Big New Henson Alternative News!

[beaker]

For fans of the Jim Henson HA! brand(I *love* how they brought back the 1980's HA! logo for this), it's time to rejoice!
Henson Alternative of course began in 2006 with Puppet Up(webseries, live shows and TBS special), Tinseltown(sadly only the pilot ever aired), and Late Night Buffet/Del's Comedy Binge.

Well not only is Puppet Up still doing regular live shows, but it will be back online with all new episodes. However, two brand new
Henson Alternative series will be debuting on Film.com, with 15 episodes each: Simian Undercover Detective Squad(SUDD) and
Alt/Reality
http://www.muppetnewsflash.com/2009/04/henson-alternative-web-series-coming.html

Also of course, there's the Henson Alternative Universe/Puppet Up theatrical film in development, "Happy Time Murders".

The irony is, when the JHC began the HA! brand, it had literally been exactly 30 years since JHC last had an adult Muppet brand(SNL's Land of Gorch)

[dwayne1115]

I love everything that so far has come from HA! The puppet shows have been very well writen and inproved. It is way better then Crank Yankers could have ever hoped to be.

[GelflingWaldo]

http://www.henson.com/alternative.php?content=suds

[bluesquid]

When will these shows be out? I can't find them on film.com

[Count von Count]

Here is a sneak preview on film.com
http://www.film.com/features/story/simian-undercover-detective-squad-sneak/17710220

It does't say will it comes out, I hope soon

[unclematt]

In the preview it says it is coming in 2008. Are we actually going to see this.

[dangersquirrel7]

Hi, I'm new here-
Just wanted to post that a preview episode of SUDS was put up today on Henson's You Tube Channel.
Thanks!

This is an article with a link to the episode:
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2009/08/25/henson-puts-s-u-d-s-puppets-preview-on-youtube/

This is the link to the episode on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/HensonCompany#play/all/5B298FBE30AA0652-all/0/Cvi99YC3itA

[unclematt]

I loved it. I thought it was very funny and very well put together. Did anybody notice the scientist was played by the older brother on iCarly?

[Beauregard]

Oooh! This things has promise! Love the voices, and the Puppets. That goat cracks me up! Look! I got cracks in me! Heh...

I'm looking forward to seeing more of this!

[unclematt]

Do we know when we will get more of these?

[unclematt]

It has been two months and we have not seen new videos. Are these virals dead already?

[Fozzie Bear]

So far, all the SUDS stuff I've seen has been the same I've already seen. They really aren't planning to do anything new with it, are they?

[unclematt]

It was just one episode That does not make sence to me.

[frogboy4]

So far, all the SUDS stuff I've seen has been the same I've already seen. They really aren't planning to do anything new with it, are they?

Seems like there are a lot of misses with the Henson Company. I suppose the focus of resources right now are going to the kids division of Dinosaur Train, Sid the Science Kid and the new Doozer show they're working on in order to make some cash in this tough market. It's understandable for them to do so when even Disney is tightening their belt.

[Fozzie Bear]

Meh, they should have done a few things on the cheap to get a couple episodes done so the characters could develop a little.

I guess I'd like to see them moving along on the other things in the kids division for sure. We need more positive things for kids, and JHC is the fine makers of great things like that.

[unclematt]

t is sad because I really enjoyed the first episode.

[frogboy4]

Meh, they should have done a few things on the cheap to get a couple episodes done so the characters could develop a little.

I guess I'd like to see them moving along on the other things in the kids division for sure. We need more positive things for kids, and JHC is the fine makers of great things like that.

I think they should just tape themselves playing around with the puppets and post them to the YouTube and the Henson site. Get the brand out there. SUDS and Tinseltown tried too hard. It's things like Puppet Up that people really respond to.

[unclematt]

I think they should just tape themselves playing around with the puppets and post them to the YouTube and the Henson site. Get the brand out there. SUDS and Tinseltown tried too hard. It's things like Puppet Up that people really respond to.

Wasn't there another webisode series that was supposed to be in the works.

[Fozzie Bear]

I think they should just tape themselves playing around with the puppets and post them to the YouTube and the Henson site. Get the brand out there. SUDS and Tinseltown tried too hard. It's things like Puppet Up that people really respond to.

You have a superb idea there, Froggy! I like this and would love to see it happen.

In the words of my ape cousins, "Ooga booga!"

