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The Best Episodes of The Muppet Show Season 5

Every episode of The Muppet Show Season 5 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Muppet Show Season 5!

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 15 - Hal Linden
    8.3/10(192 votes)

    S5:E15

    Statler and Waldorf get their chance to do a better show than Kermit--they play host, while Kermit and Fozzie heckle from the balcony. Unfortunately, Statler and Waldorf's acts don't turn out exactly as they plan. The Berlin National Opera Company cancels and are replaced by the Salzburg Sauerkraut Singers. Hal's Fourth of July number is invaded by Gonzo on a sleigh singing Christmas songs. Finally, Statler and Waldorf admit that the show is harder to put together than it looks and happily go back to complaining from the balcony.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  2. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 1 - Roger Moore
    8.2/10(198 votes)

    S5:E1

    Kermit calls the Secret Service to hire real spies for Roger's closing number. (They're listed in the Yellow Pages.) However, Roger wants to do a cute, cuddly version of "Talk to the Animals". The spies, anxious for a chance to rub out James Bond, pose as fluffy animals to infiltrate the number.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  3. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 23 - Mac Davis
    8.1/10(158 votes)

    S5:E23

    Beaker tests Muppet Labs' new copier machine, ultimately falling into it and making seven copies of himself. The multiple Beakers gang up on Bunsen, and the doctor is forced to wear a disguise and hide from his assistants.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  4. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 24 - Shirley Bassey
    8.1/10(174 votes)

    S5:E24

    Kermit borrows fifty million dollars worth of gold for Shirley's closing number, "Goldfinger". Security guard Bruno is suspicious that Kermit wants to steal the gold, but keeping an eye on the frog makes him overlook a band of pig thieves, who steal all the gold as Shirley sings.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  5. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 11 - Joan Baez
    8.0/10(162 votes)

    S5:E11

    Rizzo and the other rats bother Kermit for a spot on the show, so Kermit asks Beauregard to "take care of them." Of course, Bo takes that literally, and treats them as guests. The rats make Beau their president, and manipulate him into giving them food. The rats eventually become so bold that they decide to take over the show. Kermit says Beau has to kick them out, or he goes with them. Beau chooses to stick with his new rat friends, until Miss Piggy enlightens him.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  6. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 7 - Melissa Manchester
    7.9/10(148 votes)

    S5:E7

    Kermit is plagued by a night of backstage crises. A group of skiers get hurt during the opening number, and after Kermit says that the theater will cover their medical costs, Scooter forgets to cash the check. The Teeterini Family are angry that their teeter board won't fit on the stage. The Swedish Chef prepares spring chicken, and the bouncing chicken drives Kermit crazy. And let's not even talk about the blindfolded, hang-gliding yodelers.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  7. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 17 - Debbie Harry
    7.9/10(144 votes)

    S5:E17

    Robin's Frog Scout troop visits the show, getting in everyone's way backstage. They ask Debbie for help earning their punk merit badges, and she teaches them how to do the pogo. When Gonzo cancels his act, the Frog Scouts get their chance to do a performance of close-order drills.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  8. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 6 - Brooke Shields
    7.8/10(128 votes)

    S5:E6

    Thinking she was booked to do "The Muffin Show," Brooke finds herself growing and shrinking as the Muppets stage Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  9. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 13 - Glenda Jackson
    7.8/10(136 votes)

    S5:E13

    Glenda reveals herself to be Black Jackson the pirate captain, and she takes over the Muppet Theater with the help of Short John Silver (Sweetums) and Eric, a heartless pirate parrot (in disguise as a penguin). They tie Kermit up, turn the theater into a ship, and cast off to look for buried treasure. The show ends with a musical battle at sea, with Gonzo and a crew of chickens fighting to save Kermit and the theater.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  10. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 14 - Gene Kelly
    7.8/10(142 votes)

    S5:E14

    Gene is under the impression that he's a "guest" -- that is, he's going to sit and watch, but not perform onstage. Frantic, Kermit tricks him into performing by asking him to give him a dance lesson on-stage. Kermit plans a surprise closing number, "Singin' in the Rain," Gene refuses, saying that he doesn't think he'll ever sing the song as good as he did in the movie, but he does eventually sing it backstage. Meanwhile, Scooter uses his Tarot cards to predict that the world is coming to an end. Beauregard believes him, and tries to convince the rest of the cast the apocalypse is near.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  11. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 21 - Paul Simon
    7.8/10(175 votes)

    S5:E21

    Paul inspires Gonzo to be a songwriter. Unfortunately, Gonzo writes songs like "For You": "For youuu... I'd wash my hair with stinky glue, I'd fry my legs and eat them too, I'd put a spider in my shoe -- for yoouuuu!" Paul is stunned. Later, Gonzo's chickens run off with Paul, so Gonzo develops a new obsession -- asparagus. But at the end of the episode both the chickens and the asparagus run away when Paul asks for chicken with a side of asparagus.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  12. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 22 - Chris Langham
    7.8/10(141 votes)

