Muppet Babies (2018)

Muppet Babies is an updated version of the CBS animated series that ran from 1984 to 1990. The new series debuted on Disney Channel and the DisneyNOW app on March 23, 2018.Press Release, February 22, 2018
The show retains several of the younger incarnations of the classic Muppet characters seen in the previous series, including Baby Kermit, Baby Piggy, Baby Fozzie, Baby Gonzo, and Baby Animal. Joining the main cast is a new penguin character, Summer, and the show introduces Miss Nanny (who is the daughter of the original Nanny). The series features guest appearances by Statler and Waldorf, Rizzo the Rat, Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, the adult version of Dr. Teeth, original Muppet Babies character Rowlf the Dog, as well as new guest character Carlos, all introduced in the first season.
Unlike the previous series, the show is produced using computer-generated animation and features two, 11-minute stories per episode. The series is aimed at children between the ages of four and seven."A Brand New Muppet Babies is On the Way", OhMyDisney.com, October 26, 2016.
The show is a co-production between Disney Junior, Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, and The Muppets Studio. Tom Warburton (The 7D) serves as executive producer of the series with Eric Shaw (SpongeBob SquarePants) serving as story editor.‘Muppet Babies’ Reboot Begins Production at Disney Junior, Variety, October 26, 2016. The animation is produced by Toronto-based Snowball Studios. 
Prior to the show's debut, some of the characters from Muppet Babies also appeared in animated Disney Junior Music: Nursery Rhymes shorts produced for Disney Junior in January 2018, and in a series of shorts entitled Muppet Babies: Show and Tell.
On September 7, 2018, it was announced that the series had been renewed for a second season, premiering on August 9, 2019.Variety ‘Muppet Babies’ Season 3 Ordered at Disney Junior (EXCLUSIVE) Additional Muppets made guest appearances throughout the season, including new, younger versions of Sweetums and The Swedish Chef, new characters Mr. Manny, and Rizzo's brother Vinny Linguine, as well as original Muppet Babies characters Robin, Scooter, and his sister Skeeter.D23: 5 Muppetational Mysteries About Muppet Babies’ New Season—Solved! Between seasons, a series of shorts, Muppet Babies Play Date, featuring the characters as puppets premiered online during the summer of 2019. 
The series was renewed for a third season in July 2019, premiering January 4, 2021. One new character introduced to the franchise with the third season, is Fozzie's new adopted sister, koala Rozzie."Disney Junior to Introduce Fozzie Bear's Sister in Season 3" by Kimberly Nordyke, Dec 17, 2020. Another younger version of a classic Muppet character debuted in season 3, Sam Eagle. The last episode of season 3, airing February 18, 2022, was also announced as the series finale.Babies to Go Bye-Bye, ToughPigs.com, February 17, 2022.
==Official description==
==Cast==
* Matt Danner as Baby Kermit, Baby Beaker, Mr. Waldorf, Baby Rowlf, Baby Chef
* Melanie Harrison as Baby Piggy, Baby Camilla
* Dee Bradley Baker as Baby Animal, Baby Sweetums
* Ben Diskin as Baby Gonzo, Baby Rizzo
* Eric Bauza as Baby Fozzie, Baby Bunsen, Mr. Statler, Baby Robin, Baby Sam
* Jessica DiCicco as Summer Penguin
* Jenny Slate as Miss Nanny
:Recurring
* Ogie Banks as Baby Scooter
* Cree Summer as Skeeter
* Dulé Hill as Mr. Manny
* Todrick Hall as Carlos
* Charlie Townsend as Rozzie
* Ashley Spillers as Jill
==Credits==
*Executive Producer: Mr. Warburton
*Supervising Director: Matt Danner
*Co-Producer and Story Editor: Eric Shaw
*Muppet Babies Theme 2018 Written by: Hank Saroyan, Robert J. Walsh, Michelle Lewis, Kay Hanley, Dan Petty, Mr. Warburton, and Eric Shaw
*Original Songs by: Andy Bean
*Original Underscore by: Keith Horn and Andy Bean
*Executive in Charge of The Muppet Studios: Debbie McClellan, Leigh Slaughter
*Based on characters created by Jim Henson
==Gallery==
Muppet-Babies--1200x675.jpg|First concept art image released
Muppet Babies 2018 Eiffel Tower.jpg|
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Miss Nanny 02.jpg|
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MB2018-S&W-Balcony.png|Statler and Waldorf's neighboring balcony
MB2018-S&W.png|Mr. Statler and Mr. Waldorf as they appear on the show
MB2018-Competition.png|Rizzo the Rat's first appearance in 2018
OneSmallProblem.png|Bunsen and Beaker's first appearance in 2018
MuppetBabies-(2018)-Song-I'mOnTheCase.png|Rare group shot from the Summer Penguin song "I'm on the Case"
