The Muppet Show turns 50 this year, and a special event is coming to ABC and Disney+ that, if the first trailer is to believed, could precede a series pickup for a whole new incarnation of the puppet variety show. During its five-year run from 1976 to 1981, Jim Henson’s creation featured guest stars, musical numbers, sketch comedy, and plenty of backstage chaos. But at its core, the show slyly poked fun at television itself.

Already timeless, The Muppet Show’s short, flexible bits brilliantly parodied pop culture, celebrity, and the entertainment business in a way that seems perfect for a modern, streaming-era revival. If the upcoming special on February 4, 2026 with Sabrina Carpenter and Seth Rogen plays its cards right, it’ll update the routines that already worked rather than reinvent the wheel altogether. Here are some of the bits we think deserve a second life.

Statler and Waldorf

This is a no-brainer, right up there with making sure Gonzo hits a gong of some sort at the end of the iconic opening number. The two balcony hecklers’ relentless, self-aware cynicism throughout each episode (and in the end credits) feels even more relevant in an age of social media snark; never mind that these old fogies wouldn’t know a smartphone if it landed on their heads. A modern take could play with the idea of toxic fandom culture or over-sensitivity to “offensive” humor, which these guys love.

Pigs in Space

This campy sci-fi parody led by Captain Link Hogthrob is a perfect candidate for revival, perhaps even more relevant today than it was during The Muppet Show’s original run. Now that Star Trek has parodied itself with Lower Decks (not to mention the comedic homage that was The Orville), “Pigs in Space” should feel even more at home and could even add satirical elements about multiverses and AI. Bring on the melodrama!

Veterinarian’s Hospital

Speaking of melodrama, who can forget this soap opera set inside a medical drama? It’s already a parody layered on a parody! The original Muppet Show never had a chance to poke fun at the more soap-like aspects of reality TV, and with remixed TV genres now the norm, Dr. Bob, Nurse Janice, and the others could really have fun with the format. Plus who wouldn’t enjoy seeing Noah Wyle as a guest star lampooning his stints on The Pitt and ER?

Muppet Labs with Bunsen and Beaker

One of the smartest recurring sketches. “Muppet Labs” mocked the blind faith in progress and innovation, with poor Beaker always paying the price for Dr. Bunsen Honeydew’s lack of safeguards for his inventions. I mean, c’mon! The bits practically write themselves here, from fun with self-driving cars to the resurrection of extinct animals with genetic editing. Cue the woolly mammoth puppet stampede!

The Swedish Chef

While the “funny foreign accent” comedy of the Swedish chef might not be politically correct these days, this cooking show parody has some classic physical comedy that would be great in today’s world of food bloggers and competition shows. Besides the joy of the chef singing “Bork! Bork! Bork!” during his opening theme song, it was always fun to decode what was happening (and what was going hilariously wrong) with whatever dish was being created.

That being said, we now reach the line of slapstick comedy between bits that will appeal to those with nostalgia for The Muppet Show and those that were questionable to begin with and probably fewer people remember anyway. For example, there’s Wayne and Wanda, a recurring pair of Muppets who performed overly earnest romantic songs that inevitably ended with something falling on their heads or other disastrous high note cut short. The singers never really had individual personalities anyway, and the physical comedy was pretty repetitive and needlessly cruel.

And then there was Marvin Suggs with his brash and egotistical personality and a percussion instrument called the Muppetphone. The gag of playing a musical instrument by hitting cute little puffballs with a hammer may be a bit too absurdist for a modern take, especially since Marvin wasn’t really all that likable to begin with. Part of what would make a new Muppet Show work is the willingness to let some sketches remain artifacts of their era while finding new routines that capture the same spirit of satire, chaos, and self-awareness.

After all, the fun of The Muppet Show is that Kermit, Scooter, and the sketch comedy troupe are trying to provide entertainment in a stage environment where nothing goes as planned, and reprised routines and new sketches alike should reflect that spirit. The goal isn’t to recreate the past beat for beat, but to prove that the Muppets can still be just as sharp when they’re poking fun at today’s version of showbiz. Just make sure the end credits finish with a honking low note on the saxophone, please!

The Muppet Show special premieres on ABC and Disney+ on Wednesday, February 4.

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