From "Homie Made of Foamie" to "Fantastic Dreadlocked Plastic"
Written: Dec 05 '03 (Updated Dec 06 '03)
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Pros: Some of the best articulation yet, fine sculpt, cool dreads, nice accessories.
Cons: ...I would have preferred a "Lenny Kravitz" Clifford to a "Jay Leno" Clifford.
The Bottom Line: If Palisades Toys can make me love CLIFFORD...they can do anything.
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Palisades_ Muppets Series 6: Clifford |
Believe it or not, I don’t like all Muppets. I definitely have my favorites: Kermit, Gonzo, Miss Piggy…some more obscure ones like Lew Zealand the Boomerang Fish Thrower and dimwitted Swinetrek Captain Link Hogthrob…but there are others I just don’t like. Combine that with an aversion to change, and you’ll find quite a few of the “newer” Muppets that I just don’t like.
Enter Exhibit A. Clifford. He started out on the short-lived “Jim Henson Hour” in 1989 as an ambiguously African-American character, despite the fact that he was purple and looked quite a bit like a catfish. He sort of had a Caribbean flavor to him back then, and played in a band. He’s performed by the talented Kevin Clash, best-known for his performance of Elmo, the ticklish monster from Sesame Street. He was an okay character back then, laid-back, funky, and was a good addition to the cast.
Fast-Forward several years, after the deaths of Jim Henson and Richard Hunt, and ABC tries a new formula for a new Muppet series: “Muppets Tonight.” In what may have been the most disastrous move for the show, they decided to remove Kermit to the bench, and had Clifford, a virtually unknown character, host the series. This is when I started disliking Clifford. His personality changed, he became a bland amalgamation of lame talk show hosts. He would often introduce himself as “your homie made of foamie”…that’s just trying a bit too hard. Anyway, Muppets Tonight was shortlived, lasting only 22 episodes. And there was some good stuff, but it left me wondering if the Muppets would ever be able to catch lightning in a bottle again.
And it left me with a bad Clifford-y taste in my mouth.
That’s a whole lot of background. Couldn’t be helped. You people don’t know who Clifford is! So that’s who he is. When Palisades Toys announced that Clifford would be a part of the 6th Series of Muppet Action Figures, I thought “this is it—this will be the One Figure I Don’t Buy.” You know I don’t have the self control to do that. So I thought I’d buy him grudgingly, but keep him in a box somewhere. No one puts Kermit in a corner.
I picked up Clifford Wednesday, and he’s great. Amazing. Possibly my favorite action figure in this particular Series of four characters. Since 2001, I’ve watched as each new wave of action figures from Palisades improves on the previous ones—new ways for figures to have articulation, improved sculpts, better (and more logical) accessories...they raise the bar with each release. They’ve done that again with Clifford.
The Clifford figure is among the tallest in the line—just shorter than Fozzie Bear and the Swedish Chef. They’ve opted to dress him in his “host” clothing, meaning a pair of slacks and a blue shirt, orange tie, and vest. He’s got brushed suede shoes, and has rings on his fingers. I would have preferred a “funky” Clifford, with more of a Lenny Kravitz look (he’s sported it on several occasions), but this Clifford has already grown on me.
His most distinctive feature is probably his hair. He’s got magenta-red-pink-purple colored hair, twisted into dreadlocks, pouring back from his hairline down past his shoulders. Palisades has pulled this off exceptionally well, and the hair is molded from a soft plastic that has some give to it. More like hair, less like a triceratops. He’s also got a sort of fu manchu moustache and beard, contributing to his overall “catfish” appearance. Palisades has continued their practice of adding a foam-like texture to the “skin” of the Muppet characters—in Clifford’s case, the detail added to his face and hands was nicely done and very realistic.
One of the coolest things about the Clifford action figure is that he’s almost endlessly posable—I don’t know if I’ve found a position yet he can’t get into. Which is probably why the ladies keep coming back. He’s got articulated neck, shoulders, biceps, elbows, wrists, knees, ankles (that’s a new one) and ball-jointed hips, which sound weird but allow for more natural movement. Another reason the ladies keep coming back. Anyway. Enough of my X-rated Muppet thoughts. For now.
Because Clifford was the host of Muppets Tonight, he didn’t participate in many of the sketches—more of a behind-the-scenes and emcee kinda guy. So his accessories have to fit into that theme. Palisades gave Clifford great accessories, including a director’s chair (that he sits in perfectly) a clapboard (when you yell ACTION!” on the set..) an old-fashioned stand microphone like you’d see an old school radio announcer use, a cell phone (to keep track of all those ladies) and his MUST have accessory: his shades. The Jim Henson Hour Clifford always wore his sunglasses—it was part of his character. On Muppets Tonight, Clifford ditched the shades, which made him more expressive, but MY Clifford will wear his sunglasses at night. And during the day. And whenever I see him. They fit neatly into two little notches in his hair, not obtrusive when he’s not wearing them, but secure enough to keep them on his catfish-faced badass self.
This is a case of the toy being better than the character it was based on. I haven’t been a fan of Clifford’s since he booted my Frog out of the spotlight—with this figure, I’ve almost found it in my black heart to forgive him. Another great action figure from Palisades Toys, and another Muppet who wants to make me happy.
You can find the Muppet action figures at Target, Sam Goody/Musicland/Suncoast/Media Play stores, EB Games, and fine online retailers like BoxingCow.com and Bean’s Toys. Pick these up while you can—you won’t regret it.
MORE MUPPETS!
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
Lew Zealand http://www.epinions.com/content_91457293956
Zoot http://www.epinions.com/content_91549830788
Rowlf http://www.epinions.com/content_90764316292
Series Four
Link Hogthrob http://www.epinions.com/content_105889107588
Dr. Strangepork http://www.epinions.com/content_105892187780
Sam Eagle as Samuel Arrow http://www.epinions.com/content_105895988868
Rizzo the Rat http://www.epinions.com/content_105903591044
Series Five
Gonzo and Camilla http://www.epinions.com/content_115081186948
Janice http://www.epinions.com/content_117029899908
Pepe http://www.epinions.com/content_117043138180
Muppet Newsman http://www.epinions.com/content_117058145924
Series Six
Clifford http://www.epinions.com/content_120939515524
Bear on Patrol Fozzie http://www.epinions.com/content_120963501700
Statler http://www.epinions.com/content_120983948932
Waldorf http://www.epinions.com/content_120987487876
Playsets
Muppet Labs with Beaker http://www.epinions.com/content_81755606660
Electric Mayhem Stage with Animal http://www.epinions.com/content_98538262148
Swedish Kitchen with Swedish Chef http://www.epinions.com/content_98725432964
MINI Muppets
Wave 1 Set 1 http://www.epinions.com/content_119826517636
Wave 1 Set 2 http://www.epinions.com/content_119837462148
Wave 2 Set 1: Muppet Christmas Carol http://www.epinions.com/content_120237952644
Wave 2 Set 2: Muppet Christmas Carol http://www.epinions.com/content_120245292676
Coming Soon!
Pigs in Space Swinetrek Playset with First Mate Piggy
Series Seven
Kermit the Frog as Captain Abraham Smollet
Beauregard
Johnny Fiama
Frog Scout Robin
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 9.99
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: 2119
Trusted by: 597 members
About Me:
Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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