Review: 21324 123 Sesame Street
Posted by CapnRex101,
Sesame Street was introduced during 1969 and has maintained outstanding fame, entertaining children around the world. The appealing LEGO Ideas submission belonging to Bulldoozer has therefore proven intensely popular and elicited considerable anticipation.
21324 123 Sesame Street deviates dramatically from the original creation, expanding its focus beyond the renowned apartment building and including Hooper's Store. Additionally, new elements have been introduced to depict popular Sesame Street characters, establishing an important development for the LEGO Ideas theme!
Box and Contents
Despite its traditionally youthful audience, 21324 123 Sesame Street features 18+ branding which is somewhat surprising. The model certainly appeals to nostalgia but would be equally suitable for intermediate builders in my opinion. Nevertheless, the packaging looks appealing because the colourful Sesame Street environment stands out against the black backdrop and the green border is perfect.
The box includes eleven bags which are numbered between one and six. These contain an extraordinarily varied selection of interesting elements, including many which appear in new colours here. The instruction manual comprises 256 pages and its cover focuses exclusively upon the minifigures rather than the entire set, unusually.
Several pages are dedicated to information about Sesame Street and the manual also features comments from the fan designer, Ivan Guerrero. Unfortunately, there is little information about the design process which is disappointing given the changes between Ivan's creation and the revised model, although Ollie Gregory and Crystal Marie Fontan comment upon the influence exerted by Sesame Street.
LEGO Ideas sets frequently include printed parts instead of stickers, although the decorations here are particularly numerous. 23 stickers are therefore required, featuring various characters and memorable details from throughout the long history of Sesame Street. Several new printed elements are also provided, along with multiple pieces in new colours.
Minifigures
Several hundred characters have appeared throughout the history of Sesame Street, the most prominent of whom is probably Big Bird. This minifigure includes a specialised head and torso component which is made from rubber and features suitable feathered texture. The arms return from the Chicken Suit Guy Collectable Minifigure, complementing the head and torso, while the legs are decorated with accurate stripes across the front and sides.
Elmo appears simple by comparison, lacking any decoration across his torso and legs. I think printed texture might have been useful to represent fur, although that would potentially appear strange unless the printing continued across the entire minifigure. Nevertheless, this exclusive head looks perfect when compared with the original character and the joyous facial expression captures Elmo's excitable personality.
Another unique head has been created for Cookie Monster, featuring an equally appropriate expression that reflects his manic energy. The googly eyes appear particularly effective in that regard. In addition, I like the moulded texture across the reverse and the integration of medium legs loosely reflects Cookie Monster's onscreen size when compared with the other residents of Sesame Street.
Oscar the Grouch rarely emerges from his rubbish bin and is accordingly integrated with the standard LEGO bin component here! This design negates any need for new moulds, instead featuring an exclusive print on BB-8's round body. Oscar's grumpy expression certainly looks good and I like the dustbin lid attached on top of his head, although this element lacks texture which is important in replicating Oscar's matted fur.
However, new head components have been created for both Bert and Ernie. These popular characters were introduced during the first episode of Sesame Street and they look excellent here, wearing striped jumpers which closely resemble their original attire. Bert is slightly taller than his counterpart so features dark green medium legs, making their second appearance in this colour, while Ernie includes short legs.
The detailed heads are undoubtedly the most outstanding features of these two minifigures though. Their fuzzy hair looks absolutely fantastic and the varying skin tones seem accurate when compared with the source material as well. Moreover, the collar moulded around Bert's neck matches the onscreen character and complements the decoration on his torso.
Bert possesses an impressive collection of books, providing an ideal opportunity for Ernie to interrupt while Bert is reading. Cooking with Oatmeal is probably among his favourite tomes, appearing in the Talk Slower and Rhyming Game sketches. The lavender looks great when compared with these sketches and another sticker is placed inside, showing the ingredients which Bert mentions during the Rhyming Game.
The Completed Model
Bulldoozer's original LEGO Ideas submission focused exclusively upon 123 Sesame Street, although the final design also integrates Hooper's Store which is correctly located diagonally opposite the apartment building. I think they look magnificent together, measuring 30cm wide and featuring complementary colours. However, the varied orientation for each building does create challenges for display because the interior of Hooper's Store remains rather exposed.
The famous Sesame Street sign stands prominently at the corner, incorporating two printed pieces which closely resemble the onscreen design. Admittedly, the shape of the 1x1 tile with rounded side does differ from the source material but I think this was the best available option. Moreover, I love the iridescent element that forms the lampshade, returning from Mysterio and Mr. Freeze minifigures in a new colour. The post underneath also appears in green for the first time.
Big Bird resides in his nest beside 123 Sesame Street and that classic location is present here. The nest is represented by a reddish brown tub component which looks lovely and Big Bird's cherished bear, Radar, is placed inside with a pair of blue roller skates. A blue mailbox stands outside and the neighbouring tree looks splendid, featuring bright green and lime green foliage.
An orange cabinet furnishes the tree which compares favourably with the series, although the medium azure vehicle on top appears odd. I believe this is intended to depict Big Bird's dump truck toy, in which case dark green or red and yellow would have been accurate. Furthermore, the connection between the tree trunk and the leaves feels slightly loose so the cabinet can be dislodged quite easily.
However, I love the colourful elements behind Big Bird's nest, matching the varying doors that surround the nest onscreen. The dark blue stable door is cleverly integrated and displays Big Bird's drawing of Mr Hooper, originating from one of Sesame Street's most beloved episodes when Big Bird learns of Mr Hooper's death. A photograph of Mr. Snuffleupagus is fixed on the wall as well.
Oscar's rubbish bin was historically located beside the entrance to 123 Sesame Street but has now been replaced by a blue mailbox. This is cleverly constructed using syringes as the legs, although these cannot connect with the studded surface below. The neighbouring staircase looks marvellous, featuring an appropriate combination of tan and medium nougat elements which contrast against the dark bluish grey steps.
The opening doors are flanked by two external lights, including the iridescent gems that were created for DOTS. I appreciate the consistent colours between light fixtures within this set and the narrow window above the entrance looks great, especially since the number '123' is printed on the central trans-clear 1x2 brick. The doors look reasonable too, although these lack realistic panelling.
An attractive carving decorates the portico above the door, corresponding precisely with the original location. Unfortunately, including such extensive detail has required the designer to enlarge this structure, thereby occupying the space where another window should appear. I understand the reasoning behind this decision but think the building appears rather awkward without the correct distribution of windows across the exterior.
However, the window on the side of 123 Sesame Street looks excellent and features Ernie's window box. The colourful flowers are very attractive and a printed milk carton is placed here, where the tiny Twiddlebugs reside. While the selection of characters included is comparatively limited, myriad references to the absent characters are provided which is effective.
Four additional windows are distributed across the front of the building, each comprising two green window frames with 1x2 tiles which create an appropriate shape. The medium nougat window ledges and angular hood-moulds look lovely and I appreciate how their open design reveals the colourful furniture inside, thereby avoiding an excessive abundance of tan pieces.
Rubbish bins are stored outside 123 Sesame Street, including Oscar the Grouch's residence. Their arrangement behind a short wall looks perfect and the blue recycling bin reflects recent series of Sesame Street. Various accessories are visible here, including an uncommon green sack that was previously exclusive to 4002019 Christmas X-wing, but my favourite inclusion is Slimey. Oscar's striped worm is represented by a printed 1x1 heart tile and appears delightfully cheerful, in contrast with Oscar.
Additional references to the absent Sesame Street characters decorate the final external wall, including an impressive mural depicting Abby Cadabby above her fairy garden! The bright pink and lavender colour scheme definitely stands out and I love the colourful flowers. Abby's magic wand appears here as well, albeit differing from her onscreen accessory.
Biff and Sully's construction company is advertised above the mural. Their minifigure designs look brilliant on this sticker and I like the external fire escape underneath, although its position seems remarkably impractical! The lattice design is extremely successful, returning from other sets, while the plants provide a pleasing splash of colour to this floor and complement the fairy garden.
Wonderful detail continues throughout the interior, although the reduced scale has resulted in multiple omissions when compared with the original submission. The dearth of interior walls is definitely notable and affects the division between the entrance hall and Elmo's bedroom quite severely, despite the differing carpet colours. Nevertheless, I like the telephone, fire alarm and notice board that features sketches of Telly Monster and the inquisitive Martians.
Two further stickers are situated inside Elmo's bedroom. These display Elmo with his father, Louie, alongside a photograph showing Zoe and Rosita. Once again, the addition of copious references to characters outside the primary cast is thoroughly enjoyable. Furthermore, I like how bright colours are employed extensively throughout Elmo's bedroom, due in particular to the blue furnishings.
Elmo's bed looks especially attractive, accommodating the diminutive character and featuring blue 1x1 tiles with rounded sides that have only previously appeared in 41919 Power Bracelet. The toys scattered across the room are equally charming, including an adorable steam train, a bunny and a rocket. Elmo's pet goldfish, Dorothy, is also included inside her fishbowl.
