The Muppet Show The Muppet Show is a half - hour variety show in which Kermit the Frog and the Muppets put on a weekly musical / comedy revue at The Muppet Theatre . Unfortunately for them , things never quite go according to plan , for the Muppets or their weekly guest stars . While Kermit had been featured extensively in other programs in the past , this show marked the introduction of a large , varied cast , including the hapless comedian Fozzie Bear , the diva superstar Miss Piggy , the lunatic daredevil artiste Gonzo , the wild drummer Animal , the unintelligible Swedish Chef , Dr . Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker of Muppet Labs , and many others . Their performances consistently fail to entertain the old curmudgeons Statler and Waldorf , who provide a running commentary of wise - cracks . The action in each episode was balanced between the on - stage acts and the frantic activity backstage ( one of the very few exceptions is , in which almost all sketches and skits are depicted on stage ) . The concept was reminiscent of old - time radio shows like " The Jack Benny Program " , where the star struggled to put on a weekly show amidst personal problems and an often uncooperative cast . Characters . Kermit the Frog serves as the host of " The Muppet Show " , and was also the director and general overseer of the performances , assisted by Scooter , the gofer who only got his job because his uncle , J . P . Grosse , owned the theater . The show ' s orchestra was conducted by Nigel , and musical acts ranged from solo musicians such as Rowlf the Dog to the show ' s main rock and roll band , Dr . Teeth and the Electric Mayhem . Because it was a puppet show , " The Muppet Show " had the advantage of being able to include an endless array of characters with only a small number of performers . Aside from the aforementioned characters , recurring figures included self - appointed censor Sam the Eagle , who tried to make the show more cultural ; Camilla the Chicken , Gonzo ' s girlfriend ; Robin the Frog , Kermit ' s nephew ; and Link Hogthrob , the captain of the Swinetrek in the " Pigs in Space " skits , among others . Certain characters from the early years of the show , like Hilda and George the Janitor , fell by the wayside , while newer characters were introduced , such as Beauregard the stagehand and the boomerang fish - throwing Lew Zealand . One of the few minor characters who became a major player after the series ended was Rizzo the Rat . In addition , the generic Whatnots and a wide array of animals , vegetables , and minerals filled out the chorus . Most of the Muppets appeared in both backstage scenes and onstage sketches and songs . For example , while Beaker was primarily Bunsen ' s assistant , he also frequently helped Beauregard with his backstage duties . Although Janice was The Electric Mayhem ' s guitar player , she also appeared as a nurse in Veterinarian ' s Hospital . Many characters with backstage jobs also appeared on - stage quite frequently , in group numbers and " At the Dance " sketches . However , some characters were pigeonholed into their own sketches , such as The Newsman of Muppet News Flash and Louis Kazagger of Muppet Sports . " The Muppet Show " featured a mix of established Muppets and new characters . Some major characters from previous productions ( Kermit , Rowlf ) remained prominent while others ( Nigel , Thog ) were relegated to background or supporting status . Some minor characters from previous productions ( Gonzo , Miss Piggy ) became stars . Sketches and Set Pieces . Some of the more popular comedic bits from the show include : Guest Stars . In keeping with the TV variety show format , each episode showcased a celebrity guest star or duo , who were the only humans to appear on the show . As noted in " " , " From Jim ' s point of view , this would help provide a bridge between the Muppet world and the audience . From ITC ' s point of view , it would make the show easier to promote . " In the first season , Kermit introduced them at the start of the theme song and in a lyric after a joke by Fozzie . From the second season onward , the guest was invariably introduced in the cold open . During the first season , their involvement was limited primarily to the on - stage performances , showcases for the guest ' s comedic or musical skills . They also regularly participated in comedic blackouts , talk spots , and panel discussions . As early as the first season , the fighting Rita Moreno and the eerie Vincent Price gave a special tone to the episode they appeared in . As the series wore on , the guests became more and more crucial , becoming involved in the backstage plots ( Gonzo falling in love with Madeline Kahn , James Coco helping Kermit to improve the numbers ) , expressing dissatisfaction with the show ( John Cleese , Jaye P . Morgan ) , or as featured performers in elaborate " theme " stories . One of the more extreme examples came in the final season , with , as guest star Glenda Jackson reveals herself to be a ruthless pirate and commandeers the theater . The guest roster included a range of performers , from familiar film and television personalities and stage theater veterans to ballet dancers , country singers , rock stars , experimental pantomime artists , and even a ventriloquist or two . The majority of the guest stars during