The Muppet Show: Season 4

1979 · 24 episodes · ★ 2.4

What Season 4 of The Muppet Show

The season opens with Kermit leading a music hall-style variety show staged every week in a theater. He directs and hosts the show, with songs, dances and sketches, and each episode welcomes a guest star. Kermit has to rein in his colleagues' antics and also his own temper. Conflicts arise both on stage and behind the scenes. A robot threatens the Electric Mayhem's jobs, prairie dogs take everything they can get their hands on, and Fozzie tries mime act after mime act. Piggy plans a surprise tribute for Kermit's birthday, and Gonzo considers leaving the show to try his luck in movies.

24episodes

Oct 24, 1979aired

Apr 4, 1980Latest episode

10.4 hrtotal runtime

Season 4 Episodes

4x01 Dudley Moore
Oct 24, 1979 · 26 min
Dudley has a surprise for Kermit, a robot that can do the work of the entire band and of course the Electric Mayhem feel threatened by this fact.
Directing: Philip Casson · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Dudley Moore
4x02 Crystal Gayle
Nov 2, 1979 · 26 min
The Prairie Dog Glee Club sings very well, but Scooter says they have "pack rat blood in 'em -- they keep stealing everything!" The prairie dogs go wild, taking everything Kermit has -- including his collar, which leaves him naked on stage.
Directed by: Peter Harris · Written by: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Crystal Gayle
4x03 Victor Borge
Nov 9, 1979 · 26 min
When Bobby Benson has to talk to a police officer someone has to take care of his babies. Unfortunately, the babies go wild without their daddy around and beat up people they don't like.
Directed by: Philip Casson · Written by: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Victor Borge
4x04 Beverly Sills
Nov 16, 1979 · 26 min
The pigs are excited that guest star Beverly Sills plans to perform the opera "Pigoletto" as the closing number.
Directing: Philip Casson · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Beverly Sills
4x05 Shields & Yarnell
Nov 23, 1979 · 26 min
Inspired by mimes Shields & Yarnell, Fozzie Bear works on a mime act, including "Bear walking against the wind". Kermit suggests that Fozzie find a more original act, so Fozzie tries out "Bear feeding spaghetti to an elephant" and "Bear going to a drive-in movie with a porcupine".
Directing: Philip Casson · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Robert Shields, Lorene Yarnell Jansson
4x06 Kenny Rogers
Nov 30, 1979 · 26 min
During a sketch Kermit hurts himself and keeps getting frightened by jungle animals in his hospital room or injured further by some crazy inconvenience.
Directed by: Peter Harris · Written by: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Kenny Rogers
4x07 Linda Lavin
Dec 7, 1979 · 26 min
Miss Piggy announces that this show is Kermit's birthday, and before he can react, she launches into the tribute she's organized. They've planned a This Is Your Life-style show with birthday greetings, including one from Mr. Dawson, Kermit's old acting coach from Leland, Mississippi. Wayne and Wanda, the singing duo from the first season, show up and give Kermit such a guilt trip that he rehires them. When they sing, Kermit remembers why he fired them in the first place.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writers: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Linda Lavin
4x08 John Denver
Dec 14, 1979 · 26 min
John and Kermit have a surprise for the cast; they're all going to Kermits' home the swamp! But even Gonzo, even with his love of the nasty and strange, thinks it's a bad idea and no one is willing to take him up on the offer even when Kermit offers them to go.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: John Denver
4x09 Arlo Guthrie
Dec 21, 1979 · 26 min
For guest star Arlo Guthrie, the stage is turned into a farmhouse. The Swedish Chef plans a home-cooked meal, but the turkey refuses to be skewered, the pig busts him in the face, and the "beef" stampedes over him.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Arlo Guthrie
4x10 Liza Minnelli
Dec 28, 1979 · 26 min
The Muppets present a murder mystery. Kermit is a private eye hired by Liza O'Shaugnessy, an actress whose production is being terrorized by a killer. The director, Fritz (Strangepork), is shot. The police assign Patrolbear Fozzie to the case, and he interrogates the cast: "All right, which one of you killed the director?" The suspects are themselves killed one by one, until Kermit and Liza team up to unmask the true killers.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writers: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Liza Minnelli
4x11 Dizzy Gillespie
Jan 4, 1980 · 26 min
Statler is sick (of the show), so Waldorf brings his wife Astoria to the show. Meanwhile, Inspector LaBrea of the County Environmental Department arrives backstage to monitor the noise level of the show. LaBrea tells Kermit that to keep the noise down, he has to cut the trumpets for the show. Kermit tries to keep LaBrea busy while Dizzy performs.