Bert and Ernie traditionally reside in the basement apartment of 123 Sesame Street, although moving its location to the first floor provides further room. The designer has certainly exploited that space to good effect, including two identical beds for Bert and Ernie which are surrounded by details from the television series. Bert's bottle cap and paper clip collections are particularly fun, having appeared periodically throughout the history of Sesame Street.
The portrait of Bert and Ernie is interesting, taking inspiration from the painting which usually appears in their living room. The bedroom painting inverts the two characters. Nevertheless, I appreciate how the portrait reflects their respective minifigure designs and the bedside lamp is remarkably faithful to the series, featuring an angular shade. The olive green dinosaur appears odd though, given the omission of printed eyes.
Ernie's proclivity for bubble baths has been obvious throughout the history of Sesame Street. The bathtub is therefore included beside an armchair from Bert and Ernie's living room. Once again, the absence of internal walls detracts from the design but the carpets do contrast and I think the building would have required considerable expansion to accommodate dividing walls between separate rooms.
Several colourful books are displayed behind the armchair and the accompanying wall clock looks lovely, originating from the Pinball Number Count animated segments. Additionally, the bathtub is exceptionally detailed and I like the integration between 1x2 curved slopes and 1x1 quarter circle tiles at each corner. The pearl gold highlights seem equally attractive and Ernie's ubiquitous Rubber Duckie is provided beside the bath.
The roof is not completely covered which is unusual, instead comprising 8x8 wedge plates at each corner. That design provides easier access to the interior and leaves sufficient space for rooftop decoration, including Bert's pigeon coop that makes impressive use of golden window lattices. The traditional television antenna and white birds are excellent too, although pigeons would have been more appropriate than these doves.
An alien spacecraft appears at the opposite end of the rooftop, presumably belonging to the aforementioned Martians. Their vehicle has varied in appearance so this traditional saucer is effective and I like the bright green 3L bar under the dome, perhaps depicting an alien inside! The neighbouring cluster of chimneys is attractive too and reflects real brownstone apartment buildings in New York City.
Hooper's Store stands diagonally opposite 123 Sesame Street, with an outdoor dining space between them. The puppets commonly interact with the human characters here and this area looks marvellous, featuring an elegant lamppost and wrought iron railings that correspond with the onscreen location. The red and white tablecloth appears particularly delightful and I love the tiny flower, incorporating a stem element that was created for the Minions range.
The serving counter takes inspiration from more recent seasons of Sesame Street, including black and yellow chequers beneath the counter. This sticker is applied across a black 2x6 tile which was previously exclusive to 71374 Nintendo Entertainment System. I am delighted with the detailed cash register and the white coffee cup looks nice, perhaps representing Big Bird's favourite bird seed milkshakes.
Grover's exclusion from this set is disappointing, although he appears in the guise of Super Grover on a newspaper outside Hooper's Store. Another newspaper expresses horror at an imminent porridge shortage, originating from an episode broadcast during 2009. The door is green so complements the surrounding walls and I like the dark green and white awning that incorporates the new 2x2 curved corner slope.
Dark orange bricks are employed across the first floor, contrasting against the green façade underneath. These bands of various colours are remarkably appealing and I like the window which is surrounded by tan tiles. The sand green highlights immediately below the roof seem comparatively simple but I think the continued contrasting bands are successful.
While the appearance of Hooper's Store was updated during 2016, several traditional design features remain intact. The signage appears particularly effective in that respect, featuring an older font which corresponds with the onscreen location. The vertical sign does include some mismatched colours that deviate from the source material but they appear consistent with the world of Sesame Street.
Various items are available for sale inside the shop, including numerous printed tiles which return from DOTS and 80105 Chinese New Year Temple Fair. The bag of peanuts is notably intriguing because this component was actually created for the delayed 75547 Minion Pilot in Training. The exposed Technic pin holes are interesting too, perhaps suggesting that another Sesame Street set may be produced in the future.
Cookie Monster moved into an apartment above Hooper's Store during 2016, featuring some wonderful furniture which complements that placed inside 123 Sesame Street. The bright light yellow armchair resembles that shown whenever Cookie Monster occupies the aristocratic role of Alistair Cookie and Cookie Monster's Foodie Truck is displayed on the wall. Additionally, the television features Guy Smiley.
Unfortunately, the popular Count von Count does not appear in minifigure form here, instead being shown in a portrait inside Cookie Monster's apartment. The bat on the roof also makes reference to the ancient vampire which is fun, although I believe the Count should have been included. Nevertheless, these references are nicely integrated and the air conditioning unit on the roof looks remarkably authentic.
Overall
Comprehensively representing the myriad characters, locations and memorable items which have appeared throughout Sesame Street would be almost impossible, even across multiple products. 21324 123 Sesame Street achieves exceptional variety though, integrating various important details and references alongside six prominent characters. The introduction of new elements for several of these minifigures is extremely effective, ensuring absolute accuracy.
Of course, additional minifigures depicting Grover, Count von Count and Abby Cadabby would have been welcome, although the existing selection seems rather generous given the range of new parts which are needed. The orientation of Hooper's Store is also somewhat disappointing because its interior is rather exposed. Perhaps the smaller building could have been connected using hinges, enabling you to switch between the accurate arrangement and one more suited to display.
Despite these issues, I remain extremely impressed with 21324 123 Sesame Street and I am pleased that so many characters are acknowledged here. Furthermore, the price of £109.99 or $119.99 seems quite reasonable, particularly given the quantity of unique moulds and pieces which appear in new colours. I would therefore have no hesitation in recommending this set to any Sesame Street fan!
This set was provided for review by The LEGO Group but the review represents an expression of my own opinions.
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118 comments on this article
I’m so excited to get this!! Excellent review Cap ;)
Weren't Ideas sets known for not having any sticker, or at least very few? How can it have 600 less parts and cost the same as the Saturn V which had tons of exclusive prints and bigger parts?
And quarter and doll style houses for an 18+ set? Disappointing.
I do think its shame they didn't split the original idea into two sets if they were so determined to keep to a budget, which is how this appears. While the detail is clever, it does look a little percarious in some places because of the limits of the design.
I really need to get this. I loved Sesame Street as a kid and this looks like so much fun!
@R0Sch said:
"Weren't Ideas sets known for not having any sticker, or at least very few? How can it have 600 less parts and cost the same as the Saturn V which had tons of exclusive prints and bigger parts?
And quarter and doll style houses for an 18+ set? Disappointing."
Poor comparison IMO
Saturn V had very few unique printed elements (and most were one color), whereas Sesame Street has a decent selection of printed and quite a few large stickers. Had those stickers been multi-color printed pieces the set would have ended up being prohibitively expensive.
I'm not even going to address the differences in piece count. Sesame Street has such a wide array of elements and colors whereas Saturn V did not.
Does the box open like regular IDEAS sets?
Ah yes, another set subjected to floating in the void of space because apparently that's what adults like.
@R0Sch said:
"Weren't Ideas sets known for not having any sticker, or at least very few? How can it have 600 less parts and cost the same as the Saturn V which had tons of exclusive prints and bigger parts?
And quarter and doll style houses for an 18+ set? Disappointing."
I would guess the new molds, of which almost every character in this set has, contributed to the cost differences. And they're new molds that really can't be used anywhere else; it's not like they can then be color swapped and put in another set. When new molds are made, they often then are used frequently down the road. These can't be, so I'm thinking the cost goes towards that.
Fingers crossed for a Sesame Street collectible minifigure series next year.
Holding out for Super-Grover and The Count.
It's odd that the official set lost one of the upstairs windows. That really bugs me. Otherwise, it's an amazing looking set and a great tribute to a show I grew up with many decades ago. I'll be building it with my toddler son and adding it to our city.
I love this set, wasn't a massive fan of Sesame Street growing up but it was part of my childhood nevertheless. It ticks all the right boxes, lots of detail and play potential, and more importantly for us AFOLs, it hits the nostalgia spot just right imo. Sadly I won't be buying, my policy of not purchasing premium sets that include stickers is saving me a fortune.
@R0Sch said:
"Weren't Ideas sets known for not having any sticker, or at least very few? How can it have 600 less parts and cost the same as the Saturn V which had tons of exclusive prints and bigger parts?
And quarter and doll style houses for an 18+ set? Disappointing."
I think it might be a compromise with the new pieces that were produced.
What a fun, colorful set!
@aleydita said:
"I love this set, wasn't a massive fan of Sesame Street growing up but it was part of my childhood nevertheless. It ticks all the right boxes, lots of detail and play potential, and more importantly for us AFOLs, it hits the nostalgia spot just right imo. Sadly I won't be buying, my policy of not purchasing premium sets that include stickers is saving me a fortune."
And causing you to miss out on a ton of great sets. But you do you :)
18+ , really.
I really hate these ‘facade’ sets.
I would have bought the Ideas submission at EUR 200 or so. I have zero interest in this.
I don’t understand why they selected this set then ruined it.
It I was the original submitter I would disown the final set.
It's a nice set, but for me to be more relatable it would need the characters I associate most with Sesame Street, like Samson and Tiffy. Don't remember this large yellow bird, or Elmo come to think of it. Ernie and Bert are must haves of course, as is the Cookie Monster. Oscar doesn't look like his counterpart from the show at all to me sadly.
And why no Graf Zahl (Count von Count)? That's an almost inexcusable omission imho.
