After a single season on Disney+, Muppets Mayhem has been cancelled. I have to admit, I’ve only watched the first couple episodes but I enjoyed what I had seen. That said, I think the reason that Disney has struggled to bring The Muppets to younger generations is their constant attempts at making the brand “cool” or edgy.
They’ve done the same with Mickey Mouse and other classic characters but they seem to miss the foundation on which their entire company was based: stories. If the writing is good, people will watch. The Electric Mayhem makes an album isn’t really a plot destined for years of longevity.
If you want to revamp The Muppets, just redo the Muppet Show. Don’t try to make it hip. Don’t turn it into a late night tv show. Just do a variety show with a little bit of backstage lunacy and a celebrity guest each week. And as far as the films go, stop trying to make a Muppet movie and just make a movie. The genius of Jim Henson was that he never winked at the camera. He didn’t make Muppet movies, he made movies with the Muppets. That’s the difference and that’s what’s been missing from their more recent attempts (though I enjoyed them still).