It’s become a well-known fact in the past few years that the newest rendition of Muppet Babies on Disney Junior is one of the best kids shows. Aside from having loveable characters for kiddos to adore (and parents to get nostalgic over), every episode features an original song and great lessons.
The season 3 opening episode is made up of two parts as normal — but this time, they both feature Fozzie, and his new little sister, Rozzie.
In the first episode, “Oh Brother”, Fozzie learns from his parents that they’re adopting a little sister. Not knowing how to be a big brother, Fozzie panics and turns to Rizzo (who has lots of siblings) for help. Rizzo puts Fozzie through a bunch of tests to see how he holds up to being a big brother. Fozzie has a hard time keeping up and becomes more worried.
In the end, Miss Nanny assures Fozzie that the best way he can be a big brother to his new little sister is to love her. We meet Fozzie’s new little sister, Rozzie, during a heartwarming song called “Just Give Her Love.”
I must admit that I was a little apprehensive about the idea of Fozzie all of a sudden having a sister. It never occurred to me that it would be an adoptive sister. This 12-minute episode packs a lot of emotional punch and teaches its viewers two very important lessons, sharing what adoption is and that there is no manual or set of rules for how to be a brother, sister, mother, father, etc. The most important thing you can do for anyone is love them. Miss Nanny tells Fozzie that being a big brother doesn’t mean getting everything right. Being a big brother means you love your family no matter what, and that’s something we all need to remember.
In the second half of the episode, “Boo Boo Patrol,” Rozzie spends her first day in the nursery and she is so excited to play with everybody! After a near-miss where Rozzie almost gets hurt, Fozzie becomes an overprotective big brother. He imagines absolute worst-case scenarios for any and every activity (e.g. if she jumps on a trampoline she might hit an airplane) and ultimately stops her from having fun at every turn, dubbing himself the Boo Boo Patrol (aka Helicopter Brother).
The new siblings find themselves at odds when Rozzie tells Fozzie that he’s not letting her have any fun. It’s Miss Nanny to the rescue once more when she reminds Fozzie that he often gets hurt when he’s playing. She tells the whole gang that there’s no way to be 100% safe all the time. It’s important to be careful and mindful, but don’t let caution stop you from living your life.
This is a huge message for a children’s show to deliver. Sure, I’ve met over-cautious kids in my life. But more than that, I’ve met over-cautious parents. This is a gentle reminder to kids and parents alike to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Safety is, of course, important. But there definitely should be awareness vs. non-participation.
As per usual, Muppet Babies continues its streak of being smart, cute, and relatable. I can’t wait to see what other characters join the cast this season!
You can catch the new season Muppet Babies streaming on DisneyNOW and past seasons available on Disney+.