Disney has often struggled to meet expectations when resurrecting some of their older properties. Willow returned to screens in 2022 with a legacy sequel series, only to be heavily criticized by audiences and canceled after one season, while movies like Tron: Ares became one of Disney’s biggest losses in cinemas in 2025. However, their resurrection of The Muppet Show after more than four decades has produced the most watched Disney+ show of the last week, and revealed some encouraging viewership numbers for those hoping to see more from Kermit and the gang in the future.
The Muppet Show originally debuted 50 years ago, and became an instant hit with its mix of Vaudeville nostalgia, purposely off-kilter comedy, huge guest stars, and, of course, some instantly identifiable characters that looked like they were made for children but were handling some very mature personal issues as well. The new iteration of The Muppet Show debuted on Disney+ and ABC on Feb. 4, and as well as jumping straight to the top of Disney+, it has now drawn in over eight million views in eight days, which has doubled its premiere total of 3.07 million on ABC.
Disney and ABC celebrated the achievement with a special video in which Kermit presented some of the praise and viewership figures in an Instagram post, which included revealing that Muppet content on Disney+ has reached viewer numbers of 125 million hours watched across all movies, series, and specials.
How ‘The Muppet Show’ Became a Success After More Than 40 Years
The Muppets became part of the Disney family way back in 2004 after more than a decade of negotiations between the House of Mouse and the Jim Henson Company. While the franchise had previously seen success with movies like The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, and several specials, the franchise hit a rut following Disney’s takeover, and it was claimed by many, including some working on Muppet projects, that no one really knew what to do with The Muppets.
When it came to bringing back The Muppet Show, director Alex Timbers, who worked with executive producer Seth Rogen to revive the series, had one simple way of making sure that he did not mess things up. While the show did bring in super-contemporary singer Sabrina Carpenter as the main guest star, Timbers had no intention of pandering to a TikTok generation. Speaking to the LA Times, Timbers said:
“It’s 2026, but there’s no cellphones in the special. Kermit is not using zillennial slang. The attempt was to not be sweaty or forced about it. It is taking place today, but it’s not like the Muppets are desperately trying to channel 2026 jargon or TikTok references.
“So much of this special was fueled by Seth’s passion. For years he’s wanted the return of ‘The Muppet Show.’ So many people love the Muppets, but to see them in the original format that they were created for is thrilling.”
Many modern revivals of older shows tend to feel a necessity to try and turn something from the past into an instant social media meme, or appeal to new audiences through, as Timbers says, forced inclusion of language or trends that just don’t fit with the world the characters inhabit. The Muppet Show was always about a ragtag group of performers attempting to put on the best show they could on a limited budget, and that is exactly what the new iteration brought back to screens with great success.
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