{ "id": "epsb5nq3np", "slug": "statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony", "title": "Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.early_english_webseries", "label": "Early English-language web series (1997–mid 2010s)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.early_english_webseries" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.early_english_webseries", "label": "United States · 2001 to 2020: Early English-language web series (1997–mid 2010s)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.early_english_webseries", "path": [ { "id": "geo.us", "label": "United States", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001", "label": "United States · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" }, { "id": "geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.early_english_webseries", "label": "Early English-language web series (1997–mid 2010s)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2001.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.early_english_webseries" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony is a Disney/Muppets Studio web series (2005–2006) on Movies.com in which the Muppet balcony hecklers review movies; 34–35 episodes, Webby and Telly award winner.", "snippet": "Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony is a Disney/Muppets Studio web series (2005–2006) on Movies.com in which the Muppet balcony hecklers review movies; 34–35 episodes, Webby and Telly award winner.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.early_english_webseries", "markdown": "# Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony\n\n**Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony** is an American web series starring the Muppet characters [Statler and Waldorf](https://www.edgepedia.org/statler-and-waldorf), the elderly hecklers of [The Muppet Show](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-muppet-show), who review upcoming movies, watch trailers, and deliver weekly commentary from their theater balcony. Produced by Muppets Studio for Disney, the series ran biweekly on the website Movies.com from June 2005 until September 2006 and won a People's Voice Webby Award for comedy.[1](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony) • [2](https://www.davidtarleton.com/film-statler.html)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Run | Biweekly on Movies.com, June 26, 2005 to September 20, 2006[3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/335132-show) |\n| Episode count | 35 episodes per Muppet Wiki, TheTVDB, and Moviefone; 34 per the series' editor David Tarleton[1](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony) • [2](https://www.davidtarleton.com/film-statler.html) |\n| Format | Short webisodes, averaging about 5 minutes, of the two curmudgeons discussing films and sharing the week's \"balconism\"[3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/335132-show) |\n| Awards | People's Voice 2007 Webby, Comedy: Longform; 2006 Telly Award; TIME \"25 Websites We Can't Live Without\" (2006)[4](https://winners.webbyawards.com/2007/video/general-video/comedy-longform/143071/statler-waldorf-from-the-balcony) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0861680/) • [2](https://www.davidtarleton.com/film-statler.html) |\n| Performers | Steve Whitmire (Statler, episodes 1–8), Dave Goelz (Waldorf), Drew Massey (Statler, pilot and episodes 9–34), Victor Yerrid (Waldorf, pilot and later episodes)[6](https://nerdspin.com/db/series/19935/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony) |\n| Distribution | Also available on iTunes as a subscribed podcast; later removed from Movies.com after Fandango bought the site[1](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony) • [7](https://lostmediaarchive.fandom.com/wiki/Statler_and_Waldorf%3A_From_the_Balcony_%28Web_Series%29) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise and format\n\nEach webisode placed Statler and Waldorf in their familiar balcony box, from which they discussed upcoming theatrical releases, watched the latest movie trailers, and shared the week's \"balconism\" from their theater box. The pair rated films on comic invented scales: episode 1 used a \"Snooze-O-Meter\" measuring how far into War of the Worlds and [Bewitched](https://www.edgepedia.org/bewitched) they would fall asleep, and later episodes introduced an \"old man driving scale,\" a \"pain-killer scale,\" and a \"car accident scale.\"[1](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony) • [8](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/335132-show/allseasons/official)\n\nMany webisodes featured segments spotlighting other Muppet characters. Pepe the King Prawn often reviewed recent DVD releases or gave remote reports, and fictional movie trailers or commercials starring other Muppets were common. Established characters including [Rowlf the Dog](https://www.edgepedia.org/rowlf-the-dog), Johnny Fiama, the [Swedish Chef](https://www.edgepedia.org/swedish-chef), Bobo the Bear, Dr. Teeth, [Animal](https://www.edgepedia.org/animal-muppet), Sam the Eagle, and Sweetums appeared, alongside new recurring gag characters such as Larry and Oliver, Lester Possum, Stan and Louie, and the Hollywood Pitchmen.[1](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony) • [9](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony/Rpttnfcn0fzwkfLk4UQYB4/)\n\nThe opening theme in the early run was a song from [The Great Muppet Caper](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-great-muppet-caper), replaced from episode 5 onward with an original instrumental composition.[1](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony)\n\n### Episodes and related projects\n\nThe episode count is reported differently across sources: Muppet Wiki, TheTVDB, and Moviefone list 35 episodes, while Tarleton's production account and the announcement of the 34th episode's debut give 34.