Old Guy in the Balcony #1 ...his Name is "STATLER!"
Written: Dec 06 '03 (Updated Dec 06 '03)
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Pros: Great figure, surprising innovative articulation, accessories, his buddy Waldorf
Cons: The Statler Upper Lip Controversy (so...nothing)
The Bottom Line: Half of one of the Muppets' best comedy teams, Statler is ready to take that bear OUT.
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Palisades_ Muppets Series 6: Statler |
This is it. The moment you’ve been waiting for. The answer to the most-asked question of me since I started writing my Muppet action figure reviews here at Epinions. That question: “When are we gonna see those two old guys in the balcony?” The answer is…right now.
Statler and Waldorf, the two unkindly gentlemen who for some masochistic reason managed to see every show at the Muppet Theatre, have finally made their appearance in the Palisades Toys Muppets line of action figures. It took over a year of waiting, but they’re well worth the wait.
Something every group of Muppets has in their midst is a resident grouch. This ranges from Oscar—the definitive Grouch on Sesame Street, to Fraggle Rock’s Boober, who’s more a pessimist than a grouch, to these two old geezers who define curmudgeon even better than my own old man does. And as much as I love Oscar and Boober, there’d be no Muppet that would make me cower in my boots as much as Statler and Waldorf.
They’re always paired together because they’re always seen together. We don’t know much about them, don’t know their first names, just know that they’re always in that balcony, and always hate Fozzie Bear. They’ve had some memorable moments—being chained to their seats while Gonzo jumped a motorcycle into the balcony, playing Tweedledee and Tweedledum for an Alice in Wonderland segment, doing a soft shoe dance to a vaudeville tune…and in the movies, they’ve gotten to play the ghosts of Jacob and Robert Marley and the figurehead of a sailing ship. So you can’t have one without the other.
And now they’ve both made it to my toy shelf, ready to heckle Fozzie and all the other Muppets in my collection. Statler is the taller and leaner of the two, with iron gray hair and dressed in a black three-piece suit. Palisades’ version of Statler is very tall, as tall as his nemesis Fozzie Bear. Since we rarely see them outside of their theatre box, it’s jarring to see him next to the other characters—but I think if I build a balcony into the wall of our apartment for two old men action figures, my wife will finally leave me. So Statler can hang out with the other figures for now.
The Muppet fan community is in an uproar about Statler’s upper lip…seriously. I think the likeness is very good—better than any Statler merchandise I’ve seen. But either his upper lip is too large or too small or something. I try not to pay attention. Muppet fans are insane. Don’t listen to them. And don’t look them in the eyes. Despite the Upper Lip Controversy, I like Statler’s look. His mouth is open in mid-scoff, his face a little bit jowly with age. His unibrow furrows down over his gray eyes, and his hawkish nose is ready to tear into anyone on stage.
Statler’s head is good, but I’m all about his body. This is what I’m gonna look like when I’m an old man. Skinny, mean, with a little paunch on his belly. Palisades designed both Statler and Waldorf with innovative joints in their torso and crotches, so they can sit well—an important feature for these figures. Statler is also made so that he can’t really stand up straight. That would normally be a defect, but it completes the “old man” look to have him hunched a little bit. He can do much more than sit—the articulation makes him very mobile, and if you were so inclined, could play “Old Man Ninja.” I’m sure someone will. I’m more into having him sit. I guess I’m too much of an old man myself.
Statler’s head is good, his body is to die for, but it’s the accessories for him that really put him over the top. Foremost is his chair. Statler and Waldorf come with a pair of matched Victorian chairs that look as real as it gets for being just over four inches high. With burgundy cushions on the seat, arms, and back, it looks comfy enough for an old man to sit on, and the burgundy and the gold scrollwork matches what we’ve seen of the Muppet Theatre. Simply perfect. Statler sits in it perfectly, although his feet don’t quite reach the ground…of course, it’s a Muppet sitting in a human chair—that happens sometimes with them. Better yet is the welcome addition of Muppet Vegetables (or are they fruit?) to the pack. Statler comes with two tomatoes—ostensibly to throw at Fozzie, but they’re both Muppet Vegetables, which means they have eyes and a mouth, and they’re in the middle of some wiseass remark. They’re very cute, larger than you’d think, and make me want more Muppet Veggies in the line. There’s also a Muppet Avocado in the pack, wearing sunglasses. He was a co-critic with Statler in the Pearl Bailey episode, and he’s so obscure, but a great little bonus. AND, Statler comes with a Muppet Show Playbill, with a listing of the first two acts of this particular evening’s program. It’s printed tiny, but you can see that Statler will be “enjoying” acts from Mahna-Mahna, Robin the Frog, the Swedish Chef, and all of the other Muppet players—and even Fozzie Bear. At least he has his tomatoes ready.
Statler and Waldorf are welcome additions to the line, and they’ve been favorites of even casual fans for years—they’re not going to last long on the shelves. Scoop yours up today! And be sure to give them lots of fiber. If this is what they’re like when they’re regular, you don’t wanna see them get CRANKY.
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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Member: Quinn
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Reviews written: 2120
Trusted by: 597 members
About Me:
Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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