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It has been confirmed by LEGO that they will produce a line of LEGO Simpsons sets. The sets, scheduled to be released in early 2014, will initially start as small sets, and depending on demand, might increase in size. Read on over at the <a href='http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/08/06/lego-simpsons-pictures_n_3711477.html?utm_hp_ref=uk' target='offsite'>Huffington Post</a> and leave your comments in the talkback. Discussions have been springing up on the LEGO Message Boards, and we'd love to hear what your have to say.View the full article

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This was surprising news to me, but I'm excited. I'll be following this thread to see what others think as well.

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In all these years that The Simpsons has been on (1989 and still going) they're doing a line now?

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Personally, I've known a fair number of families who watch The Simpsons together (just like I watched shows like Seinfeld with my family when I was a kid, even if I didn't always understand it). While it is a cartoon for adults, it appeals on a different level to kids, so I'm sure these sets will have an audience, especially since they seem to be taking a cautious approach from the get-go.

 

Having never been a fan of The Simpsons myself, these probably won't appeal to me, but I can see the logic in it. By now it's a classic property, with wide appeal both geographically and demographically. The aspects of the brand that are less kid-friendly are likely to be glossed over just as they were in themes like Indiana Jones.

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Pros:

  • A line aimed at a presumably older audience, instead of just little kids. This is a good start. In fact, maybe this could affect the demographic other lines are aimed at, too (less pandering towards kids in Hero Factory, etc). Let's get Lego South Park next.
  • Probably some interesting new pieces. Maybe Lego alcohol, maybe a new minifigure to represent overweight people, etc.
  • Something less action-oriented is a nice change of pace, I guess.

Cons:

  • The Simpsons is absolutely horrendous now and very, very few people watch or like it. This might have been a good idea maybe ten years ago, when the show was better, or maybe when the movie came out, but definitely not now. This whole idea reeks of a desperate bid for relevancy.
  • Translating the Simpsons into Lego sets is a bad idea, too. Very little in that show screams to be made into a toy to play with. Maybe you could make their house, and the tavern, and the nuclear plant, and maybe the Krusty burger, but not a whole ton else. I mean, it sounds a little boring.
  • I'm afraid that Lego will hold out on anything remotely adult (not that, all things considered, The Simpsons is really that adult or whatever like some people are making it out to be. Come on, grow up), and won't make Moe's Tavern or Duff man or Barney or even the nuclear plant. So, their options are even more limited and the sets will probably be worse.
  • Long-running licensed property probably means expensive sets.

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I don't watch the simpsons, so I won't buy any of the sets. The cartoon just never... impressed me. In my opinon, it was just a bunch of lame jokes strung together without any real reason.I just can't help but think of the Spongebob (which I don't watch either) sets. I don't think anyone really buys them anymore, but LEGO's probably stuck with the licensing stuff for another few years so they have to keep making sets, even if no one buys them. I'm worried this will happen here.Why can't Lego do any cool licenses, like the Legend of Zelda? (Seriously, there have been 2 or 3 CUSCOO projects already.)Or even better, an original line! That's not City or a Kingdoms repeat! GASP!

Edited by Jalina T.T.

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Hmm...Simpsons...yeah, if LEGO is going to be doing a Simpsons line, I'd really like to see them reconsider the Firefly CUUSOO project.

 

Dude yessss. That would be amazing. As for the Simpsons, I was never really a fan of the show, so I don't care much about the sets.

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Sounds like an interesting idea. Could think of a few people in my circles who might love to put a Homer next to their desktop computer. XD Actually, if there are some smaller sets, I might by one or two just for the lulz. Heh

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I must agree with the more cynical voices here. The show depicts the real world, not some exotic fantasy setting - there is little potential for any interesting structures or exciting action scenes. Most of the characters look too plain for any interesting minifigs. And as has been pointed out, the show's best and most popular days have long been and gone.

 

Beyond a fairly recognisable brand name, I'm struggling to think of anything appealling about this. I never liked the Spongebob sets much but even that line seems a far better idea than this.

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I just can't help but think of the Spongebob (which I don't watch either) sets. I don't think anyone really buys them anymore, but LEGO's probably stuck with the licensing stuff for another few years so they have to keep making sets, even if no one buys them. I'm worried this will happen here.

