Review: LEGO The Muppets Minifigures
April 23, 2022
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It’s almost May which means it’s time for a new Collectible Minifigures series, and LEGO have surprised us all with a brand new license – The Muppets, featuring the quirky and colourful puppets from Jim Henson’s Muppets joining LEGO’s long-running Collectible Minifigures (CMF) series.
The Muppets Minifigures is preceded by Series 22, Marvel Studios and Looney Tunes and is the 2nd LEGO Collectible Minifigures Series for 2022.
The LEGO Muppets Minifigures will be released globally on 1 May 2022, and will be available from LEGO.com either as individual blind bags, or in a 6-pack configuration. Unfortunately, like previous Collectible Minifigures Series, The Muppets will be delayed in Australia, launching in June 2022.
Special thanks to The LEGO Group for sending these minifigures for review.
Here’s a look at The Muppets Minifigures blind bags, which have a “random” minifigure inside. The white colour scheme really helps draw attention to the colourful cast of character on the front.
Each LEGO Muppets Minifigures blind bag will retail for US$4.99 in the US, AU$5.99 in Australia and £3.49 in the UK, and they’ll be available worldwide from 1 May 2022 onwards. Australia will get them in June 2022, unfortunately.
Here’s a look at the all-new LEGO minifigures box design – LEGO have made a few notable changes here. Most notably, it doesn’t have a “lid” and I like the custom silhouette on the front, as well as photos of each Muppet minifigure across the sides of the box.
The lack of a lid was initially quite surprising, but I also realised that the cardboard walls are much thinner, which means that this change was done to save costs, and reduce the overall weigh/cardboard usage which is also great for the environment.
A small change, but a welcome one.
LEGO Muppets Minifigures Box Distribution
The good news is that there are 3 complete sets in my box of Muppets Minifigures – which is quite typical with the modern era of the 12-character sets. No chase or rare minifigures, and great news if you plan to buy a sealed box, and split the contents with 2 other friends.
Here’s a look at the character checklist and leaflet, and instructions on the reverse side.
Here’s the complete list of characters. I felt like for those new to The Muppets, especially the more obscure and non-Kermit characters, it would’ve been handy if LEGO included their names on the character checklist.
It’d also be helpful for people like me who can never immediately tell you who Statler and Waldorf are.
It’s a small change, but it’s great to see LEGO making good on its commitment to remove gender bias from their toys.
- Rowlf the Dog
- Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
- Beaker
- Gonzo
- Kermit the Frog
- Miss Piggy
- Fozzie Bear
- Animal
- Waldorf
- Statler
- Swedish Chef
- Janice
If you click the name of each minifigure, you’ll instantly jump to the corresponding minifigure review! For the “feelers out there”, my reviews also contain a “How To Find One” section with actual tips on how you can best identify the minifigs in their blind bags.
If you’re new to my LEGO Minifigure reviews, I use a 5-point scale review scale to rate each minifig. Here’s what the numbers mean!
5/5 – I love it
4/5 – I really like it
3/5 – I like it
2/5 – I don’t like it
1/5 – I didn’t really like it
0/5 – I hate it
Now all that’s done, let’s jump straight into the LEGO Muppets Minifigures review!
1. Rowlf the Dog
Rowlf the Dog is the resident pianist of the Muppet Show, and is a huge fan of the classics, often serenading the audience with pieces from Mozart and Beethoven.
Funnily, he has a motto, “stay away from women”, which he offers as advice to Kermit. Kermit famously responds “but I can’t”, to which Rowlf replies, “neither can I”.
As a furry dog with floppy ears, Rowlf’s mould is also excellent, and there is some subtle fur printing across his body and legs.
For an accesory, Rowlf comes with some sheet music, and a bust of Beethoven is included. The bust most famously features in Rowlf’s rendition of Pathetique, and often comments on Rowlf’s piano playing.
As an added bonus, Beethoven’s bust has a dual-sided face, and will be a really useful piece of decoration in MOCs or music-themed displays.
Again, no complaints here – this is an excellent rendition of Rowlf, down to the minor details like printing on his feet, and the addition of the Beethoven bust just ties everything incredibly well together.
