Disney+ Gives Straight-to-Series Order for The Jim Henson Company Puppet Talk Show

Disney+ has issued a direct-to-series order for a new puppet talk show from The Jim Henson Company titled Earth to Ned, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jim Henson

  • Earth to Ned will be a half-hour talk show in which an alien interviews celebrity guests.
  • Disney+ and The Jim Henson Company have issued the following description of the new series:
    • The comedy follows Ned, a blue-skinned alien, and his lieutenant Cornelius, who were sent to scout Earth for an eventual invasion – but instead became obsessed with popular culture. Now they host a talk show, broadcast from the bridge of their spaceship hidden deep underground, where they interview our most precious commodity – celebrities – to talk about Ned’s current pop culture obsessions. Ned will be bringing real-life celebrity guests to his ship from across the known universe and interviewing them, late-night talk show style, in hopes of producing the ultimate talk show – making Ned a celebrity and putting him further off-mission. And the more Ned learns about our human culture, the more obsessed he becomes.
  • The series order comes just over a month after Josh Gad’s unannounced Muppets project was cancelled at Disney+.
  • Disney+ launches November 12.

What they’re saying:

  • Dan Silver, VP unscripted originals at Disney+: “Disney has a long history of giving audiences a glimpse at faraway lands and bringing new talent into the spotlight. We believe Ned is next in line. We’re lucky to have the talents of the Jim Henson Co. and the folks at Marwar Junction Productions helping Ned, Cornelius, BETI and the Clods to execute and fully realize their vision. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank Ned for promising to entertain us, rather than destroy us all.”