''Muppet Babies'' is an American animated television series featuring toddler versions of

the Muppets The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an surreal humor, absurdist, slapstick, burlesque, and self-referential humor, self-referential style of Musical theatre, musical Variety show, variety-sketch comedy. Cre ...

characters that began airing on Disney Jr. on March 23, 2018, and is aimed at a target audience of children from ages 4–7. It is a

reboot In computing, rebooting is the process by which a running computer system is restarted, either intentionally or unintentionally. Reboots can be either a cold reboot (alternatively known as a hard reboot) in which the power to the system is physi ...

of the original 1984 animated series of the same name. 71 episodes were produced. The show retains several of the younger incarnations of the classic Muppet characters seen in the previous series, including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo, and Animal. The series also sees the second appearance of Nanny (now known as "Miss Nanny"), and the first appearance of a new Muppet Babies series member named Summer Penguin. The series finale aired on February 18, 2022.

Premise

The show details Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Summer Penguin, Fozzie Bear, Animal, and The Great Gonzo and a cast of characters using their imaginations.

Episodes

Characters

Main

* Kermit (voiced by

Matt Danner Matthew Thomas Danner (born June 30, 1981) is an American animator, screenwriter, storyboard artist, director, producer and voice actor. His credits include work on '' The Ripping Friends'', ''¡Mucha Lucha!'', ''The Looney Tunes Show'', ''Xiao ...

) is a level-headed and friendly

frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely semiaquatic group of short-bodied, tailless amphibian vertebrates composing the order (biology), order Anura (coming from the Ancient Greek , literally 'without tail'). Frog species with rough ski ...

who enjoys acting out adventure and making music with his banjo. However, he can get flustered rather easily, usually by the antics of those around him. Kermit is also the official leader of the Muppet Babies, as he is typically the one who helps devise their plans. * Piggy (voiced by Melanie Harrison) is a temperamental and self-centered

pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...

who considers herself a star and harbors a crush on Kermit. She mostly speaks in a high pitched voice but would at times greatly deepen when she gets passionate or angry. She is best friends with Skeeter and Summer. * Fozzie (voiced by

Eric Bauza Eric Bauza (born December 7, 1979) is a Canadian voice actor based in the United States. He is mostly known for voicing several ''Looney Tunes'' characters, for which he won three Emmy Awards for his performances in '' Looney Tunes Cartoons'' (20 ...

) is a cheerful and goofy

bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family (biology), family Ursidae (). They are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans. Although only eight species of bears are extant, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats ...

who aspires to be a

comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...

, but also shows skills as a

ventriloquist Ventriloquism or ventriloquy is an act of stagecraft in which a person (a ventriloquist) speaks in such a way that it seems like their voice is coming from a different location, usually through a puppet known as a "dummy". The act of ventrilo ...

magic Magic or magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces ** ''Magick'' (with ''-ck'') can specifically refer to ceremonial magic * Magic (illusion), also known as sta ...

ian, and a

musician A musician is someone who Composer, composes, Conducting, conducts, or Performing arts#Performers, performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general Terminology, term used to designate a person who fol ...

like his two best friends, Kermit and Rowlf. While adorable and good-hearted, Fozzie also has a mischievous streak, as he is fond of playing

practical jokes A practical joke or prank is a trick played on people, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. The perpetrat ...

on the other Muppets. He can also get frightened rather easily, not sharing Gonzo's love of the paranormal and grotesque. *

Gonzo Gonzo may refer to: People * Gonzo (nickname), a list of people with the nickname * Radislav Jovanov Gonzo (born 1964), Croatian music video director Radislav Jovanov, also known as Gonzo * Matthias Röhr (born 1962), German musician whose stage ...

(voiced by

Benjamin Diskin Benjamin Diskin (born August 25, 1982) is an American actor. Early life Diskin was born on August 25, 1982 in Los Angeles County, California to a Jewish family. Career In 1991, Diskin won the "Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Motion Pictur ...

