2.5/5 stars

The echoes of “Mahna Mahnas” fade into a modern transformation. Previously portrayed as lovable puppets in shows and movies, children have obsessed over the Muppets since the first episode of Sam & Friends aired in 1955. However, on the new ABC show, the Muppets are featured in a new, adult light.

Despite a rating of TV-PG, the adult humor used in the show is quite inappropriate for the former family-friendly performers. Though no longer suitable for infants and toddlers, the Muppets can still manage to put a smile on anyone’s face. Whether it’s the “Waka Waka” or banal jokes of Fozzie Bear, or the sarcastic snaps of Statler and Waldorf, the small traditions make certain aspects of the show worth watching, understood at every age rather than just an older, more mature audience.

This being said, it’s not the most entertaining way for teenagers and adults to spend their time. The new program provides little plot, filled with mainly random ideas, bundled together with no relation to the previous lives of the Muppets. It seems the single similarity between the new show and their other works are the characters themselves. Even the selfish and sassy commentary from the “star of the show,” Miss Piggy, isn’t the same, dropping her trademark “moi” and replacing it with awkward tension between her and her recent ex-boyfriend (boyfrog) Kermit.

The original Muppets were better when promoted toward a younger audience. Too much effort was put into fighting for airtime, rather than considering the plot line of the show itself. Moving from kid-friendly and moral-driven, to a messy story line with so many different things happening made the show difficult to watch.

Even if it does premiere late at night, it doesn’t mean the show has to be directed to a more mature audience. A more mature audience doesn’t mean talking primarily about the love lives of each Muppet. If the producers expanded to a wider audience and gave each episode a purpose, overall ratings would skyrocket. The Muppets are puppets meant to entertain all ages and rainbow connections outshine any love connection the show could offer.