After a successful return to the big screen with 2011's The Muppets and last year's sequel Muppets Most Wanted, The Muppets are returning to the small screen with a new TV series from The Big Bang Theory co-creator Bill Prady and Anger Management writer-producer Bob Kushell. ABC has ordered a comedy pilot presentation for the new Muppets TV series, which Deadline reports will be set behind-the-scenes of a late-night talk show. Both Bill Prady and Bob Kushell will executive produce, with Bob Kushell serving as showrunner, should it get picked up to series.

Disney-owned The Muppets Studios is co-producing with ABC Studios. Disney bought the Muppets character rights back in 2004, but this is the first we've heard of a new Muppets TV series. Of course, the franchise first started on the small screen with several of the characters appearing on Sesame Street when it debuted in 1969, before creator Jim Henson launched The Muppet Show in 1976, which ran for five seasons. The show spawned movies such as The Muppet Movie (1979), The Great Muppet Caper (1981), The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), A Muppet Family Christmas (1987), The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) and many more.

Bill Prady has a long history with the franchise, starting his career with Jim Henson Productions in the early 1980s. He wrote for the TV shows The Jim Henson Hour, Muppet Classic Theater and several other short films and specials. He also created another pilot presentation for a Muppets show back in 2007. The last Muppets TV series, Muppets Tonight, aired briefly in 1996, but given their newfound popularity, a return to the small screen certainly makes sense. Are you excited to see a new Muppets TV show? Let us know what you think below.