Recap / The Muppet Show S 2 E 23

John Cleese guest stars, while a cannonball-catching act leaves Gonzo with an arm stretched about six feet long.

Songs and Sketches

• "Somebody Stole My Gal," sung by Lubbock Lou and His Jughuggers
• Gonzo's Act: Gonzo catches a cannonball
• Muppet News Flash
• "Rowlf's Polka" by Rowlf and a chicken
• Pigs in Space: Long John Silverstein invades the Swinetrek
• At the Dance
• UK Spot: "Waiting at the Church" sung by Miss Piggy and Kermit
• "Two Lost Souls" sung by Sweetums and Robin the Frog
• Planet Koozebane: Kermit interviews the Koozebanian Spooble
• "The Impossible Dream" done by John, Kermit, Sweetums and pigs.

This episode has examples of

• Actor Allusion: John references one of his most famous Monty Python sketches in the "Pigs in Space" pirate skit when he threatens to make his Pirate Parrot an "ex-parrot." Also, when Link asks if he's a pirate, John answers "Of course I'm a pirate! What do you think I was, a management consultant?" Cleese also owns a company that produces management consulting films.
• Bound and Gagged: The Teaser has John like this, with Scooter explaining that he can't leave until he does the show.
• Brick Joke: When John reads his contract to Kermit, he points out that the terms of his contract say he works with "the frog, the bear, and the ugly, disgusting one who catches cannonballs" (Gonzo, who did that in the scene before this). Later, when Gonzo goes to John for help, he asks which one he is and Gonzo says, "I'm the ugly, disgusting one who catches cannonballs."
• Characterization Marches On: Gonzo is shown to not like having his limbs stretched out, begging John to un-stretch his arm. Yes, the same Gonzo who, later in the Lynn Redgrave episode and in Muppet Treasure Island, is shown to love his limbs being stretched.
• Eaten Alive:
  • Kermit interviews the Koozebaninan Spooble, a creature made entirely out of liquid. The interview is interrupted when a Fazoob drinks him.
    Kermit: Well, um... uh... well, there you have it, folks. Uh, for the first time in history, a Koozebanian has been drunk on television.
  • John's agent is eaten by a monster Muppet.
• Elongating Arm Gag: Gonzo catches a cannonball with his bare hand, causing his arm to be stretched out. He goes to John to have it fixed, but John misunderstands what Gonzo wants and ends up stretching his other arm to match, along with both legs.
• Have a Gay Old Time: In the Planet Koozebane sketch, a Koozebanian drinks a liquid Koozebanian and hiccups afterwards, with Kermit remarking that it's the first time a Koozebanian has been drunk on television. At the time, this was likely intended as an adult joke, but as "drunk" is no longer used as a past-tense form of "drink", modern viewers wouldn't understand the scene as anything but the larger alien getting intoxicated.
• Hook Hand: John Cleese has one when he's being a pirate in "Pigs in Space". Over the course of the sketch, it switches from one hand to the other, and gets caught in the collar of his shirt, among other indignities.
• Not What I Signed on For: John has very specific clauses in his contract. Namely, that he not work with pigs or monsters. Naturally, that's who John is stuck with in the final number.
• Pillow Pregnancy: Miss Piggy sings "Waiting At the Church" as a jilted, pregnant bride.
  Kermit: [at the end of the number] Now will you take that silly pillow out from under your dress?
  Miss Piggy: [fiercely] I like it!
• Space Pirate: Parodied in the "Pigs in Space" sketch when John plays a traditional pirate, complete with Pirate Parrot, who boards the Swinetrek. Captain Link Hogthrob hangs a lampshade on it.
  Captain Hogthrob: This is ridiculous, this is a space ship. This is the Swinetrek, bound for the other side of the universe. You're supposed to be on an ocean someplace!
• Sustained Misunderstanding: When Gonzo goes to John for help with his long arm, it takes John a few minutes to work out that Gonzo wants the arm shortened and not his other limbs lengthened.
• Throw the Dog a Bone: Subverted. This is the only time in the series Gonzo successfully blows the horn without something happening, but based on his reaction, he appears to be disappointed.

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Statler: Well, see ya next time.
Waldorf: Yep, unless I get lucky and break a leg.