A Muppet Family Christmas

A Muppet Family Christmas
Written by Jerry Juhl
Directed by
Starring
Composer(s) Eric Robertson
Country of origin US and Canada
Original language(s) English
Production
Executive producer(s) Jim Henson
Producer(s)
  • Martin G. Baker
  • Diana Birkenfield
Editor(s) Gordon Stoddard
Running time 52 minutes
Production company(s) Henson Associates
Distributor Disney–ABC Domestic Television
Release
Original network ABC
Original release
  • December 16, 1987 (1987-12-16)

A Muppet Family Christmas is a Christmas television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets. Shot in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the special was first broadcast on December 16, 1987, on ABC.

Plot

Fozzie Bear is driving many of the Muppets to his mother Emily's farm for Christmas while they all sing Christmas Carols. Unbeknownst to Fozzie Bear, Emily Bear is preparing to go to Malibu for the holiday and rent her farmhouse to Doc and Sprocket, who want spend a nice quiet Christmas in the country. Doc and Sprocket have arrived when Fozzie Bear and the other Muppets enter, disrupting Emily and Doc's plans for the holidays. Just then the telephone rings, the call is from Miss Piggy who tells Kermit the Frog that she is at a photo session and will be late, making Kermit very worried.

More Muppets arrive, and they begin to prepare for Christmas. After the performance, Fozzie goes into the house where he tells Kermit about his new act. During Fozzie's description, Kermit answers the phone where Miss Piggy tells Kermit that she is doing a little Christmas shopping before she goes to the farm house.

A group of carolers arrives, proving to be Big Bird and the rest of the Sesame Street Muppets. All of the Muppets continue to prepare for Christmas as the news comes on TV that the worst blizzard in 50 years is approaching the area. Kermit realizes that Miss Piggy is out in the storm.

Fozzie Bear and Emily go over where everyone is going to sleep. The Sesame Street Muppets perform a pageant of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas. Kermit gets a call from Miss Piggy stating that her limo got stuck in the snow and that she is calling for a taxi. Fozzie approaches Kermit stating that now is a good time to show him his new comedy act with the Snowman. While Doc is looking for Miss Piggy, Kermit is called to the basement, where he and his nephew Robin find a Fraggle Hole and the Fraggles.

Finally, all of the Muppets sing a medley of carols and exchange presents (except Oscar the Grouch, who sits in his trash can, sighing miserably due to his hatred for Christmas).

Songs

Cast

Muppet performers

Production

This is one of the very few Muppet productions to feature Muppets associated with all four of the major Muppet franchises as a crossover: The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock and Muppet Babies (who are seen as actual puppets here instead of animated counterparts). This special also features an onscreen guest cameo by Jim Henson; he can be seen in the kitchen doing dishes with Sprocket towards the end of the special. In addition the United Kingdom broadcast marked the first appearance of Doc on British television, as the UK version of Fraggle Rock featured new "Outer Space" segments, in which Sprocket's owner was a lighthouse keeper.

Scenes omitted in North American DVD and VHS release

Reception

TV Guide ranked the special # 8 on its 10 Best Family Holiday Specials list.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Muppet Central Collectibles FAQ
  2. ↑ TV Guide Guide to TV. Barnes and Noble. 2004. p. 574. ISBN 0-7607-5634-1.
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