) is an eccentric and unpredictable alien who has a love for stunts and anything that can be considered strange. *

Animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...

(voiced by

Dee Bradley Baker Dee Bradley Baker (born August 31, 1962) is an American voice actor. Much of his work has consisted of vocalizations of animals and monsters. Baker's roles include animated series such as '' Adventure Time'', ''American Dad!'', '' Avatar: The Las ...

) is an excitable frenzied

monster A monster is a type of imaginary or fictional creature found in literature, folklore, mythology, fiction and religion. They are very often depicted as dangerous and aggressive, with a strange or grotesque appearance that causes Anxiety, terror ...

who likes playing the drums. * Summer (voiced by

Jessica DiCicco Jessica Sonya DiCicco (; born June 10, 1980) is an American actress. She is known for voicing in animated television series and video games. Her first voice role was the announcer for Nickelodeon's educational channel Noggin. DiCicco has since ...

) is a good-hearted and sweet-natured penguin from the South Pole who loves to make art. She is best friends with Piggy. * Miss Nanny (voiced by

Jenny Slate Jenny Slate (born March 25, 1982) is an American actress, stand-up comedian, and writer. After early acting and stand-up roles on television, Slate gained recognition for her live variety shows in New York City and for co-creating the children's ...

) is the teacher of the Muppet Babies and proprietor of her school who is only seen from the neck down. The pattern on her stockings changes to reflect relevant elements in the episode plot. She won a gold medal in a gymnastics discipline at the Sport-A-Thon. In "A Mitzvah for Mrs. Nanny", it is revealed that Miss Nanny is Jewish and actually the daughter of Nanny from the original series.

Other Muppets

* Camilla (vocal effects provided by Melanie Harrison) is a white chick and Gonzo's best friend who is involved with the Muppet Babies' activities. * Mr. Statler and Mr. Waldorf (voiced by

and

) are the neighbors of Miss Nanny who often comment about the Muppet Babies' activities from the balcony of their home. * Rizzo (voiced by

) is a self-centered and sarcastic

rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...

who lives in the mouse hole in the school. * Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (voiced by

) is a young aspiring scientist. * Beaker (voiced by

) is Bunsen's assistant. * Dr. Teeth (performed by

Bill Barretta William Barretta is an American puppeteer, producer, writer, director, and actor, best known for his involvement with the Muppets. Barretta performs the Muppet characters Pepe the King Prawn, Bobo the Bear and Johnny Fiama, he also inherited t ...

) is the band leader of the Electric Mayhem. He appeared in a live-action transmission in "Muppet Rock" where he saw Animal perform backstage and is interested in having him join the Electric Mayhem. Animal turns him down for now as he needs to continue practicing. *

Rowlf Rowlf the Dog is a Muppet character created and originally performed by Jim Henson. Known most notably as the resident pianist on the sketch comedy television series ''The Muppet Show'', Rowlf is an anthropomorphic scruffy brown dog of indeterm ...

(voiced by

) is a fun-loving and friendly dog who loves to sing and make music, typically with his piano. He is best friends with Kermit and Fozzie, often acting as the middleman between the two. *

Sweetums The Muppets are an ensemble group of comedic puppet characters originally created by Jim Henson. The Muppets have appeared in multiple television series, films, and other media appearances since the 1950s. The majority of the characters listed h ...

(voiced by

) is an

ogre An ogre (feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the world ...

who lives next door to the school. * The Swedish Chef (voiced by

) is a mock Swedish-speaking cooking prodigy. *

Robin Robin most commonly refers to several species of passerine birds. Robin may also refer to: Animals * Australasian robins, red-breasted songbirds of the family Petroicidae * Many members of the subfamily Saxicolinae (Old World chats), inclu ...

(voiced by

) is a small

polliwog A tadpole or polliwog (also spelled pollywog) is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like ...

who is Kermit's nephew. He has a tail due to being in his tadpole state. * Scooter (voiced by

Ogie Banks Ogie Henry Banks III (born June 13, 1973) is an American voice actor, best known for his roles as Clawd Wolf in '' Monster High'' and Luke Cage and Miles Morales Spider-Man (Miles Gonzalo MoralesAhmed, Saladin (w), Garrón, Javier (a). ' ...

