I grew up watching Sesame Street and the original Muppet Show episodes during the time when Jim Henson was alive and crafting magical puppetry. So, a new, original documentary about the man has piqued my interest and has me geeked to watch it on the Disney+ streaming service. Directed by Academy Award ® winner Ron Howard, “Jim Henson Idea Man” chronicles the story of this extraordinary artist and visionary entertainer. In his 36-year career, Henson created some of the world’s most cherished characters, including classic Muppets like Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy and all of Sesame Street’s iconic residents, including Big Bird, Grover, Cookie Monster, and Bert and Ernie. Henson also directed beloved fantasy films like The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.
Produced with the full participation and cooperation of the Henson family, “Jim Henson Idea Man” is an unprecedented, intimate look at Henson’s illustrious, revolutionary career and complex personal life. Using never-before-seen personal archival home movies, photographs, sketches, and Henson’s personal diaries, as well as interviews with those who knew him best, the film is the definitive portrait of one of the world’s most inspiring and iconoclastic creator.The documentary will premiere May 31 on Disney+.
The first single from Dr Teeth and the Electric Mayhem's upcoming album has just been released! You can watch the band's music video on YouTube or listen to the song on Spotify for FREE. Follow these Muppets journey to record their first album in the upcoming Disney+ show The Muppets Mayhem which is debuting on the streaming service May 10, 2023.
The Muppets Mayhem follows The Electric Mayhem Band — Dr. Teeth on vocals and keyboards, Animal on drums, Floyd Pepper on vocals and bass, Janice on vocals and lead guitar, Zoot on saxophone and Lips on trumpet — on an epic, music-filled journey to record their first-ever studio album. With the help of a driven young music executive, Nora Singh, the old-school Muppet band comes face-to-face with the current day music scene as they try to finally record their first studio album.
Original music for The Electric Mayhem Band is being produced by Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee Linda Perry. The Muppets Mayhem Original Soundtrack will be available on streaming platforms beginning May 10 in conjunction with the Disney Plus show premiere and the band’s debut album, The Electric Mayhem is set for release on vinyl May 12.
April is Autism Awareness Month and PBS KIDS will be airing some special shows featuring autistic characters in an effort to promote awareness, acceptance and understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorder. The highlight of these shows will be Sesame Street introducing a brand new Muppet character named Julia who has autism. Autistic characters will also be featured in episodes of the animated series Arthur and Dinosaur Train. PBS KIDS hopes that children with autism will find these characters relatable and these shows will help educate the broader public about this medical condition. These will definitely be some valuable shows full of teachable moments. Here is a listing of when each show will debut this month:
4/10 Sesame Street "Meet Julia"
When Big Bird doesn't understand why the new girl on the block won't talk to him the Sesame Street gang explains to him that Julia may act differently than other kids but is special in her very own way. Julia, a Muppet with autism, makes her debut in a television episode of Sesame Street. Julia is performed by puppeteer Stacey Gordon, who uses her own experiences raising an autistic son to help make the actions of the character realistic.
Visit SesameStreet.org/Autism to read a free online storybook featuring Julia and to view some videos featuring the newest Muppet character. The website also includes an autism reference section that includes activity and discussion ideas plus informational tips.
4/10 Dinosaur Train “Junior Conductors Academy”
The
kids are all excited! Why? Because they’re off to Junior Conductor’s
Academy in Laramidia, to try to become Junior Conductors First Class.
Buddy has a feeling he’s going
to be a star in class, until he meets Dennis Deinocheirus – a kid who
knows even more dinosaur facts than he does! Can Buddy get over his
disappointment that he’s not the smartest kid in class, and make friends
with Dennis (who seems like he’s having trouble
making friends on his own)?
Click here for some Autism Awareness Month tips and resources courtesy of Dinosaur Train.
Arthur is one of my family's favorite shows on PBS KIDS. I enjoy watching this show with its subtle societal commentaries and humorous situations all most as much as my kids do. Arthur is an entertaining and educational show providing kids with teachable moments that they may be learning from without even realizing it. So it is no surprise that they've weighed in on the topic of autism. There will be four autism-related episodes of Arthur being broadcast by PBS KIDS in April.
