Best of the Muppet Show - Peter Sellers / John Cleese / Dudley Moore (1976)

This delightful collection of episodes from The Muppet Show celebrates three British comic giants who rose to fame in the 1960s and early '70s. Peter Sellers is right at home immersing himself in layers of costumes and accents, portraying a gypsy violinist getting heckled by his kin and a sadistic orthopedist (with Hitler mustache) tying patients into knots. (During Kermit's ritual interview with a guest, Sellers says, "I do not exist. I had myself surgically removed.") While actor-musician Dudley Moore's guest shot never quite gets traction--the script is dominated by lame jokes about a music-making machine threatening the jobs of the Muppets' house band--there's a funny jam session featuring Moore on piano in a crumbling set. The John Cleese show is best, with the lanky Monty Python genius outraged about having to work with pigs and refusing to participate in cheesy Wagnerian opera. --Tom Keogh