LEGO® Ideas has transformed some of the most iconic movies and TV shows into LEGO sets. Each one of those sets was created by a spark of inspiration from the fan community. The administration from those who create projects and those who love the subject matter has seen many product ideas storm to 10,000. Big Bang Theory, FRIENDS and Seinfeld have been amongst the almost 50 fan-created projects to become sets. That trend is set to continue with the latest LEGO Ideas release. The US version of The Office continues to be a popular TV series despite ending in 2013. Based on the original UK series of the same name, it regularly tops streaming charts. This endearing fandom helped the project by fan builder Jaijaj Lewis hit 10k and was soon chosen to become a set, one which is being released on October 1st. Here’s an early look at the 44th LEGO Ideas set – The Office.
Product Details
Recreate an American workplace with this collectible LEGO® Ideas display model (21336) inspired by hit mockumentary The Office. Build familiar areas of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton office with LEGO bricks, including boss Michael Scott’s office (which slides out for display on its own), the conference room and much more.
Great gift idea for fans of The Office
The set includes 15 LEGO minifigures: Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, Jim Halpert, Pam Beesly, Ryan Howard, Angela Martin, Oscar Martinez, Kevin Malone, Stanley Hudson, Kelly Kapoor, Phyllis Lapin Vance, Meredith Palmer, Creed Bratton, Toby Flenderson and Darryl Philbin, plus a LEGO figure of Angela’s cat Garbage. There are also lots of accessory elements referencing hilarious moments, including a stapler in gelatine, Golden Ticket, Dundie trophy and ‘World’s Best Boss’ mug.
- Set Name: The Office
- Set Number: 21336
- Pieces: 1164
- RRP: £104.99/$119.99/119.99€
- Number of Bags: Bags x 10
- Stickers: Sheets x 2
- Minifigures: Michael, Dwight, Jim, Pam, Ryan, Angela, Oscar, Kevin, Stanley, Kelly, Phyllis, Meredith, Creed, Toby & Darryl plus Garbage the cat
- Instructions: Booklet x 1 + LEGO Building Instructions App
- Availability: LEGO Stores & LEGO Online from October 1st
The Office began in the UK in 2001, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant the show was framed as a fly-on-the-wall documentary, with a film crew following the daily work life of a Slough-based stationery company. The premise was so popular it was soon adapted for the US. This version of the Office ran for 9 seasons and over its run, many iconic moments were born. Some of which have made it into this new LEGO Ideas set.
As with all LEGO Ideas sets instruction booklets, the one included with this set features a little background on the TV show which began on NBC in the US back in 2005. Along with a little biography on the fan builder who created the original project submission, Jaijaj Lewis plus the LEGO Design Team, who were tasked with taking Jaijaj’s design and transforming it into the final product.
In order to capture many of the little nods to moments from the show, the set includes two sticker sheets. This translates to over 50 individual stickers. They range from simple signage and office sundries to props inspired by fan-favourite moments. Thankfully most are easy to apply although some of the really small ones are a little fiddly. A few of the stickered items can be used to incorporate alternate Easter Eggs into the set.
The basis of the set follows a trait that first began with the Big Bang Theory set and has continued all similar sets which have followed it, such as FRIENDS and Seinfeld. So it could almost be considered a recreation of a TV studio set, so it’s open-fronted giving a good view of the entire office. But before the wider office floor is built, the build begins with a self-contained version of Michael Scott’s office. It’s only a small area but features a desk and plenty of nods to memorable Michael Scott moments including a Dundie trophy, Golden Ticket and plenty of inspirational posters. This little build can be slotted into the back of the rest of the set. Having it as a removable room is a clever move as this area of the office is featured heavily in the TV show.
With the TV show mostly taking place in an office, that location has become iconic and easily recognisable. Making it a perfect area to recreate in LEGO form. It also means it’s a fairly plain area, this is only jazzed up with the addition of plenty of stickered elements and a number of minibuilds. If these are removed then the actual buildable aspect of the office is simply a large area of the floor and a couple of walls. It’s this balance which makes the set a little unusual. It has over 1100 pieces but many of these are quite small elements used to create the little decorations which bring the office to life. Simple things like a stapler or phone are cleverly crafted. Even stacks of papers or files are so simple in their construction but offer an impressive level of detail.
As mentioned, beyond those cool little minibuilds, much of the detail of the set is achieved through a large number of stickers. These range from blinds on windows, signs, posters and computer screens. Just about every single sticker links back to an iconic moment from the TV series. Fans of the show will be able to pinpoint these moments and their connections to certain characters or jokes. Some of these stickered elements have alternatives so you can swap the screens on the TV, memo board and banner in the conference room.
The mixture of all these fun little builds, stickered elements and of course, the minifigures will allow fans to recreate iconic moments from the show’s 9 seasons. Some of the most notable include Dwight’s stapler being encased in jelly, Kevin’s chilli mishap and the hole punched into the wall by Andy, who is oddly missing from the minifigure line-up but the hole can be added or removed by replacing the 1×2 brick between Michael’s office and the Conference Room.
As important as the location of The Office is, it’s the characters who inhabit it that truly bring it to life and so the set includes an impressive line-up of 15 minifigures. Key characters are included with many of them featured in well-known outfits or having memorable props. The mockumentary style of the show means many of these characters speak directly to the camera or give it a look so these expressions have been captured on some characters through duel expressions.
Characters featured in the set include Michael, Dwight, Jim, Pam, Ryan, Angela, Oscar, Kevin, Stanley, Kelly, Phyllis, Meredith, Creed, Toby & Darryl. They are all great takes on the characters they are meant to represent but Dwight and Jim are the standout minifigures. They feature a mix of newly created heads and outfits, along with making use of previously used elements, many of which seem to stem from the Harry Potter sets.
Review Round-up
As we’ve come to see from LEGO Ideas, its output is varied and that’s just what makes the theme so interesting. This is one of those sets which will be of greater interest to those who are fans of the show. It’s one of the reasons why it hit 10k votes in the first place and why so many similar fan projects do the same. It was fun to build, mostly thanks to all the little builds dotted about the office. Things like a photocopier or desk were great fun to build. It’s going to be a set with a limited audience, but one which could make it as popular as the FRIENDS. I also think it’s a set that will have a greater reach than the recent Seinfeld and Queer Eye sets were. This is not to say it’s a bad set, just much of its appeal is tied to the subject matter.
For
+ Perfectly captures numerous moments
+ Plenty of Easter Eggs
+ Great Minifigures
+ Clever minibuilds
Against
– Limited appeal
– Lots of stickers
Coming Soon: UKIrelandUSCanadaGermanyDenmarkAustraliaNew Zealand
This set was provided to BricksFanz by the LEGO Group for purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are that of BricksFanz and do not reflect those of the LEGO Group. Providing a set for free does not guarantee a favourable opinion of the set.
