The BEST episodes of Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge season 1

Every episode of Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge season 1!

Ten aspiring creature creators competing to out-imagine one another in a series of challenges where they build everything from mechanical characters to whimsical beasts, bringing high-end creature designs to life. The contestants compete for a prize worth up to $100,000 including the opportunity for the job of a lifetime - a contract working at the world-renowned Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™.

Last Updated: 3/13/2025Network: SYFYStatus: Ended

8.69

32 votes

#1 - Tavern at the Crossroads

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 5/13/2014

The final three receive help from contestants who were previously eliminated as they face their toughest challenge, which is to design, build and perform a full-body mystical creature, complete with props and special effects, for the chance to win a job at Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

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8.29

34 votes

#2 - Swamp Things

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 4/29/2014

The designers make camouflaged creatures hiding in plain sight for a mystical swamp-theme challenge. Neville Page ("Face Off") serves as guest judge.

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8.18

60 votes

#3 - Alien Press Conference

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 5/6/2014

Gigi brings her "Farscape" costar Rygel to the workshop to offer inspiration when the creature designers are given the task to build original alien species attending an intergalactic press conference. Director Barry Sonnenfeld is the guest judge.

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7.91

35 votes

#4 - Life in Motion

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/22/2014

An appearance by Lady Gaga's unicorn inspires the creature designers to create a larger-than-life creation with realistic movement, performed on a blacklight soundstage.

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7.72

80 votes

#5 - Return Of The Skeksis

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 4/2/2014

The creature designers are given the chance to reimagine the fictional species Skeksis from "The Dark Crystal." Later, their characters appear in a screen test for the original 1982 film.

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7.64

58 votes

#6 - What Lies Beneath

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 3/25/2014

Ten designers compete in various challenges, having to build everything from whimsical beasts to mechanical characters and, in the series premiere, creatures that live in an undersea world that has remained untouched by humans.

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7.61

66 votes

#7 - Heads Up!

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 4/15/2014

A humor-filled challenge requires the designers to create mounted creature heads that magically come to life under the spell of a wizard played by Donald Faison.

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7.51

70 votes

#8 - Assembly Inspired

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/8/2014

Unconventional materials from a junkyard are used to create scrap-fantasy creatures that are trapped inside a hanging cage.

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