Review: 40750 Wednesday & Enid
Posted by Huw,40750 Wednesday & Enid are BrickHeadz numbers 252 and 253 and, surprisingly, they're the first of the blocky characters that we've reviewed this year.
It is also perhaps surprising that the divisive theme seems to have become an evergreen one, now in its 7th year.
Other than introducing new franchises to it, innovation is rare, but there is one aspect of this set which is unique and which may signal a change in direction for future ones.
Summary
40750 Wednesday & Enid, 239 pieces.
£17.99 / $19.99 / €19.99 | 7.5p/8.4c/8.4c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Faithful blocky reproductions of the characters from the hit TV series
- Natural skin tones
- Contrasting characters display well together
- None
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Wednesday
The black-haired titular character of the Netflix series is always dressed in black, so there's not really much that the designers could do to add interest to this replica. Her ponytails look good, and the printed 1x4x3 brick forming the front of her dress is also very nice.
What's most notable, though, is her skin tone. Until recently, light-skinned human characters have utilised tan pieces for the face and hands, but here it's warm tan which is more commonly used for Friends minidolls.
It was first used in a BrickHeadz set last year for Cho in 40616 Harry Potter & Cho Chang, to differentiate her from Harry's tan colour.
Enid
Wednesday shares a dormitory with werewolf Enid, who dresses very brightly compared to her room-mate. She dyes the ends of her long blonde hair pink and blue and that has been replicated attractively here, adding considerable visual interest to the figure.
But, once again, the most notable thing about her is the skin tone: she's the first BrickHeadz to use light nougat, the same colour as that used for licenced minifigures, and I think it looks much better than tan, particularly in this case where it complements the bright colours of her dress and hair.
I wonder whether this signals a shift to using that colour for licensed humans in the future?
Verdict
Once again, it's true to say that the best BrickHeadz are those of subjects that have flamboyant hairstyles or interesting headgear, given that they are such a prominent feature of the figure. Wednesday did not give the designers much to work with, but Enid, on the other hand, has a hair-do that has resulted in a very pleasing model.
They are a recognisable and attractive pair of figures that will delight fans of the series and of the blocky characters, although they probably won't win over any of the format's detractors.
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28 comments on this article
Glad they've made the switch away from tan. I myself used light nougat over tan ( where appropriate) when making digital Brickheadz for Brickset competition a few years back.
Ok, so two more BrickHeadz apparently.
The problem I have with them is that once you've built one, you've basically built all of them. Unless you want them for a specific piece I fail to see why one would want to get them.
@AustinPowers said:
"Ok, so two more BrickHeadz apparently.
The problem I have with them is that once you've built one, you've basically built all of them. Unless you want them for a specific piece I fail to see why one would want to get them. "
Speed Champions: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Modular Buildings: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
I can understand not liking BrickHeadz, at first I didn't see the attraction. It was only when a series came out that I was interested in that I started to collect them. There are those who no doubt enjoy BrickHeadz because they are BrickHeadz, theme immaterial. I like them because the subject matter is of interest (e.g. I like the IP). Each to their own.
@Rabrickzel said:
" @xris said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"Ok, so two more BrickHeadz apparently.
The problem I have with them is that once you've built one, you've basically built all of them. Unless you want them for a specific piece I fail to see why one would want to get them. "
Speed Champions: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Modular Buildings: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
I can understand not liking BrickHeadz, at first I didn't see the attraction. It was only when a series came out that I was interested in that I started to collect them. There are those who no doubt enjoy BrickHeadz because they are BrickHeadz, theme immaterial. I like them because the subject matter is of interest (e.g. I like the IP). Each to their own."
Not really true with Speed Champions since those cars have some crazy clever building techniques.
I don't have any experience with modulars so cannot comment that.
While Brickheadz might be repetitive they are great. "
Yeah Speed Champions were *the* theme for interesting builds on a budget for several years at the $15 and $20 price points. The techniques to achieve distinct details and shaping were and are extremely varied and very few of them play out particularly close to each other, none identically. I'm not a car guy in the least but they were my go-to for a while. It was less of a deal at $25 and considerably less so at $27 but if there was ever a time when the theme's designers weren't doing genuinely creative and varied work it was years before I started buying them.
