I watched the first trailer for ‘The Muppet Show’ — and it looks like the inspirational, celebrational, muppetsational comeback fans have been waiting for when it comes to Disney+

Sabrina Carpenter faces off with Mss Piggy

23 Jan 2026, 20:00 · TechRadar

News By Lance Ulanoff published 23 January 2026

(Image credit: Disney/Mitch Haaseth) Share Share by:

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Disney+ unveils first full The Muppet Show special trailer
Sabrina Carpenter stars
It hews closely to the original

I'm old enough to remember the confusion over a certain puppet when The Muppet Show first aired in 1976. While excited that it would feature a cast of Muppet characters, I was confused because only one, Kermit the Frog, was instantly recognizable to me. Where were Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, and Bert and Ernie? Other than Kermit, these Sesame Street stars lacked the creative freedom necessary to launch and stage a weekly comedy show, one that ran for five seasons, and that is returning as if dethawed from cryofreeze on Disney+.

The special, which airs on February 4, got its first official trailer on Friday (January 23, 2026). It's a time warp of sorts, in that the cast of Muppet characters, sets, and even joke setups appear unchanged from the original. However, there's also a winking acknowledgement that this special, which is produced by and stars The Studio's Seth Rogen, is a risk, or at least a challenge, and one these fabric stars might not meet.

There's a steady stream of jokes about this not being a dream job, how it only continues if this one succeeds, and as Statler and Waldorf joked from their balcony seats, the Muppets did it for the money.

The Muppet Show | Official Trailer | Disney+ - YouTube

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Watching the 90-second clips, I found myself grinning from ear-to-ear. It was all so familiar and yet somehow fresh. That could be the presence of celebrity guest Sabrina Carpenter, who mixes it up with Miss Piggy, or the perfect blend of classic and contemporary.

The Muppets was always a show that operated on two levels. There were the jokes and sight gags that probably appealed to kids wandering over from Sesame Street, and the winking jokes and references that appealed to adults and parents.

Take this exchange between Kermit and Carpenter:

Kermit: "We're still working out a few kinks."

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