Episode 103: Power

The Jim Henson Hour
Air Date	April 28, 1989
Director	John Blanchard

Fozzie reports from New York City.

"The Soldier and Death"

Plot Outline

Cold Opening

Leon has picked up a gum-chewing blonde Whatnot, promising her a job singing on the show. She sings a high note and cracks the control room monitors, to Kermit's shock, then speaks in a deep voice.

Jim Henson's Intro

The Storyteller's Dog takes the lion's place (claiming that Kermit the Frog got him a job in front of the Public Library) while Lindbergh repairs the broken monitors. Kermit shows how they were broken in instant replay on an unbroken monitor, which causes it to break. (The half-hour version does not mention The Storyteller, and the Dog seems to have a somewhat different voice and personality.)

MuppeTelevision

• Guest Stars: Willard Scott and Jane Pauley from The Today Show. Musical guest The Nylons.

Gonzo and Leon talk Kermit into letting others help run things at the studio, but when Kermit decides to take a vacation, nobody knows what to do. Meanwhile, Fozzie decides to give up comedy and become a weatherbear on The Today Show, and the monsters host a telethon.

Sketches:

• "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" with The Nylons and The Thought Lion.
• Monster Telethon
• The Time Channel (interrupted by the monsters from the telethon)
• Mrs. Goldfarb (a soap opera sketch that is interrupted by the monster from the telethon)
• The Today Show with Fozzie doing the weather.
• Bootsie and Brad
• Storytime (with The Hat Sharpener and Chris Langham)
• "Sweet Vacation" with Kermit and the cast.

The StoryTeller

• Episode 106: The Soldier and Death: A soldier uses his magical sack to capture devils -- and, eventually, Death itself.

Jim Henson's Closing

Jim Henson notices that the Lion has a library card, and notes that everybody should have one.

Notes

• This is the first of only a few episodes that featured Frank Oz.
• This is one of the few MuppeTelevision segments that did not feature Jerry Nelson.
• Judging from an airing taped in Nova Scotia, and much like the KD Lang episode, some Canadian broadcasts of this episode omitted the scene following the Fairy Tale, where Gonzo decides to go see Kermit, and the gang follows him. Footage was also missing when coming back from commercial breaks, including Kermit in his hammock and Jim's introduction to The Storyteller, although it's unknown if this was intentional.
• Gonzo and Leon's reaction to Kermit going on vacation, a cliffhanger that leads into a commercial break, was created in the editing room - it's the same footage we've just seen of them turning to look at Kermit's monitor, run backward and freeze-framed. It's unknown what the act break was originally.
• The cameo by The Storyteller's Dog is (like every Jim Henson introduction) a bit different in the half-hour "Jim Henson Show" version. The Storyteller is not mentioned and Kevin Clash plays the Dog instead of Brian Henson. (The Storyteller's portrait still hangs on the wall in every Jim Henson Show episode.)

Credits

Muppets

Kermit the Frog, Gonzo, Leon, Fozzie Bear, Frackles, Vicki, Link Hogthrob, Clifford, Digit, Bean Bunny, Lindberg, Chickens, Franklin, Maxine, Baby, Timecaster, Luncheon Counter Monster, Beautiful Day Monster, The Hypocritic Oaf, Shakey Sanchez, Rhonda

Background Muppets

Rizzo the Rat, Rats, Penguins, Coconuts, Flash, Beard, Solid Foam Drummer, Droop, Gil, Jill, Slithy Toves, Boo Monster, Inkspots, Earl, Candle

Muppet Performers

• Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog, Link Hogthrob, Timecaster
• Dave Goelz as Gonzo, Digit, Hunchbacked Frackle
• Frank Oz as Fozzie Bear
• Steve Whitmire as Bean Bunny, Foo-Foo
• Kevin Clash as Leon, Clifford, Franklin, Green-Furred Frackle, The Hippocritic Oaf, Storyteller's Dog (half-hour version of intro)
• Fran Brill as Vicki, Maxine, Solid Foam Drummer
• Gordon Robertson as Lindberg, Luncheon Counter Monster
• Rob Mills as Baby
• Dan Redican as Beautiful Day Monster, Rhonda
• Brian Henson as Storyteller's Dog (full-hour version of intro)

Supporting Cast

• Jennifer Lee as Bootsie
• Andrew Wilson as Brad
• Erica Lancaster as Amanda
• Chris Langham as Officer

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