It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie



After multiple theatrical films and TV specials, It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie was the Muppets' first full-length TV movie.

The plot of the movie revolves around the old Muppet Theater going through financial hardship, and the entire Muppet cast looking towards Kermit the Frog for guidance. Kermit eventually gets fed up, and an angel is sent to help him out. The movie then follows the formula of It's a Wonderful Life, as Kermit is shown what would have happened to his friends if he had not existed. In the opposite world, evil developer Rachel Bitterman has changed the park near the Muppet Theater into a shopping center. Gonzo is now homeless, Dr. Teeth and his band have become Irish dancers, and Rizzo the Rat is appearing on an episode of Fear Factor where a woman is meant to eat him alive.

The biggest change is the Muppet Theater, which has become a dreadful nightclub called Club Dot. Dr. Honeydew became a doorman of the club, Beaker became a bouncer, and Fozzie is now a pickpocket. Miss Piggy is a phone psychic who lives in an apartment with a series of cats.

Kermit must learn how important he really is to his friends to be returned home in time to see if he -- or one of the other Muppets -- can save the theater.

The film stars the usual assortment of Muppet characters, as well as three primary human roles: David Arquette played Daniel, the angel sent to help Kermit; Joan Cusack played Rachel Bitterman; and Whoopi Goldberg portrayed "The Boss". As is customary in Muppet movies, a wide assortment of cameos were also made in the film, including Matthew Lillard, William H. Macy, Carson Daly, Kelly Ripa, Joe Rogan, Molly Shannon, Zach Braff and the cast of Scrubs, Mel Brooks, and Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog.

Trivia

 * Because of the length of the film's title, many fans refer to it with the acronyms VMX or VMC, for "Very Merry Christmas" (the Muppet part is implied) or as IAVMMCM.
 * This movie makes at least two references to the first Muppet feature film, The Muppet Movie: Kermit passes by a statue erected in his honor, the caption of which reads "For the lovers, the dreamers, and you"; Kermit finds out that without him, Doc Hopper's French Fried Frog Legs would have become a very successful enterprise.
 * This movie contains Rowlf's first full spoken lines since Jim Henson's death ("Hey, Kermit!" and "Yeah! Heh, heh. Oh!"). Rowlf had a brief vocal muttering in episode 102 of Muppets Tonight ("Yeah") and he silently appeared in The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets From Space''.
 * Beauregard appears in the background of many scenes in the film. Beauregard doesn't have any lines, but Kermit yells "Beauregard!" as he returns to the theatre, happy to be alive.