Muppets Episode 8

I’ve spent a good deal of time in this space discussing how much Kermit seems off on this new show.

But really, after tonight, I think I’m starting to think that about Scooter to a much deeper degree.

Though, to be fair, Scooter has always had the most malleable personality of the classic Muppets.  In his earliest appearances, he was the nephew of the guy who owned the Muppet Theater, and as such, he weaseled his way into a job on the show on that basis alone.

That didn’t last long and he changed into a guy who was basically Kermit’s all-purpose gopher and assistant.

He was the Electric Mayhem’s road managed for The Muppet Movie.

He was, for some reason, a computer whiz with a twin sister on Muppet Babies.

And beyond that, he’s mostly just hanging out.

So, really, Scooter not being himself is actually perfectly understandable.  He has less of a self than, oh, everybody else.  So, here, he’s still Kermit’s all-purpose assistant, but factor in he’s a dork who lives with his mother.

Say, will we ever see any of the various relatives the various Muppets keep mentioning?  Bobo’s daughter, Gonzo’s mom, and Scooter’s mom have all been mentioned at some point. Well, maybe I just want to see if Big Mean Carl has a family.  That guy rocks the reception desk.

But this episode showed Scooter’s celebrity crush is Chelsea Handler.  That seems almost random, like how Fozzie’s comedy hero is Jay Leno.  There may not be many female stand-up comics who work blue that would be recognizable for the home audience and could be booked by this show as it is.  About the only other one I can think of is Amy Schumer, and I don’t know what kind of limits the show has for booking.  It’s one thing to snag an actor appearing on another Disney/ABC show, but it may be another to get the biggest female stand-up working right now as her career is taking off.

Then again, they did have Reese Witherspoon a couple weeks ago…

I guess I’m not feeling the Scooter plot this time around.  The Fozzie plot worked better, and Kermit being mistaken for someone addressing the confessional when he was really talking to another character was a nice touch.

Oh, and Kermit, get away from Denise.  That credit score was nothing to laugh at.

I’m giving this one a six and a half out of ten Big Mean Francophiles.  That Scooter plot really did nothing for me.