4/10 Arthur “When Carl Met George/D.W. Swims with the Fishes"
George
is excited about spending time with his new friend, Carl, who seems to
know all kind of cool facts about trains and about… well lots of things!
Then George learns that
Carl has Asperger's Syndrome - a form of autism that makes Carl see the
world differently than most people. Can George and Carl remain good
friends - and perhaps even learn from each other? / D.W. and James
enter the pre-school swim meet and recruit their
big siblings to coach them. All goes swimmingly until Arthur and Molly
start taking their jobs a little too seriously. Who's this race about,
anyway?
4/11 Arthur “Pets and Pests/Go Fly a Kite”
There's
a mouse loose in the Read home! And D.W. wants it gone…NOW! When traps
fail, Arthur enlists the help of an expert mouse catcher…a fearless
hunter who laughs in the
face of danger: Nemo?? / While playing in the park, Binky, Muffy, and
Ladonna stumble upon an abandoned kite. After failing to find the owner,
the trio decides to take joint custody of the toy. But sharing it is
easier said than done…
4/12 Arthur “Carl's Concerto/Too Much of a Good Thing”
Carl
has agreed to play the accordion for George’s puppet show. But his
routines are getting in the way of rehearsals. Now George must decide:
keep Carl and risk the show,
or replace Carl and risk his friendship? / Buster enlists Binky’s help
to keep him from gorging on delicious Tuvaluna cookies. Will Buster’s
self-control hold...or crumble?
4/13 Arthur “He Said, He Said/Bunny Trouble”
A special episode of Bionic Bunny is interrupted, and Arthur, Buster, and
George try to remember what comes next. But Carl is the only one who
can straighten out the story.
/ D.W. is excited to be taking care of the class bunny, Larry. But when
Larry is feeling adventurous and wanders off, it’s up to Ladonna the
“Bunny Whisperer” to help get him back.
These shows will be rebroadcast throughout the month after the initial airing listed above. Check your with your PBS affiliate for more details regarding local programming schedules.
In addition to incorporating the topic of autism into PBS KIDS programming, the PBS Parents website has articles from doctors, disability
experts and special education teachers on topics ranging from identifying autism to creating inclusive environments for autistic children. Additionally, PBS Learning Media has great teacher resources and activities for children with autism that can be found here.
Watch "Drive-On with the Muppets" on Disney Movies Anywhere
To promote Disney's Movies Anywhere website/app and the upcoming home video release of Muppets Most Wanted a six-part original online video series called "Drive-On with the Muppets" will be available through the month of August. Each Friday beginning August 1st, two new video shorts that feature brand new Muppet skits will be available to view on Disney Movies Anywhere. Disney Movies Anywhere is a cloud-based movie service that allows you to store your DVD and digital download purchases on one online catalog so that you can easily and instantly stream or download your collection of Disney, Pixar, and Marvel movies across a wide variety of devices ranging from desktop computers to tablet devices to smart phones. Setting up an account to access Disney Movies Anywhere is FREE and in addition to the movies that you have purchased being accessible through the service there are also bonus content features such as this "Drive-On with the Muppets" original video series.
The premise behind "Drive-On with the Muppets" is that Kermit the Frog has to leave work for a day and Pepe the King Prawn is left in charge of the Muppets office. It also happens to be Walter's first day on the job at the Walt Disney Studios lot after joining the Muppet Show cast. This series of video shorts is set between The Muppets (2001) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014) with a focus on incorporating the Walter character from The Muppets as a regular part of the goofy ensemble.
The first episode has been posted on youtube but the remaining 5 episodes will be exclusively viewable via the Disney Movies Anywhere website/app. I've embedded this first episode below and here's a synopsis of it:
After being left in charge of the Muppets office by Kermit, Pepe the King Prawn takes on the responsibility of "mentoring" Walter on the business of Hollywood. Still considered the "new guy" with the Muppets, Walter is given low-level jobs working alongside his fellow Muppets at their office in the famed Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. Walter quickly learns there is a lot more to making movies than he thought! Developing projects may not always be so glamorous, but Walter is still excited to tackle new challenges and discovers life on the Disney Lot is certainly a fun and funny adventure.
To watch the rest of these new Muppet shows, tune in every Friday at DisneyMoviesAnywhere.com throughout the month of August.
