Emotions felt

• Published date: 23 May 2023
• Publication title: Signal

THE Muppets make me cry now. They are at once avatars of childhood, evocations of simpler, better times filled with simpler, more readily available joys (and intimations of mortality, too). Whereas we are now all Oscar the Grouches in a bin of our own making instead of arm-wavingly enthusiastic Kermits creating an eternally vibrant show out of the chaos of existence. And, yes, this fact can make you want to weep. Or, if already weeping, add another layer of weeping on top

But this is not fair on the Muppets. Despite now being owned by Disney, they are still a good and pure thing in this world and deserve to be approached with clear minds and uncankered hearts so they can exercise their talents and their magic to the full once again. If you can settle yourself down enough to make a start on new Disney+ show The Muppets Mayhem, the return of some of its characters will get you the rest of the way there. There’s lead singer Dr Teeth (Bill Barretta) — though he ‘‘does not subscribulate’’ to the notion of frontman status — and fellow bandmates, including murmuring trumpeter Lips (Peter Linz) and — of course — ungovernable drummer Animal (Eric Jacobson).

Dr Teeth et al comprise, as I’m sure you remember, The Muppet Show’s house band the Electric Mayhem. They have been gigging ever since, on their ‘‘Long and Winded’’ tour. But, when Nora (Lilly Singh), a young A&R executive at Wax Town Records discovers that the Mayhem still owe the label an album, which could transform the failing company’s fortunes, she makes it her business to get them into a studio to record the hoped-for hits. As you can imagine, given the band’s, uh, disposition, this does not go smoothly. It’s not that they are actively trying to thwart ‘‘the Label Lady’s’’ (as Dr Teeth calls her) plans. It’s just that, as they explain to the increasingly infuriated exec, their vibe is more ‘‘no plan is the plan’’. I am old enough now to feel for Nora.

This is a family show and there are plenty of hijinks to keep young children entertained, while throwing in lots of other gags for the older ones — and a few that only parents will fully appreciate. They combine nicely in the opening episode when Nora gives them the key to The Shack, where they used to write all their songs in the early days. They go wild...