I was just going to post that. I fear LEGO Simpsons will suffer a similar fate. Plus, Spongebob is yellow, too. :PSeriously, though, I don't really care about this just like I've never really cared about Simpsons. The only Simpsons episode I watched or that I remember was horrible.-Gata signoff.png

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Hmmm. Speaking as someone who watches the old episodes (read: season 1-10) with his family and loves them, I could possibly see a reason for this.But... Honestly... Simpson LEGOs?That ain't working. Not enough variety in settings, not enough recognizable settings to begin with.It may make money, but...

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This is a rather strange move on LEGO's part. It could work, although I admit I am rather skeptical about it.

 

We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose.

 

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I just can't help but think of the Spongebob (which I don't watch either) sets. I don't think anyone really buys them anymore, but LEGO's probably stuck with the licensing stuff for another few years so they have to keep making sets, even if no one buys them. I'm worried this will happen here.

I was just going to post that. I fear LEGO Simpsons will suffer a similar fate. Plus, Spongebob is yellow, too. :PSeriously, though, I don't really care about this just like I've never really cared about Simpsons. The only Simpsons episode I watched or that I remember was horrible.-Gata signoff.png

 

The point that you're missing is that if no one was buying the Spongebob sets they wouldn't keep producing them. In fact, I think Spongebob is an apt comparison for how Lego might be approaching this theme. Spongebob sets are released only a few at a time, on an annual basis as opposed to in both a winter wave and a summer wave. Most of those sets are at a fairly low price-point. By doing this, Lego stretches a given line of Spongebob sets further, which is a fairly apt strategy considering that Spongebob (and now, The Simpsons) are long-running cartoon shows as opposed to movie releases. As a result, interest in these properties stays at a certain level throughout any given year instead of building up hype that then pays off all at once when a movie is released.

 

And while I also have little interest in The Simpsons, there are very good reasons why it could be successful. For one, both Lego and The Simpsons are global brands. The Simpsons has been localized into many, many, languages worldwide, meaning that it will be likely to have a broader appeal than, say, the Avatar: The Last Airbender theme (not that I had anything against that theme; I'd take it over The Simpsons any day). The Simpsons also has been out for a long time. It's had time to slowly build up a fan following, just like some of Lego's more successful licenses (like Star Wars). True, interest in the show likely peaked a while ago, but even a former fan of the show might be interested in a Homer Simpson playset that isn't tied inextricably to the later seasons that they have missed. As a final note, I find myself for once agreeing with Toa Zaz. Compared to other "adult" cartoons on the air, The Simpsons is extremely mild. Of course it has had adult elements, but so did Indiana Jones, or Pirates of the Caribbean to an even greater extent. Lego sets are most likely going to focus on the family-friendly elements of the show. Homer's love of donuts will be emphasized above his love of beer, for instance. And one-off situations of a more adult nature will be ignored in favor of constants of the series: The Simpsons as an iconic dysfunctional American family.

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I just can't help but think of the Spongebob (which I don't watch either) sets. I don't think anyone really buys them anymore, but LEGO's probably stuck with the licensing stuff for another few years so they have to keep making sets, even if no one buys them. I'm worried this will happen here.

I was just going to post that. I fear LEGO Simpsons will suffer a similar fate. Plus, Spongebob is yellow, too. :P

Actually, Spongebob sets sell really well, which is why you see new ones every couple of years (even if they're just slight redesigns of the old ones). They cater to a younger audience who really loves the TV show, and while there's not a whole lot of different places to make sets of (from my understanding), kids love the iconic pineapple and Krusty Krab.
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I was just going to post that. I fear LEGO Simpsons will suffer a similar fate. Plus, Spongebob is yellow, too. :P

Actually, Spongebob sets sell really well, which is why you see new ones every couple of years (even if they're just slight redesigns of the old ones). They cater to a younger audience who really loves the TV show, and while there's not a whole lot of different places to make sets of (from my understanding), kids love the iconic pineapple and Krusty Krab.

 

I figure they wouldn't sell that bad but the pace at which they are released makes me think that sales are kind of mediocre, sort of like LEGO Racers used to get a handful of sets for years until it was finally cancelled this year.-Gata signoff.png Edited by Gatanui

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I was just going to post that. I fear LEGO Simpsons will suffer a similar fate. Plus, Spongebob is yellow, too. :P

Actually, Spongebob sets sell really well, which is why you see new ones every couple of years (even if they're just slight redesigns of the old ones). They cater to a younger audience who really loves the TV show, and while there's not a whole lot of different places to make sets of (from my understanding), kids love the iconic pineapple and Krusty Krab.

