Mr. Burns is Springfield’s oldest and richest citizen, not to mention it’s most evil (unless you count Sideshow Bob). He owns the Springfield power plant and runs it with an iron fist. He’s been known to fire people for the smallest things, employs ducks (Stewart) instead of people and pays many employees virtually nothing, like Tebor. Although he’s not a great man, it’s a great idea to make an action figure of him. Luckily, Playmates Toys has taken care of that with its Simpsons action figure line.

The detail of the figure is fabulous. All of the World Of Springfield action figures by Playmates Toys are perfect down to every detail and Mr. Burns is no exception. He stands about four and a half inches high and he is wearing his traditional green/blue suit. His fingers are as bony as they are on the television show. The best part of the figure is the three liver spots on his head. His eyes are also as menacing as the real (I use that term loosely) character on the television show. His exaggerated overbite and pointy nose also convey his evil intentions.

All of the figures in this line are accompanied by various accessories that relate to the character. The accessories that are included with Mr. Burns could not be any more perfect. What else would he be holding except for money? Two wads of cash are included with the figure. Of course the best accessory is Blinky the fish. You might remember him from the episode, Two Cars In Every Garage, Three Eyes on Every Fish. This is the episode where Mr. Burns runs for governor to prevent his beloved power plant from being shut down due to numerous safety violations. During a campaign appearance, he actually eats dinner at The Simpson’s household to portray his "working man" image. Marge is very unhappy with the public spectacle of the dinner and feeds Blinky, the three-eyed fish to Mr. Burns. Quite predictably, he can't keep the fish down and his plans for public office are dashed. Luckily, the Blinky accessory comes “floating” in his own fish bowl and is not served on a plate

The other very cool part of these Playmate figures are the interactive voice chips that are included. When you place the figures in certain Springfield scenes (purchased separately), they actually talk. Surprisingly, the quality of the voice clip is excellent. They are actual clips from the show. With this figure, you can hear Mr. Burns chime in with his famous expression, “Excellent!” as well as several other quotes like, Do to my hectic schedule and lethargic sperm, I never fathered an heir and I know you children see me as some sort of “booger man” The figure is compatible with several of the Springfield environments including the Simpsons living room, the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, Springfield Elementary, Barney's Bowl-a-Rama and Burns’ Manor.

With every good product, there is usually one problem and the Playmate’s Mr. Burns figure is no different. The issue with the figure, and virtually every other one in the collection, is that it’s basically immobile. His arms can move up and down, his head can turn and his waist swivels. However, that is all. There is no leg movement and when the arms are moved, they remain in the same position. He’s basically designed to stand and hold his vast amounts of cash. Sure, it’s a small quibble, but a problem nonetheless.

Overall, I would highly recommend the Mr. Burns Playmate action figure. The detail is fabulous and the retail price of $4.99 is just right. It’s a great collectible for any fan of The Simpsons or for the general collector as well. Unfortunately, the figure isn’t readily available in stores anymore, but if you can hunt one down at a reasonable price you’ll want to pick it up.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 4.99
Type of Toy: Action Figure
Age Range of Child: Whole Family