Even among Muppets fans, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem can be an acquired taste. The Muppet Show house band has been a staple of the franchise since the original TV series debuted in 1976, but in the vast world of Muppetainment, they haven’t done a lot of actual rocking — something that will absolutely be rectified in Disney+’s upcoming Muppets: Mayhem series, as this new trailer proves.
Also in abundance in this new trailer? Mayhem.
Clearly, the premise is that the Electric Mayhem — which consists of Dr. Teeth on piano and vocals, Janice on lead guitar, Floyd on bass, Zoot on sax, and Animal all over those drums — needs to record their first-ever album, but it also seems like the band still doesn’t particularly care when that happens. (I mean, it’s been 47 years, what’s another decade or two?) Mostly it just looks like chaos filled with celebrity guest stars, which is the Muppets’ stock in trade. Still, I may have audibly gasped when Weird Al appeared in heaven.
But if you listen to the music in the trailer, it actually kind of rocks, which is a far cry from the faux funky-folk 1970s bands that actually inspired the Mayhem. I mean, this was the band’s first big hit:
I honestly don’t know if the Electric Mayhem can sustain a 10-episode TV series, but I am pleasantly surprised to discover I may want the soundtrack? To be determined when The Muppets Mayhem premieres on May 10.