As for the stickers, thankfully most of them don't depict anything I would consider particularly reminiscent of Sesame Street at all, other than the picture of Ernie and Bert. So I would simply not apply all the others. Plus, the most important thing, the street sign, is printed.
Great review. I don't know know why it is a 18+. Only reason I complained because I don't like the black box and instructions. Nonetheless, I am getting this set for a gift. Hopefully this will not sell out in the first 6 months.
I was hoping to gain a Modular-compatible brownstone for my collection that also happened to be an awesome tribute to Sesame Street. For an "18+" set to get instead more of a nod to the current 2016– HBO set, instead of the legacy PBS colorful doors and garbage can stack, and have it be such a poor display piece (eg the awkward open end of Hoopers, the poor roof design of the brownstone, etc) makes this set not have the appeal I was anticipating. Yes the price point is lower, but that came with too many compromises for my taste notwithstanding the charming Bert, Ernie and Big Bird figures.
@mkrey said:
"Fingers crossed for a Sesame Street collectible minifigure series next year.
"
With some Muppets and Fraggles!
@AustinPowers said:
"It's a nice set, but for me to be more relatable it would need the characters I associate most with Sesame Street, like Samson and Tiffy. Don't remember this large yellow bird, or Elmo come to think of it. Ernie and Bert are must haves of course, as is the Cookie Monster. Oscar doesn't look like his counterpart from the show at all to me sadly.
And why no Graf Zahl (Count Count)? That's an almost inexcusable omission imho.
As for the stickers, thankfully most of them don't depict anything I would consider particularly reminiscent of Sesame Street at all, other than the picture of Ernie and Bert. So I would simply not apply all the others. Plus, the most important thing, the street sign, is printed. "
?
Big Bird was in the first episode, and every episode ever since. Elmo's been involved for 40 of the 50 years.
Opportunity missed, should of numbered this set 12345, or possibly 54321.
@AustinPowers said:
"It's a nice set, but for me to be more relatable it would need the characters I associate most with Sesame Street, like Samson and Tiffy. Don't remember this large yellow bird, or Elmo come to think of it. Ernie and Bert are must haves of course, as is the Cookie Monster. Oscar doesn't look like his counterpart from the show at all to me sadly.
And why no Graf Zahl (Count von Count)? That's an almost inexcusable omission imho.
As for the stickers, thankfully most of them don't depict anything I would consider particularly reminiscent of Sesame Street at all, other than the picture of Ernie and Bert. So I would simply not apply all the others. Plus, the most important thing, the street sign, is printed. "
I didn't have any idea who you were talking about, and thought this was sarcasm, but I looked up and realized Samson and Tiffy are characters from the German version. However, Big Bird is the most iconic Sesame Street character in general though, and I would argue the world even.
While I really like the set as a whole there are so many great details that stand out to me, such as the window design (maybe time to reintroduce a 1x4x2 window frame?), the beds, the bathtub, the chairs, the tv...
@mkrey said:
"Fingers crossed for a Sesame Street collectible minifigure series next year.
"
Just what I was thinking too.
Part of the beauty of this set is the amount of redesign needed to turn it into an attractive city building for other uses is minimal, perfect for those who don't have interest in Sesame Street. Just buy it, sell the minifigs and license specific parts, replace them with other things, and you're done! Badabing badabang badaboom! But for those who love the theme (including me), this looks swell. Yes, I have to agree, a bit more could have been added, but this is still a phenomenal looking set! Let's hope this opens up a new lineup!
Gotta love those minifigures but, man, the design of the buildings absolutely exceeded my expectations!
@Squidkid_Belmont said:
"Part of the beauty of this set is the amount of redesign needed to turn it into an attractive city building for other uses is minimal, perfect for those who don't have interest in Sesame Street. Just buy it, sell the minifigs and license specific parts, replace them with other things, and you're done! Badabing badabang badaboom! But for those who love the theme (including me), this looks swell. Yes, I have to agree, a bit more could have been added, but this is still a phenomenal looking set! Let's hope this opens up a new lineup!"
I hope so too! And even if it doesn't, I'll make my own buildings to connect to it. Those Technic bricks with holes do seem to be hinting at something though...
I look into the void, and Elmo stares back.
But seriously, the 18+ box design is getting a little silly. Sesame Street is definitely a show I associate with expensive adult collectibles for adults only. Come on, get some Duplo sets out while you have the license! Let the kids enjoy it too.
For something like this (theme, open back, relatively not so difficult build, size, etc) it should not be 18+.
In France, and several other countries as well apparently, we didn't have Big Bird but some alternate character, Toccata, a tall white bird.
@elisewong18 said:
"Great review. I don't know know why it is a 18+. Only reason I complained because I don't like the black box and instructions. Nonetheless, I am getting this set for a gift. Hopefully this will not sell out in the first 6 months. "
No, it will sell out in the first 6 hours ;-)
OK, maybe not, it looks like one of these recent sets that will sell out eventually when all other recent sets have sold out...
You ever just remove a window and then put a bathtub in your living room?
Me neither
@CCC said:
"Given they went with stickers anyway for most of the decorations, it is a shame that they didn't provide artwork for different eras. So you could opt to put that Abby Cadabby (never heard of her) sticker on if you like that one, or a more vintage one if you are somewhat older.
"
Well, I guess the advantage of stickers is that you don’t have to apply it at all...
18+ guarantees some life experience, raising the chances of applying the stickers correctly??
I like the set, albeit unfortunately without Grove and count Count.
Just a shame (apart from the stickers, why??) that the box art becomes pretty dull, employing the same template for everything. That was on of the charms of the Ideas range.
@monkyby87 said:
"I didn't have any idea who you were talking about, and thought this was sarcasm, but I looked up and realized Samson and Tiffy are characters from the German version. "
That's my biggest problem with this set.
There are highly localized versions of Sesame Street in different countries around the world with very different characters. Some are the same / overlap, some only exist in the local version.
I have never seen any episode with this big yellow bird so can't relate to it or understand the appeal or the details in the set that pertain to it. Like I said, I only know the German version from my childhood, and it was very different from what is depicted in this set.
I'm not saying the set is bad, I might even buy it some day, it just doesn't invoke many warm and fuzzy feelings like it might with people in the US, because it is missing so much of what I associate with the show.
Seems a bit small for the price. Though it looks like there is a decent amount of play value for a set that likely will be the only Sesame Street set we get.
I'm not 100% sold about it, but given its price and MF, I will most likely get it down the road. I was sure it would've been "day 1" purchase, but it's not. It reminds me a bit of the 3 in 1 Creators buildings more than the modular expert ones.
As for the 18+ branding, honestly who cares ? Since when do we care about the age recommendation on Lego sets ? Just like you can get a city set as an adult you can get 18+ set for your 10 years old.
Wormy is brilliant! I'm a little disappointed about Oscar, but their choices regarding his character do make sense. Thanks for the very thorough and timely review. I was planning on getting it a little later on, but your review has convinced me to get it earlier rather than wait as it is sure to be popular and I don't want to be disappointed.
No mention of whatever happened to Cookie Monsters eyes in the review? o.O
@AustinPowers said:
"It's a nice set, but for me to be more relatable it would need the characters I associate most with Sesame Street, like Samson and Tiffy. Don't remember this large yellow bird, or Elmo come to think of it."
Tiffy and Samson are Germany-only characters ... so we are in a dilemma here what are main characters globally speaking ...
@Fandabidozi said:
"No mention of whatever happened to Cookie Monsters eyes in the review? o.O"
Found elsewhere, regarding the actual puppet: “ His pupils are a black disc that freely pivots around a pin attached to a white ball.” The pupils move independent of the other, so they get a bit googly, which I think they captured in the design.
@R0Sch said:
"Weren't Ideas sets known for not having any sticker, or at least very few? How can it have 600 less parts and cost the same as the Saturn V which had tons of exclusive prints and bigger parts?
And quarter and doll style houses for an 18+ set? Disappointing."
Big Bang Theory had stickers.
@tfcrafter said:
" @R0Sch said:
"Weren't Ideas sets known for not having any sticker, or at least very few? How can it have 600 less parts and cost the same as the Saturn V which had tons of exclusive prints and bigger parts?
And quarter and doll style houses for an 18+ set? Disappointing."
Big Bang Theory had stickers."
And Old Fishing Store!
As for this set, I literally have no use for it whatsoever... but I find it so charming and enticing. Perhaps I could modularise the main apartment build.
I like it and will probably get it. I agree that the open end of the store doesn't look so good, but seems like those technic pin openings could be used to add a hinged wall there, to close up that end for display, but still have access.
Some of the compromises are a bit too much, given how much detail they put in and went through the trouble of making special molds for the characters I wish they bumped up the price tag more to be able to make it look more complete, I generally don't like these half open buildings because aside from their awkward slim width they don't look great from certain angles.
I suppose making it a full enclosed dollhouse style build would've been quite challenging without nearly doubling the price tag but some of the details like the omitted window are just really odd.
I'm surprised nobody has commented on the interior corner arrangement. Fans of modular buildings have been crooning for this arrangement for years.
I like the figures a lot but the buildings don't do anything for me as I'm not a fan of the creator 3 in 1 style with open backs.
