'Muppets Now' Episode 5 Review: Uncle Deadly steals the show as he gets the spotlight he's long deserved
The format of 'Muppets Now' feels, in many ways, very experimental. Its different segments have so far meant that no two episodes are entirely the same. In typical Muppets fashion, everything is being thrown into the grinder to see what works, and this episode, we get to see something entirely new in the dramatic performances of Uncle Deadly (Matt Vogel) as he teaches Walter (Peter Linz) the art of stage combat. Also featured this episode is the Swedish Chef (Bill Barretta) stealing the spotlight despite the accidental deletion of the 'Okey Dokey Cookin' file, Miss Piggy (Eric Jacobson) talking travel, and another hilariously unpredictable game show from Pepe the King Prawn (Bill Barretta).
Miss Piggy's 'Lifesty' continues to hover just above the line between entertaining and boring, with recurring guest stars Taye Diggs and Linda Cardellini keeping things fresh. One of the funniest parts of the segment was her attempt to learn the Swedish Chef's strange take on Swedish accent. The Swedish Chef made another surprise appearance on Pepe the King Prawn's improvised game show, showing up to help a contestant assemble a piece of IKEA furniture, a concept so hilarious that it very much deserves its own segment, possibly as a replacement for 'Okay Dokey Cookin.'
Speaking of Pepe's game show, it returns this episode and continues to be one of the best segments of the show. In theory, it's a concept that should not work beyond the novelty of its introduction, but time and time again, Bill Barretta's charistmatic and high-energy performance as Pepe keeps things entertaining as he pulls out one trick after another, all on a whim - the very essence of fun, one would argue. One could also argue that Pepe's trying to sabotage the show, especially after the sound guy quits, but if that's his goal he's failing.
'Muppet Labs Field Test' and its goofy, childlike enthusiasm for squishing, breaking and otherwise making a mess of things come in close for the best segment of the night. The biggest draw of the episode, however, sees the return of the Muppet Masters segment, this time featuring Uncle Deadly. Though he appears regularly on the show as Miss Piggy's snarky assistant, he can still feel underused, and this segment shows just how much. For the first time, Uncle Deadly is allowed to just completely chew the scenery, a natural-born actor built for the theatrical. The camera lighting, the work, the dramatic monologuing mixed in with Walter's anxious counterpoints, was a joy to behold.
With one episode left before the first season's finale, 'Muppets Now' has quite a collection of different acts. This return to the small screen has been a success for those who've missed the old Muppets charm and hopefully a learning experience for the makers of the show as they track just what works, and what doesn't.
The season finale of 'Muppets Now' airs on September 4 on Disney+.