The Muppets’ New Show Looks Like A Cross Between ’30 Rock’ And ‘The Office’

You wouldn’t know it from looking at their demonically ageless faces, but it’s been nearly 40 years since the Muppets first scored their own standalone show and about 20 years since they were last on TV. In that time, they’ve released a couple of movies, and Kermit momentarily broke away to pursue a musical career with LCD Soundsystem, but soon they’ll be back on our screens with something new: a “sort of adult show” simply called The Muppets.

Instead of skits and performances like the original Muppet Show, this one will be a bit more realistic. And, while that’s a weird thing to say about something with talking animals, it’s true in the way that it’ll be shot in a mockumentary style like The Office. In a cheeky nod to this, the show’s title credit is even in the same font.

Following along these lines, the story will also be roughly based around a workplace. Miss Piggy will have her own late-night talk show which many of the characters will also be involved with allowing them to do some of their older style stuff in the same meta way as 30 Rock.

This news was understandably met with much confusion when it was announced last week, but the first trailer has dropped today and it actually looks kind of great.

It's time to get things started! #TheMuppets are coming to ABC and this is your first look! https://t.co/mXqsQtgQXr

— The Muppets ABC (@TheMuppetsABC) May 12, 2015

As Bill Prady — one of the show’s creators — told Vulture yesterday, the decision to play with the format like this was a very deliberate one. “The Muppet Show was a variety show because when it was on, that was the dominant form of television,” he said. “If you turned the TV on then [you saw] Sonny and Cher and Carol Burnett and Flip Wilson and Richard Pryor and Lily Tomlin. That was television. So The Muppet Show made fun of variety.”

Now, with the rise of both modern sitcoms and persisting popularity of late-night shows, the producers are looking to play with something new. Though the Muppets’ original creator Jim Henson died 25 years ago now, the team behind the new show feel this is what he would have wanted. And, while it’s probably wise to reserve judgment until we see it for real, we can safely confirm that Miss Piggy makes an incredible Jenna Maroney.

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The Muppets will premiere in the US in the new Fall season, which usually starts in early September.