Muppets Fans Are Pissed at Saturday Night’s Depiction of Jim Henson

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As a lifelong admirer of Jim Henson and his incredible creations, I must admit that my excitement for Saturday Night has been slightly dampened by the controversy surrounding its portrayal of Henson himself. Having grown up with Kermit, Miss Piggy, and the gang, it’s disheartening to see them reduced to mere jokes in this film.

The movie titled “Saturday Night” has generated a lot of excitement as one of the highly anticipated films this fall, however, it’s been facing criticism over its portrayal of Muppets creator Jim Henson. Directed by Jason Reitman, the film delves into the events unfolding ninety minutes prior to the first episode of Saturday Night Live. After a piece in Slate criticized the movie’s representation of Jim Henson and The Muppets, many fans of The Muppets have voiced their dissatisfaction with the early reviews for the film on social media.

As a movie enthusiast, I recently watched “Saturday Night” and found it intriguing to see Nicolas Braun, known for his role in “Succession” and as Andy Kaufman in this film, portray Jim Henson. In the movie, my favorite puppeteer is shown as a by-the-book member of the Saturday Night Live team, often becoming the subject of jokes and ridicule. Interestingly, Frank Oz, Henson’s collaborator and another Muppet innovator, is present but remains silent throughout the film.

Here are some alternative responses to the announcement, as some people expressed their frustration with the portrayal, while others found the movie’s version acceptable because it aligns with how Saturday Night Live creators handled Jim Henson during that period.

Jim Henson’s Complicated Relationship on Saturday Night Live

When Jim Henson became a cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1975, he was already well-known due to his innovative children’s series, Sesame Street, which made his Muppets familiar faces in many homes. However, Henson believed that The Muppets had the potential for more than just kids’ entertainment and aimed to bring them to adult-oriented television. During the first season of Saturday Night Live, Henson and his team presented a series of sketches titled The Land of Gorch. Unfortunately, the writers of SNL found these segments challenging to write with Michael O’Donoghe, portrayed by Tommy Dewey in Saturday Night, reportedly stating, “I won’t write for felt.

Following a rocky first season and the “Land of Gorch” sketches receiving negative reviews from critics, Henson and his team left Saturday Night Live in 1976 to create The Muppet Show instead. This series turned out to be incredibly successful, airing for five seasons, and giving birth to a vast multimedia empire that continues thriving today.

People generally have a lot more positive feelings towards Jim Henson compared to Lorne Michaels, who created Saturday Night Live. That’s why fans might feel upset about how Henson was portrayed as a joke in the film Saturday Night. However, it’s important to remember that many people commenting haven’t seen the movie yet. In the film, Henson might come across as stiff, but this could be more about setting up dramatic irony. The audience is made aware of what lies ahead for Henson and The Muppets, which will become clearer when the movie is released in theaters.

Saturday Night
opens in theaters on September 27, 2024.

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2024-09-23 15:32