@Snagel said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"It's a nice set, but for me to be more relatable it would need the characters I associate most with Sesame Street, like Samson and Tiffy. Don't remember this large yellow bird, or Elmo come to think of it."
Tiffy and Samson are Germany-only characters ... so we are in a dilemma here what are main characters globally speaking ...
"
Actually there are only a handful of characters that seem significant globally speaking, as the main characters vary from country to country.
This set is based on the US original of the show, and there is nothing wrong with that. But it still has the effect that both the setting as well as some of the characters are unknown to most people outside the US, significantly reducing the appeal of the set in those other territories.
@CapnRex101
Somewhere, maybe in the release article, you wrote something to the effect of: “123 Sesame Street deviates dramatically from the original”. The more I look at the set, which I still really like, the more I agree with that statement. In fact ‘dramatically’ is an understatement. My question is this. Has there ever been an article that studied or reviewed Ideas sets to see which were closest and furthest apart from the original designs, etc?
Thanks for all of these reviews.
Missed opportunity to make the set number include a 123 instead of a 132
Like many other Europeans, this set has the big issue of meaning absolutely nothing to us.
In my country, the show's set was completely different, designed based on an old Lisbon street. Which looks nothing like this.
On top of that, Big Bird was orange, not yellow.
Oscar was called Ferrão, wasn't green but brown and didn't live in a litter bin but on a big barrel.
Elmo only showed up if one of the dubbed American sketches was introduced in the middle of an episode.
We had a female cat character, introduced to add some female puppet characters to the show, as well as an African actor to represent people from the former portuguese colonies since many still lived in the country (and no, we didn't need some "woke" hysterical Twitter keyboard-warrior to scream about it, or to fill some BS "quota").
The did have Grover and Count von Count...yet LEGO skipped those. So I'm having a lot of trouble justifying spending 120€ on a set with only 3 characters that mean something to me, a 4th one which also has meaning but is in the "wrong" colour, and one which I know more from Internet Memes than my childhood in the late 80's.
I just wished LEGO, a European company, would have had a bit more care when designing this to make sure that at least the selection of characters would be bigger.
At some point, if you make too many compromises you aren’t left with anything useful. A more complete apartment building and a 4+ / Duplo Hooper’s market might have made more sense.
Also, aligning this with the 2020 US HBO version seems odd....that audience is 5 years old. If this is 18+, why not more nostalgic / more global?
Again, too many compromises ultimately leaves everyone dissatisfied.
(Love the green lamppost though!!!!!)
@djcbs said:
"Like many other Europeans, this set has the big issue of meaning absolutely nothing to us.
In my country, the show's set was completely different, designed based on an old Lisbon street. Which looks nothing like this.
On top of that, Big Bird was orange, not yellow.
Oscar was called Ferrão, wasn't green but brown and didn't live in a litter bin but on a big barrel.
Elmo only showed up if one of the dubbed American sketches was introduced in the middle of an episode.
We had a female cat character, introduced to add some female puppet characters to the show, as well as an African actor to represent people from the former portuguese colonies since many still lived in the country (and no, we didn't need some "woke" hysterical Twitter keyboard-warrior to scream about it, or to fill some BS "quota").
The did have Grover and Count von Count...yet LEGO skipped those. So I'm having a lot of trouble justifying spending 120€ on a set with only 3 characters that mean something to me, a 4th one which also has meaning but is in the "wrong" colour, and one which I know more from Internet Memes than my childhood in the late 80's.
I just wished LEGO, a European company, would have had a bit more care when designing this to make sure that at least the selection of characters would be bigger."
While I respect your opinions, the fact of the matter is the American version is the original and best known, and more iconic, whether you believe so or not. Lego can’t please all markets or groups of people. So just accept this is one that doesn’t appeal to you.
It’s not a matter of care; it wouldn’t make sense for Lego to make a version that catered more towards a non American market when it’s a mostly American show.
@djcbs said:
"Like many other Europeans, this set has the big issue of meaning absolutely nothing to us.
In my country, the show's set was completely different, designed based on an old Lisbon street. Which looks nothing like this.
On top of that, Big Bird was orange, not yellow.
Oscar was called Ferrão, wasn't green but brown and didn't live in a litter bin but on a big barrel.
Elmo only showed up if one of the dubbed American sketches was introduced in the middle of an episode.
We had a female cat character, introduced to add some female puppet characters to the show, as well as an African actor to represent people from the former portuguese colonies since many still lived in the country (and no, we didn't need some "woke" hysterical Twitter keyboard-warrior to scream about it, or to fill some BS "quota").
The did have Grover and Count von Count...yet LEGO skipped those. So I'm having a lot of trouble justifying spending 120€ on a set with only 3 characters that mean something to me, a 4th one which also has meaning but is in the "wrong" colour, and one which I know more from Internet Memes than my childhood in the late 80's.
I just wished LEGO, a European company, would have had a bit more care when designing this to make sure that at least the selection of characters would be bigger."
Do you think the American or European version is more widely known?
Listen, say what you will about America. The list of flaws is a mile long. But we are an absolute powerhouse when it comes to content. Entertainment is basically our only export. So I see where you’re coming from, but it makes a *ton* of sense for this to be based more on the American version
I can understand some of the angst around the lack of interior walls and the exposed interior of Hooper's, but perhaps think of this set as in-between a modular and, say, the "Friends" (TV show, not Lego line) set that clearly identifies the model as a TV stage. Is this a "real" urban block populated by Muppets, or is it a depiction of a popular educational show? Maybe it's OK that it's both.
I like the set and believe the designer did a good job, given the constraints, but it's not for me, I only saw the show once or twice as a kid and it didn't mean much to me. But I'm very happy for the ongoing Lego Ideas range that we are getting more and more good sized unique sets, and now hopefully more custom moulds too!
The figures are very surprising. What happened to the whole “no new moulds are allowed under the framework of Ideas” thing?
Also, LMAO at all the Americans being typical bullies to the Europeans. The US always gets preferential treatment by LEGO, it really needs to stop. Sesame Street has so many international adaptions I really think it would’ve been better to just not even do this set to begin with.
Beautiful set. I grew up with Sesame street. I'm not sure if I'll ever get the set but it did bring some memories back.
@monkyby87 said:
" @djcbs said:
"Like many other Europeans, this set has the big issue of meaning absolutely nothing to us.
In my country, the show's set was completely different, designed based on an old Lisbon street. Which looks nothing like this.
On top of that, Big Bird was orange, not yellow.
Oscar was called Ferrão, wasn't green but brown and didn't live in a litter bin but on a big barrel.
Elmo only showed up if one of the dubbed American sketches was introduced in the middle of an episode.
We had a female cat character, introduced to add some female puppet characters to the show, as well as an African actor to represent people from the former portuguese colonies since many still lived in the country (and no, we didn't need some "woke" hysterical Twitter keyboard-warrior to scream about it, or to fill some BS "quota").
The did have Grover and Count von Count...yet LEGO skipped those. So I'm having a lot of trouble justifying spending 120€ on a set with only 3 characters that mean something to me, a 4th one which also has meaning but is in the "wrong" colour, and one which I know more from Internet Memes than my childhood in the late 80's.
I just wished LEGO, a European company, would have had a bit more care when designing this to make sure that at least the selection of characters would be bigger."
While I respect your opinions, the fact of the matter is the American version is the original and best known, and more iconic, whether you believe so or not. Lego can’t please all markets or groups of people. So just accept this is one that doesn’t appeal to you.
It’s not a matter of care; it wouldn’t make sense for Lego to make a version that catered more towards a non American market when it’s a mostly American show.
"
While I also appreciate your opinion, the fact of the matter remains that the world is not just the US, and saying that the setting and characters chosen are the most well known is only true for the US, as is not only shown by the comments here but also by looking up Sesame Street on Wikipedia and other resources.
I understand that this set has great appeal to people in the US, but try to understand that it offers very little for many people in other regions who associate something totally different with the name Sesame Street.
The sad part is that LEGO could have made the set much more appealing quite easily by simply including a wider range of figures.
Or perhaps they could indeed make a Sesame Street CMF series (or several) with popular characters from around the world. That way everyone could re-live happy memories.
@Snazzy_Bricks said:
"Does the box open like regular IDEAS sets?
Ah yes, another set subjected to floating in the void of space because apparently that's what adults like."
If the set is aimed at adults, why have they included so much from after 2016? Either produce a set that is pure nostalgia for 70s Sesame Street, or you make it contemporary and aim it at kids.
And whilst the minifigures are a fantastic improvement over the original submission, it's rather frustrating that they've turned it into a size and shape that can be a bit unnecessarily difficult to accommodate as a display piece.
I'm starting to feel like the development process for Ideas sets should be made more open. If it isn't frustrating enough when submissions you desperately want aren't selected, it seems the ones turned into products sometimes miss out on why we voted for them in the first place.
@Brikkyy13 said:
"The figures are very surprising. What happened to the whole “no new moulds are allowed under the framework of Ideas” thing?