    S5:E22

    A messenger brings a message from the scheduled guest star -- Benny Brillstein, the Yiddish yodeler. Benny refuses to be on the show, so Kermit asks Chris, the messenger boy, to be the guest. Chris knows a joke, so Kermit introduces him as a comedian.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  13. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 9 - Jean-Pierre Rampal
    7.7/10(183 votes)

    S5:E9

    Miss Piggy is cornered by flautist Jean-Pierre, who wants to speak French with her. She claims to have laryngitis, whispering, "My vocal coach told me not to speak French. I'm not even supposed to eat French fries!"

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  14. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 2 - Loretta Swit
    7.6/10(163 votes)

    S5:E2

    How well can Loretta fit into Miss Piggy's roles? It all comes to a dramatic climax with the ""Pigs in Space"" installment.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  15. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 4 - Linda Ronstadt
    7.6/10(156 votes)

    S5:E4

    Afraid that Linda will steal her frog away, Piggy locks Kermit up in a chest owned by Gonzo when Scooter helps him move his mildew ""collection"" and hides it.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  16. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 5 - Tony Randall
    7.6/10(168 votes)

    S5:E5

    Browsing through an old book of magic spells, Tony accidentally turns Miss Piggy into stone. He considers bringing her to a stonemason for help. Fozzie, Gonzo and Floyd crack stone jokes as Kermit and Tony try to find a spell to change her back. Of course, the show must go on, and the Piggy statue takes the stage for "Pigs in Space".

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  17. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 8 - Señor Wences
    7.6/10(139 votes)

    S5:E8

    In honor of Señor Wences and his puppets, Kermit decides to do something new -- a puppet show! Fozzie wants to do a marionette act with a Dancing Clown puppet, but the marionette eventually pulls Fozzie down on the stage with him and takes control of the strings himself.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  18. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 12 - Marty Feldman
    7.6/10(136 votes)

    S5:E12

    The Muppets present their version of 1001 Arabian Nights, with guest star Marty Feldman playing the role of Scheherazade, telling tales to an evil Caliph (played by the Swedish Chef).

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  19. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 16 - Wally Boag
    7.6/10(145 votes)

    S5:E16

    In honor of vaudeville-influenced guest star Wally Boag, the Muppets salute vaudeville, with a balloon animal act, a bagpipe player and a hypnotist. Wally performs acts he made famous at the Golden Horseshoe Revue at Disneyland, including the Pecos Bill teeth-spitting sketch.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  20. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 20 - Buddy Rich
    7.4/10(142 votes)

    S5:E20

    Thanks to Gonzo's refrigerated mildew collection, the power goes out in the theater, and Beauregard almost electrocutes himself trying to fix it. Half of the acts have to perform in the dark, until Dr. Bunsen Honeydew hooks up a generator that runs on Beaker-power. Beaker runs on a huge wheel to generate power, and when he gets tired, Bunsen helps to motivate him by releasing a hungry tiger onto the wheel.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  21. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 10 - Gladys Knight
    7.2/10(135 votes)

    S5:E10

    The theater is under repair, but the workers have to destroy in order to build. They take the roof right off, leaving this show victim to the elements.

    Director:Peter Harris
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  22. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 19 - Carol Burnett
    7.2/10(105 votes)

    S5:E19

    There's no show today, almost; the theater is turned into a dance marathon hosted by Gonzo.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  23. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 18 - Johnny Cash
    7.0/10(172 votes)

    S5:E18

    In honor of Johnny Cash's appearance, the show is simulcast over country radio station WHOG, and the radio broadcast threatens to overwhelm the actual show. The head of WHOG, Big Tiny Tall Saddle, insists on making all the decisions. He refuses to let Rowlf go on, and instead schedules Grampaw McGuire and his whistling bricks. Kermit tries to run his own show, but Big Tiny is one of the toughest men alive -- when he's annoyed, he has a habit of wrapping microphone stands around people's necks. Fozzie is replaced by Wally Whoopie, a stand-up comedian who makes fun of the bear -- which inspires Kermit to stand up for his friend, and his show.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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  24. The Muppet Show Season 5 Episode 3 - James Coburn
    6.9/10(145 votes)

    S5:E3

    Animal hits it off with tough guy James Coburn -- but James decides that Animal isn't centered enough, and introduces him to meditation and Zen. Animal doesn't take well to Zen.

    Director:Philip Casson
    Writers:Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell

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Season 5 Ratings Summary

"Hal Linden" is the best rated episode of The Muppet Show season 5. It scored 8.3/10 from 192 votes. Directed by Philip Casson and written by Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl, Chris Langham, Don Hinkley, David Odell, it aired on January 11, 1981. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Roger Moore".