Two very different people will have in-depth shows about them streaming on Disney Plus and Hulu in quick succession: beloved Muppets creator Jim Henson and fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.
The Disney Plus documentary about Jim Henson was created by Oscar-winning director Ron Howard. Jim Henson Ideaman follows his life from his early years operating puppets on children’s television to his creation of Sesame Street And The Muppet Show and further. According to Disney, we’ll get unprecedented access to Jim’s personal archives in what promises to be a fascinating look into the mind of a true original.
The subject of the second show, a limited series biopic about Karl Lagerfeld called Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, was considerably less sympathetic than the good vibe-spreading Henson. The blurb says he was a “complex and iconic personality”. Others, like actor Jameela Jamil, who wrote on Twitter (as seen by CBS News) preferring a “ruthless, fat-phobic misogynist” after his death. The show focuses on his 1970s friendship and rivalry with another big name, Yves Saint Laurent.
Should you watch Becoming Karl Lagerfeld?
As a designer, Lagerfeld was phenomenal. He successfully modernized the fashion house Chanel and his vision had a global impact, not only on what people wore, but also on what their clothes were made of. In 2018, Chanel made headlines around the world when it announced it would no longer use animal skins or fur, a move that has helped make the fashion industry a little less cruel.
But as a person, Lagerfeld was – deliberately – outraged, and his anti-fur credentials are a prime example: his rejection of fur came just a year after his Haute Fourrure, a deliberately provocative celebration of all things fur for the fashion house Fendi.
Lagerfeld was a self-proclaimed contrarian, a waspish, sharp-tongued character who said terrible things about women and pretty much anyone else to cause significant offense. For someone who brought so much beauty into the world, he had some pretty ugly views – although that was largely towards the end of his life, the show’s 1970s setting means we’re likely to see a more sympathetic version of Lagerfeld than the caricature. he would change.
Jim Henson Ideaman will be streaming from May 31st and Becoming Karl Lagerfeld will be available from June 7. Both shows are streaming on Hulu and on Disney Plus, the top streaming services.