I am a fan of the theme and I am happy to see any new additions to the theme. For those who don’t get the appeal I suggest you take a look at some of the BrickHeadz MOCs. For comparison, the Wednesday inspired BrickHeadz by drbrickheadz and Eugenio Iacono are light years better than these official offerings.
@xris said:
"Speed Champions: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Modular Buildings: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them."
What an absurd comparison. Wow. Speed champions, modular buildings, and lego in general don't have such rigid proportions and limits to piece count as brickheadz. Speed champions always use clever and innovative techniques to achieve those angular shapes of real cars. Modulars, being so much bigger, have so much more to offer when it comes to building and reusing parts. Even Mixels, being limited to parts count and the use of mixel joints, were so much more creative and fun to build than the brickheads. Brickheadz are just not meant to be played. They are collector items, and therefore, in my opinion, they undermine the whole idea of lego sets (you know, the "meant to be played" idea.)
@xris: Most accurate description of Speed Champions I've ever heard LOL
I love the Wednesday sets and BrickHeadz in general, but I don’t think I’ll be getting these two. I am mostly interested in the sets because of Jenna Ortega, so unless she is appearing on the left side of the box like all other characters, I probably won’t get this. I don’t think this resemble her like the mini-dolls. Nice review though, I looked forward to it.
@xris said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"Ok, so two more BrickHeadz apparently.
The problem I have with them is that once you've built one, you've basically built all of them. Unless you want them for a specific piece I fail to see why one would want to get them. "
Speed Champions: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Modular Buildings: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
I can understand not liking BrickHeadz... "
It's not about liking or disliking, it's about the building experience.
Your comparison is completely beside the point, because Speed Champions and Modular buildings excel at varied and interesting building techniques, whereas BrickHeadz rarely do.
I know because I have quite a few, which I bought as parts packs when they were heavily discounted.
BrickHeadz have a core structure which is basically the same for almost all of them, to which some details like faces, hair and accessories are added. The actual individual differences for most of them are minimal, hence my original comment.
Comparing them to something like Speed Champions, Modulars, or basically any other LEGO theme other than maybe constraction figures makes absolutely no sense.
"[I[nnovation is rare..." But not completely nonexistent. 40671, for instance, is built completely unlike any other Brickheadz I have, until you get to building the head. He's also symmetrical not only side-to-side, but front to back (with minor exceptions due to the fact that his body is built on a 3x3 grid), again until you start building the head. Oh, and folks, I'm pretty sure that @xris was being sarcastic with those comparisons.
And they did Ortega like they did Leung, automatically giving her a skintone that's too dark because she's "not white". Ironically, regular tan would probably be the most accurate option for the actress, but it looks like they gave her a paler complexion for this series, making her skin color nearly indistinguishable from Enid's in most of the screenshots I've seen.
As a perennial Brickheadz detractor, and one who perennially detracts them publicly, can I once again paraphrase my usual line about their stupid eyes.
By sticking, stubbornly & pointlessly, to the eye style they first established, the peddlers of these things have now robbed more than 200 beloved characters of their soul & joy, leaving us with rows & rows of squat, dead-eyed lumps.
Great job.
The main thing I like about Brickheadz is the fact that I don't like all of them!
With the likes of Speed Champions, Modulars, Botanicals and Winter Village it would take a total disaster of a release for me not to want it.
For me, BrickHeadz is very much a 'take it or leave it' theme. Plenty that I take (about 40%), but no FOMO for the ones I leave. This set? I'll take it.
These characters really suit the Brickheadz format!
Yeah, I find the BrickHeadz hate funny. The point is not the building experience, they're too small for that anyway. They're for Lego fans who would rather have a Funko Pop figure made of their favorite plastic block.