How to find one: Try feeling for the Beethoven bust plinth, which has a curcy T-shape, with flat sides.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
2. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew is the resident scientist on The Muppets Show, and host of the Muppet Labs sketches – he’s a zany scientist, named after the Bunsen Burner, and his face, which looks like a lumpy green honeydew.
He has medium legs, which gives him a slightly diminutive stature, and comes equipped with a erlenmeyer flask with some pink chemicals inside.
The Bunsen Honeydew minifigure is another accurate representation of his Muppet counterpart, with a highly detailed moulded face with his moustache and glasses printed nicely.
I am amazed at the moulding accuracy here, and just how well Dr. Honeydew’s facial proportions have been captured, as well as the eerie green shade used. His lab coat torso is simple, yet effective, and can be easily reused for science/lab-type characters.
While not the most popular Muppet, Dr Bunsen Honeydew is lovingly re-created – I only wish that his choice of accessories were slightly more interesting, but it’s par for the course for the resident Muppet scientist.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
How to find one: Try feeling for the flask, which has a flared bottom, and a narrow neck. His bulbous head could also be a useful clue, but ensure you don’t confuse it for Waldorf who has a similarly lumpy head, albeit with more texture, as Dr Honeydew’s head is mostly round.
3. Beaker
Beaker is Dr Bunsen Honeydew’s hapless assistant, and is constantly on the wrong end of experiments, often finding himself being blown up, shrunken, set on fire, and even turned into a Halloween Pumpkin on occasion.
Despite the on-the-job hazards, Beaker always comes back for more, and has a very fond and close relationship with Dr Bunsen Honeydew.
In modern times, Beaker has also found limited success as an internet meme and reaction GIF, further adding to his credentials.
The Beaker minifigure is impressive, and I love his pale green lab coat, which also features dual-moulded legs, that serve as boots.
Beaker has one of the most impressive minifigure heads in the series, and I was blown away that LEGO managed to replicate his flappy mouth, with his bottom lip/jaw staying sharp, and open – really showing off just how far LEGO’s manufacturing and minifigure moulding processes have progressed.
His shock of bright red hair, ping-pong ball-esque eyes and large orange nose are all done really nicely, and he is one of the more expressive Muppets in the series.
For an accessory, he comes with a walkie talkie, which has a printed tile on it with a gauge that is currently in the red, and some buttons and a speaker. My guess is that it’s some sort of geiger counter, or connected with one of Dr Bunsen Honeydew’s many dangerous experiments.
Beaker is one of my favourites in the series as LEGO have absolutely nailed his expressive face just right, and I am so thoroughly impressed by Beaker’s head mould.
How to find one: Beaker has a long, thin head, with a tuft of spiky hair on one end. You can easily feel for his eyes and nose, as well as his mouth which feels quite sharp, with a significant gap in between the head and mouth.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
4. Gonzo
Gonzo the Great is the resident Daredevil (and sometimes Plumbing Entrepreneur) of the Muppets Show, who specialises in avant-garde performances that are sometimes too advanced for the audience.
Whether being shot out of a cannon, or hypnotising chickens, Gonzo is always up for anything to entertain, thrill and inspire the audience.
Gonzo’s strange, alien-like head is captured beautifully, with sharp prints, on his head. I especially like his pale purple proboscis/nose, and how LEGO managed to have sharp dual-coloured green and yellow lines on his eyes, with little to no bleed.
Gonzo is also dressed in his trademark red chilli pepper shirt, and a loud polka dot tie, and brown slacks. As with most of the Muppets in this series, Gonzo also has “shoes” printed on his feet, and the ornate leather belt ties everything together really nicely.
One of my favourite things about Gonzo is his umm.. attraction towards chickens. There’s seriously an entire Muppet Wiki article on Gonzo’s thing for chickens which is hilarious to read.
Included as an accessory is Camilla, the love of Gonzo’s life which is a newly recoloured chicken element, which has Camilla’s “face” printed onto it, which is a fun addition for those who enjoy collecting LEGO livestock.
Gonzo is one of the more colourful Muppets in the series, and is hands down one of my favourites. I really love how well they captured his unique face, and the bright red chilli pepper shirt, and Camilla the Chicken round out an incredible homage to the character.
