Jim Henson’s lovable puppets return to the small screen in this mockumentary-style series that follows their personal and professional lives. In the premiere, Miss Piggy is livid when Kermit books Elizabeth Banks on her late-night talk show.

One of the series I’ve looked forward to the most this fall television season is the return of the Muppets to the small screen with a new show on ABC. The Muppets is a different take on the characters, getting rid of the hi-jinx of the movies, or the variety show of the television past.

I expect when the majority of folks see this new series, they’ll be rather divided for a bunch of reasons, but mostly because this isn’t the Muppets of the past. Previously, the Muppets had a bit of a subversive vibe about them, but at the same time their movies and shows were fine for children of all ages and adults alike. It’s a formula that was tweaked a bit by Pixar and Dreamworks animated films. I’ve seen the first two episodes, and to me, this isn’t a show for kids, with a similar tone for the rest of the audience ABC is aiming for on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (while this show is on Tuesdays it would fit much better with Wednesday shows like Black-ish and the Goldbergs). While in the past there was humor for everyone, this show has a bit of an edge which has it more geared towards teens and up.

The show is hilarious to me, and I found myself laughing a ton, both at the jokes and a “holy shit I can’t believe the Muppets are doing this.” There’s humor and shock value. Enough I’m sure some parents will be pissed. The drug references are plenty, and there’s even a joke about gender fluidity. All of it subtle though where you the watcher needs to put the dots together, so little kids can watch it, they just might not get it.

The show’s set up isn’t original. It’s The Larry Sanders Show meets The Office, nothing new at all, except it’s with Muppets. But, it’s a formula that works so well, especially here, and for those that know their Muppets, the folks behind the characters can do “blue” really well.

You can tell there’s been some work done since the announcement of the show this past summer. Some human actors have been recast, and some of the jokes from the initial sizzle reel are said by different characters. The concept too seems to have changed a bit as well. Before it felt like the Muppet crew creating a show and getting Miss Piggy back, where it’s now a talk show starring Miss Piggy and the rest of the Muppets work on the show. Slight changes which doesn’t change the humor or entertainment at all.

This is a review of the first episode, but the first two are fantastic, and The Muppets is one of my favorite new shows of the fall television season. It breaks the formula we’ve seen for these characters by using other formulas. Welcome back Muppets, you’ve been missed, and have given me must watch tv.

Overall Rating: 9.0