Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular

Remember how the Muppets used to work? The Muppets were the headliners and the humans were guests written into the show. The Muppets were always madcap and funny and the guests were swept along with the flow (The finale in the John Cleese episode of the original series was hilarious).

Did that happen here? No.

Laughs stopped as soon as Lady Gaga was on screen and her outfits were not appropriate for the younger audience that the Muppets used to be aimed at. The result was a boring and often uncomfortable view.

Our whole family became bored with this production early on and the blatant promotion of her new album at every song was appalling.

Shame on you Disney for allowing this travesty. Jim would be rolling over in his grave.

A TV special starring Lady Gaga and the Muppets packs a lot of promise, especially when the special is titled "Lady Gaga & The Muppets' Holiday Spectacular". If you notice the repetitiveness of that last sentence, it's to prove a point.

This special appeared to be less "Lady Gaga & the Muppets" and more "Lady Gaga featuring the Muppets". Consequently, even the word "Spectacular" in the show's title proved to be an excessive overstatement.

Lady Gaga is among the most polarizing pop stars today. People either like her or hate her, but no one can deny her talent, stage presence, or that certain X factor that relevant pop stars possess.

So this review would not be complete without this reviewer expressing how he feels about her. And truthfully, I like Lady Gaga. I think her songs are often times great, she owns every stage performance without a hint of gregariousness or desperation, and she was phenomenally great as host and musical guest of "Saturday Night Live" last month.

It just astonishes me that, while she worked so well alongside SNL cast members, the interactions between her and the Muppets were noticeably finite and pithy. Yes, Kermit sat alongside her as she sang a surprisingly touching rendition of her own "Gypsy", and there was a scene with her and the other Muppets brainstorming over a final act. There was also Miss Piggy's usual fame envy complete with karate chops.

However, when it came to many of the other musical numbers, the Muppets were noticeably absent. The exceptions were the songs where the major Muppet players seemingly rushed onto the scene near the end to lip sync the given song's final chorus.

Lady Gaga was right in toning down the sexuality of her musical numbers, wisely resulting in her performances of "Applause" in this special bearing little resemblance to her overtly carnal music video. You saw dance numbers mostly involving men in tuxedos, but no . . . well, Muppets!

Did the writers and choreographers of this special even see "The Muppet Show"? If they did, they could have, and should have, taken inspiration from famous episodes with Diana Ross performing "Love Hangover" alongside giant Muppet birds, or Raquel Welch dancing with a gargantuan black spider. Even Alice Cooper danced with Sweetums, Doglion, and other large Muppets when he sang "School's Out".

Sure, "The Muppet Show" left the airwaves over 30 years ago, but the box office success of "The Muppets" (2011) proved that people still had a soft spot in their heart for it. Plus, that movie succeeded because the Muppets were all doing things that were interesting and unique to their given personalities.

Here, they just pad Lady Gaga's stage appearances, and that's not enough. Especially because the special was partially intended to promote the upcoming movie "Muppets Most Wanted", the Muppets deserve better.

There's really no fault in Lady Gaga's song performances, especially her charming duets with Elton John, Joseph-Gordon Levitt, and even RuPaul. However, if she's sharing top billing with the Muppets, they should be treated like co-headliners, not opening acts.

As a result, "Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular" could have been most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, and Muppetational. Instead, it was . . . okay.

I got nothing to say about this special that is even in any meaning of the word "special". There's nothing remotely "special" about what I just watched. Lady Gaga and The Muppets Christmas. Can you even say that and expect something spectacular? As soon as you put Lady Gaga's name in bold letters you know this show is doomed from the start. All the songs in this show are from Gaga's new album, and that's what took it away from the show. I was with my mom and dad and the whole room was in awkward silence whenever she came on, so awkward we were thankful this year to have DVR to fast forward through her acts. That bad, people! That bad!

Jim Henson's Muppets are in rare, and classic form, performing in this live-action studio recording. Lady Gaga fulfills many childhood wishes, while locking down some tasty cuts in this sweet Holiday special. Simultaneously performing and promoting her album Art Pop, Lady Gaga blends the best of Muppets Holiday Specials, with classic Holiday songs for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even Halloween. Why doesn't anyone want to sing their best songs with The Muppets any more? It used to be a right of passage, a cherished honor, and a true mark of artistic influence. Guest stars including Sir Elton John, and Kermit The Frog sing duets with Lady Gaga. Her costumes, hair, and makeup alone are worth your time. With a few bonus Christmas songs, a couple of behind-the-scenes clips, and gag reel - this would be a Gold Master DVD release. Do it!

Talking mad sales. Streaming Rentals. ITunes Features. Prime Video. Broadcast on ABC originally, and Netflix, then shamefully and summarily dropped by both. Joining other Holiday classics like The Muppet Christmas Carol, Lady Gaga and friends delivered my wish for Thanksgiving *and* Christmas. With a side of ham. Delicious.

I want to buy it but it is only on youtube they need to sell it