the first season were either personal friends of the production team ( for example , first season head writer Jack Burns ' former comedy partner Avery Schreiber was a guest ) , or a client of Jim Henson ' s agent , Bernie Brillstein . By the second season , thanks in part to Rudolf Nureyev ' s famous guest appearance , the show started to attract more celebrities , and eventually , celebrities were asking to appear on the show . Whenever a star was booked to appear on the show , they would be asked if there were any characters who they wanted to work with . Most of them wanted to work with either Kermit or Miss Piggy . However , the producers generally preferred if the guest stars would have been more open to lesser known characters to allow for fresher material for writers . In that regard , some stars who proved that flexible included Glenda Jackson who insisted that she would be up for any idea presented , while John Cleese of Monty Python fame co - wrote his own material for the producers to use . Some of the more memorable guest star moments include the following : Rita Moreno ' s performance of " Fever " , backed by Animal on drums ; Rudolf Nureyev dancing with a pig ballerina ; Harry Belafonte singing " Turn the World Around " , accompanied by African Masks ; Alice Cooper singing " School ' s Out " with the monsters near a haunted castle ; John Cleese being forced into a closing number ; Gene Kelly giving Kermit a dance lesson ; and Raquel Welch performing a song - and - dance number with a giant spider . In addition to showcasing the guests ' familiar skills or " shticks , " stars occasionally performed against type , such as Nureyev tap dancing to " Top Hat , White Tie and Tails " or screen tough guy James Coburn focusing on zen meditation and calmness . Some episodes played on the guest ' s established " star texts " as specific characters , such as Christopher Reeve ' s Superman and Lynda Carter ' s Wonder Woman . Roger Moore ' s appearance played ironically off of his James Bond persona , as Moore preferred to do the whimsical " Talk to the Animals " over any spy heroics . Occasionally , the guest ' s alter - egos even appeared directly , such as Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau , Gilda Radner as Emily Litella , or Carol Burnett ' s janitor character . The most elaborate example , however , came in , as the stars of " Star Wars " appeared as themselves , continuing their space opera dramatics , while Luke Skywalker ' s portrayer Mark Hamill also appeared briefly as himself , introduced as Luke ' s " cousin . " Guest star Rita Moreno won an Emmy Award for her appearance on the show , while Bernadette Peters and Peter Sellers were also nominated for their work . Format . " The Muppet Show " had a number of short segments and musical acts , along with backstage scenes which usually made up the show ' s plots . While the plots often occurred backstage , with a random variety of sketches thrown in , there were also many themed shows , especially in the last season . Such themes included a horror - themed show ( when horror stars Vincent Price or Alice Cooper appeared on the show ) , an evening of Paul Simon songs ( when Paul Simon guest starred ) , a salute to vaudeville ( when Wally Boag guest starred ) , and even an all - puppet show ( when Señor Wences was the guest ) . Most episodes featuring country music evoked a Western or rural theme . Beginning in the third season , four episodes departed from the norm and utilized a " book " format , as the cast presented a long - form play ( , , , and ) . Due to shorter commercial breaks in the United Kingdom , an extra two - minute sketch was also included in the UK broadcasts , normally shown after the middle commercial break and never featuring the guest stars . Regular elements during the first season included " At the Dance " and the Talk Spots . These two sketches were featured less often in subsequent seasons . Another common recurring sketch in the first season was Fozzie Bear ' s monologues , which were later replaced by more elaborate acts ( ventriloquism , for example ) , or dropped entirely . In one of Brian Henson ' s introductions to " The Muppet Show " filmed for the Odyssey Network , he talks about the show ' s laugh track . The question of an audience also came up during an interview with Jim Henson : He then addressed the use of a laugh - track : The laugh - track was even addressed within the show , such as in the guest starring Ruth Buzzi . During the show ' s Talk Spot , Kermit cracks a joke and mentions that it is " up to the laugh track " whether it ' s funny or not . At the end of , Kermit comments " You ' ve been a wonderful laugh track ! " In the At the Dance segment of , a pirate shouts ship directions to a crew : " Keelhaul the writers ! Hoist the laugh track ! " Series Evolution . Jack Burns was the head writer during the first season and most of the humor during that season was gag - based . Many recurring sketches , including At the Dance , Veterinarian ' s Hospital , The Talking Houses , Blackouts , and Fozzie ' s Monologues , focused heavily on jokes . After the first season , the talking houses and blackouts were dropped , while At the Dance and Fozzie ' s monologues were both featured less often , or tied to a specific gimmick or theme . Many of the backstage plots during the first season also