Directed by: Philip Casson · Written by: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Dizzy Gillespie
4x12 Phyllis George
Jan 11, 1980 · 26 min
Phyllis hosts the 1st annual Muppet Awards, recognizing the greatest Muppet Show performers. Kermit, who hates awards shows, sits out the show, but Miss Piggy is absolutely determined to win.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Phyllis George
4x13 Lola Falana
Jan 18, 1980 · 26 min
After years of failure Gonzo is actually appriciated for the actor he is and decides to quit the Muppet Show and move on to movies. Piggy, more jealous than sad, asks Gonzo to refer her to the director. This is one of the episodes that teeters on the edge of being very sad.
Directing: Philip Casson · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Lola Falana
4x14 Dyan Cannon
Jan 25, 1980 · 26 min
As Miss Piggy prepares for her act, she leaves her dog Foo-Foo in the care of Floyd. Piggy tells Floyd he has to spoon-feed and floss the pampered Foo-Foo, so Floyd locks the dog in a drawer. Frantic, Piggy searches everywhere for Foo-Foo.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writers: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Dyan Cannon
4x15 Anne Murray
Feb 1, 1980 · 26 min
Scooter bugs everyone by leaving his skateboard lying around. Kermit trips on it and smashes a set. Later, Anne performs while the Muppets all dance on skateboards.
Directing: Philip Casson · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Anne Murray
4x16 Jonathan Winters
Feb 8, 1980 · 26 min
Jonathan is convinced that a gypsy has put a curse on the show, and while Kermit scoffs at the idea, he does notice that everything is going wrong. A few acts have to be canceled, but Kermit refuses to believe there's a curse until a meteorite falls on his flipper. In the final stage of the curse, everyone begins to speak in mock Swedish.
Directed by: Peter Harris · Written by: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Jonathan Winters
4x17 Christopher Reeve
Feb 15, 1980 · 26 min
Everyone has a superhero bug, donning costumes and trying acts to impress the star of Superman: The Movie.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writers: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Christopher Reeve
4x18 Lynda Carter
Feb 22, 1980 · 26 min
In honor of "Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter, Scooter buys a mail-order course on how to be a superhero. Soon, a crowd of Muppets are wearing silly costumes and reading Invincibility Made Easy. Meanwhile, Miss Piggy appears as "Wonder Pig", and battles a giant chicken.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writers: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Lynda Carter
4x19 Mark Hamill
Feb 29, 1980 · 26 min
The regularly-scheduled guest (a terrible singer) is bumped when four stars of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope suddenly appear in the theater. It's a natural for the Pigs in Space.
Directing: Peter Harris · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew
4x20 Alan Arkin
Mar 7, 1980 · 26 min
Alan accidentally drinks Bunsen Honeydew's Jekyll-and-Hyde potion, and turns into a rampaging monster. He runs amuck, as the ultra-cute Bun-Bun Brothers sing "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah." When Kermit catches Alan in a net, he turns back into himself. Soon, Kermit takes a sip of the potion himself.
Directed by: Philip Casson · Written by: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Alan Arkin
4x21 Doug Henning
Mar 14, 1980 · 26 min
Fozzie Bear tries out a magic act, pulling a rabbit from a hat. Instead, he gets a rabbi, and then a robot. He taps the hat too hard, and gets dozens of rabbits, who follow him around and call him "Daddy."
Directing: Philip Casson · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Doug Henning
4x22 Andy Williams
Mar 21, 1980 · 26 min
Miss Piggy asks Andy to sing "Love Story" for her and Kermit, who have just become engaged. Unfortunately, Kermit hasn't heard about the engagement yet. The rumor slips out, and soon everyone thinks Kermit and Piggy are getting married.
Directed by: Philip Casson · Written by: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Andy Williams
4x23 Carol Channing
Mar 28, 1980 · 26 min
Miss Piggy buys a cute new pair of shoes, but they're too small, and she can't walk in them. She wants to take them back, but Kermit compliments them, so she has to keep wearing them. She complains to Carol, who says she should have them stretched, and gives them to the gigantic Timmy Monster, who runs around the block in them.
Directing: Philip Casson · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Carol Channing
4x24 Diana Ross Season Finale
Apr 4, 1980 · 26 min
The show's audience members are getting horrified at everyone on stage except Diana Ross.
Directing: Philip Casson · Writing: Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Don Hinkley · Starring: Diana Ross