Muppet Babies Carlos frog.jpg|Guest frog Carlos, introduced in 2018
MuppetBabies-(2018)-BabyRowlf-FirstLook.jpg|First look at Rowlf, introduced in 2019
Baby_Sweetums.png|Neighbor monster Sweetums' first appearance in 2019
Baby_Chef.png|Guest Chef's first appearance in 2019
Muppet Babies 2018 Robin.jpg|Kermit's nephew Robin's first appearance in 2019
MuppetBabies-(2018)-S02E08-VinnyGroup.png|Rizzo's brother Vinny Linguine, introduced in 2019
MuppetBabies-(2018)-ScooterAndSkeeter-(2020-05-13).jpg|First look at Scooter and Skeeter, introduced in 2020
MuppetBabies-(2018)-S03E01-RizzosBigBruddahSchool-Season3Premiere.jpg|First look at Fozzie's adopted sister Rozzie, introduced in 2021
MuppetBabies-(2018)-S03E09-LoneEagle-BabySam.png|Sam Eagle, introduced in 2021
MB2018-313 Jill the Frog.jpg|Jill, introduced in 2021
==Behind the scenes==
Early production documents included a sheep character named Bobbi Baba as part of the central cast.Exclusive: Muppet Babies Set for Reboot?, ToughPigs.com, October 17, 2016.
Muppet Babies 2018 crew nikilytton 01.jpg|writers and Muppet Babies crew...
Muppet Babies 2018 crew nikilytton 02.jpg|...posted by Niki Lytton @nikilytton
Muppet Babies 2018 cast.jpg|voice cast in the recording studio
Muppet Babies 2018 cast and crew.jpg|cast and crew
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===Lawsuit===
On October 23, 2020, it was reported original series writer Jeffrey Scott filed suit against The Walt Disney Company for using ideas that were conceived in the original Muppet Babies series without his permission or being credited.TV writer Jeffrey Scott sues Disney's Muppet Babies reboot over copyright, alleged fraud He had also presented ideas and concepts to Disney in 2016 that were also used without his permission.Disney Accused Of Ripping Off ‘Muppet Babies’ Reboot; ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Scribe Sue On January 27, 2021, Disney filed a motion to dismiss it. Disney Tells Court to Shush 'Muppet Babies' Reboot Suit Disney argued that Scott had no ownership in the Muppets property on which Muppet Babies was clearly based on and that he did not claim ownership to the copyright of Muppet Babies when he filed for bankruptcy in 2003. The case was dismissed on March 31, 2021.Writer Loses 'Muppet Babies' Lawsuit Because of Old Bankruptcy In September 2022, the Central District of California allowed the case to be reopened in regards to Scott's creation of the character of Nanny and alleged copying by the reboot of plots of multiple scripts from the 1984 series.Disney Loses Bid to Dismiss 'Muppet Babies' Copyright Suit
==Awards==
* In 2019, the series was nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Preschool Children's Animated Series, Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program (Eric Bauza and Ben Diskin), and Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series or Special.Animation Magazine. March 20, 2019. Diskin ended up winning the award.
* In 2020, the series was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program (Matt Danner and Eric Bauza), and Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Program. Danner won the award.
* In 2021, the series was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in a Preschool Animated Program (Eric Bauza) and Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program. It was the first time that the series did not win either award as it lost to Elena of Avalor and Dragons Rescue Riders.
* In 2022, the episode "Gonzo-rella" was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Children’s Programming.33rd GLAAD Media Award Nominees by Spencer Harvey, January 19, 2022 It lost to Sesame Street. The series was also nominated for two Children's and Family Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Program and Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Program.2022 Children’s and Family Emmy Nominations
==Merchandise==
===Books===
*Meet the Muppet Babies!
*Show-and-Tell
*Kermit the Brave
*You Say Potato, I Say Best Friend
*Super Fabulous!
*Hatastrophe!
*Coloring books
===Toys===
*Muppet Babies plush at The Disney Store
*Muppet Babies figures
*Muppet Babies rubber figures
===Albums===
*Disney Junior Music: Muppet Babies
===Videos===
*Muppet Babies: Time to Play!
==See also==
*Inside jokes from the show
*Muppet Babies Theme
*Muppet Babies filmography
==External links==
* YouTube - Disney Junior Muppet Babies Official Playlist
==Sources==
__NOWYSIWYG__
 
Category:Animated TV Shows