[1](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony) • [3](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/335132-show) • [2](https://www.davidtarleton.com/film-statler.html) Beyond the biweekly episodes, the series produced promotional [Halloween](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween) and Oscar clips released to television news syndicates, including a \"Halloween Film Countdown\" with Statler dressed as a mummy and Waldorf as a vampire.[11](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Statler_%26_Waldorf%3A_From_the_Balcony)\n\nThe characters' web presence extended past the series. A 2008 follow-up, Internet Trolling with Statler & Waldorf, featured insulting responses to popular YouTube videos.[10](https://thetvdb.com/lists/7791)\n\n## Production and performers\n\nThe series was produced by Muppets Studio for Disney, following Disney's purchase of the Muppets rights in 2004. A test pilot premiered on February 25, 2005, with the first regular episode airing June 26, 2005.[8](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/335132-show/allseasons/official) • [10](https://thetvdb.com/lists/7791)\n\nPerforming duties changed during the run. [Steve Whitmire](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-whitmire) performed Statler and Dave Goelz performed Waldorf for episodes 1 through 8; from the pilot and episodes 9 onward, Drew Massey took over Statler and Victor Yerrid took over Waldorf, with Massey and Bill Barretta also covering other characters such as Pepe the King Prawn and Animal.[6](https://nerdspin.com/db/series/19935/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony) David Tarleton, who handled the entire post-production department across picture editing, sound editing and mix, and visual-effects compositing, describes the series as 34 episodes of the two old men riffing on movies, news, and pop culture.[2](https://www.davidtarleton.com/film-statler.html)\n\n## Reception\n\nOn May 1, 2007, it was announced that From the Balcony won the People's Voice 2007 Webby Award for Best Comedy Long Form or Series, having received the most votes among the five nominees in the category.[1](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony) • [4](https://winners.webbyawards.com/2007/video/general-video/comedy-longform/143071/statler-waldorf-from-the-balcony) The series also won a Silver Telly at the 2006 Telly Awards, cited by IMDb as Best Use of Humor in a Non-Broadcast Video and by Tarleton as Best Use of Comedy, and appeared on TIME Magazine's 2006 list of \"25 Websites We Can't Live Without.\"[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0861680/) • [2](https://www.davidtarleton.com/film-statler.html) IMDb records a user rating of 7.7/10 from 32 votes.[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0861680/)\n\n## Availability\n\nThe series is no longer available on Movies.com following the website's purchase by Fandango, a division of Comcast. Most of the episodes have since been uploaded to YouTube by fans.[7](https://lostmediaarchive.fandom.com/wiki/Statler_and_Waldorf%3A_From_the_Balcony_%28Web_Series%29) The characters themselves debuted as a pair in the 1975 pilot [The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-muppet-show-sex-and-violence) and are named after two New York City hotels, the Waldorf-Astoria and the Statler.[12](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Statler_and_Waldorf) • [13](https://mediafiles.cineplex.com/CineplexMagazine_March2014.pdf)\n\n## References\n\n1. [From the Balcony, Muppet Wiki](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/From_the_Balcony)\n2. [Statler & Waldorf: From the Balcony, David Tarleton](https://www.davidtarleton.com/film-statler.html)\n3. [Statler & Waldorf: From the Balcony, TheTVDB](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/335132-show)\n4. [Statler & Waldorf: From the Balcony, 2007 Webby Awards](https://winners.webbyawards.com/2007/video/general-video/comedy-longform/143071/statler-waldorf-from-the-balcony)\n5. [Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0861680/)\n6. [Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony (2005), Nerdspin Database](https://nerdspin.com/db/series/19935/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony)\n7. [Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony (Web Series), Lost Media Archive](https://lostmediaarchive.fandom.com/wiki/Statler_and_Waldorf%3A_From_the_Balcony_%28Web_Series%29)\n8. [Statler & Waldorf: From the Balcony, Aired Order, TheTVDB](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/335132-show/allseasons/official)\n9. [Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony/Rpttnfcn0fzwkfLk4UQYB4/)\n10. [The Muppets Web Series, TheTVDB](https://thetvdb.com/lists/7791)\n11. [Statler & Waldorf: From the Balcony, Disney Wiki](https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Statler_%26_Waldorf%3A_From_the_Balcony)\n12. [Statler and Waldorf, Muppet Wiki](https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Statler_and_Waldorf)\n13. [Muppets Most Wanted, Cineplex Magazine March 2014](https://mediafiles.cineplex.com/CineplexMagazine_March2014.pdf)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Early English-language web series (1997–mid 2010s)*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony](https://www.edgepedia.org/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony](https://www.edgepedia.org/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/statler-and-waldorf-from-the-balcony. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Statler and Waldorf: From the Balcony is a Disney/Muppets Studio web series on Movies.com in which the Muppet balcony hecklers review movies; 34–35 episodes, Webby and Telly award winner." }