The Muppet Show, season 4

JOHN DENVER **
I was primed to love this one, as their later collaborations are superlative. But it falls a bit flat, thanks largely to the cognitive disconnect between a humyn having a love-in with other animals, despite continued happy references to the brutally exploitative nature of our relationship with said animals. The highlight is a battlefield rendition of "Why Can't We Be Friends".
LINDA LAVIN ***
Kermit's birthday surprise celebration, with a soaringly-poignant "It Was a Very Good Year", by waldorf and statler.
SHIELDS AND YARNELL ****
The least-anticipated episode of the season, and maybe the best. The guests are enchanting, and the Muppet magic sprinkled just right. Plus birds on electric wires dancing to Abba, and king kong crooning randy newman's "Lonely at the Top".
CRYSTAL GAYLE **
A desultory episode that sparks up with Pigs in Space, a rowlf lounge song, "Sixty Seconds Got Together", some classic beaker & honeydew, and an enchanting (albeit insipid) "We Must Believe in Magic".
KENNY ROGERS ***
Most flawed four-star ever...or juiciest three? Kermit gets continuingly clobbered, but the show goes on, with "The Gambler", nillsson's "Coconut", and a brilliant veterinary hospital. But for religious-referencing, life-after-death dignifying, and possible racial stereotyping...
DUDLEY MOORE ***
A delightful outing, highlighted by a scene between animal and dudley. Animal's behavior is more deliberate and subtle than usual, which is startlingly (almost disturbingly) effective.
ARLO GUTHRIE **
Arlo's brilliance is superfluous, as he performs none of his own songs. The result feels flat, almost white-washed. A sweet version of "Sailing Down this Golden River", and a lovely swedish chef subplot that fixes the cognitive disconnect of other episodes' carnivorousness (they even toss in a vegetarian joke for good measure), but...a missed opportunity.
VICTOR BORGE ****
Was any performer ever more destined to play tchaikovsky with a Muppet kazoo orchestra? The supporting numbers ("Macho Man" and "Act Naturally") put this one over the top.
BEVERLY SILLS ***
It flirts with flaccid, but chases charming. Statler and waldorf do song & dance, while fozzie heckles. This is a great one to take yourself out of the illusion, and ponder the technical wonders.
LIZA MINELLI ***
The entire episode becomes a whodunnit, as murders plague liza o'shaugnessy's Broadway show. The highlight is "Copacabana".
LOLA FALANA ***
As gonzo heads off to Bollywood, things haven't been this steamy since chita rivera -  in "He's the Greatest Dancer", lola makes you feel funny, in the non-comedic way. Gonzo's "My Way" would have been four-star if they'd let him finish.
PHYLLIS GEORGE **
A little sweet, a little flat.
DYAN CANNON ***
Yummy Muppet goodness...they even make a crooner out of dyan. The highlight is Geri and the Atrics' "Hound Dog", channeling the 2020 Rolling Stones.
CHRISTOPHER REEVE ***
A delight through and through. Chris doesn't shy from superman jokes, but might startle you with his musical and comedy chops. He hamlets with a talking skull, puts rowlf on the table for Veterinarian's Hospital...
LYNDA CARTER ****
Irrepressible muppet joy. Lynda shines as a song and dance delight, while everyone else turns into superheroes. Janice gets a lead vocal as a humyn sacrifice in "A Little Help From My Friends", floyd takes a lead on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"...
MARK HAMILL ****
They turn a mindless megahit into sweet self-parody. Mark plays himself and skywalker, joined by Star Wars supporting actors (plus gonzo as vader, and piggy as the princess). In all the silliness, don't miss mark's genuine talent. The writing is superlative, the mayhem sensational...plus scooter giving a heartfelt version of harry chapin's "Six String Orchestra". Why did they never get chapin as guest??
DIZZIE GILLESPIE ***
A jazzy jambalaya, and waldorf's wife looks an awful lot like statler...
ANNE MURRAY ***
One of the more unassumingly sweet entries, highlighted by Beach Boy pigs on motorcycles and a charming Mayhem rendition of "Walk Right Back", fronted by anne.
JONATHAN WINTERS ***
Art mirrors life, as a "gypsy curse" (romani!) causes mayhem, but the episode seems genuinely cursed, as it fails to spark, even with an incandescent guest...until the ending, when the curse makes everyone speak swedish-chefese. Brilliant.
ANDY WILLIAMS ***
Smooth sailing, with a wonderful "Green Door" by fozzie, a brilliantly awful veterinarian's hospital, and a medley with andy that ranks with kermit's all-time classics.
DOUG HENNING **
Illuuuuusion. In all fairness, his finale is pretty great.
CAROL CHANNING **
Veterinarian's Hospital invades Pigs in Space!
DIANA ROSS ***
The most transcendent moment in the history of beakerdom, as he sings "Feelings" with the Electric Mayhem.
ALAN ARKIN ***
A dandy, with the devil and a jekyll/hyde formula making hay. Highlights are "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", and alan singing his own "Pig Shuffle".