History Trivia / TheMuppets

** Creator/FrankOz [[https://www.slashfilm.com/frank-oz-on-disney/ has been critical]] toward Disney's handling of the Muppets. To explain in better detail, he feels that, while Disney cares about the characters, they don't fully understand what makes them tick and that they're approaching the Muppets from a intellectual, buisness minded perspective, which in his opinion, doesn't work with a brand like the Muppets and has led to Disney making misguided and mishandled decisions with the brand in an attempt to stay fresh, but has only made them lose their purity and soul. He was also saddened when Disney fired Steve Whitmire in 2017.

** Perhaps the most infamous scrapped ''Muppet'' projects to date is ''[[https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/The_Cheapest_Muppet_Movie_Ever_Made! The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made!]]'', which was originally developed by Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl and Frank Oz back in 1985 and would've been the fourth Henson-made Muppet movie after ''Film/TheMuppetsTakeManhatten''. The premise would be that it would be a "[[StylisticSuck terrible]]" film directed by Gonzo (who would take over directing duties from Kermit) that would start off strong, but would gradually [[StylisticSuck deteriorate into a cheap and low quality mess]] because Gonzo blew the film's budget on the opening titles. Unfortunately, the film would be put into DevelopmentHell, ironically because it was too expensive to shoot and would get cancelled when Jim Henson passed away. The film would be briefly revived when Disney announced that they would reviving the film at D23 Expo 2009. However, like most of Disney's Muppet projects around that time, it was scrapped again.

** Creator/FrankOz [[https://www.slashfilm.com/frank-oz-on-disney/ has been critical]] toward Disney's handling of the Muppets. To expand upon it, he feels that, while Disney cares about the characters, they don't fully understand what makes them tick and that they're approaching the Muppets from a intellectual, buisness minded perspective, which in his opinion, doesn't work with a brand like the Muppets and feels has led to Disney making misguided decisions with the brand in an attempt to stay fresh, but has only made them lose their purity and soul. He was also critical and saddened when Disney fired Steve Whitmire in 2017.

** Creator/FrankOz [[https://www.slashfilm.com/frank-oz-on-disney/ has been critical]] toward Disney's handling of the Muppets. To expand upon it, he feels that, while Disney cares about the characters, they don't fully understand what makes them tick and that they're approaching the Muppets from a intellectual, buisness minded perspective, which in his opinion, doesn't work with a brand like the Muppets and feels has led to Disney making misguided decisions with the brand that only makes them lose their purity and soul. He was also saddened when Disney fired Steve Whitmire, even if he understood their reasons.

** Creator/FrankOz [[https://www.slashfilm.com/frank-oz-on-disney/ has expressed criticism]] toward Disney's handling of the Muppets, stating that while he feels Disney cares for them, they don't understand what makes them work and that they've lost a ton of their soul and purity under them.

* CreatorsApathy: According to [[https://www.cbr.com/bob-iger-blame-disney-not-streaming-muppet-show/ insider sorces]], former Disney CEO Bob Iger reportedly feels this way towards the Muppets. While he doesn't hold anything against the group, he is reported to have no interest in them at all, viewing them as little more than a property that he had happened to inherit from Michael Eisner's tenure and a low priority when compared to everything else (especially his own acquisitions). Bob Iger's disinterest in the Muppets is reportedly one of the primary reasons why Disney has done little with the property since buying them and why many planned Muppet projects would wind up in DevelopmentHell during much of the mid-to-late 2000s (bar ''Film/TheMuppetsWizardOfOz'' and ''Letters to Santa'') until 2011's ''Film/{{The Muppets}}''. It's telling that Disney would only begin to start actively pushing the Muppets again after Bob Iger left and Bob Chapek took over the reigns in 2020.

* CreatorsApathy: According to [[https://www.cbr.com/bob-iger-blame-disney-not-streaming-muppet-show/ internal reports]], former Disney CEO Bob Iger reportedly feels this way towards the Muppets. While he doesn't hold anything against the group, he is reported to have no interest in in them at all, viewing them as little more than a property that he had happened to inherit from Michael Eisner's tenure and a low priority when compared to everything else. Bob Iger's disinterest in the Muppets is reportedly one of the primary reasons why Disney has done little with the property since buying them and why many planned Muppet projects would wind up in DevelopmentHell during much of the mid-to-late 2000s (bar ''Film/TheMuppetsWizardOfOz'' and ''Letters to Santa'') until 2011's ''Film/{{The Muppets}}''. It's telling that Disney would only begin to start actively pushing the Muppets again after Bob Iger left and Bob Chapek took over the reigns in 2020.