Also, LMAO at all the Americans being typical bullies to the Europeans. The US always gets preferential treatment by LEGO, it really needs to stop. Sesame Street has so many international adaptions I really think it would’ve been better to just not even do this set to begin with. "
What a great attitude for LEGO to embrace: We won't please everyone so let's not bother.
I understand what TLG are doing with the 18+ boxes, and generally like what I've seen so far. But I've always had two niggling worries 1) That it's novelty would wear off quite quickly and 2) Lego would try and use it with a completely unsuitable set.... and I've think they've hit point 2 pretty hard with this.
I like that it keeps it below 1500pieces and welcoming price point. After the Harry Potter and star wars 4000+ sets this is a nice set.
I wish the small building had a wall at the front, and the omission of the Count is not acceptable
Otherwise it's great
@Brikkyy13 said:
"The figures are very surprising. What happened to the whole “no new moulds are allowed under the framework of Ideas” thing? "
LEGO’s current guidance is that Ideas’ designers shouldn’t require new moulds but that LEGO will produce them if it deems them necessary, i.e. cost effective.
@Brikkyy13 said:
"Also, LMAO at all the Americans being typical bullies to the Europeans. The US always gets preferential treatment by LEGO, it really needs to stop. Sesame Street has so many international adaptions I really think it would’ve been better to just not even do this set to begin with. "
China will become increasingly important not just in relation to LEGO but many consumer products. Tastes, early access, lower prices, greater range of products and exclusives will all gravitate China’s way (though not LEGO exclusivity). It will be a shock to US consumers but much less so to those in Europe and other markets who are already accustomed to being treated as less important.
I know it's a small thing, but I love that fire hydrant build.
Also, add me to list of those who want a Sesame Street CMF series.
@AustinPowers said:
" @monkyby87 said:
" @djcbs said:
"Like many other Europeans, this set has the big issue of meaning absolutely nothing to us.
In my country, the show's set was completely different, designed based on an old Lisbon street. Which looks nothing like this.
On top of that, Big Bird was orange, not yellow.
Oscar was called Ferrão, wasn't green but brown and didn't live in a litter bin but on a big barrel.
Elmo only showed up if one of the dubbed American sketches was introduced in the middle of an episode.
We had a female cat character, introduced to add some female puppet characters to the show, as well as an African actor to represent people from the former portuguese colonies since many still lived in the country (and no, we didn't need some "woke" hysterical Twitter keyboard-warrior to scream about it, or to fill some BS "quota").
The did have Grover and Count von Count...yet LEGO skipped those. So I'm having a lot of trouble justifying spending 120€ on a set with only 3 characters that mean something to me, a 4th one which also has meaning but is in the "wrong" colour, and one which I know more from Internet Memes than my childhood in the late 80's.
I just wished LEGO, a European company, would have had a bit more care when designing this to make sure that at least the selection of characters would be bigger."
While I respect your opinions, the fact of the matter is the American version is the original and best known, and more iconic, whether you believe so or not. Lego can’t please all markets or groups of people. So just accept this is one that doesn’t appeal to you.
It’s not a matter of care; it wouldn’t make sense for Lego to make a version that catered more towards a non American market when it’s a mostly American show.
"
While I also appreciate your opinion, the fact of the matter remains that the world is not just the US, and saying that the setting and characters chosen are the most well known is only true for the US, as is not only shown by the comments here but also by looking up Sesame Street on Wikipedia and other resources.
I understand that this set has great appeal to people in the US, but try to understand that it offers very little for many people in other regions who associate something totally different with the name Sesame Street.
The sad part is that LEGO could have made the set much more appealing quite easily by simply including a wider range of figures.
Or perhaps they could indeed make a Sesame Street CMF series (or several) with popular characters from around the world. That way everyone could re-live happy memories. "
Also remember the original submission was only the American version. It doesn’t make sense for them to make new molds for lesser known versions.
Grouch is my spirit animal.
So am I the only person that loathed this show as a kid and continues to do so? Nicely designed set though.
For those complaining about the price, its got 5 new molds (and probably molds of the more complex kind given the detailing on these heads), many printed parts (Ernie head and torso, Bert head and torso, Cookie Monster head, Elmo head, Big Bird head and legs, Oscar, Slimey, Sesame Street sign, 123 sign, 123 clear brick, Goldfish bowl) plus at least 15 parts that are in new colors (how many of those came out of the budget for the Sesame Street set and how many were taken from elsewhere is unknown)
So its got a lot more money invested in "new parts" (that is, things that would result in a new entry in the LEGO parts database with a new element ID) than the Saturn V did (even with the various printed parts in the Saturn V set).
Oh and don't forget that a chunk of what you pay for the set goes to Sesame Workshop for the licensing as well.
I am loving the set though, its a day one purchase for me (I just need to figure out which of the 3 LEGO stores here in Brisbane is the best one to try and snag it from :)
I watched the show growing up and was excited when the IDEAS submission was approved. But the official set looks nothing like the original idea at all. I was expecting like a modular building comparable to GBHQ. I will just grab the minifigs separately then. :D
I am still reminded of Fisher-Price's (Mattel) set from the seventies. Although it doesn't feel complete, it has enough that the rest could be built with bricks from classic or creator. Good for Lego in getting the license.
I want big bird
@ALEGOMan said:
"What's the point on making your own moc to be sent to lego for release when they just change your entire idea?"
Because it’s called LEGO Ideas, not LEGO MOCs.
That, and most MOCs are not viable product able to be produced in mass market conditions. Some, but not many. There have to be compromises. Any good designer will tell you that product ideas don’t end with what you start with. The evolve into what ends up being a final product.
@blogzilly said:
" @ALEGOMan said:
"What's the point on making your own moc to be sent to lego for release when they just change your entire idea?"
Because it’s called LEGO Ideas, not LEGO MOCs.
That, and most MOCs are not viable product able to be produced in mass market conditions. Some, but not many. There have to be compromises. Any good designer will tell you that product ideas don’t end with what you start with. The evolve into what ends up being a final product.
"
Exactly, and I think this gets lost on a lot of people when it comes to their opinions of the Ideas platform. Nearly every idea posted is an exceptional MOC, but that doesn’t mean it makes a good set. This is why many submissions are changed or altered. And again, you’re really voting for the idea of the set, not the exact thing. I think Lego did well given the constraints. Keep in mind that most people that submit ideas don’t create with wide release or specific audiences in mind. They just submit something they created that looks good.
@yuffie said:
" @monkyby87 said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"It's a nice set, but for me to be more relatable it would need the characters I associate most with Sesame Street, like Samson and Tiffy. Don't remember this large yellow bird, or Elmo come to think of it. Ernie and Bert are must haves of course, as is the Cookie Monster. Oscar doesn't look like his counterpart from the show at all to me sadly.
And why no Graf Zahl (Count von Count)? That's an almost inexcusable omission imho.
As for the stickers, thankfully most of them don't depict anything I would consider particularly reminiscent of Sesame Street at all, other than the picture of Ernie and Bert. So I would simply not apply all the others. Plus, the most important thing, the street sign, is printed. "
I didn't have any idea who you were talking about, and thought this was sarcasm, but I looked up and realized Samson and Tiffy are characters from the German version. However, Big Bird is the most iconic Sesame Street character in general though, and I would argue the world even."
I just assumed he had mixed up Sesame Street with a completely different show.
That aside, it is almost a great set ruined by leaving the side of Hooper's Store open, especially as this mistake is the most prominent part of the set as it is right at the front. Would it really have been that difficult to have the store open at the back with a side wall, and an extra 2-3 stud wide pavement alongside it. It just looks like the designer couldn't be bothered to finish the building properly, which it pretty poor in an otherwise great design."
To be fair they may have left that part open in case they have plans to expand that section with the repair shop Maria her husband ran/run. Or was it Gordon? No I'm pretty sure Maria had that space next to Hoopers. At least I think her name is Maria... how can I remember this, but I have trouble with names from kids I went to school with???
I'm probably in the minority here, but I actually didn't love the look of the original submission and was hoping Lego would change it, (which they did!). The build techniques don't look overly complicated which tells me that the 18+ is tongue in cheek knowing that a 6yo is likely to build this as well as adults. For those who have concerns about how this looks, luckily it's Lego and you can Mod it. Besides, this set is really about the minifigs, stickers and prints.
The more I think about this set the more I'd love to see more sets. I'd love a Diner Set with Grover the Waiter and the gentleman who always complained about the fly in his soup. A Fairy Tale News Set with The Three Little Pigs and Reporter Kermit the Frog. The Martians exploring some common area always learning about how Earth works. The Count's Transylvanian Castle and his Pipe Organ so he can do the Batty-Bat. A Museum where Bert and Ernie met their ancient Egyptian Counterparts. There is just so much potential here, this license shouldn't be a one-and-done. Or a Juniorized 4+ or Duplo only based sets.
And they could add a few International Set locations with unique and fan-favorite characters from each region of the world because everyone deserves to learn more about the different versions of Sesame Street. That's the entire point of it. To educate. After all.
To all the replies about how their country's version was different and that this American stuff means nothing to them, you have to remember that the original American version is the original and most iconic
@Snagel said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"It's a nice set, but for me to be more relatable it would need the characters I associate most with Sesame Street, like Samson and Tiffy. Don't remember this large yellow bird, or Elmo come to think of it."
