The Muppet Show | |
Guest | Julie Andrews |
Production | November 23-25, 1977 |
Premiere | UK: December 25, 1977 NYC: February 20, 1978 |
Releases | Season Two Best of the Muppet Show |
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There's a cow backstage, and Kermit and Scooter try to figure out where it came from while Gonzo starts lusting after it. The Swedish Chef plans to cut it up and cook it, and the Flying Zucchini Brothers shoot it out of a cannon. At the end, Julie complains to Kermit that she seems to have lost her cow.
Songs/Sketches[]
- "The Lonely Goatherd"
- Muppet News Flash: Sports Equipment
- Gonzo's Act: "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"
- "Moonlight Sonata"
- Talk Spot: Julie, Kermit, Robin, Fozzie, Scooter and Gonzo
- At the Dance: "Won't Somebody Dance with Me?"
- UK Spot: "Borneo"
- "Song for Kermit"
- Sam's editorial on environmentalists.
- The Swedish Chef: Cow
- Muppet Labs: Hair-Growing Tonic
- "I Whistle a Happy Tune"
Notes[]
- This episode is another step in the season's continuing saga of Gonzo's love life. After attempting to make a date with the cow, this is the first episode in which he finds love with a Muppet chicken.
- Kermit's introduction for Gonzo's act is a re-dubbed version of his intro for his act in episode 222 (which was taped earlier in the year).
- Though previously established in episode 212 that Miss Piggy is jealous of Miss Mousey, she doesn't seem to care that Kermit dances with Miss Mousey during "At the Dance".
- Andrews' appearance is referenced later in episode 307 and episode 515.
- A clip of the Muppet Labs sketch from this episode appears in The Muppets. Tex Richman makes a reference to it later in the film.
- The ending of this show is different in several respects. Andrews and the Muppets are onscreen longer (with Andrews inquiring about her cow), cutting into the usual footage of the band playing the closing theme (though the credits roll over the guest and Muppets as usual). The first band shot we see is of Floyd, then Animal, Rowlf, and Nigel concluding the song. In place of Statler and Waldorf's inserted comments (before Zoot's final toot), there's a short scene with Gonzo asking the cow out on a date. The last sax toot by Zoot is instead a saxophone imitating a cow mooing (in keeping with the cow running gag).
Episode[]
Picture | Description |
---|---|
Cold Open: Scooter stops by the dressing room to call for Julie Andrews. She tells Scooter that she will be ready "so long as nobody else drops in." Of course, several monsters do just that, dropping in from the ceiling. | |
"The Muppet Show Theme": Gonzo's horn lights up as the stage lights dim. | |
Julie sings "The Lonely Goatherd" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music. She is joined by a Goat, Kermit the Frog (as a prince), and several other Muppet characters. | |
Kermit happens upon a live cow backstage. He calls for Scooter, asking what the cow is doing there. Scooter suggests that it may have snuck in. Kermit states, "Cows don't sneak. Snakes sneak." Kermit has Scooter find out who it belongs to, so Scooter asks the cow, "Who do you belong to?" | |
Muppet News Flash: The Newsman reports on a plane carrying sports equipment that was forced to jettison some of its cargo, including 10,000 ping-pong balls and one bowling ball. | |
Gonzo's Act: Gonzo performs "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" on the bagpipes while sitting on a flagpole, which is eventually toppled by a chewing beaver. | |
Gonzo, fresh off his recent failure, informs Kermit that his next set of bagpipes will be made out of beaver skin. Kermit apologizes for the beaver, claiming that they're usually more careful about who they let in. It is then that Gonzo meets the cow. He, of course, invites the cow out to dinner. | |
Rowlf the Dog plays "Moonlight Sonata" as the moon rises in the background. | |
Talk Spot: Kermit and Julie try to have a conversation about what the Muppets do for entertainment, but they get caught up in watching Muppets fly back and forth overhead. | |
At the Dance: Gonzo tries to find a date, singing "Won't Somebody Dance with Me?" He ends up dancing with a chicken. | |
UK Spot: Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers sing "Borneo." | |
Julie sings "Song for Kermit" to Kermit in her dressing room. | |
Sam the Eagle, giving his best Joseph McCarthy impersonation, delivers an editorial on conservationists. He is against them, but changes his mind when he finds he's endangered. | |
Gonzo comes backstage in search of the cow (they had a date). Scooter tells Gonzo that the cow is gone, so he decides to phone a chicken instead. Kermit arrives, also curious to know where the cow has gone. Scooter says he finally found someone willing to take the cow, The Swedish Chef. | |
The Chef readies the cow for butchering. Kermit rushes in to stop him, pushing the Chef offstage. Since the cow is covered in chalk marks, Kermit tells Scooter to erase the cow, a rather puzzling suggestion. | |
Muppet Labs: Dr. Bunsen Honeydew introduces their newest invention: Hair-Growing Tonic. He calls out his "willing and eager" assistant, Beaker to test it. It proves to be more of a "hair-raising" tonic. | |
Scooter tells Kermit that The Flying Zucchini Brothers have agreed to take the cow with the intention of turning their human cannonball act into a cow cannonball act. | |
Julie, joined by the monsters, sings "I Whistle a Happy Tune." | |
At the closing, Julie mentions to Kermit that she has lost her cow. Shortly thereafter, the sound of a cannon being fired is heard. | |
After the credits, Gonzo is seen inviting the cow out for either a movie or a steak. |
Edits[]
- Nickelodeon: Sam's speech about ecology was cut.
Cast[]
Muppets:
- Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf, Statler and Waldorf, Goat, Chickens, Annie Sue, Pigs, The Newsman, Robin the Frog, Beaver, Lubbock Lou and his Jughuggers, Sam the Eagle, The Swedish Chef, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, The Flying Zucchini Brothers, Sweetums, Timmy Monster, Mean Mama, Doglion, The Mutations
Background Muppets:
- Purple Lothar, Frackles, Luncheon Counter Monster, Shakey Sanchez, Afghan Hound, Miss Mousey, Baskerville the Hound, Mutt, Lenny the Lizard, Uncle Deadly
Performers[]
- Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Rowlf, Waldorf, the Beaver, the Swedish Chef, and the Newsman
- Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Sam the Eagle, and a Zucchini Brother
- Jerry Nelson as Slim Wilson, Chickens, a Beaver, Robin, Whatnot Dancer, a Zucchini Brother, and the Goat
- Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Chicken, Pig, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and a Zucchini Brother
- Richard Hunt as Scooter, Beaker, Statler, Sweetums, Chicken, a Zucchini Brother, Pig, Whatnot Dancer, and Bubba
- Louise Gold as Afghan Hound, Annie Sue Pig, Pig, and Louise (uncredited)
Gallery[]
External links[]
- Falk, Karen. "Jim Henson's Red Book", 11/24/1977 - Julie Andrews - Thanksgiving Kermit Balloon in Macy's Parade in NYC.
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