It’s time to play the music
It’s time to light the lights
It’s time to meet the Muppets in this week’s Figure Friday column!
OK, so I’m more of a writer than lyricist, but an attempt at a fun opening was made. Oddly enough, “an attempt was made” is somewhat fitting for this week’s column. I received these figures shortly after getting NECA’s ALF and there’s a small part of me that wonders if the high bar that NECA set has given me unrealistic expectations. Let’s take a look at the good and the bad of Diamond Select Toys Muppet figures and you can determine for yourself whether or not this line is worth another look.
Kermit & Miss Piggy
It’s time to get things started! The Muppets Best Of Series 1 Kermit and Miss Piggy Action Figure 2-Pack features accessories, and each figure features multiple points of articulation. The figures are in 7-inch scale, with heights ranging from 3 to 5-inches. The Muppets Best Of Series 1 Kermit & Miss Piggy Action Figure 2-Pack comes with Robin, Foofoo, and accessories such has a tool, chair, banjo, log, dog dish, mirror, and picture frame.
The accessories are aplenty with this line. Some are better than others. Foofoo is adorable. Robin has difficulty standing. The banjo gets best in show for fitting Kermit perfectly. The Muppets themselves are decent. There’s something slightly off with Kermit’s eyes, but aside from that he looks pretty good. His skinny limbs don’t leave much room for the joint pins. They snap loose frequently while posing. That’s not a problem as long as the pins hold up over time. Piggy is a bit stiff from a posing standpoint, but she looks fantastic. This is a great set to display on your office desk to show your Muppet fandom.
Gonzo & Fozzie
The Muppets Best Of Series 1 Gonzo and Fozzie Action Figure 2-Pack comes with Camilla, and accessories such has a spotlight, rubber chicken, hat, fake nose and glasses, popcorn, mug, and trumpet.
This is another quality offering. Fozzie could use a wash to pull out some of the detail work in the sculpt, but still looks decent. His hat has a hard time staying on his head. I’d suggest some museum putty to keep it in place or risk losing it to a carpet monster. Gonzo looks great partnered with Camilla. I might have preferred Gonzo The Great in his stuntman costume, but the purple tux is still a classic. Gonzo benefits from being on a more traditional body. The articulation is much better compared to the rest of his Muppet family. This will be another pack that pleases fans of the original Muppet Show.
Scooter & Rowlf
The Muppets Best Of Series 1 Scooter and Rowlf Action Figure 2-Pack comes with piano, candelabra, the bust of Beethoven, clapper board, megaphone and a microphone with stand.
Rowlf might be the best looking figure of the wave and the fact they included his piano, the bust of Beethoven and a candelabra is perfection. This is exactly what I was hoping for from this line of figures. Scooter in his trademark green jacket pops off the shelf. He also comes equipped with just about everything you’d need to produce the Muppet Show itself. This set might get overlooked by a lot of people, and that would be a shame. Rowlf along with his accessories is an absolute must-have for me.
Opening these figures shortly after ALF might have been a mistake. I had ordered this set with the hopes of grabbing the other two waves should these meet my expectations. I told myself at that time that they weren’t as good as ALF, but that probably wasn’t fair. I pointed out that the articulation on ALF was better than it needed to be. While it would have been great to get similar articulation on these figures, it’s important to keep in mind that these are a little over $10 a figure. ALF was $35. The fact that these are as good as they are at that price point with that many accessories is pretty impressive. These aren’t the most versatile figures. The figure photography options will be limited like the figures articulation, but that doesn’t make these any less enjoyable. These figures are great for what they are. Just because another company puts out a better product, doesn’t mean that everyone else should follow their lead. If you’re buying these to sit on a shelf and let the world know you’re down with the Muppets, these are going to get the job done and put a smile on your face at the same time. If you’ll excuse me, I have a date with The Electric Mayhem Band.