* CreatorsApathy: According to [[https://www.cbr.com/bob-iger-blame-disney-not-streaming-muppet-show/ internal reports]], former Disney CEO Bob Iger reportedly feels this way towards the Muppets. While he doesn't hold anything against the group, he is reported to have no interest in or attachment to them at all, viewing them as little more than a property that he had happened to inherit from Michael Eisner's tenure, which he wanted to distance Disney from. Bob Iger's ambivalence towards and disinterest in the Muppets is reportedly the sole reason why Disney had very done little with the property since buying them and why many planned Muppet projects would wind up in DevelopmentHell during much of the mid-to-late 2000s (bar ''Film/TheMuppetsWizardOfOz'' and ''Letters to Santa'') until 2011's ''Film/{{The Muppets}}'', as Bob Iger would prefer to focus on his own acquisitions instead, such as his acquisitions of Creator/{{Pixar}}, Creator/{{Marvel}} and Creator/{{Lucasfilm}}.

* CreatorsApathy: According to [[https://www.cbr.com/bob-iger-blame-disney-not-streaming-muppet-show/ internal reports]], former Disney CEO Bob Iger felt this way towards the Muppets. While he doesn't have anything against the Muppets, because Disney's purchase of them was a holdover from the Michael Eisner era of Disney, he has absolutely no attachment to them at all and would go on to make them far less of a priority compared to the likes of Creator/Lucasfilm and Creator/{{Marvel}}. Bob Iger's ambivalence towards the Muppets is reportedly also the reason why most Muppet projects would enter DevelopmentHell during much of the mid-to-late 2000s (bar ''Film/TheMuppetsWizardOfOz'' and ''Film/MuppetsLetterToSanta'') until 2011's ''Film/{{The Muppets}}''.

** Disney was originally planned to buy not only the Muppets, but the Jim Henson Company as a whole back in the late 80s and early 90s, however contract disputes over the rights to the Series/SesameStreet Muppets[[note]]Disney wanted to obtain the rights to the characters, but Jim Henson wanted the rights to be given to the Childrens Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) to ensure they stay true to their non-profitable roots[[/note]], and the sudden death of Creator/JimHenson in 1990, would lead to Disney and the Henson estate to fall out and for the deal to get scrapped. The deal falling apart would also lead to several planned Muppet projects by Disney (most notably a Muppet Studios area at Disney's Hollywood Studios) to get scrapped as a result. Disney would eventually buy the Muppets in 2004, but they would not buy the Jim Henson Company (which remains independent to this day), nor the rights to the ''Sesame Street'' characters (which are currently owned by Sesame Workshop).

** Disney was originally planned to buy not only the Muppets, but the Jim Henson Company as a whole back in the late 80s and early 90s, however contract disputes over the rights to the Series/SesameStreet Muppets[[note]]Disney wanted to obtain the rights to the characters, but Jim Henson wanted the rights to be given to the Childrens Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) to ensure they stay true to their non-profitable roots[[/note]] and the sudden death of Creator/JimHenson, would lead to the deal getting scrapped. This also led to several planned projects by Disney (most notably a Muppet Studios area at Disney's Hollywood Studios) to get scrapped as a result. Disney would eventually buy the rights to the Muppets in 2004[[note]]They did not buy the Jim Henson Company however and the rights to the ''Sesame Street'' characters had already been owned by Sesame Workshop for several years by the time Disney bought the Muppets[[/note]]

** A [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/muppet/images/9/97/Press_ad_2001.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090413000705 press release from 2001]] mentions a couple of film projects that never got off the ground, Such as the aforementioned ''Muppets Haunted House'', as well as a Muppet time travel movie called ''[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Muppet Time Travel]]'', however, neither one went anywhere for unknown reasons.