revolved around running gags , such as , with Fozzie subjecting Kermit to an endless stream of puns . After the first season , Jack Burns stepped down and Jerry Juhl took over as head writer . When Jerry Juhl became the head writer , the show became more character - based . Later episodes focused more on the backstage plots than the on - stage sketches . Some examples include , where Kermit fired Miss Piggy , and , where Gonzo turned the show into a dance marathon . The " book " format episodes often collapsed stage antics and backstage plot . Other changes include the opening theme song . The lyrics have stayed the same but what happens during the beginning has changed at least three times . Behind the Scenes . While Jim Henson had been pleased with the success of " Sesame Street " , that show had branded the Muppets as a " kids ' act . " Henson was interested in creating a show that would provide entertainment across all age groups . Henson auditioned his characters and his concept for the show many times to the major television networks , even filming a pitch reel for CBS . By 1973 , ABC had ordered two prospective pilots for a potential series : " The Muppets Valentine Show " and " " . ABC ultimately passed on producing a half - hour show . Initially , Henson and company resisted producing the program in syndication , as they feared that the show would be underfunded . However , a British syndicator named Lord Lew Grade brought a proposal to the Henson Company , with an assurance that the show would have the money for the production values it needed . The show first hit the airwaves in September 1976 . While it became a hit internationally almost immediately , the show struggled in the ratings its first year in America . In the second year of the show , with the format and the characters finding their groove , and such big - name stars as Bob Hope , Madeline Kahn , John Cleese , Steve Martin , Elton John and others appearing , the show became a success in America as well . The show was subsequently dubbed in several languages and broadcast all over the world , which eventually led " Time " magazine to declare " The Muppet Show " " the most popular television entertainment on earth . " The show ran for five years and 120 episodes . It finally went off the air , not due to a lack of popularity , but as a result of Henson ' s desire to move on to bigger projects , such as " The Dark Crystal " , that would require the full energy and resources of his company . Production wrapped on The Muppet Show on Friday , August 22 , 1980 . While the show never returned with new episodes , the Muppets from the program have appeared in numerous TV specials and movies , and " The Muppet Show Live " was presented for MuppetFest in 2001 . Popularity . The popularity of the series led to many Muppet specials , movies , albums , and merchandise , both during and after the show ' s run . The show was popular not only in North America and the United Kingdom but all over the world , so there have been many Muppet products that were not available for sale in the U . S . and / or U . K . During the show ' s run there were a number of toys produced , including hand puppets and plush toys released by Fisher Price . There were many " Muppet Show " albums featuring songs from the show , and a number of compilation albums featuring material from the first albums have been released since the show ended . During the show ' s run ( as well as the first few years after production ended ) , a collection of Muppet Show annuals were released once a year in the UK . " The Muppet Show " also had its own fan club , which included four newsletters per year . There were also a few games as well as a book that illustrated and transcribed material from the show . " The Muppet Movie " and " The Great Muppet Caper " were the first attempts to adapt the characters to cinema , released during the show ' s original run , and other movies and specials followed . In 2002 , " The Muppet Show " celebrated its 25th anniversary , with , collectible busts , a 25th anniversary album , a set of trading cards , and more . In 2009 , " The Muppet Show " format was adapted into a series of comic books from BOOM ! Studios . In the UK , " The Muppet Show " made Channel 4 ' s list of the 100 greatest kids ' all - time shows , ranking at number 2 . Airdates . United Kingdom . The first country to air the series was England as produced by ATV for the ITV networks . At the time , there was no complete networking of the independent networks , and as such the different regional channels did not all air the show on the same day or time . Not all regions aired every episode - - for example , LWT ( London Weekend Television , the franchise that covered the Greater London and Home Counties areas during the weekends ) only aired 23 of the 24 episodes recorded as part of the first series . The first region to air the show was the ATV / Midlands region on Sunday , September 5 , 1976 , beginning with the Joel Grey episode ( NB : For the purposes of this article , the Midlands region airdates will be referred to throughout , unless otherwise specified ) . 