Networks shake up schedules, shedding 'Idol' and bringing back 'Muppets' - East Idaho News
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Networks shake up schedules, shedding ‘Idol’ and bringing back ‘Muppets’

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What would it look like if "The Office" was cast with Muppets?

That's exactly what ABC intends to find out this fall, when it will take Miss Piggy, Kermit, Gonzo, Fozzie and more off the shelf for a new, "more adult" show simply called "The Muppets."

The reboot will focus on the characters' personal lives, as evident from the series trailer. In it, Kermit and Piggy's romance has hit the skids, Gonzo is against the documentary-style of the project and Fozzie experiences the "stereotypes" of being in a muppet/human relationship.

But as NPR reported in light of announcement of the Muppets revamp, not everyone was please with the news.

While ABC tries to inject more fun into its struggling Tuesday night block "The Muppets," NPR reported that other networks made cuts that might push more people to one of network TV's biggest competitors: streaming. Fans of Fox's recently axed comedy "The Mindy Project" will likely tune in to Hulu to continue the adventures of millennial-minded comedienne Mindy Kaling.

While network shows have struggled to compete with popular original cable and streaming shows like HBO's "Game of Thrones" or Netflix's "House of Cards," they're now also having to deal with another potential advantage of the digital platform — picking up the audience left behind when a show with a following gets canceled.

Whereas years ago audiences didn't have a choice but to accept cancellation based on a network's whim, the digital entertainment market has saved many cult favorites from network obscurity. In recent years, Netflix resurrected Fox's quirky "Arrested Development," "Inspector Gadget," "Full House" and has even picked up AMC's "The Killing."

"In today's increasingly crowded streaming/video/TV universe, getting canceled by a network isn't necessarily the end of a series' story — especially if it has a passionate, advertiser-friendly fan base," NPR's Eric Deggans reported.

Email: chjohnson@deseretnews.com

Twitter: ChandraMJohnson

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