Random Thought: Muppets + BYU-TV

[Ironhold]

About a decade or so back, BYU-TV signed a deal with Disney that gave BYU-TV a large but eclectic assortment of Disney movies, everything from "The Apple Dumpling Gang" and a black & white print of "Son of Flubber" to "The Country Bears" and the then-recent "Muppets Most Wanted". Given the box office disappointment of the latter (everything, including the opening musical number, says that the plan was for a sequel film called "The Muppets Again" but that it was changed at the very last minute), I suspect BYU-TV was the only channel that ever aired it. 

Well, last night BYU-TV made a double feature of "Muppets Take Manhattan" and "Muppets From Space". 

This has me wondering now. 

Disney really isn't doing anything with the franchise aside from perhaps a token once-a-year special or occasionally licensing them out for use in commercials. 

This in spite of how popular everything still is. 

Makes me wonder what would happen if BYU-TV was to put in an overall bid to acquire broadcast rights to some of the classic TV shows or even the TV broadcast rights for the franchise itself. 

There's a part of me that actually wonders about the prospect of Bonneville Communications outright putting in a bid to *buy* the franchise, but that's just me.

[NeuroTypical]

Muppets have not escaped unscathed from the cultural shifts of the last 6 years, what with trans crossdressing Gonzo in the muppet baby cartoon and whatnot.  But overall they've weathered such things perhaps better than most such franchises. 

[LDSGator]

10 minutes ago, Ironhold said:

This in spite of how popular everything still i

I like The Muppets too, but they aren’t that popular, sadly. If they were, ratings and attendance at their show would be booming.

Edited February 20 by LDSGator

[JohnsonJones]

I love watching BYU TV.  It's one of the safer channels to watch these days.  When they show movies, I enjoy them.  My wife has loved that Well show  (Holly at the Well, or something like that, they have a well that grants wishes). 

[Traveler]

On 2/20/2025 at 10:23 AM, Ironhold said:

About a decade or so back, BYU-TV signed a deal with Disney that gave BYU-TV a large but eclectic assortment of Disney movies, everything from "The Apple Dumpling Gang" and a black & white print of "Son of Flubber" to "The Country Bears" and the then-recent "Muppets Most Wanted". Given the box office disappointment of the latter (everything, including the opening musical number, says that the plan was for a sequel film called "The Muppets Again" but that it was changed at the very last minute), I suspect BYU-TV was the only channel that ever aired it. 

Well, last night BYU-TV made a double feature of "Muppets Take Manhattan" and "Muppets From Space". 

This has me wondering now. 

Disney really isn't doing anything with the franchise aside from perhaps a token once-a-year special or occasionally licensing them out for use in commercials. 

This in spite of how popular everything still is. 

Makes me wonder what would happen if BYU-TV was to put in an overall bid to acquire broadcast rights to some of the classic TV shows or even the TV broadcast rights for the franchise itself. 

There's a part of me that actually wonders about the prospect of Bonneville Communications outright putting in a bid to *buy* the franchise, but that's just me.

The so-called Muppets are not a single franchise.  It was split into two franchises.  One stayed with Sesame Street, the other did movies and other pursuits.  Each of the characters is also an individual that is licensed to that character to which no one else can replace or act.

It is my understanding that individuals can sign contracts for their acting – even within a particular franchise (like Star Wars) but an individual can still seek work on their own.

BYU and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is capable of creating their own licensed characters – like Studio C but they cannot control the actors themselves.  BYU already has their hands full with rogue professors. 

With the very limited exposure I have personally had with actors and the movie enterprise in general – I am of the mind that BYU is better off letting the movie industry (as well as the entire spectrum of entertainment industry) to produce what they will and then pick and choose what they will for broadcasting – the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Squar as the singular exception.

 

The Traveler

[SilentOne]

32 minutes ago, JohnsonJones said:

My wife has loved that Well show  (Holly at the Well, or something like that, they have a well that grants wishes). 

Ruby and the Well, I believe