** Another scrapped Muppet series was ''Muppets Live Another Day'', which would have centered around Kermit and the Muppets reuniting immediately after the events of ''Film/TheMuppetsTakeManhattan'' to search for Rowlf, who had mysteriously disappeared. The series was intended to be an Creator/DisneyPlus original miniseries and would have been developed by Creator/JoshGad and the co-creators of ''Series/OnceUponATime'', Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis. However, creative differences between them and Muppet Studios led to the series getting scrapped and replaced by ''Series/MuppetsNow''.

* FlagshipFranchise: Until their purchase by Disney in 2004, they were this for the Jim Henson Company, with Kermit serving as their mascot.

* TheWikiRule: The [[http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Muppet_Wiki Muppet Wiki]], another [[http://aldinestreet.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Muppet Wiki]], another [[http://the-muppet.wikia.com/wiki/The_muppet_Wiki Muppet Wiki]], and another [[http://muppetmania.wikia.com/wiki/Muppet_Wiki Muppet Wiki]].

* CreatorsApathy: While he is never said to hate them, Disney CEO Bob Iger is allegedly [[https://www.cbr.com/bob-iger-blame-disney-not-streaming-muppet-show/ not attached]] to the Muppets and had made them a low priority under his tenure compared to the stuff he bought, such as Creator/{{Pixar}}, Creator/{{Marvel}} and Creator/{{Lucasfilm}}, due to the Muppets being Michael Eisner's thing and not his. This is reportedly the reason as to why many Muppet projects ended up going into DevelopmentHell and why the franchise entered a dry spell in the mid-to-late 2000s until the ''WebVideo/MuppetViralVideos'' and ''Film/TheMuppets2011''.

** Disney was originally planned to buy not only the Muppets, but the Jim Henson Company as a whole back in the late 80s and early 90s, however contract disputes over the rights to the Series/SesameStreet Muppets[[note]]Disney wanted to obtain the rights to the characters, but Jim Henson wanted the rights to be given to the Childrens Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) to ensure they stay true to their non-profitable roots[[/note]] and the sudden death of Creator/JimHenson, would lead to the deal getting scrapped. This also led to several planned projects by Disney (most notably a Muppet Studios area at Disney's Hollywood Studios) to get scrapped as a result. Disney would eventually buy the rights to the Muppets in 2004[[note]]They did not buy the Jim Henson Company however and the rights to the ''Sesame Street'' characters had already been owned by Sesame Workshop for quite some time by the time Disney bought the Muppets[[/note]]

** Disney was originally planned to buy not only the Muppets, but the Jim Henson Company as a whole back in the late 80s and early 90s, however contract disputes over the rights to the Series/SesameStreet muppets[[note]]Disney wanted to obtain the rights to the characters, but Jim Henson wanted the rights to be given to the Childrens Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) to ensure their non-profit nature[[/note]] and the sudden death of Creator/JimHenson, led to the whole thing falling apart. This also led to several planned projects by Disney (most notably a Muppet Studios area at Disney's Hollywood Studios) to fall apart as a result of the falling out. Disney would eventually buy the rights to the Muppets in 2004.

!!The franchise in general:

!![[Film/TheMuppets 2011 film]]:
* AccentDepundent: The [[spoiler:"Mary marry"]] pun at the end of the film is entirely dependent on the [[spoiler:"Mary/marry/merry" merger]] common to many but not all UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents.
* ActingForTwo: In Muppet tradition. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] in an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L85-wsJ_Pms&feature=related interview]] where Piggy does pitch-perfect "impersonations" of Fozzie and Animal[[note]]all now performed by Eric Jacobson[[/note]], but does an an absolutely pathetic Kermit impression[[note]]he's performed by Steve Whitmire[[/note]].
* AwesomeDearBoy:
** When Creator/ChrisCooper was asked why he agreed to perform a rap song, his response was "Are you kidding? This is a Muppet movie! I'm in a movie with the Muppets! I'd have tapdanced in my underwear if they'd asked me to."
** This is why Creator/JasonSegel, with a lot of Hollywood capital coming off ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' and the success of ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', decided to spend it on creating a ''Muppets'' movie. Segel amusingly noted that the Disney executives were rather confused by the pitch, thinking he wanted to put a R-rated spin on it given his resume, but Segel was adamant that he simply wanted to make a traditional ''Muppets'' movie just because he was a big fan of the property and wanted to bring it back to prominence.
* CaliforniaDoubling: It looks like the car is coming out of the water in actual Cannes, France, but according to the DVDCommentary that was filmed at "a lake in Northern California" on the final day of shooting. The casting call was for "men with body hair", whom they put in speedos, then obviously CGI'd the background.
* TheCastShowoff: Before becoming a film actress, Creator/AmyAdams worked in theatre (more specifically, dinner theatre), making her an easy fit for the singing and dancing required. The filmmakers gave her a golden opportunity to shine in a GratuitousDiscoSequence.
* CelebrityVoiceActor: In the Dutch dub of this and ''Film/MuppetsMostWanted'', Scooter is voiced by Music/ArminVanBuuren.
* CreatorBacklash
** While he eventually warmed up to it, Creator/FrankOz – the original performer for Miss Piggy and Fozzie, and probably the best-known Muppet performer who isn't Creator/JimHenson – was quite vocal about his hatred for the original script (in which Kermit was revealed to be Tex all along in an elaborate scheme to get the gang back together) and having his personal treatment passed over in favor of Segel's, which he claimed failed to "respect the characters." This is why he declined to participate. In the end, Oz [[http://collider.com/frank-oz-the-muppets-interview/184263/ liked the final film]], but felt it was a little safe, citing his personal preference for the Muppets' edgier material. He was also glad the movie brought the Muppets back in the spotlight and made their fans happy.
** Some other, unnamed Muppet veterans [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-muppets-jason-segel-amy-adams-jim-henson-250805 have also expressed misgivings]] over Fozzie's [[ToiletHumor fart shoes]].
* CrossDressingVoices: While this is pretty obvious for Miss Piggy in the original English version and the Japanese dub, this is the first film when Piggy is voiced by males in ''all'' foreign dubs, by Disney's mandate.
* CutSong: My Morning Jacket's Jim James wrote at least three songs for the film, intended to be performed by the Electric Mayhem. The songs were scrapped (and a [[http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/The_Electric_Mayhem_Tour companion tour]] featuring the Mayhem performing with MMJ backing them fell apart), but didn't go to waste - the band recorded all of the songs from the project themselves. Two of those songs ("Wonderful" and "Outta My System") were released on their album ''Circuital''[[note]]the album notes include the words "For E.M. Band idea. R.I.P." in reference to the fizzled tour[[/note]], while the remaining song ("Friends Again") was released as the B-side to "Wonderful" and worked into their own concerts.
* {{Defictionalization}}: A restroom area near ''Ride/MuppetVision3D'' in [[Ride/DisneyThemeParks Disney Hollywood Studios]] became rechristened after Gonzo's Royal Flush in Fall 2016.
