8.0/10165 votes#1 - Dudley Moore
Season 4 Episode 1 - Aired 10/24/1979
Dudley has a surprise for Kermit, a robot that can do the work of the entire band and of course the Electric Mayhem feel threatened by this fact.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.5/10124 votes#2 - Crystal Gayle
Season 4 Episode 2 - Aired 11/2/1979
The Prairie Dog Glee Club sings very well, but Scooter says they have "pack rat blood in 'em -- they keep stealing everything!" The prairie dogs go wild, taking everything Kermit has -- including his collar, which leaves him naked on stage.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.4/10131 votes#3 - Victor Borge
Season 4 Episode 3 - Aired 11/9/1979
When Bobby Benson has to talk to a police officer someone has to take care of his babies. Unfortunately, the babies go wild without their daddy around and beat up people they don't like.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell, Jim Thurman
7.4/10126 votes#4 - Beverly Sills
Season 4 Episode 4 - Aired 11/16/1979
The pigs are excited that guest star Beverly Sills plans to perform the opera "Pigoletto" as the closing number.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.7/10137 votes#5 - Shields & Yarnell
Season 4 Episode 5 - Aired 11/23/1979
Inspired by mimes Shields & Yarnell, Fozzie Bear works on a mime act, including "Bear walking against the wind". Kermit suggests that Fozzie find a more original act, so Fozzie tries out "Bear feeding spaghetti to an elephant" and "Bear going to a drive-in movie with a porcupine".
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.4/10127 votes#6 - Kenny Rogers
Season 4 Episode 6 - Aired 11/30/1979
During a sketch Kermit hurts himself and keeps getting frightened by jungle animals in his hospital room or injured further by some crazy inconvenience.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.8/10156 votes#7 - Linda Lavin
Season 4 Episode 7 - Aired 12/7/1979
Miss Piggy announces that this show is Kermit's birthday, and before he can react, she launches into the tribute she's organized. They've planned a This Is Your Life-style show with birthday greetings, including one from Mr. Dawson, Kermit's old acting coach from Leland, Mississippi. Wayne and Wanda, the singing duo from the first season, show up and give Kermit such a guilt trip that he rehires them. When they sing, Kermit remembers why he fired them in the first place.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.3/10122 votes#8 - John Denver
Season 4 Episode 8 - Aired 12/14/1979
John and Kermit have a surprise for the cast; they're all going to Kermits' home the swamp! But even Gonzo, even with his love of the nasty and strange, thinks it's a bad idea and no one is willing to take him up on the offer even when Kermit offers them to go.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.6/10128 votes#9 - Arlo Guthrie
Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 12/21/1979
For guest star Arlo Guthrie, the stage is turned into a farmhouse. The Swedish Chef plans a home-cooked meal, but the turkey refuses to be skewered, the pig busts him in the face, and the "beef" stampedes over him.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.8/10140 votes#10 - Liza Minnelli
Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 12/28/1979
The Muppets present a murder mystery. Kermit is a private eye hired by Liza O'Shaugnessy, an actress whose production is being terrorized by a killer. The director, Fritz (Strangepork), is shot. The police assign Patrolbear Fozzie to the case, and he interrogates the cast: "All right, which one of you killed the director?" The suspects are themselves killed one by one, until Kermit and Liza team up to unmask the true killers.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.7/10125 votes#11 - Dizzy Gillespie
Season 4 Episode 11 - Aired 1/4/1980
Statler is sick (of the show), so Waldorf brings his wife Astoria to the show. Meanwhile, Inspector LaBrea of the County Environmental Department arrives backstage to monitor the noise level of the show. LaBrea tells Kermit that to keep the noise down, he has to cut the trumpets for the show. Kermit tries to keep LaBrea busy while Dizzy performs.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Jim Henson, Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, David Odell, Jim Thurman
7.6/10121 votes#12 - Phyllis George
Season 4 Episode 12 - Aired 1/11/1980
Phyllis hosts the 1st annual Muppet Awards, recognizing the greatest Muppet Show performers. Kermit, who hates awards shows, sits out the show, but Miss Piggy is absolutely determined to win.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.5/10133 votes#13 - Lola Falana
Season 4 Episode 13 - Aired 1/18/1980
