Joel Grey guest stars, while Fozzie tests his Jokes-On-Any-Subject on the rest of the Muppets.
Songs and Sketches
- "Comedy Tonight": Sung by monsters and Whatnots.
- At the Dance
- Muppet Newsflash: a report on Boffo the Human Cannonball.
- "Willkommen": Performed by Joel Grey and the Muppets.
- Talk Spot: Kermit reveals he already knows quite a bit about Joel.
- "Pachalafaka": Performed by a tourist visiting Turkey.
- "Stormy Weather": sung by Wayne and Wanda.
- Blackout: Joel and Gonzo talk, and Gonzo takes things to literally.
- Fozzie's Comedy Act: Fozzie tries his Jokes on Any Subject, but runs into a problem when Statler and Waldorf throw challenge him with "Amoeba".
- UK Spot: Rowlf the Dog stars in "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Clues".
- Muppet Newsflash: New York is being held hostage.
- Gonzo's Act: When Gonzo's demolishing a car to the "Anvil Chorus" doesn't work, Joel advises him to give 'em the old "Razzle Dazzle."
This episode has examples of
- The Butler Did It: Holmes' initial deduction, but the butler keeps eating all the clues, thereby Holmes changing his deduction.
- Didn't See That Coming: Fozzie practiced his act for any word... except the one Statler and Waldorf called out: "Amoeba". He's able to ad-lib something, however.
- Early-Installment Weirdness:
- In the theme song, some previews of Grey's songs are shown, followed by a line of Kermit singing, "Our show tonight will feature / Some stuff that looks like this..." followed by a preview of "Comedy Tonight". This is the only time this happens.
- "Pachalafaka" was initially intended to be the UK spot, but instead, the UK Spot, "Sherlock Holmes and the Disappearing Clues", appears in the middle of the second act.
- Fozzie's voice is not fully developed yet. Even though it's higher than it was in the pilot, it still doesn't sound close to the voice we are familiar with now.
- During "Razzle Dazzle", the normally unhinged Animal and Crazy Harry are chorus singers, as not enough suitable Muppets had been built at that point.
- Eat the Evidence: During "Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Disappearing Clues", the butler does this with everything that proves he committed the murder, even the maid who was a witness. The lack of evidence convinces Holmes that by process of elimination that if it wasn't the butler nor himself...than it must've been Watson. When the butler eats him, Holmes declares that if there's no evidence and no killer, then there's no murder.
- Everything's Better with Sparkles: Through the song "Razzle Dazzle", Joel tries to convince Gonzo of this and that with enough flash, no one will notice how bad his car-demolishing act is. During the number, Joel's tuxedo jacket becomes a tailcoat glittering with silver sequins.Joel: [singing] How can they see with sequins in their eyes?
- Improv Comedy Is Inane: Throughout the episode, Fozzie works on a "jokes on request" act that annoys the crew. He even gets a joke out of their silent treatment. When it's time for him to demonstrate his act for the audience, however, he struggles on the word "amoeba", and Statler and Waldorf (who suggested the word in the first place) relentlessly start calling him a fake. Subverted when Fozzie manages to make a successful joke out of itnote , and everyone loves it, though Statler and Waldorf admit they don't know what an amoeba is either.
- Literal-Minded: Gonzo shows himself to be this when Joel invites him to go for a car ride.Gonzo: Hi, Joel! Hey, why the hat?
Joel: Oh, I got my new car outside, Gonzo. You want to go for a spin?
Gonzo: Sure! [He starts spinning around.]
Joel: Gonzo! [He stops Gonzo.] Hey, relax, relax. I didn't mean actually go for a spin. It's just a phrase... like, uh, you don't actually bite the hand that feeds you, do you?
Gonzo: Mmm-mmm.
Joel: I mean, one doesn't eat one's heart out, does one?
Gonzo: Mmm-mmm.
Joel: I mean, one doesn't talk through one's hat.
Joel's Hat: I hope not! I can talk for myself.
Joel: [grabbing his hat] I think I'm going bananas.
Banana: [entering] I thought you were going for a spin. - Musicalis Interruptus: Wayne and Wanda's rendition of "Stormy Weather" is interrupted when it starts to rain on them.Waldorf: I told you they were all wet!
- Sherlock Homage: For the UK Spot, the Muppets present a "little-known classic of Arthur Conan Doyle" entitled Sherlock Holmes and the Disappearing Clues, where Rowlf portrays Holmes, Baskerville the Hound plays Watson, A monstrously Extreme Omnivore (later named Gorgon Heap) plays the butler, and Miss Piggy plays the maid.
- Well, This Is Not That Trope:Kermit: How would you like to see 4,000 woodpeckers performing an aerial ballet while 87 gorillas and two dozen elephants do the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"? Well, forget it! Because, instead, we've got Joel Grey as a guest star. Which, in a way, is like having all the excitement of everything I already mentioned without having to clean up afterwards.
- Waldorf: More! More!
Statler: Not so loud! They may hear you!