* DeletedScene: The film was originally over two hours long, so many scenes hit the cutting room floor.
** Several parts of the clips and previews shown before release were not in the final cut, such as the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd6s0ryW-Xc Muppet farmer who performs at the start and end of Camilla's number]], Gonzo knocking the bowling pin off Gary’s head, and various celebrities singing "Manha Manha" in various takes. Kermit doesn't introduce Camilla with the random, "... and now, dancing chickens!"
** A scene which had the Muppets thrown in jail and featured Creator/WandaSykes and Creator/DannyTrejo was cut from the film. Creator/JuddHirsch is only seen in the audience for a second and doesn't even say a thing!
** Mary doesn't suggest going to lunch during Walter's drawn-out scream.
** Cameos by Creator/MilaKunis, Creator/BillyCrystal, Creator/KathyGriffin and Creator/RickyGervais were also cut. Crystal appeared confronting the Muppets hosting an illegal Awards-type show to promote their telethon and had them arrested.
** Both Gervais and Trejo later appeared in the Muppets' [[Film/MuppetsMostWanted next feature film]].
** Walter's DreamSequence was originally longer.
** Walter, Gary and Mary encountering a guy (Creator/RobCorddry) in a very cheap Franchise/{{Superman}} costume when they first arrive in [=LA=]. The costume was so cheap, it didn't even have an S-shield, and "Superman's" gut hung over his belt. Even so, Mary was the only one who was aware that he wasn't really Superman. It becomes HilariousInHindsight seeing that few years later, Mary's actress, Amy Adams, would go on to play [[Film/ManOfSteel Lois Lane]].
** A scene cut from the film but included in the b-roll footage released online had Kermit explaining to Gary, Mary and Walter that he doesn't actually live at the penthouse but instead just simply stops by once a week to check the mail and clean the pool filters. This also explains why Kermit is seen with a tool chest the first time we see him in the final film.
* DVDCommentary: Features James Bobin (director), Creator/JasonSegel (Gary, and co writer) and Nick Stoller (co-writer). Some nifty tidbits:
** Segel was surprised that one of the choreographers was referring to Creator/MickeyRooney as "Dad" as he told him where to move. Segel thought this disrespectful of the older actor until he learned the choreographer, Michael Rooney, was in fact Mickey Rooney's son.
** Segel found it very hard to keep his eyes open when he looks up into the rain during "Man or Muppet".
** On the set at Kermit's house where Gary and Walter sit on the same couch, Segel sat down on the side of the couch where Walter's puppeteer would usually stand underneath, i.e.- a ''hole'' (where Walter is "sitting" in the scene proper). Segel fell into it. He was unhurt, and it took Amy Adams a long time to stop laughing.
** The actress who played Walter’s prom date in the photo at the beginning of the film also appears as an extra during the Muppet Telethon and outside the Muppet Theater. Bobin joked that he likes to think that she’s still obsessed with Walter and followed him to Hollywood.
** Sweetums’ scene at Mad Man Mooney and Sons was filmed at the same location as in ''Film/TheMuppetMovie''.
** Bobin made a cameo (only seen from behind) as the director in the booth cuing the beginning of the telethon.
* LoopingLines: Along with the musical numbers, there's Fozzie's voice. He often changes mid-sentence from a softer tone to a more traditional "Fozzie-ish" tone, making it obvious that there was some ADR work involved.
* TheOtherDarrin:
** This is the third Muppet film not to feature Frank Oz in any role[[note]](any '''new''' role, anyway; the original version of "Mahna Mahna" plays over the credits, with Frank's vocals as the Snowths intact)[[/note]], after ''Film/ItsAVeryMerryMuppetChristmasMovie'' and ''Film/TheMuppetsWizardOfOz'', and the first in theaters. His characters are voiced and performed mostly by Eric Jacobson instead.
** While a full list of replacements for each character would be too involved, a general guide to the Other Darrins is: Eric Jacobson for Frank Oz, Matt Vogel for Jerry Nelson, Jim Henson's characters are mostly divided between Steve Whitmire and Bill Barretta, and Richard Hunt's characters are divided between Steve Whitmire and David Rudman.
* PromotedFanboy:
** Jason Segel; writer, executive producer and human lead character. He also puppeteered Dr. Teeth and Beaker for the crowded car scenes and Fozzie for another scene.
** Nicholas Stoller; co-writer and executive producer.
** The portrait of Miss Piggy in Kermit's mansion was painted by Peter Savieri, whose [[http://www.toughpigs.com/toughpigs-art-introducing-peter-savieri/ art was highlighted]] on the Muppet fansite Tough Pigs.
* PropRecycling: That set for the theater? It was built in 1925 for [[Film/ThePhantomOfTheOpera1925 the Lon Chaney film adaptation]] of ''Literature/ThePhantomOfTheOpera''!
* RecycledScript: This is the second Muppet film involving the Muppets putting on a show to raise the money needed to save the theater from a businessman trying to tear it down (the first being ''Film/ItsAVeryMerryMuppetChristmasMovie''). However, despite the reused basic premise, they are totally different movies.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Much like the deleted scenes, there's enough here for an entire movie on its own.
** Segel mentioned in an interview that during the montage involving Kermit finding a celebrity guest, one of the people they wanted to do was [[Series/SesameStreet Elmo]], who would be shot down by lawyers saying he couldn't join.
** Gary was originally written as a ventriloquist with Walter as his animate puppet, but the Muppet performers and Disney didn't want the Muppets to be portrayed as puppets rather than living creatures.
** Speaking of Walter, an early idea was to have him as a baby being delivered via stork while still retaining his same size and appearance.
** They forbade the fact that Kermit was a millionaire in the early script and the mansion was way bigger. It was rewritten to have the place built by Piggy when they were still together, but they broke up, and Kermit's been taking care of it ever since, so it's shabby and a bit ill-kempt in some places.
** In early versions of the script, Piggy was to become a Music/LadyGaga-type diva after the Muppets disbanded instead of a ''[[FashionMagazine Vogue]]'' editor.
** Originally everything would be orchestrated by Kermit himself for getting the gang back together again by revealing that Tex Richman would be ''Kermit in a human suit as part of a massive long-term scheme!'' Not only did Disney find it too complicated, but Kermit's former puppeteer Steve Whitmire thought that it was completely out of character and hated it so much that he threatened to have his name removed from the credits if this ending had been left in.
** Another way it would've ended was with Kermit saying "And because this all went so well, we're going to bring back ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' this fall on [[Creator/TheABC ABC]]!" This ending got a note back from Disney saying "Nice try".
** Creator/MollyRingwald was written to appear, but ultimately couldn't. Her name does appear in Kermit's Rolodex as one of the [=80s=] celebrities who turns him down as a telethon guest.
** During a sequence set in a prison that ultimately ended up getting cut, Creator/CharlesGrodin would've made a cameo reprising his role as [[Film/TheGreatMuppetCaper Nicky Holiday]], but turned it down.
** Other planned cameos that never came to be included Creator/VinceVaughn, Creator/JonFavreau, Creator/ChristianBale, Creator/BenStiller, Creator/SteveCarell, Creator/GeorgeClooney, Creator/MelBrooks, Creator/MattDamon, Creator/AnneHathaway, Creator/RachelRay, Creator/BobSaget, Creator/LisaLampenelli and Creator/JeffRoss.
** There was a scene in an early revision of the script in which one of the villains shot a gun, and everyone pretended to move in slow motion as a guy carried a Muppet bullet on a stick while making whooshing noises. Eventually, Fozzie would burst in wondering what was going on, and would then start to move in slow motion too.
** Walter's "human self" was initially envisioned as Creator/MichaelCera.
* WorkingTitle: The film was originally gonna be called ''The Greatest Muppet Movie of All Time!!!'' And boy, did it deliver.
* WrittenByCastMember: Jason Segel, who also served as one of the executive producers.

