I was up at 3am when 'Muppets Haunted Mansion' went live on Disney+ because I didn't want to wait until daylight to sink my teeth into some new Muppet content... and it did NOT disappoint!
This new special, directed by veteran Muppets writer Kirk Thatcher (who's been trying to get a Muppet Halloween special made for 30+ years!) has Gonzo and Pepe on their way to the famous mansion, and all they have to do is survive until morning...
Of course, spooks and silliness abound, along with more than a handful of ghostly cameos (Will Arnett, Taraji P. Henson, and more...)
To me Gonzo and Pepe seemed like an unusual pairing, but it really works; I can't think of a better duo for this story. In fact, the special's limited use of the usual Muppet MVPs (Kermit, Piggy, and Fozzie) make their appearances all the more entertaining.
And don't get me started on the cameos from Muppets (and performers) we haven't heard from in YEARS (Johnny & Sal, Gaffer, both Nigels?!)
The puppets and costumes are BEAUTIFUL; including a crazy look at one of the special's stars like we've never seen them before!
Also... ARM RODS?! For the last 20 years or so Disney has digitally removed any evidence of the Muppets being puppets, so I was surprised to see rods and even puppeteers (!!) in the special's credits, accompanied by a KILLER Electric Mayhem cover of 'Dancing in the Moonlight'.
'Muppets Haunted Mansion' highlights what the Muppets do best but haven't been in quite a while: chaos. Every scene is PACKED with wall-to-wall Muppets, music, heart, and even some legit scares (I'm looking at you, John Stamos!)
This show is definitely required viewing for Spooky Season, and will probably go down in Muppet History alongside the likes of other post-Henson era greats like 'Muppet Christmas Carol'.
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