20 Best Muppet Christmas Carol Moments

(Image via Walt Disney Pictures/Jim Henson Productions)

18. Old Joe the Horrifying Spider Muppet

Old Joe is one of the few Muppets in The Muppet Christmas Carol to be an original creation. Though, to be fair, he does cameo in another fine Muppet film, Muppet Treasure Island. Considering how much work must go into developing and fabricating a Muppet, I can’t blame filmmakers for wanting to reuse him.

That said, he’s ultra-creepy. Old Joe is essentially a giant spider, as you have already surmised. He’s also in a beat up old hat and vest, which sounds almost cute until you see it on him.

We first meet Old Joe during Scrooge’s depressing adventure with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Three other Muppets – a crow Undertaker, a bug-like laundress, and a moth with a lot of eye makeup named Mrs. Dilber – are selling him goods. Where exactly did they get these items, you may ask? Well, apparent they’ve outright stolen things like bed curtains and sheets from Scrooge’s own home. It doesn’t help matters when you learn that they’ve waited until mere minutes after the old man’s death. Old Joe even remarks that the sheets are still apparently warm.

So, not only do we have to deal with a creepy giant spider Muppet for a few minutes, but we also have to grapple with the specter of quasi-grave robbing. Fun! Memorable!