Jim Henson’s Creature Workshop Challenge

                  When I saw the commercial for Jim Henson’s Creature Workshop Challenge I could not wait for the show to air.  I have watched Jim Henson’s work my entire life.  I’m not talking about just Sesame Street and the Muppet movies, but The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and Fraggle Rock too.  I would love to work with The Jim Henson Company, even if it’s just for a day.  It would be fascinating to visit the workshop and see how the creatures are invented and then put together.  If I got that opportunity I would be so excited.  Unfortunately I do not believe my visiting the workshop will happen tomorrow, so, for now, I will use that excitement for Jim Henson’s Creature Workshop Challenge instead.    

                On this show ten contestants are competing to win a contract with The Jim Henson Company.  Each week they must make a creature based on a theme set before them.  The first challenge was to build a new creature found by a search light on the ocean floor.  With only a limited amount of time to make the creature, the contestants were broken up into teams of two.  Each team had to make something that looked good live and on screen in both appearance and movement.  Oh, and a puppeteer had to fit into the entire thing as well. 

                As the contestants worked, a mentor from The Jim Henson Company came in to see how things were going.  From what I understand the mentors are going to change each week.  I am really interested to meet all the mentors as I will finally get to see the people behind the work I have enjoyed for so long.

After the creature screen test there is the usual judging panel evaluation and discussion.  What is different with this panel is these judges do not get nasty or overly critical just for the sake of being critical.  It is so nice to see.  Everything stays about the work and does not become a contest to see which judge can be the most insulting.  The judges are supportive of everyone and their comments are directed at why a creature did or did not work.  Only with one team did they get personal and that was because the team did not work well together at all.  The judges let the team know their behavior was unacceptable and it is what caused their project to be unsuccessful.  It was made clear this type of animosity and lack of teamwork was not wanted in their company.  I am so happy to finally see one of these competition shows take behavior under consideration when determining who should stay and who should go.  With that message stated loud and clear I am led to believe drama will not be allowed or highlighted on this show.  Yes!  I am all for that.  Let’s keep the show about the work, that is what I am interested in and want to see.              

                With each contestant having their own skill set and expertise, it is going to be really interesting to see how everything is made.  I loved watching the foam get cut and carved for the sea creatures.  One contestant went a different route and used aluminum foil for part of his project.  At first his partner doubted the aluminum foil, but she let him run with it and the creature looked great.  One never knows what technique might work or not work until they give it a try.  These creatures are about imagination and sometimes that imagination is needed in determining what materials and techniques are used.            

                As there are only ten contestants at the start, this is not going to be a long series compared to many others.  I hope there is a second season in the works, but I don’t know if that is the case.  With this one just starting, a second season may not yet even be under discussion.  I guess I’ll have to wait and see.  In the meantime I’ll enjoy the episodes I do have and eagerly await the interesting creatures that will come to life.