How to find one: Gonzo’s head has a long curved nose sticking out, which should be easy to feel for. The tuft on top of his head should confirm it as well.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
5. Kermit the Frog
Kermit the Frog is the heart and soul of the Muppets Show, and is arguably the most popular and enduring Muppet in the line-up.
The Kermit the Frog minifigure is done remarkably well, with very subtle printing across his body, with his signature lime green collar captured well.
His head, and eyes are moulded and printed with a high degree of accuracy. Fun fact, Kermit’s large eyes (with the weird, yet now iconic pupils) were originally made out of halved ping pong balls!
For his accessory, he come with a brand new banjo accessory, which looks really nice, and is yet another new musical instrument added to LEGO’s repertoire.
He also comes with a new quarter tile Rainbow, a nod to his iconic Rainbow Connection song.
As the face of The Muppets, and also a popular meme, you can’t fault what LEGO have done with Kermit, and he’ll likely be one of the most popular characters in the series due to his immense popularity, and place in pop culture history.
Kermit’s simplicity works in his favour here, and whether you’re a huge fan of the Muppets or not, the ability to get a Kermit the Frog minifigure in a blind bag is truly unprecedented, and a big win for Muppets fans wanting to own a minifigure of their favourite lovable green frog.
How to find one: Feel for Kermit’s banjo, which has a large circular base, and a long skinny neck. The rainbow quarter tile is also quite easy to feel for with its flat curved shape.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
6. Miss Piggy
Miss Piggy is a larger-than-life pig, best known for her impeccable fashion sense, prima donna attitude and dramatic star of the Muppets show.
Arguably the second best known Muppet, thanks to her on and off again relationship with Kermit, Miss Piggy has struck it out on her own, embracing her role as a modern day feminist icon.
Miss Piggy’s minifigure is immaculate, and she’s dressed in a bright pink sparkling dress, and comes with a magazine where she’s naturally on the cover.
Miss Piggy has one of the most outstanding moulded heads, with sharp printing on her eyes, showing off her eyeshadow and mascara, and incredible detail and wavy locks on her hair.
It’s an absolutely remarkable demonstration of LEGO’s advanced moulding and printing capabilities, and one of the best in this already stacked series.
I also really liked some of the minor details on Miss Piggy’s minifigure such as her gloves, which have bracelets printed on her wrists, side leg printing AND she’s also wearing silver pumps which are printed on her feet.
Fans of Miss Piggy and the Muppets will be incredibly happy with her rendition as a miniigure, and is one of the highlights of this fantastic series.
How to find one: Miss Piggy’s 2×3 magazine tile will be the easiest to feel for, but her large moulded head should also be easy to feel for if you can identify the large wavy back of her hair, and confirm with the 2 ears that will feel quite spiky in the bag.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
7. Fozzie Bear
Fozzie Bear is the resident stand-up comic on the Muppet Show, famous for bombing his sets, and terrible jokes. Fozzie also regularly gets heckled by Statler and Waldorf, and is best-known for his catchphrase “wocka wocka”, that he uses to end his jokes.
As a fuzzy bear, Fozzie has his signature pork pie hat and polka dot necktie on, and comes with a mic stand and a banana. Bananas are a recurring prop in the Muppets, with banana peels used for comedic effect, or as telephones by sticking them into ears.
That said, the banana is also a nod to the Banana Sketch, one of Fozzie Bear’s most well known sketches – a great reference that goes way back into the Muppets archive.
Here’s a look at Fozzie Bear’s back, arm and side leg printing which has more of that subtle fur details – I do like that they match against the furry moulded details on his head.
My only complaint is I think Fozzie’s colour is a little off, and it would’ve been much nicer if it was more orangey, which I think matches Fozzie Bear’s appearance slightly better.
How to find one: Try feeling for the accessories used for the mic stand – the rod which is thin and skinny, or the base which is dish-shaped are easy to feel for, as is the microphone which has a slightly bulbous tip.
Minifig Rating: 3/5
8. Animal
Up next is the manic Muppets drummer, Animal who plays for Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem, the house band for The Muppers show.
Animal’s wild look, and bright colours are present here, and he also comes with one of the most elaborate LEGO Minifigures accessories, a complete drum kit and wands that double as drumsticks.