!![[Series/TheMuppets The 2015 ABC series]]:
* ActingForTwo: Again, many of the performers. But taking it even further, Big Mean Carl and his sister Carla must be twins...
* CreatorBacklash:
** Whitmire was [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-says-fired-kermit-frog-actor-unacceptable-business-conduct-1021701 vocally outspoken on-set]] regarding the direction the show took the characters and believes that this was ultimately what got the show cancelled (and presumably led to his sacking).
** Oz also didn’t care for the show, thinking that it wasn’t true to the characters.
* DirectedByCastMember: Bill Barretta directs the episode "Little Green Lie".
* DrawingBoardHiatus: Their mid-season hiatus in December 2015 became this when a {{retool}} was ordered. It resulted in Piggy becoming less antagonistic, Pizza being dropped out, Camilla getting brought back and Rowlf returning for a [[ContinuityNod Veterinarian's Hospital sketch]]. It still wasn't enough to avoid cancellation.
* MarthDebutedInSmashBros: As of December 2015, the show hasn't aired yet in Australia and their national non-commercial channel ([[NamesTheSame also named]] [[Creator/TheABC ABC]]) already posted [[http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-02/dave-grohl-vs-animal-in-drum-battle/6995200 an article]] about Music/DaveGrohl and Animal's drum duel at the end of "Going, Going, Gonzo" almost as soon as that episode aired in the States.
* TheOtherMarty: In the presentation pilot, Fozzie's human girlfriend Becky was played by Creator/MargoHarshman. For the series, she was replaced by Creator/RikiLindhome.
* RoleEndingMisdemeanor: [[http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-says-fired-kermit-frog-actor-unacceptable-business-conduct-1021701 Allegedly, the behind-the-scenes tumult of the series]] played a role in Kermit's longtime performer, Steve Whitmire (who inherited the role after Creator/JimHenson died), losing his job after working for ''The Muppets'' since 1978. Whitmire reportedly hated the changes being made to the characters and passed around notes to his colleagues against Disney's wishes. He also had trouble performing a scene from the series in which Kermit lies to his nephew, Robin, about breaking up with Piggy, which he felt was an insult to Henson's vision of Kermit. Disney, however, claims it was his many years of outrageous behavior behind-the-scenes and that the issues regarding the show were the tipping point. He was actually fired five months after ABC announced cancellation, but the news wasn't disclosed until ''nine months'' later.
* ScrewedByTheNetwork:
** During the first season's mid-season hiatus, ABC sought to address several issues that caused dissonance among viewers. Bob Kushnell, series co-creator, was fired and replaced by Kristen Newman, who ordered a quick {{retool}} in order to address some of the problems the series was plagued with. Aside from the character of Denise being dropped and increased focus on the characters working in Piggy's show than in their personal lives, not a whole lot was changed. The reception to these episodes was much more positive, but ABC seemed to not care, as they stopped actively promoting new episodes later on, hurting its ratings. Two months after the season ended, ABC confirmed that the series would be axed, putting the Muppets out of television once again. On the bright side, It didn't stop Disney and Muppet Studios from doing more ''Muppet'' projects afterwards as they've since rebooted ''WesternAnimation/MuppetBabies'' in 2018 and created ''Series/MuppetsNow'' for Creator/DisneyPlus in 2020, so it looks like their future may not be so bleak after all.\\\
Some dispute whether or not ratings were actually a factor, however. During production of the series, ABC got a new head honcho, who decided to revamp the network's slate and keep more established fare on the air, making ''The Muppets'' [[Series/{{Nashville}} one]] [[Series/AgentCarter of]] [[Series/{{Castle}} many]] [[Series/{{Galavant}} series]] thrown in the reject bin. Additionally, Disney, the parent company of ABC and owner of the ''Muppets'' franchise, suffered a setback in its television and consumer products businesses (with the Muppets being part of the latter) during the financial quarter of the show's airing[[note]] for three reasons: One being the controversy over ''WesternAnimation/TheLionGuard'', the second being the decline in Creator/{{ESPN}} subcribers and the third being declining ratings for Creator/DisneyChannel due to the successes of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitansGo'' and ''WesternAnimation/PAWPatrol'', a factor which also lead to other Disney-owned channels cancelling popular shows[[/note]], thus causing Disney to have to cut back on both units in order to recoup losses.
** In an example of Screwed by the Affiliate, ABC's Boston affiliate WCVB delayed the episode "Tail of Two Piggies", along with the entire Tuesday night lineup, to the early morning hours [[WorstNewsJudgementEver due to running ad nauseum coverage of the New Hampshire primary election]]. A few other affiliates did this as well, and in some cases (again using WCVB as an example) many DVR's that were set to record the episode instead recorded half of ''The Muppets'' and half of ''Series/FreshOffTheBoat''.
* ShortRunInPeru: Canadian channel City TV [[http://muppetshenson.blogspot.ca/2015/06/breaking-news-canadas-city-tv-to-air.html aired the show a day earlier than ABC did]].
* StarDerailingRole: Whitmire's career with the Muppets came to an end after the failure of the series.
* TroubledProduction: Details are vague, but there was some kind of behind the scenes drama while the show was getting off the ground, which resulted in one of the producers leaving halfway through the first season and a major reboot occurring after the winter hiatus. The first episode made after this incident, the midseason premiere "Swine Song", lampshades and addresses these changes.