Tiffy and Samson are Germany-only characters ... so we are in a dilemma here what are main characters globally speaking ...
"
My lack of familiarity with Tiffy and Samson took me to Google and then the Muppet Fandom site. Tiffy hasn't been on the show since 2005 and Samson disappeared in 2010.
The pages for both of the characters shows them with "Bibo" aka Big Bird.
https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Tiffy?file=BigBirdandTiffy.jpg
https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Samson?file=Sesamstrasse-Samson-Bibo-H%C3%A4ngematte01.jpg
Here's a full cast photo which includes every character in this set (including Slimey).
https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Sesamstrasse?file=SesamstrasseCast.jpg
This set is a great start to what I hope becomes a new LEGO theme. The detail is amazing and I like how the mini figs look like the traditional characters.
@FuddRuckus said:
"My lack of familiarity with Tiffy and Samson took me to Google and then the Muppet Fandom site. Tiffy hasn't been on the show since 2005 and Samson disappeared in 2010."
Well, guess what, ten-year-olds are not the ones buying this set. Sesame Street is pure nostalgia for many 30 to 50-somethings.
I saw the show roughly between 1980 and 1983, but Samson and Tiffy were the main characters over here for much longer. Incidentally I thought the show had been canceled decades ago as I have never seen it on any channel or even being mentioned anywhere after about 1990. My kids (born 2008 and 2012) have never even heard of Sesame Street. And they watch quite a bit of childrens' TV.
Whatever. I might buy this set for some of the cool parts once it becomes available at a substantial discount. If it doesn't I won't shed a tear either. It's not that it looks particularly good as a display set anyway and there are many other sets by LEGO and other manufacturers that want part of my brick budget.
Suuuuuunny Daaaay, Sweepin’ the cloooouds…oh sorry, had a tune stuck in my head…could be worse, it could’ve been: Through, through, through; he’ll get that train through…uh-oh…
Seriously though: This us a great set; that gets me ‘right in the feels’. It reminds me of so many things: Watching it when I was a kid (obviously), Fisher-Price’s sets (which did use a 'hinging system' for 'the Apartments') and ‘Little People’ from Sesame Street (more from/on that in a bit), the books, the records (no kidding, I had ‘Sesame Street Fever’ on vinyl. And it was great:))…
Those things said, I do have some critiques:
-Big Bird’s legs should've been re-molded ‘Woody’ legs from Toy Story 3 (those slightly longer ones).
-Speaking of 'body parts', I'm glad TLG did molded head (after enough people said they should)...wish they'd done them for 'Ideas' earlier (COUGHFlintstonesCOUGH)...
-While I get the ‘lack of characters/lack of my favorite character’ ‘problem’, the IP has been around for 50 years ("and counting"...:))…Did you know ‘Rowlf the Dog’ was originally supposed to be part of the beginning of Sesame Street? How about Kermit; he’s in both ‘casts’. And where’s Grover? The group, though albeit ‘small’ (not to mention ‘no humans’…The drawing of Mr. Hopper is beautiful touch though), is a good ‘cross section’. It’d hard; possibly impossible to get the perfect ‘mix’/amount…so no Prairie Dawn, Bruno the Garbage Man (look it/him up, it’s really funny), Count von Count (the picture and the bat are nice nods), Roosevelt Franklin (not the President)…compound this w/the international shows (although Basil the Bear and Louis the Otter would been great…)…but/so…
- As I mentioned; Fisher-Price did two playsets back in the 70’s (‘the apartments’ and ‘the clubhouse’), but more important than that: FP did these ‘character packs’. That’s the route TLG should pursue: ‘character packs’ that add characters and ‘parts’ to ‘the Street’…Problem is: TLG would have to open this up to a full ‘theme’; and outside of Duplo and 4+/Juniors, I can’t see that happening:(
Still...really well done:)
The Dutch version of Sesame Street is, apparently, so different from the American one that I don’t recognize anything other than some of the characters. Makes it less appealing to me.
@BeaR_the_Builder said:
"The Dutch version of Sesame Street is, apparently, so different from the American one that I don’t recognize anything other than some of the characters. Makes it less appealing to me."
From what I remember all "export versions" also used the same Set/architecture.
Though some stuff in the set seems to be from way after most people here watched it
Most of the molds are great, but Big Bird is the stuff of nightmares
@R0Sch :
This has new molds for Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, and Elmo. The Saturn V had zero new molds. Stickers are rare, but not unheard of, with the first I was aware of being the CD rack on a 1x1x5 brick in The Big Bang Theory. It's not a function of the theme, though, so much as design choices made by the design team. For every sticker they replace with a print, they have one less choice for recoloring an existing part. Brickheadz has been able to steer clear of stickers with only three exceptions (all of which are meant to provide different options) just because they don't include minifigs. Ideas has been cut off from designing new molds prior to this, so that's probably contributed to their ability to avoid stickers so efficiently. Even so, there are seven Cuusoo/Ideas sets that have included stickers. Things really kicked off there with Old Fishing Store, so I suspect that between making larger sets and approving more sets each year, they've been hitting their new element cap a little harder then they used to before Saturn V broke the 800pc threshold (think about that one for a minute).
@CCC :
They've already gotten some grief from AFOLs over the lack of female minifigs in this set, and the lack of modern characters (even Elmo is over 1/4 century old). Besides, any other sticker wouldn't make sense over the fairy garden. The gender "split" makes sense given how old the characters skew, and the older characters are more famous than the newer ones. Turns out the reason they had no female muppets on the show early on was that they had no female puppeteers for a long time. As more women got into puppeteering, they hired a more diverse group of performers, and that translated into new characters being created for the show. But the original characters are familiar to everyone who ever watched the show, and Elmo's really the only "new" character who has achieved a similar level of fame.
@Snazzy_Bricks :
I would totally buy a Pigs In Space set...but I'm guessing that's not what you're referring to.
@AustinPowers :
That sounds really odd, considering Big Bird was kind of the POV character for the early seasons until he was replaced by Elmo. I suppose, however, they may have created original characters to serve that same role in foreign markets, so they could tailor the character to the culture.
@pgremeau :
Hard to say. It's releasing November 1st, which means it'll be available for the holiday shopping season. But between reduced inventory and people still having a hard time making ends meet, it's hard to say whether it'll sell better or worse than it would have if it had released a year ago. My gut tells me that you won't be able to find a copy on Christmas Eve, but there's no way they'll retire it for at least a year. So, if anyone really wants a copy _this_year_, be prepared to pounce on it as soon as it releases. If you can wait, supply will be plentiful after people are drawn away by 2021 releases.
@SeekerBear :
There's a house out there somewhere that actually has a toilet installed on a landing halfway up the stairs to the second floor, and the stairway is open to the first floor on one side. I've also read about a mansion where the owner had a lift installed that could raise his exotic supercar of choice into the living room.
@elangab :
"18+", in the US, usually denotes explicit sexual content or violence. So there's a certain stigma to putting that on a box of what is perceived as a kid's toy, even though some of the 18+ sets are clearly not designed to be played with. The black boxes are also jarring to look at when you're used to always seeing brightly colored sets (though not as jarring as the B/W box art used for many of the early SW UCS sets that were released by LEGO Direct). Outside of the US, "18+" might not carry the same baggage. Inside a LEGO Store, the black boxes really don't stand out as much as you might expect, but they're easy enough to spot when you're looking for them that it's pretty clearly intended to help non-AFOLs find the sets that are geared more towards adults who don't read sites like this. From a collector standpoint, though, I picked up the Batwing on Wednesday, and those glossy black boxes show every scuff. If you plan to buy them as an investment, better start looking into archival, padded storage bags that you can seal these into for protection.
@Fandabidozi :
You mean the fact that they're pointed in wildly different directions? That's normal for Cookie Monster. His eyes are different from characters like Elmo. Elmo's eyes look like they're probably made from cut ping pong balls that either have the eye painted on or applied as a sticker. Cookie Monster's eyes start out the same way, but the pupils are mounted on an offset pivot so any movement of the head causes them to spin wildly.
@mroper295 :
I've seen it get a few mentions, just not in this thread. The thing is, people have probably been begging for an interior corner Modular because it'll make the model bigger by limiting the sidewalk to a tiny corner. In terms of fitting it in a layout, outside corners are 100% necessary to complete a block. Straights are helpful in extending the block. Inside corners create a problem. They don't work with standard rectangular blocks, which means you have to completely redesign your road layout to incorporate them. The LEGO Company has never made sharp 90 degree corners, and the wide curve of the "corner" roadplate would result in a massive plaza in front of this. The new road system won't have curves, but it'll also be extremely expensive and really suck to set up a large layout at a public show (not to mention the difficulty in coordinating between buildings that have incorporated sidewalks and buildings that fill baseplates to the edge).
@Sandinista :
Cuusoo sets were numbered 211xx (skipping 05-07 as those were used by the three micro Minecraft sets that followed 21102) through 21110. Starting with Birds, they switched the numbering range to 213xx. By the old numbering scheme, 21123 would have been Ship In a Bottle, and it'll be a few years before the original numbering scheme would have reached the 2123x range. They basically would have had to break the Ideas numbering scheme to make that work.