16 episodes aired consecutively between September and December 1976 , before the show took a one week break over Christmas , resuming in the new year for another five weeks . Over the next two months ( February to March ) , however , a series of re - runs ( as well as a compilation edition ) were aired ; the final three episodes , featuring guest stars Ethel Merman , Connie Stevens and Vincent Price eventually screened in April 1977 . The second season debuted on Friday , September 30 , 1977 , beginning with the George Burns episode . Although 24 episodes were recorded as part of the second recording block , 30 episodes ended up being screened between September 1977 and April 1978 . This consisted of the 24 episodes from the second recording block plus six episodes from the third recording block . It would appear that this was the case in other regions , as LWT also aired 30 episodes . Most episode guides , however , do not include the last six episodes ( featuring guest stars Roy Clark , Leo Sayer , Gilda Radner , Pearl Bailey , Jean Stapleton and Loretta Lynn ) as part of Season Two but instead as part of Season Three . The third season debuted on Friday , November 17 , 1978 , beginning with the Raquel Welch episode , and consisted of the remaining 18 episodes recorded as part of the third recording block , concluding on Friday , March 9 , 1979 , with the Lynn Redgrave episode . The season only ran for 17 weeks as the Danny Kaye episode was broadcast on Christmas Day 1978 , three days after the broadcast of the Kris Kristofferson and Rita Coolidge episode . In August 1979 , Union members of the Independent Networks went on strike over a pay rise dispute and for 10 straight weeks , there was a complete blackout in all the regions . The dispute was resolved in late October 1979 but unfortunately , no television listings for the regional networks were printed until the following week . This has caused some confusion with regards to the airdates for the fourth season , and most guides only list 23 episodes having aired as opposed to the 24 recorded . Programming on ATV resumed on Monday , October 29 , 1979 ; the fourth series of the Muppet Show began that night as the first programming after the news , starting with the Dudley Moore episode ( the only one that is not mentioned in some guides ) . The series only ran for 23 weeks as the remaining episodes aired in their usual Friday night slot , beginning with the Crystal Gayle episode on November 2 , 1979 , and concluding with the Diana Ross episode on April 4 , 1980 . The fifth season debuted on Sunday , October 5 , 1980 , beginning with the Roger Moore episode and concluding on Sunday , March 15 , 1981 , with the Shirley Bassey episode . Reruns . Reruns of " The Muppet Show " aired in syndication for many years , eventually moving to the TNT cable station from 1988 to 1992 . From 1994 to 1995 , reruns began airing on the Nickelodeon cable station instead . In 1999 , the reruns moved to the partly Henson - owned Odyssey Channel . When Odyssey became Hallmark Channel , the Henson shows were taken off the schedule . Reruns still sometimes air in countries outside of the United States , though , often packaged with the MuppetTelevision segments of " The Jim Henson Hour " ( retitled " The Jim Henson Show " ) , and episodes of " Muppets Tonight " . Disney Channel UK picked up the original series from 2005 until 2007 . The BBC shown 45 of the 120 edited ( without UK skits ) episodes from 8th February 1986 to 7th October 1987 . Video releases . In the ' 80s and ' 90s , compilation videos featuring the most memorable sketches and songs from " The Muppet Show " were released by Playhouse Video . These compilations featured many sketches , including UK Spots , with new wraparounds of the Muppet characters . During the late ' 80s , a video label in Argentina called Ledafilms , released at least three volumes with full - length , Spanish - dubbed episodes of " The Muppet Show " entitled " En El Show De Los Muppets " ( literally : " In the Show of The Muppets " ) and " Muppet Show Special " . In 1994 , Jim Henson Video included two episodes on " Monster Laughs with Vincent Price " , the first home video release of complete " Muppet Show " episodes in English . In 2000 , Time - Life began offering several of the most famous and popular episodes of " The Muppet Show " in their complete form on video ( allowing American viewers to see an extra two minutes of footage that previously had only been available to UK audiences ) . The episodes were initially released on VHS and then re - released on DVD as " Best of the Muppet Show " ; fifteen volumes ( 45 episodes ) in total . These were also sold in stores under the Columbia Tristar Video label . Complete Seasons . In August 2005 , Buena Vista Home Entertainment ( a Disney imprint ) released a DVD set of " " . The 24 first season episodes were mostly complete , except in a few instances where music rights proved prohibitive , resulting in musical numbers being deleted from the show . A second set , " " , followed in 2007 , featuring uncut episodes , with a third , " " , released in 2008 . That same year , The Muppets Studio general manager Lylle Breier stated on a podcast that Disney was in the process of acquiring legal clearances for music on the remaining seasons . Seven years later , Martin G . Baker was quoted as citing insufficient audio elements for seasons 4 and 5 as the reason any further home video releases of " The Muppet Show " were being held up ( despite a number of episodes from those seasons being previously released on DVD ) .