Review - Studio DC: Almost Live (2008)

      Hey guys, Chuck here. There was a weird time in the mid-2000's where, after a change in leadership at Disney in 2005, the company had no clue what to do with a certain I.P. they had acquired in 2004: The Muppets. Well before the highly successful 2011 film with Jason Segel and Amy Adams, Disney had done very little with the Muppets aside from television commercials and a pair of Disney Channel specials in 2008, both titled Studio DC: Almost Live. 

    The first Studio DC: Almost Live special aired on August 3rd, 2008, and was hosted by brothers Dylan and Cole Sprouse, who were joined by their The Suite Life of Zack & Cody co-stars Ashley Tisdale, Brenda Song, and Phill Lewis, as well as both Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers. The special saw Dylan, Cole, Phill, Brenda, and Gonzo attend a meeting to discuss a Suite Life inspired sketch created by the Swedish Chef, but it doesn't make a ton of sense. So, they present a Suite Life inspired sketch where Mr. Moseby is taking a trip to a convention, and Kermit the Frog is stepping in as hotel manager of the Tipton. Kermit has to wrangle dealing with London and Mississippi Piggy constantly wanting him to attend their every wish, while Zack and Cody lead Gonzo to fix the air conditioning, as the usual maintenance guy is on a cruise. We also see Billy Ray Cyrus sing a part of one of his songs, and then introduces his daughter Miley to The Electric Mayhem, who perform with Miley as she sings her song "G.N.O. (Girl's Night Out)," Miss Piggy dresses in a Joan Jett inspired outfit, and joins the Jonas Brothers to perform their hit song "That's Just the Way We Roll," and Kermit joins Ashley Tisdale for a rendition of the song "Bop to the Top" from High School Musical only for Piggy to butt in out of sheer jealousy. 

     The second special aired on October 5th, 2008 and was hosted by Selena Gomez, who was joined by her Wizards of Waverly Place co-stars David Henrie and Jake T. Austin, along with the likes of Jason Dolley, Jason Earles, Moises Arias, Demi Lovato, and the Cheetah Girls (Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan, and Kiely Williams). Among the bits featured in the special, we have mainly backstage shenanigans involving Gonzo hoping one of the three Wizards of Waverly Place actors to turn Camilla back into a chicken, as she was accidentally turned into a turkey. Miss Piggy joins the Cheetah Girls for a rendition of their song "Dance Me If You Can." Jason Dolley and Jason Earles go through a ton of back-and-forth regarding cancelled sketch ideas. Selena Gomez learns the art of comedy from Fozzie Bear, while Moises Arias and Jake T Austin learn the art of criticism from Statler and Waldorf. And, while Demi Lovato is set to perform the song "This is Me" from Camp Rock with Kermit, and accompanied by the Electric Mayhem, Miss Piggy refuses to let Kermit perform, and Beaker takes his place singing with Demi. And, David Henrie, who plays a bit of guitar with Sgt. Floyd Pepper, also helps Kermit translate some text messages Ashley Tisdale sent him. 

      Overall, the two Studio DC: Almost Live specials are good, harmless fun. They worked well for seeing contemporary Disney stars team up with the Muppets, and were a fun way to introduce the Muppets to a younger demographic by teaming them up with the stars of Disney Channel. Seeing music acts like Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, and Demi Lovato perform alongside the Electric Mayhem, as well as such Muppets as Miss Piggy and Beaker is a ton of fun, as is seeing the likes of Miss Piggy and Kermit team up with the Cheetah Girls and Ashley Tisdale to re-create iconic musical moments from such Disney Channel movies as The Cheetah Girls: One World and High School Musical. And, I thoroughly enjoyed Jeff Ross as the unseen director, constantly freaking out over every little thing. 

      Now, as for the title of the two specials: the Studio DC comes from the fact that it's on the Disney Channel, and Almost Live comes from the fact that the show we're seeing isn't the actual show, but the rehearsal. And, of course, the humor is very much in line with such shows as The Muppet Show and Muppets Tonight, where the backstage shenanigans are just completely insane and almost completely out of control. The only key difference is that it's at the Disney Channel studio instead of a vaudeville theater or a television station. 

      Overall, while there's only two episodes to watch, I genuinely appreciate and enjoy Studio DC: Almost Live. Unfortunately, neither special is on Disney+, but they can both be found in their entirety on YouTube, so check 'em out if you get the chance. 

      Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you in the next review. 

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