Greener Pastures

Image credit: Kirk Thatcher and Kermit the Frog Photograph by Seth Joel

How can an idealistic band of puppet bohemians survive in the jaded age of ''Crank Yankers'' and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog (who gamely cameos in the telepic)? The trick, according to Henson TV exec Juliet Blake, is balancing old and new: ''It's about being true to our characters and not trying to make them ridiculously hip.'' Recalls ''Simpsons'' vet Tom Martin, who cowrote the ''Muppet Christmas'' screenplay, ''There were arguments if the [movie] should have a lot of heart or if we should just make it funny. But the director, Kirk Thatcher [who wrote 'Muppet Treasure Island'], made a good point: He said, 'Look, these Muppets have enough heart. They have too much heart. Let's just concentrate on funny.'''

That might be why ''Christmas'' includes such grown-up TV adventures as a scene where Scooter cage-dances at a rave, a bit where Animal funnel-chugs eggnog, and the implication of frog-human romance. But some of the new attitude was too edgy: A Snoop Dogg cameo (where he swaps stoner koans with the Electric Mayhem) was cut after execs realized the rapper was releasing a self-produced porn film; a suggestive scene with Pepe the Prawn and Cusack was trimmed; and a dig at Irish rowdiness was dropped.

For Blake, taking risks was worth it: ''I feel this movie is a big step in the right direction for the franchise.'' Adds Martin, ''This could be a turning point for the Muppets. Otherwise, Kermit becomes Mickey, the symbol of a company rather than a viable character.'' Which is something the famous frog -- not to mention the late Jim Henson -- surely wouldn't want a hand in.