@djcbs :
The original US version of the show intentionally cast white actors in the minority, and that was half a century ago. The show was set in NYC, and they were simply reflecting the diverse nature of that city. The human cast was also fairly gender-balanced from the start.
@Brikkyy13:
Someone dug through the site and determined that they tweaked that rule prior to making this announcement. You still can't submit a project that solely consists of "make 'X' part", and you can't submit anything that is clearly dependent on getting new molds made. But if you submit something with a feasible brick-built design, they are still free to decide that molded elements make more sense.
And issues of bullying aside, the show originated in the US. It's licensed to other countries in three different formats. Some just air the US version of the show, some air an edited version called Open Sesame, and others fund the creation of their own versions that are tailored to their local culture. The US is still their largest market, many of the US characters are shared across multiple foreign co-productions, and the US version of the show is the only one that has resulted in feature films. All of these foreign co-productions are likely specific to a single nation that's much smaller than the US. The US has the third-largest population in the world, after only China and India (neither of which has a regular co-production of Sesame Street). Germany is the third-largest population in just Europe, after Russia and Turkey, and is about 1/4 of the population of the US. While this set of characters may not make 100% sense to most of the world, they still make the most sense to most of the world. It sounds like Grover and the Count may have even greater international appeal than some of these characters, but holding them back may make sense if they are indeed planning to extend this into a full theme. As it stands, these six characters are based on the two buildings included. Three of them live in 123 Sesame Street, two live on the surrounding grounds, and the sixth lives above Hooper's. While it would have made sense to include other characters, it would not have made sense to skip any of the ones they included.
@AustinPowers:
The problem with _not_ basing it on the US is that there's no other single version of the show that's anywhere near as recognized as the US version. And I've stated quite clearly before that every project that's actually been approved is something that appeals to the US market. It makes even less sense to tailor this to the German market, given, as you have said many times, that LEGO sales in Germany are falling. But the idea of an international Sesame Street CMF wave is actually interesting. It would be more interesting if there wasn't a rumor of the size of each wave being reduced to twelve. In order to make it sell at all in the US, they'd have to include at least a couple characters that are popular over here, but the rest of the wave could feature one character each from the biggest international co-productions. It would be entirely within the spirit of the show to educate kids about what the show is like for the rest of the world, as well as being an easy way to give this set greater appeal to the international market.
@yuffie:
Linguistic issues aside, foreign co-productions serve two major purposes. They make the show more appealing to the local market if they don't focus so extensively on a culture that's not their own, and they can be tailored to broach topics that are important to other parts of the world. South Africa's show was the first to put focus on the AIDS epidemic in Africa. Nigeria followed suit and also included material about malaria nets. China produced a run to emphasize emergency preparedness after the 2008 earthquake.
@jonwil:
You got a lot of stuff on your list, but skipped over one that is just as big a factor. Unless another set uses the unprinted base parts, the printed torso and leg assemblies count twice against their new element quote, as implied in an interview regarding the decision to use a green Spaceman in the Exo-Suit.
@ALEGOMan:
That's a large part of why I haven't ever submitted anything. Fluctuating IP issues is another.
@FuddRuckus:
Heh. My first thought on looking at that cast photo was, "But where's Oscar?" My second thought was, "Dude, Oscar got _old_!"
@brick_r:
The fact that they didn't reuse them for the Toy Story 4 sets makes me think the molds were destroyed after the Toy Story 3 theme ended. The sculpted heads for Buzz, Woody, and Jessie were also ditched for TS4, so it appears like they tried to streamline the list of exclusive character molds to only include what was absolutely necessary. Besides, if you think about it, normal-sized legs makes perfect sense for Big Bird. The character is a full-body suit worn by a normal-sized person. The height comes from the elongated neck, which is held up by a harness worn on the shoulders of the performer. His knees and shoulders are easy enough to pick out that you can see there aren't any stilts involved.
Now, I know Rowlf appeared with Kermit in a pitch reel for the show, but I don't know that either was specifically intended to be included in the series from the start. Both predate the show by several years (1955 for Kermit, 1962 for Rowlf). The show predates the internet by decades, and the man who created both characters died right before the internet really started to become a public resource. So, a lot of the information you can find is based on speculation or recollection long after the fact. At the time that pitch reel was made, I doubt there was a contract drawn up. One of the things that Henson worked into the contract was ownership of the muppet characters created for the show. If that had not been agreed to, there's no way either Kermit or Rowlf would have ever appeared on the show except as guest stars from The Muppets.
Currently, the Sesame Street muppets have been sold back to Sesame Workshop, excluding Kermit. Kermit and Rowlf joined the rest of the Muppets when that IP was sold to Disney a couple years later. Kermit is pretty much off the table at this point. The weird thing about including humans (besides scale issues) is that during the early development of the show they didn't plan to combine human and muppet performers into the same segments, but they found that kids responded a lot better to the muppet characters than the live performers so they decided to blend the two casts together. As a child, I remember very clearly that for several years I considered anything that was filmed with live actors to be "for grown-ups", and I was only interested in watching stuff that was animated. Puppetry fit with the latter more in my mind, so it made the inclusion of live human actors more palatable...but that doesn't mean I liked them equally. And even today, I couldn't have told you the names of any of the human characters on the show without being reminded first.
Eightcoins8 said: From what I remember all "export versions" also used the same Set/architecture.
The 90s Norwegian "Sesam Stasjon" was quite different - on the upside it featured a real train (EL10/SJ U with "Donnerbüchse" cars) and station (Lørenskog), on the downside they were painted in an incredibly garish color scheme - a mix of KFOL "rainbow warrior" style and WW1-era dazzle paint. The characters were different too - the handyman monster, medium-sized bird, and instead of the Count we got an accountant with hay fewer. They did include some dubbed US parts (mostly Bert & Ernie, Grover and the Cookie Monster), but otherwise the US characters are totally unknown here.
I voted "wait for a discount" which is VERY "maybe", given these sets' short availability and the general rarity of discounts around here - $120 earlier translated to 1200 NOK, but nowadays this set is 1450 NOK*. On one side I was too old to care about the show when it aired, on the other it has potential as a 16-wide modular building - the door and three windows on the front, Hooper's and the two remaining windows on the back (with vertical split so I can put the two facades next to each other). Wonder if this was designed by the same guy who did the Quiddich shop, it has the exact same totally-off window placement and too much blank wall.
*This REALLY ticks me off - not only do we have among the highest prices to begin with, but Lego's prices seems to be based on most sets going on a 20% discount within a few months, which just doesn't happen here.
@PurpleDave said:
" @djcbs :
The original US version of the show intentionally cast white actors in the minority, and that was half a century ago. The show was set in NYC, and they were simply reflecting the diverse nature of that city. The human cast was also fairly gender-balanced from the start."
Local representation is not the root cause for US Sesame Street’s racial/ethnic diversity. The programme came about to improve literacy among African American and Hispanic kids and was designed to appeal to those demographics. As it happens, it was proportionally much more popular among White, middle class families, so didn’t succeed all that well in its original goal.
@Zander said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @djcbs :
The original US version of the show intentionally cast white actors in the minority, and that was half a century ago. The show was set in NYC, and they were simply reflecting the diverse nature of that city. The human cast was also fairly gender-balanced from the start."
Local representation is not the root cause for US Sesame Street’s racial/ethnic diversity. The programme came about to improve literacy among African American and Hispanic kids and was designed to appeal to those demographics. As it happens, it was proportionally much more popular among White, middle class families, so didn’t succeed all that well in its original goal.
"
Where did you come up with that information? It sounds completely made up, and a little research on my part revealed no such thing.
The fact that international productions of Sesame Street were completely different from the American original should've been reason enough for LEGO to not move forward with this set. I have a creeping suspicion that they didn't do their homework and just assumed the show was the same everywhere.
Yeah, this is a faithful representation of the "one true" Sesame Street, but when that won't make sense or appeal to kids or nostalgic adults outside of one country, then that's just a poor business decision. You can do Batwings, Deloreans, Ecto-1s and whatnot because they are the same things whether you're American, Japanese or South African.
And, as someone who didn't grow up watching Sesame Street, I just don't understand why they chose to do this and not the Muppets (which were the same all over the world, and arguably far more iconic on a worldwide basis).
@monkyby87 said:
" @Zander said:
" @PurpleDave said:
" @djcbs :
The original US version of the show intentionally cast white actors in the minority, and that was half a century ago. The show was set in NYC, and they were simply reflecting the diverse nature of that city. The human cast was also fairly gender-balanced from the start."
Local representation is not the root cause for US Sesame Street’s racial/ethnic diversity. The programme came about to improve literacy among African American and Hispanic kids and was designed to appeal to those demographics. As it happens, it was proportionally much more popular among White, middle class families, so didn’t succeed all that well in its original goal.
"
Where did you come up with that information? It sounds completely made up, and a little research on my part revealed no such thing. "
Funny that you question me but not PurpleDave...
See ‘Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street’ by Michael Davis as well as research by Professors Kearney and Levine jointly and separately, and the ‘New York Times’ article by Fred Hechinger of 6 November 1979.
@djcbs said:
"On top of that, Big Bird was orange, not yellow. ."
