The Best of the Muppet Show: Steve Martin/Carol Burnett/Gilda Radner

In the immortal words of Sondheim, this compilation of three classic episodes from The Muppet Show offers something familiar (a little Gilbert and Sullivan) and something peculiar (an Eskimo version of “Lullaby of Broadway”). Yes, there's comedy tonight as Steve Martin, Carol Burnett, and the late Gilda Radner take the Muppet stage. The Martin episode, atypical for its lack of a laugh track, is best, since “wild and crazy guy” Steve's conceptual comedy (at one point, he agrees to make balloon animals without blowing them up) is in tune with the Muppets' subversively funny takes on show business convention. The Burnett episode, an Emmy Award-winner for writing, is a surefooted affair conceived around an ongoing dance marathon that thwarts an increasingly flustered Carol's attempts to entertain. And never in her Saturday Night Live heyday did the charming and versatile Gilda get to duet with a seven-foot-tall carrot. There is, sadly, nothing like The Muppet Show on the air today to offer families something for everyone. So it's a treat to see these classic characters once again, not to mention their distinguished guest stars, in their prime. DVD extras include intros by Brian Henson, more "Muppetisms," and a photo gallery. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (K. Lee Benson)