All five seasons of Jim Henson’s classic variety show featuring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and the failed stand-up comedian Fozzie Bear are now available to stream. Disney noted that the fourth and fifth seasons “have never been released on home entertainment before.” The program will join other Muppet media, including ‘The Muppet Movie’ and ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’, which are already appearing on Disney +.
The streaming debut of ‘The Muppet Show’, arguably the brand’s most remarkable work, may not have the fanfare of a new Pixar movie like ‘Soul’ or a fresh Marvel Studios series like ‘WandaVision’. And a 1976 series starring guest stars like Liza Minnelli and Gene Kelly is unlikely to capture Gen-Zers’ insane attention span.
But the premiere of the series is important, as it is yet another example of the seemingly endless depth in Disney +’s content library.
As streaming services try to figure out how to build their libraries to get more subscribers, the already content-rich Disney + – a service with everything from Mickey Mouse to Bart Simpson – is getting even richer.
The Muppets are more nostalgic than some other brands, but they are still loved by a loyal audience. Away from TV, the Muppets starred in movies, became internet memes, sang hit songs, won Oscars, and had fun in the foreground, though tedious, 3D theme park attractions named after them.
They may not have the crucial skill of Star Wars or even Disney Animation, but in the stream a recognizable name is sometimes all that is needed to make subscribers pay $ 6.99 a month. This is especially true for one of streaming’s most important demographics: children.
Child programming has been a focal point for streamers for years. The prevailing theory is that parents should sign up if services should see content for children. It can also help build lifelong loyalty to the service as the child grows up – something Disney (DIS) know all about, considering how many adults go to Disney World each year.
As streaming has increased, so has the content of children. In just one example earlier this week, WarnerMedia, CNN’s parent company, announced that it’s going to add more child programming to its streaming service, HBO Max.
The new programs and films will expand the already robust children’s programming library – a library that also includes the Muppets through WarnerMedia’s partnership with Sesame Workshop, the non-profit organization that makes ‘Sesame Street’.
Disney + did not really need ‘The Muppet Show’ to raise paying customers: the service is nearly 100 million subscribers and has become the crown jewel of Disney’s entire media empire, which is currently under siege by the coronavirus pandemic.
But in the streaming world, there is not too much content, especially not when it comes to kids’ titles. By adding ‘The Muppet Show’, Disney + is trying to make a connection, rainbow or otherwise, that will reach the old fans of the show and hopefully create new ones.
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