Episode 224: Cloris Leachman

The pigs take over the show, kidnapping all of the non-pigs. Miss Piggy is concerned about her frog, but "Kermit the Pig" (a green, flippered pig) buys her off with promises that she'll star in the opening number. Kermit, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo are locked in the Boiler Room, and Gonzo tries to tunnel through the brick wall with a spoon. Meanwhile, other pig replacements perform, including Fozzie Pig and a porcine Swedish Chef.
Miss Piggy visits the boiler room, and tells Kermit that she's refused to cooperate with the other pigs -- but when she hears that another pig will take her place in "Pigs in Space", she runs off. In the end, Cloris organizes a hog-calling contest next door, the pigs run off, and the rest of the cast is freed. Unfortunately, no one tells Gonzo, who breaks through the wall with his spoon just as the show ends.
==Songs/Sketches==
* "That's Entertainment"
* Operetta Medley: "My Hero," "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life," "Serenade," "Stouthearted Men"
* Fozzie's Comedy Acts: A Monologue by Fozzie Pig
* The Swedish Chef (Popcorn): The Swedish Pig prepares popcorn.
* UK Spot: Veterinarian's Hospital (Vegetarian's Hospital)
* UK Spot: Muppet News Flash (The Newspig)
* Pigs in Space: Chopped Liver Alien
* "Just in Time"
== Notes ==
*This is the only episode where a backstage setting is not shown. Instead, the off-stage settings are of Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo trying to get out of the boiler room.
*This is the last episode to have the first season's closing theme.
==Episode==
Picture	Description
 	Cold Open: The Muppet animals are very excited to hear that Cloris Leachman is a vegetarian. The fruits and vegetables, however, are not so thrilled.
 	"The Muppet Show Theme": Gonzo's horn blows red smoke.
 	As Kermit the Frog introduces the show, renegade pigs show up to announce that they are taking over the show! They capture Kermit in a net, the frog crying out, "You'll never get away with it!" As Dr. Julius Strangepork leads the pigs offstage, Kermit the Pig arrives to take over the introduction.Miss Piggy storms on to defend her frog. Her stand on the matter changes, though, when she learns that she will star in the opening number.
 	The show is started with "a little pig music." The pigs, including Annie Sue and Link Hogthrob sing "That's Entertainment" for the opening number.
 	Kermit is thrown into the boiler room where he finds Fozzie Bear has already been captured by the pigs. Fozzie, glad to see Kermit, tells him of his plan to escape. He is going to tie some sheets together so that they can slip out the window. Kermit asks, "What window?" All is not lost, for Kermit has discovered a telephone. Fozzie goes to it, sees that it is working, and takes the phone to his friend... accidentally tearing it from the wall in the process.
 	Cloris Leachman confronts "Kermit," knowing for certain that it is not the real Kermit and that all the other Muppets are not their usual selves. She says that there is nothing that this new Kermit could say that would convince her that he is a frog. He then says, "Ribbit." That convinced her.
 	Operetta Medley: Cloris, Link Hogthrob, and the pigs sing a medley of songs that include "My Hero," "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life," "Serenade" (from The Student Prince), and "Stouthearted Men."
 	Fozzie has a new plan: When a pig opens the door, he will clobber him with a club and the two prisoners will run for their lives. Instead of a pig, Fozzie hits Gonzo as he is tossed into the boiler room.Kermit asks Gonzo what's happening with the show, to which Gonzo responds, "It's going great! They've got this new emcee, and the audience loves him... And the new comedian, Fozzie the Pig, boy is he funny!" Kermit and Fozzie are both devastated. Additionally, Gonzo has come up with his own plan to escape. He has smuggled in a spoon, and plans to dig his way through the brick wall.
 	Fozzie's Comedy Acts: Kermit the Pig introduces "that great, big, lovable ham who's really a boar, and proud of it." Fozzie Pig comes on to perform his act, and at first, Statler and Waldorf like it (aside from Fozzie's new haircut).
 	Taking over for the Swedish Chef, the Swedish Pig prepares popcorn by shooting an ear of corn.
 	UK Spot: Vegetarian's Hospital: Doctor Pig, Nurse Pig and Nurse Piggy operate on a tray of fruits and vegetables.
 	UK Spot: Muppet News Flash: The Newspig reports on Dr. Bunsen Honeypig's having successfully converted a sow's ear into a silk purse.
 	As Gonzo digs his way out, Fozzie plans to smuggle the dirt out in his hat. It doesn't work.Miss Piggy arrives to tell Kermit that she has had nothing to do with taking over the show, and will stay in the boiler room with him, stating that her loyalty is with her frog. She is called for Pigs in Space, but refuses to leave Kermit. That is, not until they threaten to replace her in the sketch.
 	Pigs in Space: The Swinetrek is under attack by an alien thing! But more importantly, Captain Link Hogthrob has a spot on his uniform! What could it be? When the alien has stopped his attack, Dr. Julius Strangepork exclaims, "It's Chopped Liver!" Link is certain that the spot is not chopped liver, but is in fact ketchup.The Chopped Liver monster of the galaxy Zabar is quickly labeled as "hideous." The monster quips, "Hideous? For 1.69 a pound you want beautiful?"
 	Scooter opens the door of the boiler room to announce that they're finally free! Someone next door was holding a hog calling contest, and the pigs all ran off.Fozzie goes to tell Gonzo the good news, but he can't even see him anymore. He's made a lot of progress with the teaspoon.
 	Cloris gets stranded on a desert island with Sweetums, who asks if she can make a good fondue. Cloris is uncertain whether she's to be the cook or the dish. Once she's rescued by Doglion, the three of them break into song, singing "Just in Time." At the conclusion of the song, Doglion asks Sweetums if Cloris is the cook or the dish. "Dish! Ha-ha!" he responds.
 	At the closing, Gonzo succeeds in breaking free of the boiler room, but is surprised to see Kermit has already escaped.Kermit learns that it was Cloris who organized the hog call, even giving a demonstration. Unfortunately, that sends the pigs back to the show. As a result, both Kermit the Frog and Kermit the Pig close the show.
==Edits==
*Nickelodeon: The UK Spots "Vegetarian Hospital" and "News Flash" were both cut.
==Cast==
Muppets:
:Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Statler and Waldorf, Kermit the Pig, Fozzie Pig, The Swedish Pig, Doctor Pig, Nurse Pig, The Newspig, Sweetums Pig, Annie Sue, Link Hogthrob, Dr. Julius Strangepork, Chopped Liver, Sweetums, Doglion
Background Muppets:
:Ronald Duck, cow, Goat, Lobsters, Chickens, the Singing Food (including Banana)
==Performers==
:Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Waldorf, the Newspig, Link Hogthrob and Doglion
:Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and the Swedish Pig
:Dave Goelz as Gonzo and Kermit the Pig
:Jerry Nelson as Dr. Julius Strangepork, the Announcer and Fozzie Pig
:Richard Hunt as Scooter, Statler, Chopped Liver, Pig Guard, Doctor Pig and Sweetums
:Louise Gold as Annie Sue and Nurse Pig
==Gallery==
File:Leachman07.jpg
File:Leachman03.jpg
File:Leachman05.jpg
File:TMS224-LinkThatsEntertainment.jpg
File:Leachman04.jpg
File:MS_Ep.224.jpg
File:sweetums coconut tree.jpg
File:Clorisleachman.jpg
File:Leachman02.jpg
File:Leachman06.jpg
==External links==
*Falk, Karen. "Jim Henson's Red Book", 10/25/1977 - Cloris Leachman (MS)
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