Best Muppet Television Shows
This list compiles the best television shows that have either starred or prominently featured Jim Henson's Muppet characters.
The Muppet Show is a family-oriented comedy-variety television series that was produced by puppeteer Jim Henson and features The Muppets. When one thinks of the Muppets, I'd imagine this is what most often comes to mind. Besides Kermit (and a few others), most non-Sesame Street characters originated in this show. So how could it not be considered a classic?
The dozens of classic sketches and special guests didn't hurt either. Plus, that wonderful Muppet humor was never stronger than it was back in the day (1976 to 1981 to be exact).
Not only is this one of the best Muppet TV shows, it's one of the best TV shows of all time, period. Great songs, fun sketches, memorable characters, and good guest stars.
Come on Disney, release the last two seasons on DVD already!
Sesame Street is a long-running American children's television series, produced by Sesame Workshop and created by Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett. I was expecting Sesame Street to be number 1.
If this show never existed, I probably wouldn't be as smart as I am today. The characters are likable, the puppetry is fantastic, and there's really nothing to hate about this show.
THIS WAS HARD. To me, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, and Fraggle Rock are the best of the best, the three musketeers of puppets, the grandest of the grand!
I think Sesame Street deserves the top spot because every single person under the age of 50, who had regular access to a television, grew up with Sesame Street front and center in the earliest years of their life (unless, for some reason, your parents denied you the right to watch a purely educational children's program).
I would argue that the show has declined somewhat in quality over the past decade, but it is understandable since many (if not most) of the main people involved with the show at or near the start of the show's existence have either retired or passed away.
The last great era of the show (in my opinion) was during the calypso theme-era of the early-to-mid 90s.
Bear in the Big Blue House was a preschool variety show which was the most famous, popular, and fondly-remembered Playhouse Disney show, produced by the Jim Henson Company. The host, the titular Bear (Noel MacNeal) used his gentle charm and mannerisms to communicate with his audience of children. Topics... read more Many users of TheTopTens.com will likely be old enough (or young enough - in my case) to remember this show being on during their childhood. I wasn't too frequent of a viewer, but when it was on, I enjoyed watching it.
As I recall, Big Bird paid a visit once, which was quite a memorable moment for me.
Bear, The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, and Fraggle Rock are all my favorites, but I will vote Bear because he is underrated!
I used to love this show, and this was one of the only kids' shows my mum actually liked too.
The Muppets is an American musical comedy television series that debuted in 2015, featuring the classic Jim Henson characters. The show is presented in a mockumentary style, focusing on the personal lives and relationships of the Muppets. Although the series only lasted for one season, it was lauded... read more For those of you who are as of yet uninformed, The Muppets is a new 2015 sketch comedy series that will air on ABC during primetime. The show will be more adult-oriented, featuring noticeably more mature humor and will closely resemble 'The Office' in its episode structure. Fingers crossed that it will be another successful Muppet TV show.
I agree with you on Going, Going, Gonzo, but personally, I prefer Pigs in a Blackout.
I prefer this over the original Muppet Show.
Muppets Tonight was more or less a continuation of The Muppet Show that ran for 2 seasons from 1996 to 1998. It took place within a television studio setting instead of the Muppet Theatre.
Another program that remains popular amongst my friends that I didn't get into until long after it ended.
This poor show was very unique in its premise but didn't last for more than one season in 1989. Various different Muppet creations were featured in this show, which was hosted by the late Jim Henson himself.
Kermit and other members of the usual gang appeared at times, but abstract Muppets took the helm in this short-lived series.
Originally only a 5-minute-long segment from 1972 to 1981, Canadian Sesame Street (retitled Sesame Park in 1996) was a Canadian-exclusive program on CBC that featured many of the same animated minute-long segments and a new selection of Muppet characters (that, sadly, died along with the series in 2001).
Not many people my age in Canada even remember its existence, but my high opinion of the series remains strong. I'm not sure why it didn't last.
The television program that started it all. You can thank this program for the creation of Kermit (although he wouldn't officially become a frog until the first season of Sesame Street in 1969).
This show lasted from 1955 to 1961 and was presented in black and white.
Jim Henson's Muppet Babies, commonly known by the shortened title Muppet Babies, is an American animated television series that aired from September 15, 1984 to November 2, 1991 on CBS.This show didn't last for too long (2 seasons on Fox Kids (1994-1996) and then on Animal Planet for one more season in 1997), and it was sort of a talk show for animals. Stinky was, as you might have guessed, a skunk, while Jake was a polar bear.
One episode happened to feature Sam the Eagle, but that would end up being the only crossover character to appear.
