It’s become really difficult to track what Disney wants to do at any given moment with The Muppets. The House of Mouse bought the iconic puppet stars from Jim Henson back in the mid-2000’s, then really gave them a push with a pair of films in the early 2010’s. I really loved the Jason Segel-led The Muppets and quite enjoyed Muppets Most Wanted, but the last decade of Muppet content has been choppier. There’s been a failed “office mockumentary” style sitcom on ABC and a number of very limited Disney+ series, but you could argue that the most notable story about Kermit and friends in the last 10 years has been the significantly protested removal of their 4D show from Disney World. 

Do today’s children even know the Muppets? I’d wager that they know who Kermit the Frog is, and they probably also know Miss Piggy because of her iconic status in the world of pop culture (more on that later). But the next tier of characters are questionable to me. All I’m saying is that characters like the Swedish Chef, Sam the Eagle, Beaker, Animal and Statler/Waldorf need a platform to thrive. These characters were legitimately as big as many real-life celebrities in the second half of the 20th century. 

Luckily, the tides may be beginning to turn for the Muppets. Josh D’Amaro, the soon-to-be new head of Disney, is supposedly a major fan of the characters. Though he won’t get credit for this new special, set to air in primetime tomorrow night on ABC, this charming return to the world of Muppet Mania might build up some much-needed momentum. For a crisp 30 minutes (without commercials), Disney and ABC are handing their platform over to the characters, giving them a chance to put on their iconic show for a large audience at least one more time. It’s a celebration of 50 years of Muppets that doesn’t feel too over-congratulatory. The 2026 The Muppet Show special succeeds because it just feels like a new episode of their old show, which at the height of their powers was as impactful and enjoyable a variety show as the best of Saturday Night Live. 

The plot, as exists, is very familiar for The Muppet Show fans. Kermit and top stagehand Scooter are excited for the return of the show, but have severely overbooked acts. Everyone wants to get in on the special, and there’s only so much time (like I said, only 30 minutes). Kermit has to cut certain people and make tough decisions. Piggy wants multiple showcases for her “enormous” talent, and a musical number set in Ancient Sparta might have to hit the cutting room floor. 

The Muppets have been bringing in human guest stars from the beginning. For this special, the main featured celebrity player is Sabrina Carpenter, who admits that she styled a lot of her playful diva energy after Miss Piggy (Piggy keeps threatening to sic her lawyers on Sabrina). She gets a lot of runway to shine in this special, particularly in a fun performance of her hit “Manchild” at a Sam the Eagle-owned saloon and a boat-bound duet with Kermit of the Kenny Rogers-Dolly Parton song “Islands in the Stream.” Not only is it amusing to see Carpenter dancing along Camilla and her chickens, but I got a kick out of the usually raunchy singer having to censor herself on a few occasions. 

Seth Rogen and Maya Rudolph also pop up for brief guest appearances, and are funny in their roles (Rogen and Fozzie Bear have a fun exchange). With only so much time to get to everyone, my biggest gripe with the special is the struggle to balance all of the great characters at their disposal. Fozzie, Gonzo, Statler/Waldorf and Rizzo are among those who get their moments to shine, but the special is very Kermit/Piggy heavy. I suppose that makes sense given their notoriety to general audiences, and the point is to try and get people invested in these characters again. But it’s a little frustrating, particularly given the controversy surrounding new Kermit performer Matt Vogel, and how little he sounds like both Jim Henson and Steve Whitmire. 

I guess I should be grateful that we’re getting this special at all, particularly if it really is meant to be a backdoor pilot to similar Muppets content. More than anything, this proves that you can show audiences these characters doing literally anything and it can be enjoyable. I smiled and chuckled many times during the special, and I hope this isn’t the last time they get to “play the music” and “light the lights”.

The Muppet Show: 2026 edition airs tomorrow on ABC and will be available on Disney+.