchen with intent to bop him over the head with a
frying pan Big Bird offers him a gift of chocolate-covered
Birdseed that warms his heart so much that he decides to make shredded wheat and cranberry sauce for Christmas dinner
Shredded wheat and cranberry sauce
my absolute
favorite
Fossey is really impressed by his new partners comedy chops and can't wait to sell Kermit on the idea of putting him in the show
This results in the best line in the entire special who's your new partner a snowman? Thank you
Say when I were watch the special for my video and Kermit just spat out this line so quickly and naturally I could not help
But crack up it almost sounds like an improv quip which would make sense seeing as though Jim Henson who is playing Kermit and Frank
Oz who was playing Fozzie always had this very natural
Chemistry when they were working and I can't help but wonder if they were just playing around a bit
I apologize in advance to all of my friends if I randomly start responding to messages like this. Thank you
Say Kermit finds Robin his nephew hanging out in the basement and they discover a Fraggle hole as Fraggles do live underground
You're probably wondering but how can these caverns be lit up so colorfully if they're underground and the answer is of course ditzies
But come on
We all knew that
Kermit and Robin tell the Fraggles about their holiday traditions about singing and gift giving and the Fraggles explained that they also have a tradition
Like that, they pass on a pebble as a gift from Fraggle to Fraggle
Every year sounds like that Cheesecake Factory gift card that has been in my family for generations
Pretty sure it's cursed and we keep trying to get rid of it, but it always ends up back in my possession on Christmas
always
After a rousing song goober offers Robin the passed along pebble. I'd like you to have this pepper
Wow
Gee, well Merry Christmas freckles. Kermit does not give two fucks about that pebble Merry Christmas. Thanks for the rock
When they returned upstairs Miss Piggy is still missing so doc offers to go out and look for her when he finds her
She tells him to put on this costume and makes a grand
Entrance as Olli Miss Piggy can pull off now that everyone is finally together on Christmas Eve. They can begin singing carols
Everyone is totally into it except doc who is seriously just sitting there like a bump on a log and staring into space
He's not even moving like the rest of the Muppets. What what is he even doing back there?
And everyone is happy because they are together
Even Oscar the Grouch is happy because he gets a rat buddy to spend time with and that's why I love this special so much
The biggest issues involved finding a place to sleep not being able to be with your loved ones around Christmas time
And what the Swedish Chef is supposed to make for dinner The Muppets despite their differences enjoy being around each other
weirdos Fozzie
They're nice. Weird. Yeah, I
Can't say a lot of my holidays have gone like this to be honest
I don't spend the holidays around a lot of people not due to a dislike for them
But because I like to spend time alone remembering my dad and Christmases past watching specials like this
They make me feel warm and cheesy like a gooey piece of french bread pizza
Christmas specials have gotten so far away from being about Christmas with their convoluted plots and conflicts that could be resolved with some simple communication
But a Muppet family Christmas has a really simple message togetherness, even if that means being around a group of complete weirdos
Even this guy it can't be easy looking like a brown abomination, but we all love him anyway
And when little Robin starts singing it's in every one of us. I just
Get a little something in my eye
Every one of us
To be wise
The end of the show features a cameo by Jim Henson himself who is serving ambiguous animal print realness
I do need to mention that there were some
Licensing issues with the home video release of this special I bought the US version online and it is missing a few scenes
Some people refuse to buy this version claiming it was butchered. I honestly think that's a bit exaggerated
I can understand the
Disappointment but it's still pretty cohesive and the nature of the special is about the same despite a few missing scenes and it's still filled
With plenty of carols though
It is a shame that the Muppet baby section was cut as was the scene with Fozzie discovering and singing with his new snowman
Partner, the lighter makes the US version make less sense
Seeing as though the scenes where Fozzie is talking to Kermit about him and later introducing him to the household are still there
So it's kind of weird to see those without the snowman's initial introduction other scenes that were cut include
Fozzie telling his mom that he is too old to have a Christmas stocking a very short scene where Elmo and Fozzie are lighting the
Christmas tree and several songs home for the holidays which plays after Piggy arrives at the house and have yourself a merry little Christmas and
I heard the bells on Christmas Day were cut from the finale you say I am never gonna stop using this clip ever
So you can get used to it. If you haven't seen this special you owe it to yourself to find it and watch it
It's so pure it can melt even the most cynical holiday hearts
"AHHHH" Careful the icey patch
The DVD tends to be on the expensive side and the uncut version is rare
But you can find it
if you look that all being said
I hope you have a lovely holiday season no matter how you celebrate or how you feel treat yourself to eggnog booze
Pizza turkey not this one and I will see you guys in the new year. Come at me 2019. I'm ready
Hey everyone
Thanks for watching my review of a muppet family Christmas the best Christmas special of all time if you want to discuss which Muppets are
Your favorite leave me a comment or find me on social media if you want to support the show check out my patreon campaign
I wish you the warmest of holiday sentiments and as always I will see you guys in the next one