Play the music. Light the Lights. It’s time to get things started on The Muppet Show! The classic series began streaming on Disney+ this past week.
The Jim Henson Company made 120 episodes between 1976 and 1981 filled with the titular Muppets. Now the entire series is finally available to stream on-demand. Well, most of it. Hardcore Muppet fans may notice that some of the episodes run a little short and two episodes are missing. According to a Disney spokesperson, most of the cuts “came down primarily to music rights issues.”
That said, the show walked that line to entertain both the young and young at heart, using humor that worked on multiple levels, much like the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes shorts of the 30s and 40s. And like those old cartoons, they were very much a product of their time. Some of that material would not have made it on the air these days. Unlike some series available on streaming services that have completely removed episodes that contain offensive material, Disney is keeping the content intact but includes a content warning:
“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it, and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.”
As for the two completely missing episodes, both are from Season 5. The episode featuring Brooke Shields is not available most likely due to music issues. As for the second missing episode, the guest star was British comedian Chris Langham. He was convicted and served 6 months for possession of child porn. Disney declined to comment on that part. So yeah.
So what do you think? Did Disney+ make the right move by adding content warnings? Comment below and tell us what you think!
The Muppet Show is now streaming on Disney+.
