From the drive-thru mishap in “Boy-Scoutz ’n the Hood” to Homer’s clown-car joyride in “Homie the Clown,” Krusty Burger is about as ubiquitous as a Duff at Moe’s. So it’s solely becoming that LEGO, in its infinite knowledge, has immortalised this bastion of company mediocrity in brick type. Behold Set #10352: a fully-furnished Krusty Burger oozing with sufficient nostalgia to clog up my coronary heart faster than a Partially Gelatinated Non-Dairy Gum-Primarily based Beverage.
Proper out of the field, you assemble Homer’s automobile (sure, the one decked with Krusty decals from “Homie the Clown” Season 6, Episode 15). Keep in mind Homer’s immortal vow? “I’ll kill that Krusty Burglar for stealing my burgers!”? Properly, the designers didn’t overlook both: a tiny poster warns of the Krusty Burglar, and one money register shows “$6.15,” a cheeky nod to S6E15. It’s the form of sly wink that makes you’re feeling such as you’ve gained the trivia jackpot at Luigi’s.
In the meantime, Maggie’s scanner comes pre-set to “$847.63” (the very sum she rings up in the course of the opening credit of The Simpsons Film). Then, slide into the eating space and also you’ll spot the Krusty’s Kidz Zone ball pit whereas throughout the way in which sits the poster for the wonderful Ribwich.
And hey, hey, don’t overlook the Mom Nature Burger advert (a flashback to the eco-friendly fiasco in “Bart vs. Thanksgiving,” the place Homer’s dietary curiosity led to ecological chaos and a really offended turkey). Lastly if you happen to lean in shut, you may virtually hear Sideshow Bob muttering “An aha! second, I do imagine” as he plots his subsequent burger-related mischief.
Behind the counter is the place the actual motion occurs. Anticipate to singe a whiny teengaer’s claw hand in a fry station with a damaged ice-cream machine, a prep space stacked excessive with Krusty Burgers (that minimalist LEGO ethos on full show: one tan brick, two studs, and also you’ve acquired your self a patty), plus an worker lavatory. There’s even a drive-thru window, full with a menu board demanding “700 Krusty Burgers” ala “Boy-Scoutz ’n the Hood” (Season 5, Episode 8), when Krusty’s oil-rig franchise ran wholesale orders to the scouts. It’s these tiny thrives that rework a easy construct right into a pilgrimage for fanatics.
Now, you would possibly ask: why construct Krusty Burger when LEGO has already given us the Simpsons’ home and the Kwik-E-Mart? True, the Evergreen Terrace dwelling debuted in 2014 and Apu’s neon oasis arrived in 2015, however Krusty Burger has all the time been the unsung hero of Springfield’s business panorama. In contrast to Moe’s Tavern, the place happiness is only a flaming drink away, Krusty Burger’s company ubiquity means it’s all the time been a clean canvas.
LEGO designer Ann Healy scoured dozens of episodes, together with “One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish” (Season 2, Episode 11) the place Homer’s dietary adventures virtually led to pufferfish calamity, to nail the proper canon format. She joked in our unique chat, “If I counted all of the instances Krusty Burger seems, I’d want a Duff to calm my nerves,” which is about as Swartzwelder-worthy because it will get.
The construct itself is easy sufficient that even Kent Brockman may do it reside on air with out lacking a beat, but detailed sufficient to immediate a Marge-style raised eyebrow of approval. Piece by piece, you assemble the drive-thru lane, the long-lasting red-and-white façade, the slanted roof… and earlier than it, you’re internet hosting your individual “Mmm, company grease” luncheon for seven minifigures: Homer, Bart, Lisa, Farmer Krusty, Sideshow Bob, the Squeaky-Voiced Teen and Officer Lou. Fairly beneficiant stuff.
And talking of attendance, the minifigs themselves are lifeless ringers. Sideshow Bob appears to be like prepared to comb the ground together with his coiffured hair, whereas Farmer Krusty’s blue overalls and straw hat completely recall his ill-fated “Cletus‒type” dalliances. Bart’s skateboard suits proper into that Kidz Zone, and Lisa’s expression captures her everlasting battle over processed cheese and its impact on the atmosphere.
Ten years have handed for the reason that final minifigure-scale Simpson set hit cabinets, and in that decade LEGO’s fan base has swelled like Comedian E book Man’s waistline after a two-for-one promotion. We deserve extra playsets—Moe’s Tavern, the Springfield Nuclear Energy Plant, perhaps even a diorama of the Android’s Dungeon. However for now, Krusty Burger stands supreme: 1,635 items of nostalgia, wit, and company satire, retailing for A$329.99 (plus no matter you paid the Squeaky-Voiced Teen for that further comfortable drink).
So whether or not you’re a fan who can recite all the script of “Final Exit to Springfield” otherwise you merely know {that a} Krusty Burger is the perfect steamed ham in the marketplace, this set is your grease-covered Graceland. Here is hoping LEGO is impressed to launch extra landmarks from this universe. And this is additionally hoping I haven’t got to promote my kidneys to accumulate the unique Simpsons Home set as I did not have the nice sense to purchase it again in 2014.
LEGO The Simpsons: Krusty Burger, Set #10352, retails at LEGO AU for $329.95, and it’s composed of 1635 items. You should purchase it right here.
Adam Mathew is our Aussie offers wrangler. He performs virtually every thing, typically on YouTube and wish to thank Kevin Wong for his far superior images expertise.