@JQAForPresident said:
"
Yeah Speed Champions were *the* theme for interesting builds on a budget for several years at the $15 and $20 price points. The techniques to achieve distinct details and shaping were and are extremely varied and very few of them play out particularly close to each other, none identically. I'm not a car guy in the least but they were my go-to for a while. It was less of a deal at $25 and considerably less so at $27 but if there was ever a time when the theme's designers weren't doing genuinely creative and varied work it was years before I started buying them."
Speed Champions was one of those themes that I initially thought "huh, cool I guess, but doubt I'd ever get into them." Several sets later, and I sometimes find myself purchasing one for the building techniques alone. The detail and creative parts usage on them is phenomenal. I may still not own too many of them ($20-25 a pop adds up quick), but it's become one of my favorite themes.
Brickheadz, though. They're cool I guess, but I doubt I'd ever get into them...
Why does the Brickheadz Enid have highlights but the Minidoll doesn't?
Who are they? All I see in the review is that it is a netflix series. But what is the name of the series?
@Martin_S said:
"Who are they? All I see in the review is that it is a netflix series. But what is the name of the series?"
We’ll let you know in two days.
@Martin_S said:
"Who are they? All I see in the review is that it is a netflix series. But what is the name of the series?"
'Wednesday' is the name of the series.
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Martin_S said:
"Who are they? All I see in the review is that it is a netflix series. But what is the name of the series?"
'Wednesday' is the name of the series."
Thank you :)
@Murdoch17 said:
" @Martin_S said:
"Who are they? All I see in the review is that it is a netflix series. But what is the name of the series?"
'Wednesday' is the name of the series."
Thank you. English isn't my first language, so I didn't get that.
@xris said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"Ok, so two more BrickHeadz apparently.
The problem I have with them is that once you've built one, you've basically built all of them. Unless you want them for a specific piece I fail to see why one would want to get them. "
Speed Champions: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Modular Buildings: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
I can understand not liking BrickHeadz, at first I didn't see the attraction. It was only when a series came out that I was interested in that I started to collect them. There are those who no doubt enjoy BrickHeadz because they are BrickHeadz, theme immaterial. I like them because the subject matter is of interest (e.g. I like the IP). Each to their own."
No ill will towards BHz fans (I think that these are rarely about the building experience, though sometimes the hair is pretty cool) but a lot of Speed Champions sets actually have quite creative builds, especially for the price. Modular buildings too, while the structures themselves are often boxes, do a lot of interesting things to decorate the interior and exterior of those boxes. Some like the grand hotel have very interesting geometry.
I think it's fine if someone doesn't like the build or aesthetic of BHz. Or Speed Champions, or Modular Buildings. I'm not the biggest fan of any of those lines. But I've never really understood why people feel the need to challenge others when they say that they don't care for a line....
@Berrus_Brickus said:
" @xris said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"Ok, so two more BrickHeadz apparently.
The problem I have with them is that once you've built one, you've basically built all of them. Unless you want them for a specific piece I fail to see why one would want to get them. "
Speed Champions: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Modular Buildings: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
I can understand not liking BrickHeadz, at first I didn't see the attraction. It was only when a series came out that I was interested in that I started to collect them. There are those who no doubt enjoy BrickHeadz because they are BrickHeadz, theme immaterial. I like them because the subject matter is of interest (e.g. I like the IP). Each to their own."
No ill will towards BHz fans (I think that these are rarely about the building experience, though sometimes the hair is pretty cool) but a lot of Speed Champions sets actually have quite creative builds, especially for the price. Modular buildings too, while the structures themselves are often boxes, do a lot of interesting things to decorate the interior and exterior of those boxes. Some like the grand hotel have very interesting geometry.
I think it's fine if someone doesn't like the build or aesthetic of BHz. Or Speed Champions, or Modular Buildings. I'm not the biggest fan of any of those lines. But I've never really understood why people feel the need to challenge others when they say that they don't care for a line...."
You see it in any fandom. "Your likes and dislikes don't precisely align with my own, therefore they are invalid!" Heck, it's far from limited to discussion within a fandom. "You like Star Wars? Anyone with two brain cells two rub together knows that Star Trek is the only sci-fi worth anything!"
