The Muppets to be a vital component of its increasing popularity, providing an "effective and pleasurable viewing" method of presentation for the series' educational curriculum. In the early 1970s, the Muppets continued their presence in television, primarily appearing in "The Land of Gorch" segments during the first season of "Saturday Night Live". As his involvement with "Sesame Street" continued, Henson mused about the possibility of creating a network television series featuring the Muppets; as opposed to "Sesame Street", however, this proposed series would be aimed at a more adult audience and focus largely on sketch comedy. Two pilot specials, "The Muppets Valentine
The Muppets which were similar in format to "The Muppet Show", and three films: "The Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992), "Muppet Treasure Island" (1996), and "Muppets from Space" (1999). Disney acquired the Muppets in February 2004, allowing the characters to gain broader public exposure than in previous years. Under Disney, the Muppets achieved revitalized success, starring in two films - "The Muppets" (2011) and "Muppets Most Wanted" (2014) - as well as a short-lived primetime television series on ABC and a reboot of the "Muppet Babies" animated series. Throughout their six-decade career, the Muppets have been regarded as a staple of the entertainment