Muppets TV
| Company type | Television production |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television entertainment |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | Sébastien Cauet |
| Headquarters | France |
Area served | France |
Key people | Sébastien Cauet (creator, voice of Kermit) |
| Products | Television series |
| Parent | The Muppets Studio |
Muppets TV is a French television production consisting of ten episodes, each lasting 45 minutes. Created by Sébastien Cauet for The Muppets Studio, the series features characters originating from The Muppet Show, which was developed by Jim Henson. It was broadcast on TF1 between 29 October and 31 December 2006.
Synopsis
This French version of The Muppet Show centers on Kermit as the host who welcomes a principal guest on a television program, while other characters appear in brief segments throughout the show.
French voices
- Sébastien Cauet as Kermit the Frog
- Franck Sportis as Miss Piggy
- Marc Duquenoy as Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Clifford, Newsman
- Cartman as Scooter
- Miko as Animal
- Pierre Dourlens as Statler
- Jean-François Kopf as Waldorf
Puppeteers
- Christophe Albertini
- Charlie Bazir
- Yves Brunier
- Regis Fassier
- Sandrine Furrer
- Erwan Courtioux
- Pascal Meunier
- Francoise Salmon
- Boris Scheigam (puppetry artistic director)
- Evelyne Scheigam
- Cyril Valade
Development
The project was initiated following an agreement in 2005 involving French comedian and producer Sébastien Cauet, the broadcaster TF1, and Disney. Original puppet figures were transported to France, with Cauet providing Kermit's voice by combining elements from Roger Carel’s French portrayal and Jim Henson’s original interpretation. The remaining voice parts were performed by Cauet’s colleagues from radio, while puppetry was managed by a team of French performers led by Yves Brunier.
A 15-minute pilot episode aired in November 2005, featuring guest Franck Dubosc and including parodies such as Mon Incroyable Muppet. The full series was scheduled Sundays at 5:30 pm in 45-minute installments, along with weekday broadcasts of selected sketches condensed into 5-minute segments. Each episode showcased two guest stars, adopting a format closer to Muppets Tonight rather than the classic original series.
The ensemble included not only the main Muppets but also supporting characters like Scooter, Rowlf, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, the complete group of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, the Swedish Chef, Clifford, Newsman, and a new character named Denise based on the Loni Dunne puppet.
Although ten episodes were produced in 2006, changes in network management combined with poor viewership led TF1 to discontinue further production of Muppets TV.
List of episodes
- Adriana Karembeu and Pascal Obispo
- Elie Semoun and Bob Sinclar
- Anggun and Michaël Youn
- Liane Foly and David Douillet
- Lara Fabian and Titoff
- Florent Pagny and Florence Foresti
- Franck Dubosc and Lorie
- Laurent Voulzy and Patrick Bosso
- Mimie Mathy, Stéphane Rousseau, Nikos Aliagas, Philippe Lelièvre, and Richard Cross
- Sébastien Cauet, Alexandra Rosenfeld, M. Pokora, and Tina Arena