Muppets Tonight

Did You Know?

• The premise of Muppets Tonight was that Clifford was the host of a variety/talk show on KMUP.
• In 2005, Brian Henson expressed interest in releasing the show on DVD, but as of 2026 it has never been released on home media or made available on any streaming or digital platforms.

Characters

Several Muppet characters from The Muppet Show returned, while new ones were introduced. Clifford, performed by Kevin Clash, served as host of the show; although he had visible eyes in this series instead of his previous sunglasses, Clash revealed at the MuppetFest convention in 2001 that he preferred Clifford wearing sunglasses and refused to perform the character again unless he wore them. Kermit the Frog, performed by Steve Whitmire, acted as producer. Frank Oz performed Animal, Fozzie Bear, and Miss Piggy, though his characters appeared intermittently due to scheduling conflicts with his directing career. Dave Goelz performed Zoot, Beauregard, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and Gonzo. Steve Whitmire also performed Bean Bunny, Beaker, Eugene, and George the Janitor. Bill Barretta performed Behemoth (assistant to Ernst Stavros Grouper), Clueless Morgan, and was among the performers of the Elvises. Jerry Nelson performed Dr. Julius Strangepork and also performed as an Elvis. Brian Henson performed as an Elvis. Kevin Clash also performed J.P. Grosse and Mulch, assistant to Dr. Phil van Neuter. Other characters included Polly Lobster, a lobster who previously appeared in Muppet Treasure Island and co-owned a bar with Clueless Morgan in the "At the Bar" sketch.

Recurring sketches

The series featured numerous recurring sketches. "Bay of Pigswatch" parodied Baywatch, starring David Hoggselhoff as Champ Schwimmer, Spamela Hamderson as Spamela, and Andy and Randy Pig as Donnie and Art C. Shell, with guest stars Miss Piggy and Dr. Julius Strangepork. "Carl the Big Mean..." involved Carl performing an act that often ended with him eating someone or something. "E-I-E-I-O R" parodied ER, with Fozzie Bear working at a hospital assisted by Dr. Pain, Ernst Stavro Grouper, and an Afghan Hound. "Great Moments in Elvis History" reenacted historical moments using Muppet versions of Elvis Presley. "Pigs In Space: Deep Dish Nine" sequel featured Miss Piggy on the new Swinetrek with a different crew. "Screen Tests" showed Muppets auditioning for a movie featuring the episode's guest star. "Tales from the Vet" parodied Tales from the Crypt, with Dr. Phil van Neuter telling scary animal stories. "The Eagle's Nest" had Sam the Eagle discussing politics with Andy and Randy Pig. "The Johnny Fiama Show" was a talk show hosted by Johnny Fiama. "NYPD Green" parodied NYPD Blue, with Kermit as Detective Amphibowicz. "The Real World Muppets" spoofed The Real World, following Clifford, Rizzo the Rat, Bobo the Bear, Bill the Bubble Guy, and Darci. "Thor: God of Thunder" dealt with Thor doing everyday tasks. "UK Spots" were included for the United Kingdom version. "Fairyland PD" featured Clifford and Bobo as detectives solving fairy tale mysteries. "Mr. Callahan" showed a bar from the perspective of an unseen regular customer.

Series run

The show ran from 1996 to 1998, with 22 episodes produced in two batches. ABC ordered 13 episodes, though only ten aired in the 1995–96 TV season. The Disney Channel then purchased the program, leading to eight additional episodes; these, along with the three unaired ABC episodes, aired in the 1997–98 season. One of the nine newly produced episodes was a clip show compilation. In the United Kingdom, only the first thirteen episodes were transmitted, with BBC1 screening the first eleven and Sky One picking up the series later. In Ireland, the show was broadcast on TG4 and dubbed into Irish Gaelic. In Canada, it originally aired on CBC and later moved to Family Channel.