) is a young boy who wears a green and yellow track jacket. * Skeeter (voiced by

Cree Summer Cree Summer Francks (born July 7, 1969) is an American-Canadian actress and singer. She is best known for her extensive work in animation, voicing characters such as Elmyra Duff in ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' and related media, Susie Carmichael ...

) is Scooter's athletic twin sister who wears a sports-inspired purple jacket, a baseball-shaped watch, and pig tails. * Sam (voiced by

) is an

eagle Eagle is the common name for the golden eagle, bald eagle, and other birds of prey in the family of the Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of Genus, genera, some of which are closely related. True eagles comprise the genus ''Aquila ( ...

. In this show, Sam is shown to fly. * Jill (voiced by Ashley Spillers) is a female frog from across the street who occasionally visits the other Muppet Babies. * Janice (voiced by Ashley Spillers) is a guitarist from Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem who occasionally visits the other Muppet Babies. *

Pepe Pepe is a pet form of the Spanish and Portuguese name José (Joseph). It is also a surname. * People Mononyms *Pepe (footballer, born 1935), Brazilian footballer José Macia *Pepe (footballer, born 1983), Brazilian-born Portuguese footballer ...

(voiced by

) is a

prawn Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the intern ...

that appeared in Scooter's video game. * The Newsman (voiced by

) is a news anchor.

Other characters

* Priscilla (vocal effects provided by

) is one of Camilla's fellow chicks who is yellow. * Beep is one of Camilla's fellow chicks who is brown and makes the sound of a car horn instead of clucking. * Carlos (voiced by

Todrick Hall Todrick Hall (born April 4, 1985) is an American singer, rapper, choreographer, and YouTuber. He gained national attention on the ninth season of the televised singing competition ''American Idol''. Following this, he amassed a following on Yo ...

) is a blue frog that appears in "Frogs of a Feather". In "Frog Scouts", Carlos becomes part of the Frog Scouts alongside Kermit and Robin. * Mr. Manny (voiced by

Dulé Hill Karim Dulé Hill (; born May 3, 1975) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as personal presidential aide and Deputy Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff Charlie Young on the NBC drama television series ''The West Wing'', for wh ...

) is a friend of Miss Nanny's and the

substitute teacher A substitute teacher is a person who teaches a school class when the regular teacher is absent or unavailable; e.g., because of illness, personal leave, maternal leave and so on. "Substitute teacher" (usually abbreviated as sub) is the most c ...

of the kids when Miss Nanny is unavailable. Like Miss Nanny, his head is never shown. Mr. Manny is known for saying where he states that a certain thing "is groovy" which is always accompanied by Mr. Manny doing horizontal gestures with his hands, bending his knees, and doing a motion that has him wiggle his hips. He is also shown to be a volunteer at the local library and the scout troop leader of the Frog Scouts. * Orville H. Octopus (voiced by

in "The Card Shark",

in "Frog Scouts") is an animated purple octopus that appeared in the Muppet Babies' fantasies. * Rozzie (voiced by Charlie Townsend) is a young

koala The koala (''Phascolarctos cinereus''), sometimes inaccurately called the koala bear, is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only Extant taxon, extant representative of the Family (biology), family ''Phascolar ...

who is Fozzie's adopted younger sister.

Production

Unlike the previous series, the update is produced using computer-generated animation and features two 11-minute stories per episode. The series is aimed at children between the ages of four and seven.

Tom Warburton Thomas Edward Warburton (born July 23, 1968), better known as Mr. Warburton, is an American animator, producer, screenwriter, and character designer. He is best known for creating the animated television series '' Codename: Kids Next Door''. He a ...

, best known for creating

Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (CN) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the Cartoon Network, Inc., a sub-division of the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks division of Warner Bros. Discovery. It launched on ...