I was looking for a Dutch version with Brocolli trees, Tommie bear, Ieniemienie mouse and a blue big-bird called PINO. And off course an Aard Staartjes lives forever minifig.
When did Lego stop making custom local market sets? In my childhood there were KLM/Martinair planes in LEGO and other Dutch local adaptations. With all the robot packaging throwing in some local flavours should be super easy.
@Graysmith said:
"The fact that international productions of Sesame Street were completely different from the American original should've been reason enough for LEGO to not move forward with this set. I have a creeping suspicion that they didn't do their homework and just assumed the show was the same everywhere.
Yeah, this is a faithful representation of the "one true" Sesame Street, but when that won't make sense or appeal to kids or nostalgic adults outside of one country, then that's just a poor business decision. You can do Batwings, Deloreans, Ecto-1s and whatnot because they are the same things whether you're American, Japanese or South African.
And, as someone who didn't grow up watching Sesame Street, I just don't understand why they chose to do this and not the Muppets (which were the same all over the world, and arguably far more iconic on a worldwide basis)."
Just because it may not appeal to the entire world doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be made. That’s like saying since the Saturn V is an American made rocket it shouldn’t have been made. I am sure they know Sesame Street has different variations across the world, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t make the most well known and recognizable one that would undoubtedly appeal to a wider audience.
@Graysmith:
Many foreign markets use the Open Sesame format, which usually consists with trimmed versions of the US show. Some countries just pick through the entire back catalog and choose the sketches they want to build into episodes a la carte. The ironic thing here is that the countries that are most likely to recognize all of the US muppets without missing any local characters are the countries that use Open Sesame because they can't afford to fund their own productions. These same countries are a lot less likely to generate many sales of a set this big.
Another major factor here is that many countries that have released their own co-productions had very short runs that were over within a few years, where this version has been in continuous production for 50 years and over 4500 episodes. No local co-production has anywhere near the level of success as the original, and all of the characters that were created for foreign markets are highly localized. If that's still that big of an issue for anyone, there's a very simple solution: Don't buy it.
And there's a very simple reason why they chose to do this over the Muppets. This had an Ideas project clear 10k. I don't recall any Muppets projects accomplishing that...yet.
@Zander:
That's actually a fair question. It's really easy to find that they purposefully kept the white cast to a minimum, and it's even easier to just look at the historical cast members and see that it's probably true. Even without sources being cited, your explanation sounds like a completely Sesame Street thing to do. Maybe they picked the locale based on the intended racial demographic?
@martiniman:
It's not packing them that's the problem so much as the fact that you have to inventory them, and you have to make sure that Version A only ships to Market A while Version B only ships to Market B. It really complicates things on the back end and chews up the warehouse space.
This is the kinda licence they've just GOT TO make a whole line of, but then they inexplicably won't.
@R0Sch said:
"Weren't Ideas sets known for not having any sticker, or at least very few? How can it have 600 less parts and cost the same as the Saturn V which had tons of exclusive prints and bigger parts?
And quarter and doll style houses for an 18+ set? Disappointing."
I think it's pretty obvious, the new minifig elements took up a lot of the budget, new molds ain't cheap
@PurpleDave said:
" @Zander:
That's actually a fair question. It's really easy to find that they purposefully kept the white cast to a minimum, and it's even easier to just look at the historical cast members and see that it's probably true. Even without sources being cited, your explanation sounds like a completely Sesame Street thing to do. Maybe they picked the locale based on the intended racial demographic?"
Yes, they did select the setting based on the intended target demographic as far as I know. So you're not wrong.
What puzzled me was why monkyby87 questioned what I said but not what you said. Was there something particularly plausible about what you said about the locale? Was there something unbelievable or controversial about what I said that it warranted questioning my veracity? Weird.
@Zander:
It's easy to independently confirm what I said. It takes less time to track down proof than wait for a reply. What you said is easier to wait for a reply than figure out any of the sources you cited.
@PurpleDave:
Yeah, now that you mention it, Woody’s larger legs ‘missing’ in TS4’s sets does feel like TLG ditched the mold (which is too bad: those leg plus an Axel-like torso from N.K. would have been pure win…). Although, shouldn’t/might they have those schematics in a system somewhere…but you also make a good point: Caroll Spinney (the late puppeteer of Big Bird…or the ‘inside man’ if you will:)) was just shy of 6ft (5’10” to be more correct), ergo his legs would been around or under 3’ (w/the formulation roughly half your height is in your legs/feet to waist; then the rest being your torso and head…hey: just like a minifig:)). So, yeah a ‘standard leg’ does fit when viewed in that context…
I read about Rowlf’s ‘test reel’ footage a few years ago via Muppet Wiki; and saw the footage via a Y.T. channel, Defunctland if remember correct (no fooling: they did a multi-part mini-series on Jim Henson that was just amazing: creative, entertaining and informative; like the man himself). I also read that Rowlf was shot in footage with other Sesame Street muppets singing…then ‘Street’ never used/aired the footage. In a way, all this reminds of Star Trek: The Cage; the episode that both exists and doesn’t exist at the same time (‘canon’, got love it…).
And (of course), you're right about it all coming down to I.P. rights (which is why we’ll never get another ‘A Very Muppet Christmas’). I also remember reading/hearing about the separating the casts, as CTW wanted the Muppets to be more ‘fantasy’ and the people to be ‘reality’. Soon they realized it wasn’t working, so then retooled into a more ‘blended’ cast…which is good: I can’t imagine a world where Oscar didn’t yell “SCRAM!!!” at kids playing. Or Big Bird saying “Sorry Mr. Looper”…
Hopefully/maybe if this sells well enough; we could get other stuff, like:
-the fix-it shop (of what ever it is now)
-the 'play area', between 'Hooper's' and the 'Apartments'
-People Packs...well, 'Muppet' Packs...you know what I mean: Grover, Herry Monster (yep, that's how it's spelled), a brick-built Barkley and/or 'Snuffy'...the I.P. could be mined for years...Ala Peanut-Butter Sandwhiches:).
Great Review!! Those of us who now have grandchidren remember what a great learning experience for our children. The minifigures are great and the street looks good, too. I will get this set.
Time to unleash Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster on Lego City! Elmo would look great with a silver dagger like Wormtail's in set 4766, Big Bird can have some Brickarms...
Would’ve been really cool if they had given this set the number 12345.
I agree it would be nice to read more about why the design had to change so much from original concept to the above, and how much was the original creator involved in the revisions?
For me the set's real value is in the mini-figs; just hoping that they appear in subsequent smaller sets or as a mini-fig collector series.
Is there a special piece now, but how does the cooking monster hold onto the cookies in the last two photos?
@Slithus_Venom:
Big Bird doesn't have any hands. His wings aren't capable of holding much of anything. New Elementary posted a photo showing the full range of movement, and they can't even raise high enough to perch an accessory on top of them, or give you much room to use a rubber band to strap something onto them.
@ambr:
Nope. They're just round 1x1 tiles, so they will attach to a stud. The top of a hand can be inserted into a 1x1 for a secure hold. In the last photo, Cookie Monster's right hand (shown on the left) is inserted into the bottom of a cookie, which will stay attached even if you shake it vigorously. The other cookie is just perched on the hand so it rests against the lower jaw of the mouth. That's a bit more delicate, I'd assume, since the hand can't actually grip the cookie in that manner. Normally that pose wouldn't even be possible, but CM's head is significantly larger than a regular minifig head, and the Pacman mouth provides a shelf-like surface that will help hold the cookie up. The mouth is also a huge target, where the best you can achieve with a similar pose on a standard minifig is to press the cookie up against the minifig's forehead, right above the eyes. In the photo above that, it's a lot easier. Both cookies are just pressed down onto the tops of the hands.
@R0Sch said:
"Weren't Ideas sets known for not having any sticker, or at least very few? How can it have 600 less parts and cost the same as the Saturn V which had tons of exclusive prints and bigger parts?
And quarter and doll style houses for an 18+ set? Disappointing."
Licensing costs.
I definitely think more Sesame Street sets are coming - especially considering the licensing, (pending) popularity, and playability.
Not really invested in the subject at all but it went from a cool building with an intricate layout to a playset with a lot of omissions. The whole shop part is a disaster area.
And the 18+ thing could be one of the funniest things Lego ever done.
The area above the front door looks bare. I may try to move the second floor side window to above the front door to make the building façade more accurate to the actual building in the show.
What is the piece used for the lamp inside Bert and Ernie's apartment?
Got it!!!
Looks like a great set.
38 years on, and Mr. Hooper's picture still makes 5 year old me a touch sad.
@Spunishquac said:
"What is the piece used for the lamp inside Bert and Ernie's apartment?"
It is an undecorated head from LEGO Minecraft.
@jon426:
The area over the front door is bare on the outside, with the exception of two protruding bricks, because the space on the inside of that wall is used to attach two shelves (opposite those weird bricks) with a portrait in between. If you want to move the window there, you'll have to relocate the shelves and portrait to another section of wall. I mean, it's doable, but might require some parts out of your collection. It also means whoever lives across the street will have a clear view of Ernie's tub. Maybe he can borrow some curtains from the Flintstones...