@Ridgeheart said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Berrus_Brickus said:
" @xris said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"Ok, so two more BrickHeadz apparently.
The problem I have with them is that once you've built one, you've basically built all of them. Unless you want them for a specific piece I fail to see why one would want to get them. "
Speed Champions: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Modular Buildings: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
I can understand not liking BrickHeadz, at first I didn't see the attraction. It was only when a series came out that I was interested in that I started to collect them. There are those who no doubt enjoy BrickHeadz because they are BrickHeadz, theme immaterial. I like them because the subject matter is of interest (e.g. I like the IP). Each to their own."
No ill will towards BHz fans (I think that these are rarely about the building experience, though sometimes the hair is pretty cool) but a lot of Speed Champions sets actually have quite creative builds, especially for the price. Modular buildings too, while the structures themselves are often boxes, do a lot of interesting things to decorate the interior and exterior of those boxes. Some like the grand hotel have very interesting geometry.
I think it's fine if someone doesn't like the build or aesthetic of BHz. Or Speed Champions, or Modular Buildings. I'm not the biggest fan of any of those lines. But I've never really understood why people feel the need to challenge others when they say that they don't care for a line...."
You see it in any fandom. "Your likes and dislikes don't precisely align with my own, therefore they are invalid!" Heck, it's far from limited to discussion within a fandom. "You like Star Wars? Anyone with two brain cells two rub together knows that Star Trek is the only sci-fi worth anything!""
"You like the WRONG Star Wars! The WRONG Star Trek! The WRONG Transformers! The WRONG Jesus!"
Oh, like religion isn't just organised fandom."
It's a shoe!
It's a sandal!
@AustinPowers said:
" @Ridgeheart said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
" @Berrus_Brickus said:
" @xris said:
" @AustinPowers said:
"Ok, so two more BrickHeadz apparently.
The problem I have with them is that once you've built one, you've basically built all of them. Unless you want them for a specific piece I fail to see why one would want to get them. "
Speed Champions: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Modular Buildings: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them.
I can understand not liking BrickHeadz, at first I didn't see the attraction. It was only when a series came out that I was interested in that I started to collect them. There are those who no doubt enjoy BrickHeadz because they are BrickHeadz, theme immaterial. I like them because the subject matter is of interest (e.g. I like the IP). Each to their own."
No ill will towards BHz fans (I think that these are rarely about the building experience, though sometimes the hair is pretty cool) but a lot of Speed Champions sets actually have quite creative builds, especially for the price. Modular buildings too, while the structures themselves are often boxes, do a lot of interesting things to decorate the interior and exterior of those boxes. Some like the grand hotel have very interesting geometry.
I think it's fine if someone doesn't like the build or aesthetic of BHz. Or Speed Champions, or Modular Buildings. I'm not the biggest fan of any of those lines. But I've never really understood why people feel the need to challenge others when they say that they don't care for a line...."
You see it in any fandom. "Your likes and dislikes don't precisely align with my own, therefore they are invalid!" Heck, it's far from limited to discussion within a fandom. "You like Star Wars? Anyone with two brain cells two rub together knows that Star Trek is the only sci-fi worth anything!""
"You like the WRONG Star Wars! The WRONG Star Trek! The WRONG Transformers! The WRONG Jesus!"
Oh, like religion isn't just organised fandom."
It's a shoe!
It's a sandal! "
I understood that reference.
@TheOtherMike said:
"Oh, and folks, I'm pretty sure that @xris was being sarcastic with those comparisons."
And you would be perfectly correct :) Thank you. I thought the last comparison ("Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them") was the giveaway.
@xris said:
" @TheOtherMike said:
"Oh, and folks, I'm pretty sure that @xris was being sarcastic with those comparisons."
And you would be perfectly correct :) Thank you. I thought the last comparison ("Lego in general: Once you've built one, you've basically built all of them") was the giveaway. "
Yeah, I was pretty sure from the first line (as I have a lot of SC, and they have a *lot* of differences), and while the second line didn't really give me any real indication to me one way or the other (as I only own three Modulars), the last line clinched it.