by Patrice Downing, Contributing Writer
“Screw it, give me the goat!” is not something I was expecting to hear when I flipped on Disney+ this morning, but honestly, the unexpected is really the only thing I should have expected when turning on The Muppets Mayhem, a new addition to an ever-expanding Jim Henson lineup. As a lifetime lover of all things Muppet (my first coordinated bedding was the most fantastically purple-clad Miss Piggy sheets, drapes, and comforter set ever made, and even included a matching doll of the porcine queen supreme in heels, sparkling gloves, and evening gown), I have enjoyed the privilege of never knowing a world without the flamboyant, flighty, flocked friends. The Muppet Movie (1979) is one of the first movie memories I have from my childhood (I mean, Kermit rides a bike down a street in full view), and that is in part thanks to a very special musical number, performed by an eclectic group of melodious misfits, found in a chapel, willing to disguise a Studebaker for a joke-peddling bear and a banjo-playing frog. Over 43 years later, thanks to The Muppets Mayhem, we finally get a glimpse into the band’s origins and personal lives, and get answers to many of the questions we’ve compiled over the decades, like, is Dr. Teeth really a medically trained doctor? Are The Electric Mayhem responsible for tattooing a celebrity drummer? Which one of the bandmates has a twin? If Animal wasn’t such a badass drummer, what else could he be? Who are nature’s knitters? Then again, it poses quite a few as well, like, where could they possibly store all their hats? And, do they have a haberdasher on speed dial? But that’s for another time.
The Muppets Mayhem gets a majority of things right; however, I would be remiss not to mention the one aspect of the series that pulls me right out of the magic, and that’s the use of CGI over practical effects for mundane, easy-to-replicate visuals. Unfortunately, the first episode has both the best, and simultaneously poorly, executed scene of the series. The title of this particular episode (track, as they are affectionately labeled) is, “Can You Picture That?” so there isn’t a Muppet fan out there who wasn’t expecting some sort of homage to their inaugural cinematic performance. Just like the original, the band gets together to have a very hippy-inspired, psychedelic paint party, but for some reason the decision was made to use CGI bubbles and a paint pour. Those two obvious uses of CGI just rip me right out of the false reality of the Muppet world I’m visiting. They remind me it’s all just make believe, and they feel cartoonish. Don’t misunderstand, I am fully aware puppets don’t walk amongst us, but I would argue the enduring enchantment of the Muppets is thanks in part to their ability to suspend disbelief and feel as if they truly exist within the boundaries of our world. The Electric Mayhem have played Times Square for New Year’s Eve and been interviewed as talk show guests; you don’t really get much more real than that. A bubble machine and a couple of paint cans would have gone a long way in this scene. I am in no way commenting on the abilities of the VFX artists either — that same scene included well-executed CGI paintwork on the lawn — just the decision to use it in place of practical on such seemingly easy visuals. In a later scene, foam is sprayed on several characters, and is clearly real, so the excuse that bubbles could damage their delicate fleece flocked faces is a tough sell for me. Other than the occasional discernible use of CGI, my only other complaint is the missed opportunity for a Prince reference of some kind during a scene where Janice is unquestionably wearing a raspberry beret.
Gripes out of the way, let’s get into the meat and potatoes (vegan ribs for Janice) of what makes Mayhem very much worth the watch time, and that’s the characters. Both human and Muppet performers alike are playing their roles to perfection. As with classic Muppet works, human characters are generally there to play the straight man, or villain, to the outlandishly over-the-top puppet personalities. This iteration introduces us to wannabe music executive Nora Singh (Lilly Singh), who comes across the unfulfilled recording contract of the world’s longest touring, yet never recorded, band. It is at this point her journey into pure mayhem begins. Penny, the record label’s CEO (and the most fun design of a new Muppet since Uncle Deadly) tries to quash Nora’s efforts due to a long-held grudge, but is eventually won over, and allows the band to record their long-awaited first album. Early on, we meet our other human lead, Moog (Tahj Mowry), an Electric Mayhem super fan (Mayhead) who is in a constant state of tailgate with the band mates. Singh and Mowry play great off each other, and sparkle on screen without upstaging the Muppet players. I had fun spending time with these characters, and by Episode 10 was invested in the trajectory of their story arcs.