[Drtooth]

Seems like there are a lot of misses with the Henson Company. I suppose the focus of resources right now are going to the kids division of Dinosaur Train, Sid the Science Kid and the new Doozer show they're working on in order to make some cash in this tough market.

I agree to everything, except I doubt the Doozer thing will ever get made. After seeing what Disney has done for the Muppets so far, and comparing it with What Henson's doing at the moment, I get more and more pleased that Disney owns them and actually does something with them. I think that Robot Chicken sketch about Power of the Dark Crystal hit the nail so succinctly on the head, it's scary. It's a shame that the only thing Henson has delivered on is 2 CGI TV shows (good ones) and a series of CGI movies, but they're still struggling with too much other projects.

Movies aside (Fraggle Rock isn't completely Henson's fault), they have all these ideas for shows, they unveil so much, and all we get is one or two episodes a year later, then nothing. I agree completely, we need them to make web exclusive Puppet Up Virals to get the brand out there... maybe absorb all the characters from these unrealized series into the cast? I just wanna see something besides Sid and Dinotrain. And I know they can be capable of something great if they just focus on one thing at a time.

[unclematt]

I really hope the Doozer series gets made. I want to see the Doozers back on TV.

[beaker]

Seems like there are a lot of misses with the Henson Company. I suppose the focus of resources right now are going to the kids division of Dinosaur Train, Sid the Science Kid and the new Doozer show they're working on in order to make some cash in this tough market. It's understandable for them to do so when even Disney is tightening their belt.

Also movies. I think doing stuff for major films is a big part of what JHC does. I don't think they have much time for Fraggle Rock, so people are going to have to either be patient. But yeah, most their energy does seem focused on the digital puppetry cg shows. Which is fine, and shows they knew they wouldn't be able to care for the Muppets at all.

I myself feel very little connection to JHC muppet wise, aside from when I see Puppet Up clips. I'd say one of the best things
HA! did in recent years was Del's Vegas Comedy Binge:
http://www.tbs.com/video/index/#/all-video/online-exclusives/del

[beaker]

I think they should just tape themselves playing around with the puppets and post them to the YouTube and the Henson site. Get the brand out there. SUDS and Tinseltown tried too hard. It's things like Puppet Up that people really respond to.

I agree. When you see how well the recent Pee Wee's Playhouse adult shows have done, as well as Puppet Up; it's clear *this* is what folks want.

I really didn't care much for the Tinseltown and SUDS pilots, as much as I LOVED all the puppet characters in both. Maybe it was the setup/script/writing, but I think HA! has a lot of great puppets and personalities.

[beaker]

I agree to everything, except I doubt the Doozer thing will ever get made. After seeing what Disney has done for the Muppets so far, and comparing it with What Henson's doing at the moment, I get more and more pleased that Disney owns them and actually does something with them. I think that Robot Chicken sketch about Power of the Dark Crystal hit the nail so succinctly on the head, it's scary. It's a shame that the only thing Henson has delivered on is 2 CGI TV shows (good ones) and a series of CGI movies, but they're still struggling with too much other projects.

Movies aside (Fraggle Rock isn't completely Henson's fault), they have all these ideas for shows, they unveil so much, and all we get is one or two episodes a year later, then nothing. I agree completely, we need them to make web exclusive Puppet Up Virals to get the brand out there... maybe absorb all the characters from these unrealized series into the cast? I just wanna see something besides Sid and Dinotrain. And I know they can be capable of something great if they just focus on one thing at a time.

I think we as fans still continue to put too much hope in JHC.
They might have "original home of the muppets" on their building, but in my mind they no longer have any connection to the Muppets or anything I'm all too interested in.

Sid the Science Kid? Well, it's certainly engaging...though cgi isn't much of my thing. I say anything is better than the current glut of early development child programming.

Dinosaur Train, definitely not my thing.

Now Bear in the Big Blue House, amazing. I'm still irked at Disney for shelving what I consider to be one of Henson's best concepts to date.

But JHC for what its worth, is not focused nor really apart of
what you and I are interested in. I say whatever helps them stay afloat financially I guess.

I never thought in a kazillion years I'd say this...and if my future self had said this to me a few years ago I'd slap myself...but...
I have nothing but good cheer and love for Disney these days, yet not much of any emotional feeling or connection to the Jim Henson Company as it stands right here at the tail end of the decade and entering the next. JHC is dead in my mind; as far as any sort of connection to Muppets or much of anything related.