Muppets 50th Anniversary Special Airs on ABC

The Muppets returned to the stage in a new 30-minute special on February 4, airing at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and simultaneously available for streaming on Disney+, featuring host Sabrina Carpenter alongside Seth Rogen and Maya Rudolph as guest stars.

The variety show, set in the original Muppet Theatre, brings back Kermit the Frog as host, Miss Piggy, and the full ensemble including Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, the Swedish Chef, Beaker, Animal, and hecklers Statler and Waldorf. It blends music, comedy sketches, and backstage antics, with sequences poking fun at modern life, such as children's attachment to devices. Carpenter performs in musical numbers and shares a humorous exchange with Miss Piggy, who quips about her lawyers noticing the singer's similar style. Rogen, an executive producer on the project, appears in sketches, while Rudolph joins the chaos.

This special marks the 50th anniversary of the original Muppet Show, which ran from 1976 to 1981 as a weekly variety series created by Jim Henson. It hosted celebrities like Elton John and Rita Moreno in its prime, combining puppetry with live-action guest spots. Since then, the characters have appeared in eight feature films and multiple...