I always assumed Heartlake City was a blissful place, where residents could frolic in the lush countryside, enjoy their favourite pastimes in the city and generally have a fun time. But recently things have taken a sinister turn and the new LEGO Friends gang is seeking out the darker side of Heartlake City. After the bleakness of abandoned puppies in the first wave of new Friends sets, the one I’m taking a look at today focuses on Heartlake City officials cutting down trees with house-nesting birds, which I’m pretty sure is illegal. But Heartlake City News is on the scene and here’s a look at their mobile Newsroom Van set.
Product Details
Set Name: Newsroom Van | Set Number: 43749 | Pieces: 446 | Theme: Friends
RRP: £24.99/$29.99/29.99€ | Number of Bags: Bags x 4 | Instructions: 1 x Paper booklets + Builder App | Stickers: Sheet x 1 | Characters: Aliya, Peter & Darrel + Owl figure
Availability: LEGO Stores, LEGO Online & General Retail
The set features two buildable elements, the aforementioned Newsroom Van along with a small piece of scenery. It’s the scenery that kicks off the set’s build. The small island plate features an odd-looking tree. The reason it looks odd is due to a play feature built into it. The branches are mounted on a Technic pin so it can be felled by tilting it. This ties into the story of the set, which seems to revolve around the tree being chopped down, despite it being home to a nesting owl and the sign expressly forbidding the use of chainsaws.
The main focus of the set is a van which doubles as a mobile Newsroom. The overall design of the van reminds me of the A-Team van, so much so it could be rebuilt in the necessary coloured and it would be the A-Team van. But the news van uses the usual mix of colours often associated with LEGO Friends sets. So it uses a mix of white, light purple and lime green. A trio of plates featuring stickers are mounted to the side of the van and the front to add some extra detail. On the top of the van is a telescopic camera and on the rear, you’ll find a satellite transmitter.
The back of the van is split into two panels when closed these form the back of the van and when opened they double as a newsroom studio. The central section features a seat in front of a backdrop, which provides a fun nod to another LEGO Friends set. Each of the panels features a few extra details including a screen and computers to help Aliya research any breaking news stories.
The set features two mini-dolls along with a micro-doll. These include main character Aliya who also has the ability to swap out her head for another. Unlike minifigures, mini-dolls only feature one expression so to change it, the entire head must be swapped. This is something which has become more common in the new Friends sets. Peter is the city official tasked with chopping down the tree and he seems oddly happy to do so. As a worker, he’s wearing a hard hat, which looks a little odd on a mini-doll. Helping Aliya protect the tree is Darrel, micro-dolls are much smaller than mini-dolls but use the same sized heads, which can make them look a little odd. The set also features a unique animal figure in the form of a white owl.
Overall
I’m still miffed by some of the darker tones being introduced in the new Friends sets. Chopping down a tree with a bird’s nest in it seems a little cruel. But joking aside, this is another interesting set from the rebooted LEGO Friends theme. I love the design of the van and the ability to transform it into a mobile TV studio is quite unique. Despite the tree being chopped down, the fact it provides a play feature is nice if a little cruel. The highlight is definitely the A-Team-like van.
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