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As is, there’s something just a little jarring about seeing an accurately-sculpted human head atop a minifigure’s shoulders, nose and all (even if that nose is a defining characteristic of Swedish Chef’s appearance), and it’s where 71033 The Muppets starts to cross the line into action figure territory. It works within the context of the rest of this particular series, but does it work within the context of LEGO as a medium? That’s perhaps for you to decide. Gonzo With all those zany experiments in mind, though, it’s maybe a touch disappointing that the good doctor is only accompanied by a very basic beaker. (Note: that’s beaker lowercase, not Beaker uppercase, who’s anything but basic – more on him in a sec.) Bar his toe and side leg printing, he’s also among the least detailed minifigures in the range, so perhaps only one for completists (or diehard Muppet science fans). Beaker The Muppets’ veritable everyman and arguably their main character (as much as there can be one in an ensemble cast), getting Kermit right was fundamental to making 71033 The Muppets work, and he’s prototypical of the series’ approach to all its characters: keep it simple, stupid.
Minifigures 71033 The Muppets [Review] LEGO Collectible Minifigures 71033 The Muppets [Review]
In LEGO Springfield, every character gets their own single-purpose head, establishing a template since followed by select Disney characters across two series, and all but one of the dozen minifigures in last year’s 71030 Looney Tunes. And as it did first in 2014, then again in 2021, and now again in 2022, that potentially-divisive design standard raises the question: at what point do these minifigures stop being minifigures, and start being action figure heads atop minifigure bodies? That’s largely by dint of the fact he’s a human character, and as such fits very neatly into the template defined by thousands of other minifigures based on humans over the past few decades. His bushy eyebrows and ‘tache would have looked just fine printed on a standard minifigure head, with a removable chef’s hat on top. No LEGO version of any character, ship, vehicle, location or historical event can be a truly accurate recreation, simply by virtue of the medium: this is an artistic tool, and artistic licence must therefore be granted. We say all this to explain why the limitations of the LEGO Group’s existing colour palette are easy to forgive when it comes to these characters, whether it’s Fozzie Bear or Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. But then there’s that question again: when is a LEGO minifigure nota minifigure? Because while all 12 of these characters are wholly authentic to their on-screen counterparts, it means that some of them – Statler, Waldorf, Swedish Chef – are clearly Muppets first, and LEGO minifigures second, perhaps prizing that authenticity above the classic LEGO design language we’re familiar with. One of two members of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem represented in 71033 The Muppets – and perhaps the biggest omissions beyond Scooter are the rest of that band – Janice is much better suited to the LEGO Group’s current colour palette than some of her fellow characters, and almost every facet of her minifigure captures her on-screen presence perfectly.Fozzie comes with a nightclub-style microphone stand and a banana. Mic stands are a classic stand-up comedian tool, although Fozzie tended to work without one. The banana is no doubt in reference to the hilarious Banana Sketch from the Sandy Duncan episode. Here’s where things start to get really questionable. If Swedish Chef pushes the limits of how far these moulded heads should go, Statler and Waldorf have left those barriers in the dust. These are full human heads, that absolutely resemble full human heads – eyes, mouth, nose, ears and so on – sculpted, moulded and thrust on to minifigure bodies.