's '' Codename: Kids Next Door'', is the executive producer and Eric Shaw, former writer on

Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (nicknamed Nick) is an American pay television channel and the flagship property of the Nickelodeon Group, a sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on April 1, 1979, as the first ca ...

's ''

SpongeBob SquarePants ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' is an American animated television series, animated comedy television series created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg for Nickelodeon. It first aired as a sneak peek after the 1999 Kids' C ...

'', is the story editor and co-producer. The show is a co-production between

Disney Junior Disney Jr. (formerly Disney Junior) is an American pay television network owned by the Disney Branded Television sub-division of the Disney Entertainment business segment of the Walt Disney Company. Aimed mainly at children two to seven year ...

and

The Muppets Studio The Muppets Studio, LLC is an American entertainment production company and subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, that owns and produces media content for The Muppets franchise. The division was previously formed as The Muppets Holding Company, ...

Production lawsuit

On October 23, 2020, it was reported that original '' Muppet Babies'' writer Jeffrey Scott would sue

The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...

for using ideas that originated in the 1984 series without permission or credit. Scott also stated that he presented ideas and concepts to Disney in 2016 that were used without his permission. On January 27, 2021, Disney filed a motion to dismiss it. Disney argued that Scott had no legal grounds to sue because his ownership to the copyright had ceased when he filed for bankruptcy in 2003. The case was dismissed without prejudice on March 31, 2021. However, in September 2022, a U.S. district judge declined Disney's request to officially dismiss the case, finding Disney had allegedly copied elements from Scott's production bible. Among the presented evidence was the "nanny character with her distinctive colored socks" and similarly-themed episodes between the original series and the reboot.

Broadcast

The series premiered on

on March 23, 2018, in the United States, the following day in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

, and in Mexico on June 10. On September 7, 2018, it was renewed for a second season which premiered eleven months later on August 9, 2019. On July 25, 2019, it was renewed for a third and final season, which premiered on January 4, 2021. The shorts titled '' Show and Tell'' were later released on

DisneyNow DisneyNow (stylized as DisneyNOW) is a TV Everywhere platform offered by Disney Branded Television. The service offers programming from Disney Channel, Disney Jr, and Disney XD for subscribers to the three networks on television providers. It la ...

. The series was subsequently made available to stream on

Disney+ The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...

Reception

Critical response

Emily Ashby of ''

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an American nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

'' gave ''Muppet Babies'' a grade of four out of five stars, complimented the presence of positive messages and role models, citing friendship and teamwork, and stated that the show promotes how imagination can be used for good, while noting the presence of educational value. Azure Hall and Casey Suglia of ''

Romper A romper suit, usually shortened to romper, is a one-piece or two-piece combination of shorts and a shirt. It is also known as a playsuit. Its generally short sleeves and legs contrast with the long ones of the adult jumpsuit. History Rompe ...

'' included ''Muppet Babies'' in their "Great Shows Your Kids Will Love To Stream On Disney+" list, writing, "Even the hardest of hearts has to admit that the ''Muppet Babies'' are absolutely adorable. Revisit your favorite puppets, including Kermit, Fozzie, Piggy, Animal, Gonzo, and Summer during their younger years as they use their imagination for all of their adventures in their playroom. Not only are the Muppets super cute as babies, but this show also teaches kids how to use their creative thinking skills to help with small problems. It shows that using your imagination can make things fun and helpful at the same time."

Ratings

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{Disney Junior 2010s American animated comedy television series 2010s American children's comedy television series 2010s American musical comedy television series 2010s preschool education television series 2018 American animated television series debuts 2020s American animated comedy television series 2020s American children's comedy television series 2020s American musical comedy television series 2020s preschool education television series 2022 American television series endings American children's animated adventure television series American children's animated comedy television series American children's animated fantasy television series American children's animated musical television series American computer-animated television series American preschool education television series American television series with live action and animation Animated preschool education television series Animated television series about children American animated television series reboots Children's and Family Emmy Award-winning broadcasts Disney animated television series Disney Jr. original programming American English-language television shows The Muppets television series Television series by Disney