 

I figure they wouldn't sell that bad but the pae at which they are released makes me think that sales are kind of mediocre, sort of like LEGO Racers used to get a handful of sets for years until it was cancelled this year.-Gata signoff.png

 

Like Lyichir said, if no one was buying them, they wouldn't keep getting made. I feel like Spongebob follows the model we saw in the 80s and 90s, where sets had a longer shelf life. If there's not a lot of new content to base the line on, why do you need to come out with new sets every six months? The same one can be around for two years and get picked up by kids who grow old enough to watch the show and play with LEGO sets. Then a new batch comes out in a couple of years for the next wave of Spongebob fans.
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I was just going to post that. I fear LEGO Simpsons will suffer a similar fate. Plus, Spongebob is yellow, too. :P

Actually, Spongebob sets sell really well, which is why you see new ones every couple of years (even if they're just slight redesigns of the old ones). They cater to a younger audience who really loves the TV show, and while there's not a whole lot of different places to make sets of (from my understanding), kids love the iconic pineapple and Krusty Krab.

 

I figure they wouldn't sell that bad but the pae at which they are released makes me think that sales are kind of mediocre, sort of like LEGO Racers used to get a handful of sets for years until it was cancelled this year.-Gata signoff.png

 

Like Lyichir said, if no one was buying them, they wouldn't keep getting made. I feel like Spongebob follows the model we saw in the 80s and 90s, where sets had a longer shelf life. If there's not a lot of new content to base the line on, why do you need to come out with new sets every six months? The same one can be around for two years and get picked up by kids who grow old enough to watch the show and play with LEGO sets. Then a new batch comes out in a couple of years for the next wave of Spongebob fans.

 

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It's kind of puzzling given the kind of show The Simpsons is, and all the innuendos, jokes, etc it has.

LEGO's licensed themes with far worse content, though. The swearing in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is far worse than anything The Simpsons has ever aired, and LEGO made sets out of it.

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Oh.Me.God. My bro's will go crazy for these. The y already collect simpsons figures... xD

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I heard about a pretty definite leak over a year ago. Like the kind of leak that said "this is actually going to happen", and the kind you actually believe. I don't remember where I heard it though, mighta been The Brothers Brick.

 

I think it's weird, but likely a profitable line. I think the prices will be too high for me, but that's because I'm not a system builder. The sets will be pretty colorful and stuff, so good parts I'm sure.

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What lego should be doing for Licensed sets like this is put them into the Minifigure Packs instead of making WHOLE sets for them. Imagine, mini figure packs for: Simpsons, Spongebob (which would have be better instead of FULL sets, let people make their own sets and just provide the figures), and possible other Licenses from movies and TV. Those things would also become collector's items!

 

 

 

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i'm gonna have to echo a few other voices and say i don't see how Lego can support the Simpson's brand while turning down Firefly for adult content. To be honest, it's a bit like turning down Jurassic Park sets for the gore in the movies and then approving a line based on the Saw movies.

I haven't seen Firefly and know very little about it, but my guess is that Lego really turned it down because it wasn't as marketable to a younger demographic. In that regard Simpsons would be a safer decision.

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What lego should be doing for Licensed sets like this is put them into the Minifigure Packs instead of making WHOLE sets for them. Imagine, mini figure packs for: Simpsons, Spongebob (which would have be better instead of FULL sets, let people make their own sets and just provide the figures), and possible other Licenses from movies and TV. Those things would also become collector's items!

They can't do that. By a technicality that's unfortunate for the fans, a minifigure pack counts as action figures, a license Lego usually does not buy. That's why the Star Wars magnet sets started being glued, although I don't know why Lego decided to start gluing all of the magnets. So no minifig packs in the future. And why would the cheaper, more common minfigs become collector's items? It's the minifigs from promos and large, old, licensed sets that become collectible.

 

 

i'm gonna have to echo a few other voices and say i don't see how Lego can support the Simpson's brand while turning down Firefly for adult content. To be honest, it's a bit like turning down Jurassic Park sets for the gore in the movies and then approving a line based on the Saw movies.

Jurassic Park is the wrong generation, as is firefly. I don't know anyone under teen age that watches it. Heck, I don't know many people that watch it at all.

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I guess this is interesting, but I don't really see the logic. Simpsons is character based story, not action based, and a lot of the most popular places in the Simpsons aren't really child friendly. The nuclear plant would be cool, but Moe's Tavern isn't an appropriate toy idea. They actually joked about that on the program in the episode "Moe Baby Blues."

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