Episode 103: Bear Left Then Bear Write

the muppets.
Writer	Dave Caplan, Gregg Mettler, Nell Scovell and Steve Rudnick
Director	Randall Einhorn
Guests	Christina Applegate, Liam Hemsworth, Nick Offerman
Premiere	October 5, 2015 (Citytv) October 6, 2015 (ABC) November 2, 2015 (Sky1)

"Bear Left Then Bear Write" is the third episode of the 2015 television series The Muppets.

Plot

Fozzie takes things a little too far when Kermit offers him advice and Nick Offerman steps in to help the gang. Meanwhile, Christina Applegate guests on Up Late, and brings Miss Piggy a sweet surprise that doesn’t go over well and Pepe, Rizzo and Liam Hemsworth try to help Gonzo out with his online dating situation.

Credits

(see full episode credits)

• Story by: Dave Caplan & Gregg Mettler
• Written by: Nell Scovell & Steve Rudnick
• Directed by: Randall Einhorn

Guest stars:

• Liam Hemsworth as himself
• Nick Offerman as himself
• Christina Applegate as herself

Muppet Performers:

• Bill Barretta as Pepe the King Prawn, Rowlf the Dog, Bobo the Bear, The Swedish Chef and Dr. Teeth
• Julianne Buescher as Yolanda Rat and Debbie
• Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Chip and Zoot
• Eric Jacobson as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and Sam Eagle
• Peter Linz
• David Rudman as Scooter
• Matt Vogel as Floyd Pepper and Sweetums
• Steve Whitmire as Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat and Foo-Foo

Muppets

Muppet Characters:

Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf the Dog, Rizzo the Rat, Bobo the Bear, Pepe the King Prawn, Dr. Teeth, Floyd Pepper, Zoot, Yolanda Rat, Sweetums, The Swedish Chef, Debbie, Sam the Eagle, Statler and Waldorf, Chip, Foo-Foo, Janice

Background Muppets:

Andy and Randy Pig, Animal, Crazy Harry, Lips, Uncle Deadly

Gallery

Behind the Scenes

Hemsworth and Piggy

Hemsworth and Rowlf

Janice, Offerman, and Kermit

Applegate and Piggy

Applegate's daughter and Piggy

Deleted scenes

An extended version of the scene with Chip servicing Gonzo's computer as described by Claire Suddath for Bloomberg Businessweek was not used in the final version of the episode:

In today’s scene, Gonzo’s computer crashes. When the IT guy, Chip—a new Muppet—goes to fix it, he discovers that Gonzo has been catfishing women by posing online as the actor Liam Hemsworth.

“Even I know that won’t work, and my entire life consists of two dates with a cashier from Walgreens,” Chip says. Prady frowns. “That’s an unnecessary jab at women who work at Walgreens,” he says. Prady, 55, has a large head, close-cropped hair, and a wide, thin mouth that makes him look a bit like one of the Muppets he’s filming—specifically Chip, who was modeled after Prady.

They reshoot the scene. Dave Goelz, who’s been voicing Gonzo since 1976 and is manning both puppets, tries another joke for Chip: “My entire love life consists of going to the prom with my mother.”

“Sister!” Prady suggests.

Goelz tries it. Then aunt. Then grandmother. Sometimes Chip stares at Gonzo with his mouth open and eyes closed. Then Goelz gives him an overbite. He makes Chip snort when he laughs. He keeps trying things, and the scene takes an hour to film. It ends up being largely improvised, which is the way Goelz usually works. In the end, Chip’s dating experience is reduced to “an inappropriately long handshake with a Jehovah’s Witness.” Prady finally laughs.

Sources

Previous episode:	Next episode:
"Hostile Makeover"	"Pig Out"