Now let’s talk about the main event: The Electric Mayhem musicians. Frontman (or is he?) on the keyboard Dr. Teeth, guitarist Janice, Sgt. Floyd Pepper on the bass, Zoot grooving on the sax, trumpeter Lips, and of course the only drummer around that can match Dave Grohl beat for beat, Animal. I’ve gotta say that this series has captured the spirit of their personalities exactly the way I have always imagined them to be. I have no doubt this is due to the show creators being none other than nostalgia junky Adam Goldberg (yes The Goldbergs, Goldberg) and veteran Muppet player Bill Barretta. Goldberg has a proven track record of being able to translate sentimentality for decades gone by onto the small screen, and Barretta has been flapping fabric faces with the Muppets since 1995 (taking over Dr. Teeth in 2005). Each musician gets their own time to shine and explore their strengths and passions, and we even get some origin story regarding how Floyd came into the lives of both Dr. Teeth and Animal. If you happened to catch The Muppets series(originally aired on ABC in 2015), then, like myself, you already had a preview of Janice’s character development. She is all things peace, love, and harmony, from her devotion to yoga, vegan lifestyle, and eclectic dating history (“Wow, that was a lifetime ago, Zigman!”). She is wacky, warm, wistful, and wise, and I think stealthily the master behind The Mayhem. While Janice may come across as aloof, she is certainly not oblivious, there is not much getting past the gaze of her ironically sealed eyes. And she is not the only member of the band full of surprises: Animal is easily the base of the stability pyramid when it comes to keeping the band together and on track (how crazy is that?). During a later episode arc, like most bands at some point, they attempt to go their separate ways, and Animal is the one to bring them back together. Even more impressive, he does it with a single word. And speaking of words, a man of very few (at least intelligible ones), Lips making a phone call can manage to conjure collaborations with the music industries best known legends, songsters, and pop icons.
Lips’s long list of lyrical pals is a perfect segue into the staple of all Muppet projects, the cameo. Since I feel the best part of any cameo is the unexpected pleasure of the appearance, I will not be naming any names; however, I will say they range anywhere from a ’90s alternative rocker, ‘80s pop divas, and one of the most notable DJs of the 2020s. The only guest appearance I will specifically mention is Danny Trejo. Is this dude some kind of Muppet super fan or what?! This is the fourth time he’s popped up with the Muppets that I know of, and that’s just off the top of my head; it could easily be more. Trejo appears in the ABC series in 2015, Most Wanted (deleted scene), Haunted Mansion, and I swear he was made into an actual Muppet puppet too at some point. His love for the gang must run deep, almost as deep as some of the cuts made reference to throughout the series.
Wordplay, puns, musical references, and allusion to other Henson properties play a major role in the daffy dialogue throughout the series. I enjoyed watching most episodes with a couple of people who are not as well versed a Muppet maniac as I consider myself to be, and was delighted that they had plenty of general silliness and cross-genre joking around to capture their amusement while I was having my mind blown by a throw away line referencing The Riverbottom Nightmare Band. It’s clear the writers understand not only music and the characters, but have a love for the entire Henson world, and it shines through in every scene.
Lastly, what band-centric series would be complete without an immersive soundtrack? Mayhem introduces two original songs, several jingles and jams sessions, and perfectly curated covers. I appreciate the song choices being true to the decisions I imagine the band would make themselves. There’s no attempt to placate the modern audience with present day top hits, but instead cover music in keeping with The Mayhem’s style like Joe Cocker (I’m not crying; you’re crying). None of the musical choices feel like forced additions (though they can be predictable), and the series is all the better for it.
In case my four-page fangirl festival of flattery leaves any room for uncertainty, I love this show. Fortunately for “Mayheads” like myself, the series is left open-ended enough to allow for another season, while still tying up enough loose ends to keep the completionist in me satisfied if it doesn’t. The Muppets Mayhem is a good time for all ages, and I can see myself coming back to it again as a compliment to almost any Muppet property. If you like Muppets or music, or are just looking for something to watch with the younger humans in your life (we all need a break from Bluey sometimes) then it’s “time to bring the Mayhem”!
Score: 8/10
The Muppets Mayhem is currently streaming on Disney+
You can follow Patrice Downing on Twitter and Letterboxd