The Muppet Show Gets Content Warning on Disney+

The Muppet Show is finally streaming on Disney+, which has been a delight for fans of the show considering it’s never been available on a streaming service before and the final two seasons were never released on DVD. While all five seasons are available to watch, you may notice that some things are missing, including two full episodes. According to a Disney spokesperson, the cuts “came down primarily to music rights issues.” In fact, when it comes to content that did not age well, Disney decided to take a different approach from streaming services that completely removed episodes over offensive content. Instead, Disney+ has issued a content warning, which you can read below:

“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it, and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.”

The Muppet Show ran from 1976 to 1981 and featured an array of exciting guest hosts, including Mark Hamill, Steve Martin, Liza Minnelli, Elton John, Julie Andrews, Alice Cooper, Bernadette Peters, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Gene Kelly, and many more.

“It’s going to be great to welcome back longtime fans, and to give a new generation of fans a chance to see how we got our start, how Miss Piggy became a star and so much more,” Kermit the Frog said in a previous statement. “Today, I’m proud to say: ‘It’s time to play the music, light the lights and meet the Muppets on Disney Plus tonight!’ And as for Statler and Waldorf, the two old guys in the balcony, I can only add: ‘Sorry, guys, but….here we go again.”

The Muppets also decided to have some fun this week and promoted the return of their iconic show by inserting themselves into some of Disney+’s most popular shows, for example, WandaVision and Star Wars: The Mandalorian. You can check out the posters here.

Do you think Disney+ made the right choice by adding content warnings to episodes of The Muppet Show? Tell us in the comments!

All five seasons of The Muppet Show are now streaming on Disney+.