At first glance, Animal looks absolutely perfect – his wild expression, and extra expressive eyebrows have just captured Animal’s look so incredibly well.
In his bottom jaw, I also appreciated LEGO’s capabilities in printing his teeth and tongue on the inside, which just ties his entire character together.
Unfortunately, there’s quite a lot of bleed near his eyes, where the white paint hasn’t completely covered the black base. It’s not a major issue, and is noticeable only when you look really closely, and doesn’t fully detract from what is still a fantastic minifigure.
There’s also plenty of incredible Muppet fur textures, and printed details across his body such as his spiked bracers, and spiked collar, which ties the entire Animal package together.
Special mention also needs to be made for the drum kit – there’s a snare drum, and drum-lacquered cymbal. The bass drum also comes with with a printed tile, which is another fantastic touch.
Animal’s drum kit was actually a really fun and ingenious build, and overall, a very impressive accessory for a very impressive minifigure. If not for the slight discolouration for Animal’s eyes, it would’ve gotten a perfect score for me.
Animal and Electric Mayhem fans will not be disappointed at all!
How to find one: There are a LOT of elements to be felt for here, but the easiest would be the bass drum, which is a round 2 x 2 brick. You can also feel for the round 2 x 2 tiles, or lollipop paddle piece.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
9. Waldorf
Waldorf is one half of Statler and Waldorf, the curmudgeonly duo that endlessly heckle and criticise every bit of The Muppet show from their box seats.
Waldorf has a slightly diminutive stature, thanks to medium legs, and is a remarkably accurate take on the humanoid muppet.
Like the rest of the series, the intricate hair details, and Waldorf’s squinty unimpressed eyes are incredibly impressive – they almost look too accurate to be LEGO.
Here’s another better look at Waldorf’s incredible face details, I love what the element designers have done here capturing all of Waldorf’s signature facial features, down to his droopy chin folds.
For accessories, it wouldn’t be complete without a sign with ZZZss (pretty unfortunate timing with the War in Ukraine..) which is a nod to this scene where Statler and Waldorf express their boredom and fall asleep.
He also comes with a tea cup and saucer, of which you get 2 in each blind bag, a very nice bonus!
I love the cantankerous duo of Statler and Waldorf, and they’re one of my favourite side characters, so these two make me extremely happy. I also think they will be incredibly popular with fans!
How to find one: Try feeling for Waldorf’s 2×2 tile, but you can also confirm with the cups and saucers. The cups feel like studs, with a short handle, and the saucers feel slightly wider with sharp edges.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
10. Statler
Joining Waldorf is his companion and fellow heckler, Statler who is dressed in a dark navy suit, and has an equally unimpressed look on his face.
Like Waldorf, Statler’s facial features are just sublime, and I love how they captured a frown, and how they managed to capture his grey eyebrows, hooked nose, and oversized double chin.
It’s pretty funny as they look like massive buttocks stuck to his face.
Unfortunately with the new 12-character series, some fan favourite characters inevitably get cut, and Scooter didn’t make it into the series, however the graphic designers have opted to sneak him into this series by way of this printed laptop screen.
It’s interesting that LEGO decided to opt for a brick-built laptop, instead of the usual LEGO laptop element, but I appreciate the printed elements regardless, and it’s nice to see Scooter’s face here.
The Laptop could also be a nod to some of Statler and Waldorf’s sketches, where they peer into a computer screen, to do things like heckle people on the internet.
How to find one: Try feeling for the “book” elements used in Statler’s laptop, such as the lid which feels flat, but has a raised bump on its edge, or the 2×1 tile.
Minifig Rating: 5/5
11. Swedish Chef
Next is the Swedish Chef, the Muppet that parodies cooking shows on TV and is best known for his crazy recipes and antics, as well as his signature “Bork, Bork, Bork!” catchphrase.
Swedish Chef speaks in gobbledegook meant to emulate the Swedish language, and the minifigure is an excellent take on the muppet.
The moulded head has excellent details such as his overgrown bushy eyebrows, and his chef’s hat is also fused into it. His pinstriped shirt and chef’s apron are also really nice, and could easily be repurposed for a chef/diner custom minifigure.
