Zoot's Muppet Show endings

One of several recurring elements of The Muppet Show theme song, it was created due to the need by the original British producer, Associated TeleVision, to broadcast its logo at the beginning and end of every show in order to identify its programming from other programming on Independent Television in the United Kingdom (which it shared with other local companies). The final shot always consisted of Zoot playing a low blast on his saxophone. Outside the UK, distributor ITC Entertainment (part of the same company as ATV) would use its logo, with only the first season internationally acknowledging both, with the orchestra shot for ATV and Zoot for ITC. After Jim Henson Productions acquired full rights to The Muppet Show, the Zoot shot would remain but adjusted, either adjusting the Zoot shot or using a new shot altogether with the logo of the time. (Sometimes Zoot's shots would be replaced with the Jim Henson Company logo instead.)

Image	As seen in / Year	Notes
	The Muppet Show Season 1 (1976-1977)	The original international version with the ITC logo in the center. With ATV acknowledged in the orchestra shot, a "for" was attached to the ITC part, with ATV controlling production and ITC distribution. After Zoot plays the note, the screen fades to black with the ITC logo stll showing for a few seconds. In the pilot version of the Juliet Prowse episode, the ending lacks the fade-to-black effect. A german version of this shot had the ZDF logo over a black background. Surprisingly, the english version remains intact on disc one and the Peter Ustinov episode on disc four of the german DVD release of Season One.
	The Muppet Show Season 2 (1977-1978)	This season features a new ITC shot, stating the show as "From" them and as ITC as "An ATV Company", with no further ATV logo in the orchestra shot. On several episodes, though, (including episodes 214 and 221), the ITC logo is also superimposed over the orchestra shot. Also, some versions of this ending have the entire screen fading to black after Zoot plays the note, without the ITC logo still showing. This particular ending shot made an odd appearance at the end of the Spanish European VHS release of Gonzo Presents Muppet Weird Stuff (which also presented different ending credits compared to the original American release).
	The Muppet Show Seasons 1-2 (1976-1978)	ATV UK Version
	The Muppet Show Seasons 3-5 (1978-1979)	New shot featuring a blue Zoot puppet. This shot was also used on fifth season episodes, instead of a different shot with the new Zoot puppet. On episode 302, the ITC logo is also superimposed over the orchestra shot.
	The Muppet Show Seasons 3-5 (1978-1981)	ATV UK Version
	The Muppet Show (Mid-1980s)	The 1980s ending, featuring Zoot playing the note, then looking startled as the Henson International Television logo ("hit!") plastered on a spinning white bubble flew out of the sax. The bubble then disappeared and the logo made its way onto the center of the screen, with additional applause from the audience. There were several different takes of this ending. For example, episodes of the first and second seasons used only one take of Zoot without his hat, while at least three different takes of Zoot wearing his hat were filmed for seasons 3-5. However, only one take was used for this particular ending, while the other two were later used for the ending's updated versions on the show's DVD releases (see below for more detail). Interestingly, certain editions with this ending still use the ATV logo over the orchestra shot for season 1 episodes.
	The Muppet Revue (1985)	Unlike the other ending shots, this one uses the Zoot and Rowlf shot from the Season 5 opening with a copyright notice at the bottom.
	The Muppet Show (1988-1992)	On TNT airings, the 1980s ending shot was used, but a different bubble (a grey bubble with a white outline) would fly out of the sax and zoom in covering the entire screen, dissolving to the 1989 Jim Henson Productions "Kermit hand" variants.
File:ZootSaxViolence1993.png File:ZootSaxViolenceVeryBestofMuppetShowUKEnding.jpg	The Muppet Show (1994 - )	The Sax and Violence ending, featuring a shot of Zoot playing the note, then nodding twice as seen in the number from Episode 102: Connie Stevens. Outside a copyright prior to the Jim Henson Productions logo, no other logos are used in this version. This ending is one of the most common of the previous endings, and was also used after the ending credits of the It's the Muppets VHS releases, reruns of The Muppet Show on Nickelodeon and The Very Best of the Muppet Show DVD volumes in the UK. (On some reruns, the audience can be heard applauding, like the previous logo.) A version without the copyright stamp also exists at the end of the Harry Belafonte episode on the third volume of the Best of the Muppet Show VHS and DVD series. The copyright in the broadcast is the year which the episode was made (1976 for a season 1 episode, for example), while the video versions used the year of that media's release.
File:ZootCrazyHarryGermanEndingShot.jpg	Die Muppet Show (Germany)	For certain episodes of the German co-production, the orchestra shot with the ATV logo (without the copyright on the bottom) is shown, followed by the Zoot and Crazy Harry shot from the Season 1 opening.
	Best of the Muppet Show (2002)	A take from the 1980s ending without the bubble. In this version, we fade out after Zoot looks into his saxophone. This was shown at the end of the first two episodes, after a closing shot of the orchestra from the first season's closing. On volume 3, at the end of episode 314, it was replaced with the Sax & Violence closing shot, due to the episode having an alternate ending. On volume 1, we fade out earlier, right after Zoot plays the note.
File:ZootLLCS3.jpg	The Muppet Show: Season One - Season Three (2005-2008)	This version features the 1980s shot with the Muppets Holding Company LLC at the bottom of the screen. As we fade out, the LLC is still shown for about 2 or 3 seconds before it disappears. Although the first two box sets featured a shot of a hatless Zoot, it was also shown on the Season Three DVD at the end of episodes 303, 304, 305, 309, and 312, while the rest of the episodes carried a shot of Zoot with his hat. This shot also plastered the "alternate" shots on episodes 308, 314, and 321, making the endings somewhat confusing.

Alternate Endings

Image	As seen in / Year	Notes
	Episode 123 (1976)	The original ending shot for the Kaye Ballard episode. In this version, Rowlf plays the final piano chord and looks at the camera nervously, while Nigel bows.
	Episode 123 (1976)	The replacement ending shot for the Kaye Ballard episode. In this version, the band is shown backstage with Kermit sitting on the railway, waving.
	Episode 308 (1978)	The original railroad ending shot with Zoot playing off-key from the Loretta Lynn episode.
	Episode 314 1978	In this version, the final note is played onstage not by Zoot, but by one of the African Masks.
	Episode 321 (1979)	Like the pilot version of the Juliet Prowse episode, this original alternate ITC ending shot cuts to black right after Zoot (as a chicken) plays the note.
	Episode 407 (1979)	In this version the end theme is played by M.A.M.M.A. Animal begins hitting M.A.M.M.A. as it plays the final note.

Notes

• The original ATV/ITC version of Episode 514 (which features the closing theme performed by Beaker clones) oddly ends with the usual Zoot ending shot.