“Little Green Lie” marks Robin’s debut on The Muppets. In this episode, Robin visits Kermit. Robin’s parents have gone through a difficult divorce and in an effort to protect Robin’s fragile emotional state, his uncle Kermit tries to protect him and pretends that he and Miss Piggy are still a couple. The lie makes the entire gang nervous and uncomfortable, but it seems to rekindle some sparks and magic between Miss Piggy and Kermit. Miss Piggy has never really gotten over being dumped by Kermit and Kermit is now on the rebound, having been recently dumped by Denise.
Robin has always been a favorite of mine, but he especially shines in this episode. Robin has always been depicted as curious, kind, and thoughtful. He always possessed a gentleness. If anything, this series has taught us that the times and the Muppets are a’changin. Although he looks like the same frog we met way back in 1971’s Tales from Muppetland: The Frog Prince, the character has completely been revamped. Principal Muppet performer Matt Vogel took over performing the character from Jerry Nelson in 2008 and the voice, while similar to Nelson’s interpretation, is noticeably deeper. While maintaining Robin’s curious and gentle nature, the character is much more adventurous and rambunctious. Even though Kermit tries to keep a close eye on him, Robin manages to scale a bookshelf and eat some of the wax from Miss Piggy’s self-waxing kit. The Robin of yesterday would have stood patiently next to Kermit and set him up for a touching story, frog pun, or sentimental song. While I miss Nelson’s familiar nasally twang, I find this Robin to be much more entertaining.
Miss Piggy and Kermit manage to keep Robin from finding out the truth during the entire work day. When the crew takes Robin out for laser tag, the press catches wind from Scooter’s Twitter post that Miss Piggy and Kermit are back together. When confronted by the press, Miss Piggy and Kermit explain that they are not a couple. Of course, Robin overhears this and it breaks his heart that they are no longer together and lied to him. Miss Piggy reassures Robin that she will always be his “Aunt Miss Piggy” and that she will always be there for him. Robin explains that he understood why his parents divorced, but did not understand why Kermit and Miss Piggy broke up when they obviously love each other. Overall, this is a great episode that demonstrates the perfect balance between humor and sentimentality that the Muppets were known for during their golden years of the 70s and 80s when they were at their height of popularity.
While Miss Piggy and Kermit’s relationship is still rocky and confusing, Camilla and Gonzo are still going strong, to the chagrin of Pepe and Rizzo who miss their friend and wingman. Big Mean Carl, Chip, and Sam the Eagle each bring their own unique talents to the table, but none of them possess that specific Gonzo weirdness that play off Rizzo and Pepe so well, even though Sam points out he would be a great wingman because he actually has wings.
This episode is also a strong example of how great the Muppets are at subversive comedy. While Gonzo and Camilla are practicing couples yoga, they have an accident, and Gonzo says that he hit Camilla in the dark meat and she would be sore the next day. There are two wire baskets of eggs visible on the kitchen counter while Pepe and Rizzo are talking. One basket is labeled “breakfast” and the other is labeled “possible offspring.” When Kermit talks to the camera about Robin’s upcoming visit, he points out that he and Robin can eat BBQ guilt free.
Even the scenes at Rowlf’s Tavern and this week’s guest star are pulled off seamlessly. Typically, I find the Rowlf’s Tavern scenes and guest stars to have a forced and awkward feel that takes away from the entire show. Sometimes, they feel contrived and just do not fit in with the rest of the episode. Lara Spencer, co-anchor for ABC’s Good Morning America, appears as herself and has apparently been texting with Pepe. Eagle-eyed Muppet fans will spot a black and white photograph of Rowlf and Jimmy Dean from the Jimmy Dean Show in this episode. Overall, this episode reminded me why I am a fan and I felt my own love of the Muppets being rekindled just as Miss Piggy and Kermit’s relationship flirted with its own sparks!