** While a full list of replacements for each character would be too involved, a general guide to the Other Darrins is: Eric Jacobson for Frank Oz, Matt Vogel for Jerry Nelson, Jim Henson's characters are mostly divided between Steve Whitmire and Bill Baretta, and Richard Hunt's characters are divided between Steve Whitmire and David Rudman.

** Another way it would've ended was with Kermit saying "And because this all went so well, we're going to bring back ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' this fall on [[Creator/TheABC ABC]]!" This ending got a note back from Disney saying [[ActuallyPrettyFunny "Nice try"]].

** Disney was originally planned to buy not only the Muppets, but the Jim Henson Company as a whole back in the late 80s and early 90s, however contract disputes over the rights to the Series/SesameStreet muppets[[note]]Disney wanted to obtain the rights to the characters, but Jim Henson wanted the rights to be given to the Childrens Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) to ensure their non-profit nature[[/note]] and the [[AuthorExistenceFailure sudden death]] of Creator/JimHenson, led to the whole thing falling apart. This also led to several planned projects by Disney (most notably a Muppet Studios area at Disney's Hollywood Studios) to fall apart as a result of the falling out. Disney would eventually buy the rights to the Muppets in 2004.

** There was also ''[[http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/The_Muppets%27_Haunted_House The Muppets' Haunted House]]'', first mentioned in 1996, mentioned again in 2001, and mentioned yet again in 2007, but ultimately was shelved in favor of ''The Muppets' Letters to Santa''. The former's concept did eventually get used for ''VideoGame/MuppetMonsterAdventure'' according to Kirk Thatcher in an [[https://thenerdlys.com/2018/08/13/episode-134-kirk-r-thatcher/ audio interview]]. The idea of a Muppet Halloween film would eventually get realized in 2021 in the form of ''Muppets Haunted Mansion''.

** Disney was originally planned to buy not only the Muppets, but the Jim Henson Company as a whole back in the late 80s and early 90s, however contract disputes over the rights to the Series/SesameStreet muppets[[note]]Disney wanted to obtain the rights to the characters, but Jim Henson wanted the rights to be given to the Childrens Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) to ensure their non-profit nature[[/note]] and the [[AuthorExistenceFailure sudden death]] of Creator/JimHenson, led to the whole thing falling apart. This also led to several planned projects by Disney (most notably a Muppet Studios area at Disney's Hollywood Studios) to fall apart as a result of the falling out. Disney would eventually buy up the rights to the Muppets in 2004 (though the Jim Henson Company remains independent to this day).

** One can't help but wonder how the Muppets (and by extension The Jim Henson Company) could've turn out under Disney if they've bought them in the late 80s and early 90s like they originally planned to before it fell apart due to Creator/JimHenson's death and conflicts between Disney and the Henson family over the rights of ''Series/SesameStreet'', as opposed to 2004.

** Steve Whitmire has also been incredibly outspoken and critical towards Disney's handling of The Muppets, particularly in regards to Kermit’s characterization.

* CreatorsApathy: While he is never said to hate them, Disney CEO Bob Iger is allegedly [[https://www.cbr.com/bob-iger-blame-disney-not-streaming-muppet-show/ not attached]] to the Muppets and has made them a low priority under his tenure compared to the stuff he bought, such as Creator/{{Pixar}}, Creator/{{Marvel}} and Creator/{{Lucasfilm}}, due to the Muppets being Michael Eisner's thing and not his. This is reportedly the reason as to why many Muppet projects ended up going into DevelopmentHell and why the franchise entered a dry spell in the mid-to-late 2000s until the ''WebVideo/MuppetViralVideos'' and ''Film/TheMuppets2011''.

** One can't help but wonder how the Muppets (and by extension The Jim Henson Company) would've turn out under Disney if they've bought them in the late 80s and early 90s like they originally planned to before it fell apart due to Creator/JimHenson's death and conflicts between Disney and the Henson family over the rights of Series/SesameStreet, as opposed to 2004.

** The above press release also mentions plans for a new show called ''The Muppets Present'', which would have been on Creator/{{FOX}} and aimed towards an older audience, complete with edgier jokes and swearing, with one separate press release mentioning the show to be "fabulous, edgy and audacious." Much like the above two films though, plans ultimately fell through, with the only other stuff being out in the public being the first draft of the [[http://www.scribd.com/doc/170670394/Berry-Abrams-Muppets-Script pitch]] and a [[http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/muppet/images/6/60/Nms.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width/300?cb=20070325033631 image of the pitch.]]
** Another scrapped Muppet series was ''Muppets Live Another Day'', which would have centered around Kermit and the Muppets reuniting immediately after the events of ''Film/TheMuppetsTakeManhattan'' to search for Rowlf, who had mysteriously disappeared. The series was intended to be a Creator/DisneyPlus original miniseries and would have been developed by Creator/JoshGad and the co-creators of ''Series/OnceUponATime'', Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis. However, creative differences between them and Muppet Studios led to the series getting scrapped and replaced by ''Series/MuppetsNow''.

** One can't help but wonder how the Muppets (and by extension The Jim Henson Company) would turn out under Disney if they bought them in the late 80s and early 90s like they originally planned to before it fell apart due to Creator/JimHenson's death and conflicts between Disney and the Henson family over the rights of Series/SesameStreet, as opposed to 2004.