The Muppets - S1E8 - Too Hot to Handler

Previously on The Muppets, ‘Pigs in a Black-Out’

“Trust me, Scooter. You are a Boy Toy.”

It’s wonderful to see The Muppets shining the spotlight over the rest of its diverse cast. This week’s Scooter-centric episode has the socially awkward bespectacled assistant producer going on a date with his longtime celebrity crush, Chelsea Handler. The script constantly tows the line with Scooter’s neuroses and chronic dorkiness, often coloring him in shades of Norman Bates from Psycho what with appears to be a very repressed upbringing and a disturbing devotion for his mother. What could have easily descended into a tired old story we’ve seen numerous times on other shows takes a surprising twist when Scooter asks Chelsea Handler to slow down with her advances (“Too much sugar!”). It’s character moments like this that the show needs to capitalize on if it wants to stand apart from the competition.

“We’ve been together for 12 whole weeks!”

The B-plot involving Fozzie and Becky was middling at best. We’ve seen this before in “Bear Left then Bear Write” where Kermit’s overprotectiveness for Fozzie backfired on him leading to a falling out with his best friend. I’ll state it now explicitly: Fozzie Bear is the weakest part of the show. I’ve often praised the show on how well they’ve nailed Miss Piggy’s character and (after last week’s episode) Kermit’s as well. Fozzie, in stark contrast, could use a major overhaul when the show reboots in the Spring. Episodes that make him the focus of the main plot or the subplot just aren’t as solid as other episodes. Perhaps his relationship with Becky is something we’ve seen done before in other sitcoms where it’s been executed more effectively.

Side Notes

• If “smitten” is a naughty word for Scooter, I sure hope that we meet his mother one day.
• Of course, Fozzie Bear has hair plugs in his stomach. What a putz.
• This week in shocking news: Denise has a credit score of 210. Piggy must be gloating in her dressing room right now.
• Kermit, if you want people to listen to what you’re saying then you ought to face them instead of the camera. Just saying.
• I would wear your fashion line, Uncle Deadly. I would wear it to death.
• I hope they continue with the side plot of Electric Mayhem assuming that Kermit and Animal have been replaced by robot clones.

Quote of the Week: “Beautiful and wise just like my mothe— just like you. You.”- Scooter