LEGO Simpsons 71006 The Simpsons House

As a hardcore Simpsons fan who has been watching since the Tracey Ullman Show days, I knew I would be getting this set. At 2,523 pieces, it is the largest LEGO set that I own by a fairly significant margin. (The next largest one I own is the Haunted House, which clocks in at 2,064 pieces.) I milked it for all it was worth; eschewing the numbered bags that are designed to make the build quicker and easier, I dumped them all into a bin, put on some classic Simpsons episodes, and spent the next three days building this beast. (My estimate for the total build time is about fifteen hours. If that sounds too daunting, you could easily knock off a few if you used the numbered bags. I don't get to enjoy a massive build like this too often, so I wanted to string it out.) It's difficult to get the size of the set across in the photos; it really is quite large. Devoted Simpsons fans will immediately notice that the interior layout is not 100% show-accurate; unfortunately, the realities of toy production mean that making the house larger and more accurate would have resulted in a set that was easily twice as expensive, and $200 is really pushing it as it is. All the most important rooms are present, though the scale can seem a bit small at times. The kitchen is particularly crowded. It must also be noted that the layout is not consistent on the show itself-- note, for example, the magic door in the kitchen that leads to various places depending on the needs of the episode in question-- so it's tough to hold any inaccuracies against this set. Once you get past that, you can appreciate the amazing detail in the set. Things like the workbench and tool set in the garage, the dented fender on Homer's car, the posters and comics scattered around Bart's room, the vacuum cleaner tucked into an alcove behind the staircase, and the “Property of Ned Flanders” labels on the various items Homer has “borrowed” over the years propel a great set into truly legendary territory. Most of the issues I have with the set are related to the minifigures that are included. Obviously, including the family is a no-brainer, and Ned Flanders is a similarly obvious inclusion. However, the family has a sleepy/stoned appearance that just makes them look odd, with the exception of Maggie. (I have the Collectible Minifigure Series Maggie displayed inside my house; the one included with the house is identical, but has normal wide-open eyes.) It's understandable that TLG felt the needed to differentiate these minifigs from the ones included in the CMF series, but one would think that such details as Homer's tie and Marge's apron were enough. As things are, anyone who buys this set and skips or cannot find the CMF versions will be stuck with less desirable versions of most of the family, and that's a bit of a bummer. Maggie is fine, as noted, and Flanders is okily-dokily. Another drawback is the absence of the family pets. (At least they are now available in the Simpsons CMF series two, but it honestly kinda sucks that we have to buy another Lisa and Maggie to get Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II. Lisa is a neat variant, but Maggie is exactly the same.) It should also be noted that the floors are completely covered with tiles, making it tough to get minifigs to stay in place. This can be easily fixed by simply popping off a tile so you can lock a minifig's feet in place, so it's not a big deal. On the contrary, the tiled floors look sharp, and I'm glad TLG made the decision to do them like that. This set is definitely greater than the sum of its parts; its drawbacks are few, and its positives are innumerable. So, is it the greatest LEGO set ever produced? In my opinion, it is not, though it is a solid top ten, possibly even top five, contender. That said, putting aside all objectivity, it is my second-favorite set of all time. (For the record, my all-time favorite LEGO set remains the Haunted House.) It's a must-have for hardcore Simpsons fans and lovers of great LEGO sets alike. I feel this is destined to become one of those “holy grail” sets in the years to come, so if you're interested, better get one while you can! Read more

Simpsons. LEGO. That's a winning combination any way you slice it. I guess kids of today might scratch their heads as to why the Simpsons have such a following when today's series isn't much to write about, but for my generation who were lucky enough to have seen the Simpsons at the top of their game (thanks to truly excellent writing), the Simpsons is a true pop cultural hallmark. The product itself is fantastic, and the set seems to have been designed precisely with series fans in mind. You can see it in the little details like the "El Barto" graffiti and "Property of Ned Flanders" mark, the latter of which is a long-running gag of the series. I'm guessing some people will find fault in that the car can't sit the whole family inside it, but that's being unreasonable as there are trade-offs when designing functional vehicles vis-a-vis that vehicle's scale when ranged against a minifig. Sure, they could've made a car that seats all Simpsons members, but then you'd have an unusually large car, which would then lead to an unusually large garage, which would have forced the house to be bigger, and then the minifigs would now look dwarfish. The same limitations apply to the house in that it isn't 100% accurate to the floor plan as seen in the actual TV series. The rooms are more cramped, but again, the designers had to keep the overall house size proportional to the minifigs themselves. So, no, I won't dock points for that. The only thing that bothers me is the cool expression on the minifig's faces save for Ned and Maggie. Since the head pieces are moulded, there aren't alternate expressions available as there are for other minifigs with the standard head piece. Having more "alert" eyes for Bart, Homer, Lisa, and Marge would've improved the product. LEGO does make a Simpsons standalone minifig series where the Simpsons have wide-open eyes. I can't wait for the second Simpsons standalone minifig series to be released so that Santa's Little Helper and Snowball could complete the household. In the meantime, I've taken the liberty of placing all the series one minifigs in this house so there'd be one big Simpsons house party going on. Good times. Read more

This LEGO set is AMAZING!!!! It was all my grandson wanted for his birthday. But because it included over 2700 pieces and was recommended for ages 12 and over, I had concerns. My grandson was just turning 4. But when it arrived, the joy on his face was priceless. This is probably the most complex yet easiest LEGO set we have ever put together. All the pieces came in marked bags and the step by step instructions were really easy to follow. Once completed, the roof plates come off easily so you can open the house intact to re-arrange the furniture and place the Simpson people inside. Kudos to the folks at LEGOs who designed this Simpson house. Every detail was thought of including a garage that opens, pink car, mailbox, and so many pieces of interior decor including a kitchen set, sofa, and even a toilet. Yes, it's pricey, we paid $199 plus tax with free shipping on Amazon, but I think it is well worth it. It's also available on the LEGO website, but I chose AMAZON because we've always had prompt delivery and this time was no exception. The LEGO box arrived as scheduled in a very sturdy cardboard box and the LEGO box itself didn't have a dent or a scratch on it. My grandson hasn't stopped playing with this set since the day it arrived. BEST LEGO SET EVER!!!!!! Read more