Muppets minifigures arriving later this year - 9to5Toys LEGO Muppets minifigures arriving later this year - 9to5Toys
Miss Piggy debuted on screens a full 21 years after Kermit, in the original The Muppet Show, but she’s arguably now just as iconic as her green co-star (or, we’re sure she’d say, way more iconic). Giving Kermit mid-sized legs goes some way to communicating the difference in stature between the on-again, off-again pair, but the heavy lifting is otherwise left to their unique head moulds.Her accessory – a printed 2×3 tile with a picture of her own face, presumably a poster or magazine cover – is a little less thrilling, though totally on point for the character. Fozzie Bear
Muppets Minifigures: 71033 | Waterstones LEGO ® The Muppets Minifigures: 71033 | Waterstones
It has been long-reported that the LEGO Group would be expanding its Collectible Minifigure Series into yet another new exciting property. While Star Wars fans have been eager to see if a galaxy far, far away will join the likes of the Marvel lineup from last fall, today we’re getting a first look at what to expect from the latest collection. As is, we’re left with only a dozen characters to collect, but what a dozen they are. There’s no denying each and every one of the head sculpts here is a near-perfect representation of the Muppets, demonstrating what can be achieved by an element design team already well experienced in transforming iconic TV characters into LEGO minifigures. While her guitar is appropriate for her main role in Electric Mayhem – she’s the band’s bassist – she’s also played tambourine, and even fronted on trumpet and trombone for the orchestra on occasion, so a second instrument would have really topped things off. It’s hard to quibble with what’s here, though, and that’s perhaps what’s destined to be 71033 The Muppets’ most underrated character. (You heard it here first.) AnimalKeep collections to yourself or inspire other shoppers! Keep in mind that anyone can view public collections - they may also appear in recommendations and other places. Whether you want to get a full set or just a few favorites, be sure to watch out for our Feel Guide coming soon! Speaking of…this is Beaker, Bunsen Honeydew’s long-suffering assistant. More often than not, Beaker serves as Bunsen’s guinea-pig for the latest Muppet Labs inventions. Beaker’s cylindrical head is molded with his uniquely hinged mouth agape. He’s also dressed in a lab coat, but in yellowish-green. His standard legs are dual molded with intricate shoe printing at the bottom. The second old curmudgeon, Statler, appears here in a dark blue suit and comes with a surprisingly modern accessory — a laptop featuring a screen image of Muppet gofer Scooter (who, like Statler, was performed by Richard Hunt). If you’re looking for Animal in particular, just give the bags a shake and listen out for the one that rattles the most: there are a lot of pieces in there… — Price —
LEGO 71033 Minifigures The Muppets Limited Edition Collection
It’s a choice, for sure, and one the LEGO Group has made before – so likely one you already have an opinion on, though it’s maybe taken to even further extremes here with the Muppets’ human characters. Either way, it’s also exemplary of the Collectible Minifigures’ recent approach to its licensed themes, which – between 71030 Looney Tunes and 71033 The Muppets – seems to be slapping novelty heads on minifigure bodies. Between his versatile torso and legs with dual moulding and side printing, fun accessories – a printed tomato head (that we couldn’t resist popping on a couple of cowled characters) and whisk – and arguably the most impressive head sculpt of all 12 characters (the hat is moulded to his head), Swedish Chef is easily one of 71033 The Muppets’ stand-out minifigures. However, he’s also one of three in this series that perhaps would have worked just as well, or even better, as a traditional minifigure. Muppet Show Christmas Sweatshirt, Tis The Season To be Jolly Sweater, Muppet Christmas Carol Shirt,Christmas Carol Kermit Gonzo Animal Shirt Rowlf’s head sculpt is as good as any of his contemporaries, but his torso and leg printing suffers from the same issue as Fozzie Bear’s, and to an even greater extent given the darker brown used here: it’s almost toosubtle, and hardly distinguishable in certain lighting. Statler and Waldorf In the context of the rest of the series, they do work – like Swedish Chef – but they’d probably have worked just as well as standard minifigures. What detail can’t be conveyed through printing and hairpieces alone? We all recognise Anakin Skywalker, or Thor, or Hermione Granger, and surely we’d also have recognised Statler and Waldorf.
Whatever you make of this continued approach to minifigures, in design or in number, it’s hard to say that any of the 12 characters in 71033 The Muppets doesn’t belong here – while perhaps the most notable omission does get some representation, if only through an accessory… Kermit the Frog The answer may lie in 71033 The Muppets. The LEGO Group’s latest adventure into this unorthodox design language takes the DNA of Jim Henson’s classic characters and realises them in an appropriately colourful cast of blind-bagged minifigures, each representing the pinnacle of what’s possible with LEGO characters in 2022. They’re brilliantly designed, instantly recognisable – and perhaps more authentic than it should be possible to get through the LEGO lens… — Set details — Perhaps they needed those detailed heads for how plain they otherwise are, though, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Resign those sculpted pieces to your parts drawers and you’re left with a brand new pair of LEGO suits for your wardrobe, including mid-sized brown legs with boot printing. Rowlf the Dog might not be the character you first think of when you hear the word ‘Muppets’ in 2022, but he boasts the biggest legacy: the first Muppet to soar to national stardom in the early ‘60s, he was also one of those rare early characters designed as a live-hand puppet, and he was even one of the first Muppets based on a specific real-world animal.
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