The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence was the second of two pilots for The Muppet Show, airing on ABC on March 19, 1975.^[1] The other pilot, The Muppets Valentine Show, aired in 1974.

Plot

In this half-hour variety special, the Muppets parody the proliferation of sex and violence on television. Nigel, Sam the Eagle, and hippie bassist Floyd Pepper prepare for a Pageant based on the Seven Deadly Sins, with Muppets representing the Sins—Envy, Anger, Gluttony, Vanity, Lust, Greed, and Sloth.

Sketches include these:

• Mount Rushmore: The stone presidents trade jokes.
• At the Dance
• The Wrestling Match: The San Francisco Earthquake displays his winning tactics.
• Statler and Waldorf sit in their den.
• The Swedish Chef demonstrates how to make a submarine sandwich.
• For The Birds: Male birds try to attract females in a jazzy skit.
• The Electric Mayhem sing "Love Ya to Death".
• Theater of Things: The pencils get a new ruler.
• Aggression: Featuring two Heaps, tarantula-like monsters talking in gibberish.
• Films in Focus: A review pans the film Return to Beneath the Planet of the Pigs.
  • This sketch would become the basis for the comedy sketch series "Pigs in Space."
• The Seven Deadly Sins Pageant

Cast

This special introduces several new Muppets, including Nigel (who acts as host, but would eventually play a minor role as an orchestra conductor on The Muppet Show), Sam Eagle, Dr. Teeth, Janice, Floyd Pepper, Zoot, Animal, Swedish Chef, Statler and Waldorf, and an early version of Dr. Julius Strangepork (named "Dr. Nauga"). Popular Jim Henson characters, like Kermit the Frog, Rowlf the Dog, and Frank Oz's Bert have cameos. As well as, a few holdovers from the previous pilot, The Muppets Valentine Show, such as Crazy Donald (now called "Crazy Harry"), George the Janitor, Mildred Huxtetter, and Brewster. It has early versions of Miss Piggy and Gonzo the Great.^[2]

• Jim Henson as Nigel, Mount Rushmore (George Washington Head), Swedish Chef, Dr. Teeth, Waldorf, Kermit the Frog, Shirley (puppetry), Green Heap, Ernie Woman, Hudson, and Rowlf the Dog
• Frank Oz as Animal, Sam the Eagle, Mount Rushmore (Theodore Roosevelt Head), The San Francisco Earthquake's Opponent, Clyde, Ruler, Purple Heap, Bert, Pig, and George the Janitor
• Jerry Nelson as The Announcer, Floyd Pepper, Mount Rushmore (Thomas Jefferson Head), Thudge, Thudge's Dancing Partner, Statler, Harvey, Envy, Pencil, Gold Stalk, Gluttony, Gene Shalit Muppet, Dr. Nauga, and Sloth
• Richard Hunt as Crazy Harry, Mel, Hoggie Marsh, and Lust
• Dave Goelz as The San Francisco Earthquake, Avarice, Zoot, Duke, and Brewster
• John Lovelady as Mount Rushmore (Abraham Lincoln Head), Vanity, and Anger
• Fran Brill as Receptionist Voice, Janice, Doris, Pink Stalk, Leafy Green Vegetables, Miss Piggy, Queen Pig, and Whatnot Dancer
• Rollie Krewson as Shirley (voice)

Additional Muppet performers: Caroly Wilcox and Jane Henson

Home media

The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence was released on DVD in 2005, as an extra feature on the Muppet Show: Season One box set. On the box and on the DVD menus, it is referred to as The Muppet Show Pilot.