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5 Underrated Muppets

Which underappreciated fuzzball is your favourite?

By Kristy AndersonPublished 4 years ago 5 min read
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With the premiere of Muppets Now! on Disney +, Jim Henson's beloved puppet characters are back in the spotlight once again.

Over their long history, The Muppets have built up a large cast, which continues to grow to this day. As a result, a few great characters are sometimes forgotten when talking about the all-time best Muppets.

Last week, we compiled a list of underrated films, series, and specials from Muppet history, and now, we turn our attention to Muppets themselves who may have been lost in the shuffle.

So, it's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights, it's time to meet the most underrated Muppets!

5. Camilla the Chicken

Beginning her Muppet career as one of a group of many background chicken puppets, Camilla is first given her individual name and personality in season three of The Muppet Show, where she goes on a first date with Gonzo, and has remained his significant other ever since.

Though she cannot speak, communicating only as a regular chicken can, through clucking, she plays a significant role in a few Muppets films. Gonzo is rarely seen without her in The Muppet Movie, and her performance of CeeLo Green's 'Forget You' is a humorous highlight of 2011's The Muppets. She was most recently seen as a guest on the 'Lifesty-le With Miss Piggy' segment of Muppets Now.

There's nothing special about Camilla as a puppet, as none of the Muppeteers could tell Camilla apart from the other chicken puppets.. any old chicken could be Camilla at any given time. Her uniqueness came in the growing sassiness of her character over the years, her relationship to Gonzo, and the calibre of Muppeteers to have performed her. Camilla was chiefly performed by Muppet legend Jerry Nelson until his retirement in 2003. Now, her main performer is Matt Vogel, who recently took on the role of Kermit full-time, as well as Sesame Street's Big Bird.

4. Walter

Walter, a humanoid Muppet first introduced in the 2011 The Muppets film, is a life-long fan of The Muppets. The main plot of the film is set off when Walter and his human brother, Gary, discover that the Muppet Theatre is about to be torn down, and embark on a quest to reunite The Muppets and put on a show to save it. Walter eventually saves the day with a memorable whistling performance when the show runs a few minutes short. In the sequel, Muppets Most Wanted, Walter's super-fan status comes in handy, as he is one of the first to notice that the evil Kermit-lookalike Constantine is an impostor.

After a few years hiatus from major appearances, Walter returned to star in a few 'Muppet Thought Of The Week' segments on YouTube. He currently hosts the 'Muppet Masters' segment of Muppets Now, in which other Muppets teach him their secret skills.

Walter, performed by longtime Muppeteer Peter Linz, became a fan favourite soon after his introduction, so many were disappointed when he faded from the spotlight for a while after Muppets Most Wanted. Particularly, when he appeared in the promotional reel for the 2015 Muppets series, but was completely absent from the show when it aired. His return in Muppets Now is a welcome one.

3. Beauregard

Beauregard, also known as simply Beau, first appears in the third season of The Muppet Show, taking over the role of janitor of the Muppet Theatre from George the janitor. He also acts as a stage hand when required, and was sometimes seen accidentally wandering onstage in the middle of a skit.

Beau is lovable, but dim, and in one memorable Muppet Show episode, he befriends and is taken advantage of by the rats who live backstage, including an early version of Rizzo. In 2011's The Muppets, he is discovered still cleaning the long abandoned theatre, and asks everyone where they have been.

Beauregard is usually relegated to the background in Muppets productions. The reason, according to performer Dave Goelz, is that Beau is hard to write for, since he is happy with his life just as it is and has no real desires. Despite this, he is something of an ensemble dark horse with fans.

2. Bobo The Bear

Bobo the Bear, performed by Bill Baretta, first appeared in the 1996 series Muppets Tonight. In his role as security guard for KMUP, he was often the first character whom guest stars would interact with. In Muppets In Space and The Muppets, Bobo acts as a reluctant sidekick to the villains, however in both cases, he is reformed by the end of the film.

In the 2015 Muppets series, it is revealed that Bobo has a family. In episode 2, he is seen struggling to sell Girl Scout cookies for his daughter. He is initially a Stage Manager on 'Up Late with Miss Piggy', but after Kermit decides the other Muppets should be more involved in the show, Bobo is enlisted to perform dramatic readings.

Sharing the Muppet stable with another iconic bear in Fozzie, it has took Bobo sometime to carve out his own place in the cast, but he is now building a following of his own.

1. Uncle Deadly

Uncle Deadly was initially a minor character in The Muppet Show. Making his first appearance alongside guest star Vincent Price, he continued to appear sporadically throughout the show's run in his role as 'The Phantom of The Muppet Theatre'. Deadly didn't appear in a major role again until The Muppets in 2011, as one of the henchman of villain Tex Richman. He becomes the unlikely hero of the film when he reconnects with his Muppet roots, turning against Richman and throwing him from the signal tower to keep him from ruining the show.

In the 2015 series, Uncle Deadly is paired with Miss Piggy as her personal assistant and stylist, and it is here that the character truly begins to shine. Deadly continues in his role as Miss Piggy's assistant in Muppets Now, helping her run the Lifesty-le With Miss Piggy segment.

At Piggy's side, Uncle Deadly has found his true place among the Muppets.

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About the Creator

Kristy Anderson

Passionate About all things Entertainment!

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