I Never Thought I'd Have a Boomerang Fish Thrower in the House...
Written: Feb 28 '03 (Updated May 07 '03)
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Pros: Great sculpt, articulation and accessories...plus that he even EXISTS!
Cons: Who knew he had legs? A few paint slops.
The Bottom Line: You have to be not completely sane to enjoy throwing fish...and INSANE to want them to come back to you!
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Palisades Muppet Show Series 3: Lew Zealand |
As a lifelong Muppet Fan, Toy Fan, and all-around Freak, the Palisades Toys line of Muppet Show action figures is the best thing that’s happened to my collection in a long time. Up until now it’s been pretty much fighting tooth and nail on eBay for 20-year old Muppet collectibles, like my 1983 Kermit the Frog Telephone or the 1978 Fisher Price Muppet Show Stick Puppets. But starting last year, we’ve seen a great line of characters unfolding from Palisades Toys, and it includes characters I NEVER thought I’d see made as toys.
A prime example: Lew Zealand. I mean, in my collection I’ve got a whole lotta Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, and Animal...but Lew Zealand? For those of you who don’t know Lew, he’s a fan favorite from The Muppet Show and Muppet Movies, who’s most notable as a sort of sideshow performer who throws Boomerang Fish. His most frequently said line:
“I throw them away...” (throws fish here) “...and they COME BACK to me!”
He was actually quite prominent in the last few seasons of The Muppet Show, and although we never got a lot of deep character development with him, he’s on a tier just below, say…The Swedish Chef, Sam Eagle, Statler & Waldorf…not instantly recognizable by your average man on the street, but a strong character nonetheless.
Palisades has incredibly included Lew Zealand in their third series of Muppet Action Figures, and I have to give them a huge amount of credit for just including him. But the final result of their work knocks him (and his three accompanying fish) into the stratosphere.
Visually, he’s very interesting—he a yellow-skinned “human” Muppet, with a bright red nose, buggy eyes, and spiky hair and moustache. He’s wearing what appears to be a combination of a riding outfit and a clown suit—a red jacket, white puffy pants, shiny black boots, and an enormous round frilled collar that would be at home on either an Australian lizard or a circus clown. He’s got a huge underbite that looks as hilarious on the 6” action figure as it does on the puppet; he’s also got the great texturing on his skin and hair that makes these Muppet figures really “come alive.” In a foam rubber kinda way.
One minor complaint I have is that the paint applications are a bit sloppy in places...most notably on his white pants--and it was retouched after the fact, but it's not the same smooth finish as the rest of the figure. I'd take off half a point for that, if half-points existed.
He’s well-posed, and has enough articulation that he can stand well without the included stand, and still be able to hold (and throw) his fish. Some of the earlier Muppet Show figures have had problems with stuck joints, which meant pieces would break off when you tried to move them around…Palisades has switched factories starting with this series, and I didn’t have any problem with Lew’s poseability.
Lew’s accessories suit his character completely…because after all, what do we know about Lew Zealand? Well…he’s a Boomerang Fish Thrower. So he comes with three fish: two smaller fish (one’s flounder, one’s long and skinny) and a very large swordfish. He’s able to hold the two smaller fish in his hands, and can either hold the swordfish in two hands or (even better) brandish it by the tail like a sword without losing his balance. He also comes with a minnow bucket that’s large enough to store the fish in…always important when you’re on the road.
I’m delighted that Palisades is taking the time to find out what the Fans and Freaks like to see made, and sprinkling those in among the better-known characters like Kermit, Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, et al, is amazing. In just the first three series, I’ve got characters I’ve never had before, and the trend is continuing; these Fan Favorites are quickly becoming my favorites.
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MORE Muppet Action Figures? You BET !
Series One
Kermit the Frog http://www.epinions.com/content_81549233796
Miss Piggy http://www.epinions.com/content_81637707396
Dr. Teeth http://www.epinions.com/content_81569549956
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew http://www.epinions.com/content_81822191236
Series Two
Fozzie Bear http://www.epinions.com/content_85935820420
Crazy Harry http://www.epinions.com/content_98525613700
Floyd Pepper http://www.epinions.com/content_98514865796
Gonzo the Great http://www.epinions.com/content_98463813252
Series Three
Scooter http://www.epinions.com/content_91825081988
Zoot http://www.epinions.com/content_91549830788
Rowlf http://www.epinions.com/content_90764316292
Playsets
Muppet Labs with Beaker http://www.epinions.com/content_81755606660
Electric Mayhem Stage with Animal http://www.epinions.com/content_98538262148
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 6.99
Type of Toy: Action Figure
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Epinions.com ID:
JediKermit
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 in Movies, Kids & Family, Books |
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Member: Quinn
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Reviews written: 2137
Trusted by: 599 members
About Me:
Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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