After years of failure Gonzo is actually appriciated for the actor he is and decides to quit the Muppet Show and move on to movies. Piggy, more jealous than sad, asks Gonzo to refer her to the director. This is one of the episodes that teeters on the edge of being very sad.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.8/10159 votes#14 - Dyan Cannon
Season 4 Episode 14 - Aired 1/25/1980
As Miss Piggy prepares for her act, she leaves her dog Foo-Foo in the care of Floyd. Piggy tells Floyd he has to spoon-feed and floss the pampered Foo-Foo, so Floyd locks the dog in a drawer. Frantic, Piggy searches everywhere for Foo-Foo.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.2/10125 votes#15 - Anne Murray
Season 4 Episode 15 - Aired 2/1/1980
Scooter bugs everyone by leaving his skateboard lying around. Kermit trips on it and smashes a set. Later, Anne performs while the Muppets all dance on skateboards.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.4/10137 votes#16 - Jonathan Winters
Season 4 Episode 16 - Aired 2/8/1980
Jonathan is convinced that a gypsy has put a curse on the show, and while Kermit scoffs at the idea, he does notice that everything is going wrong. A few acts have to be canceled, but Kermit refuses to believe there's a curse until a meteorite falls on his flipper. In the final stage of the curse, everyone begins to speak in mock Swedish.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell, Jim Thurman
8.5/10344 votes#17 - Christopher Reeve
Season 4 Episode 17 - Aired 2/15/1980
Everyone has a superhero bug, donning costumes and trying acts to impress the star of Superman: The Movie.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.7/10184 votes#18 - Lynda Carter
Season 4 Episode 18 - Aired 2/22/1980
In honor of "Wonder Woman" Lynda Carter, Scooter buys a mail-order course on how to be a superhero. Soon, a crowd of Muppets are wearing silly costumes and reading Invincibility Made Easy. Meanwhile, Miss Piggy appears as "Wonder Pig", and battles a giant chicken.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
8.1/10150 votes#19 - Mark Hamill
Season 4 Episode 19 - Aired 2/29/1980
The regularly-scheduled guest (a terrible singer) is bumped when four stars of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope suddenly appear in the theater. It's a natural for the Pigs in Space.
Director: Peter Harris
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.1/10137 votes#20 - Alan Arkin
Season 4 Episode 20 - Aired 3/7/1980
Alan accidentally drinks Bunsen Honeydew's Jekyll-and-Hyde potion, and turns into a rampaging monster. He runs amuck, as the ultra-cute Bun-Bun Brothers sing "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah." When Kermit catches Alan in a net, he turns back into himself. Soon, Kermit takes a sip of the potion himself.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.3/10119 votes#21 - Doug Henning
Season 4 Episode 21 - Aired 3/14/1980
Fozzie Bear tries out a magic act, pulling a rabbit from a hat. Instead, he gets a rabbi, and then a robot. He taps the hat too hard, and gets dozens of rabbits, who follow him around and call him "Daddy."
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.8/10132 votes#22 - Andy Williams
Season 4 Episode 22 - Aired 3/21/1980
Miss Piggy asks Andy to sing "Love Story" for her and Kermit, who have just become engaged. Unfortunately, Kermit hasn't heard about the engagement yet. The rumor slips out, and soon everyone thinks Kermit and Piggy are getting married.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell, Jim Thurman
7.5/10122 votes#23 - Carol Channing
Season 4 Episode 23 - Aired 3/28/1980
Miss Piggy buys a cute new pair of shoes, but they're too small, and she can't walk in them. She wants to take them back, but Kermit compliments them, so she has to keep wearing them. She complains to Carol, who says she should have them stretched, and gives them to the gigantic Timmy Monster, who runs around the block in them.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
7.9/10132 votes#24 - Diana Ross
Season 4 Episode 24 - Aired 4/4/1980
The show's audience members are getting horrified at everyone on stage except Diana Ross.
Director: Philip Casson
Writer: Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell
The Best Episodes of The Muppet Show Season 4
Every episode of The Muppet Show Season 4 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Muppet Show Season 4!
Go behind the curtains as Kermit the Frog and his muppet friends struggle to put on a weekly variety show.
Genres:KidsComedyFamily
Network:ITV1
Season 4 Ratings Summary
"Dudley Moore" is the best rated episode of "The Muppet Show" season 4. It scored 8/10 based on 165 votes. Directed by Philip Casson and written by Don Hinkley, Jerry Juhl, Jim Henson, David Odell, it aired on 10/24/1979. This episode is rated 0.5 points higher than the second-best, "Crystal Gayle".