Muppets TV

Muppets TV title card

Franck Dubosc and the Muppets in the Le Muppet Show pilot

Muppets TV Theme

Muppets TV opening credits

Muppets TV was a French Muppet Show series, which first broadcast over TF1 on October 29, 2006 and aired its last episode on December 31 of the same year.

In contrast to the earlier Le Muppet Show (the title also used for the pilot), the series featured new footage of the Muppets interacting with French celebrities rather than a re-dub of existing footage.

The series sprung from a 2005 deal which French radio comedian/producer Sébastien Cauet and French network TF1 made with the Walt Disney Company. The actual puppets were sent to France, and Cauet supplied the voice of Kermit (using a blend of French Kermit Roger Carel's voice and Jim Henson's characterization). Other of Cauet's radio colleagues supplied character voices, while French puppeteers, led by Yves Brunier, supplied the actual puppetry.

The 15 minute pilot debuted over TF1 in November, 2005, with French actor/humorist Franck Dubosc as the featured guest. Segments included a parody of the French TV series Mon Incroyable Fiancé (retitled Mon Incroyable Muppet) and Miss Piggy, ever sensual, pursuing guest star Dubosc. The show was set on a talk show stage, rather than a run-down theater.

The full series aired Sundays at 5:30pm as a 45 minute block, and in 5 minute segments Monday through Friday, taken from the best sketches and bits. In contrast to The Muppet Show, and more in keeping with Muppets Tonight, each episode featured two guest stars.

The series also made extensive use of the established Muppet cast. The primary cast went beyond Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, and Statler and Waldorf and featured "classic" Muppets including Scooter, Rowlf, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker, the full ensemble of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, the Swedish Chef, Clifford and the Newsman, as well as Denise, a new character recycled from the Loni Dunne puppet, and several other Whatnots.

10 full 45-minute episodes were produced in 2006 for the first batch of shows. However due to station management changes and poor ratings, TF1 opted not to order a second set of Muppets TV episodes.

Voices

• Sébastien Cauet as Kermit
• Franck Sportis as Miss Peggy
• Marco Duquesnoy as Fozzie, Gonzo, The Newsman, Clifford, and Denise
• Nicolas Ciattoni as Scooter
• Michael Semeoni as Animal
• Pierre Dourlens as Statler
• Jean-François Kopf as Waldorf
• Cécile De Ménibus

Guest Stars

• Pilot (November 2005): Franck Dubosc
• Episode 1 (October 29, 2006): Pascal Obispo and Adriana Karembeu
• Episode 2 (November 5, 2006): Bob Sinclar and Elie Semoun
• Episode 3 (November 12, 2006): Anggun and Michaël Youn
• Episode 4 (November 19, 2006): Liane Foly and David Douillet
• Episode 5 (November 26, 2006): Lara Fabian and Titoff
• Episode 6 (December 3, 2006): Florent Pagny and Florence Foresti
• Episode 7 (December 10, 2006): Franck Dubosc and Lorie
• Episode 8 (December 17, 2006): Laurent Voulzy and Patrick Bosso
• Episode 9 (December 24, 2006): Mimie Mathy, Stéphane Rousseau, Nikos Aliagas, Philippe Lelièvre and Richard Cross
• Episode 10 (December 31, 2006): Sébastien Cauet, Alexandra Rosenfeld, M. Pokora and Tina Arena

Promotional Images

Characters

Kermit

Miss Peggy

Gonzo

Fozzie

Scooter

Rowlf

Docteur Bunsen

Beaker

Docteur Teeth

Janice

Floyd, bassiste du Electric Mayhem Band

Zoot le saxophoniste du Electric Mayhem Band

Animal

Swedish Chef

Statler

Waldorf

NewsMan

Denise

Scenes

External Links

• French Wikipedia article
• YouTube - Muppets TV clip with Pascal Obispo
• YouTube - Muppets TV clip with Pascal Obispo