Included as accessories are a handheld whisk, and an anthropomorphic Tomato, which is printed on a red minifigure head, part of the Singing Food – a bunch of fruits and vegetables that come together for musical numbers.
Oh, and I also love the Swedish Chef’s dual-moulded legs, and especially his brown shoes.
Here’s a look at his back print and the hair detail on the back.
Swedish Chef is one of my favourite Muppets on the show, and as such, I love what LEGO have done with him as a minifigure.
How to find one: Try feeling for the Tomato leaves, which has 3 pointed leaves, and a stud. His elongated head, with a gap between his chef hat and head is also fairly easy to identify as it has a distinct shape.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
12. Janice
Last but not least is Janice, who is also part of the Electric Mayhem band. She plays the lead guitar for the band, and has a hippie/flower child appearance.
She comes with a newly recoloured electric guitar and her face, hair and hat is rendered beautifully, with great colours. Her pursed lips and pink eyeshadow are printed flawlessly on her head.
Here’s a look at her back printing, which is mostly covered by her hair.
Like other Muppets, she also has sandals printed on her feet, which is quite a nice touch.
It’s nice to get 2 members of the Electric Mayhem band, and it would’ve been great to get more, hopefully in future series or sets!
How to find one: Feel for Janice’s guitar, which has a narrow thin neck, and a narrower body compared to Kermit’s banjo.
Minifig Rating: 4/5
Final Thoughts: The LEGO Muppets minifigures is an incredible entrant to the hallowed Collectible Minifigures series, featuring some of the highest quality minifigures designs that LEGO have ever produced.
The Muppets are an inspired choice for a licensed property, and with 12 incredible iconic characters, makes for an exceptionally memorable series.
For Jim Henson fans who grew up watching Kermit and the cast put on The Muppet Show, this will undoubtedly trigger a flood of nostalgia, and encourage you to relive some of the best of Muppets on Youtube or Disney Plus.
Just like Looney Tunes, LEGO have once again demonstrated their prowess when it comes to highly technical moulds, and printing, pushing the envelope of what is actually capable with minfigure design.
There really isn’t a bad minifigure in this collection at all with such high quality moulds, and decent accessories which pay homage to some of the more memorable sketches, episodes or character quirks.
It’s a really cohesive series, and as a fan of the Muppets, or even minifigures, you will not want to miss out on this excellent series.
It’s a bit of a risk on LEGO’s part, taking on The Muppets license as they are quite old school, and there hasn’t been a major blockbuster or a flood of Muppet Show content (although some characters like Kermit still permeate contemporary culture through memes), and are betting on adults who are drawn in by the nostalgia, and might introduce The Muppets to a whole new generation.
I also think that the blind bag nature of LEGO’s Minifigure series works against this particular series, and begs the question why LEGO won’t sell complete sets to fans who just want to complete the 12-character collection, and not risk any doubles for those that might chance it with blind bags.
Sure, you could always buy a whole box and split it with friends, or buy complete sets from 3rd party retailers, but personally, I think the “blind bag” (aka gambling for kids) appeal works against the best interests of consumers, and is a needless hurdle to collecting the Muppets series.
For fans of The Muppets and Sesame Street, these are a great addition to the 123 Sesame Street set, and I think would encourage plenty of craft fans to MOC and design their own Muppet show sets, or theatres.
Naturally, there are plenty of other Muppets I’d love to see as minifigures – Scooter, Sam the Eagle, Yip Yips (The Martians), Pepe the King Prawn, as well as the remainder of the Electric Mayhem band. Heck, I hope LEGO just straight up release a set with the band on its own.
Here’s my top 5, which really is just a reflection of my personal favourite Muppets.
- Waldorf
- Statler
- Beaker
- Swedish Chef
- Kermit
An exceptional minifigures series that will delight any Muppets fan.
Overall Rating: 4/5 ★★★★✰
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my review of the LEGO Muppets Minifigures!
The LEGO Muppets Minifigures blind bags will retail for US$4.99 in the US, AU$5.99 in Australia and £3.49 in the UK, and they’ll be available worldwide from 1 May 2022 onwards, and 1 June 2022 for Australia.
What do you think of the LEGO Muppets Minifigures ? Let me know what your favourite characters are in the comments, and if you’re planning to get the set!
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