ABC
The magic of a good Christmas special is that anything can happen when people (or Muppets) gather ’round for the holidays to reflect upon their lives and the impending new year. In the case of The Muppets, it brought guest star Mindy Kaling, who surprisingly couldn’t sing a note on key, Becky breaking Fozzie’s heart because he doesn’t ever take anything seriously, and the writers teasing us that perhaps Miss Piggy and Kermit both secretly yearn to get back together. The mid-season finale brought many surprises and warmed my heart by episode’s end in true holiday fashion.
When a devastated Fozzie says he cannot play Santa in “Up Late with Miss Piggy”‘s holiday special, Kermit tries his best to console him. However, Fozzie says Kermit couldn’t possibly understand his pain because he’s never been the one who was broken up with – he’s always been the one who broke up with the other person. So, Kermit does the only thing he can think of and sends Fozzie along to Miss Piggy for a pep talk. Kermit likes to put Miss Piggy in an awkward position whenever it’s convenient for him, doesn’t he? And somehow, Miss Piggy always manages to pull it all together for him despite her usual self-preoccupied nature. One might say they balance and complement each other in such a way that perhaps no other frog or pig could. More on this later.
Miss Piggy’s initial advice is that Fozzie should try to replace his feelings about Becky with stuff, lots and lots of stuff. She offers him everything from a gourmet cheese basket to a massaging neck pillow. But Fozzie tells her the stuff won’t keep him warm at Christmas time. Miss Piggy then has a change of heart, telling him he must fight for Becky. She urges him to tell her he’s willing to do whatever it takes to woo her back and make it work. Fozzie then questions Miss Piggy as to why she hasn’t fought for Kermit yet. A triumphant Fozzie ultimately gets Becky to take him back, while a despondent Miss Piggy gorges herself on gourmet cheeses because she realizes she is alone at Christmas and she misses being with Kermit.
ABC
While attempting to cheer up Miss Piggy four minutes until the special is set to air, Kermit tells her she was his favorite show long before she was on TV in a really tender moment. Kermit later tells the camera that the holidays bring out confused feelings in people. I’d say the writers are setting it up perfectly for the couple to get back together when the show returns next year. Nothing would make me happier. If there’s one irrefutable fact about The Muppets from my childhood, it’s that Kermit and Miss Piggy belong together. It’s weird to think of them as separate entities. (Doesn’t anybody else remember them adorably singing “I’m Gonna Always Love You” in The Muppets Take Manhattan?) And what’s the point of Kermit’s new girlfriend if we never see her? Her character feels forced.
ABC
When Kermit discovers that Mindy Kaling can’t sing and she’s slated to sing an opening duet with Miss Piggy on the holiday special, he tries everything he can to prevent it from being a disaster. It was an inspired choice to have everyone associated with the show come in and sing “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” to mask Mindy’s voice. Seeing all the colorful Muppets together, happy and singing a holiday carol, made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It was the perfect ending for the episode, and all in all, I thought The Muppets went out on a high note.
ABC
A few more observations: the Swedish Chef’s gingerbread house looked incredible, Echosmith sounded beautiful while performing at the Muppets’ holiday party and Sweetums stole the show when he said he got himself a hair straightener because it only takes 15 minutes to straighten his hair; why pay salon prices? I’ll probably still be chuckling about that next time I see Sweetums, which won’t be soon enough, as The Muppets returns Feb. 2.
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