REVIEW: LEGO Friends 3933 Olivia's Inventor's Workshop

[lostcarpark]

With Lego Friends apparently the most controversial things Lego have produced in recent years, I thought I would have a look at one of the sets, and post a short review, along with my thoughts on the theme.

The set I chose was 3933, which is a small laboratory/workshop. I picked this set because it promotes women in science/engineering, which I feel is a positive thing, and because it was relatively inexpensive, being one of the smaller sets in the series (price in Ireland, €

Edited December 20, 2012 by Pandora
Indexed

[Huntleyfx]

I can't believe I am saying this, but...this actually looks like a pretty good parts pack. I might have to pick one up, since that blackboard is a printed piece, I am already picturing the possibilities.

[Rufus]

Moving to town ... Thanks for the review!

[lostcarpark]

Moving to town ... Thanks for the review!

Thanks. I didn't think "Friends" should be part of "Town" since it's a non-minifig theme, but whatever you think appropriate.

James

[DrWeevil]

We should be worrying less about the pinkness of the set and more about the fact that BMI-challenged Olivia is wearing flip flops in a science lab! Occupational Health and Safety experts will be up in arms!

Though this could lead into the phase II set: Monica's Trauma Theatre - where she can operate on Olivia after she drops her power drill onto her foot.

Edited December 30, 2011 by DrWeevil

[EM4CZ]

Edited December 31, 2011 by I Scream Clone
Spam removed from post

[Oky]

Thanks for the review. This looks like a neat set and I'm somewhat tempted to buy it. The white in the eyes is actually quite common in themes like Star Wars and Toy Story. Olivia look pretty good with Harry's hair, but not vise-versa. Could you show us a picture of Hermione with Olivia's hair? It seems to me that it would look much better than the Castle Princess hair.

We should be worrying less about the pinkness of the set and more about the fact that BMI-challenged Olivia is wearing flip flops in a science lab! Occupational Health and Safety experts will be up in arms!

Though this could lead into the phase II set: Monica's Trauma Theatre - where she can operate on Olivia after she drops her power drill onto her foot.

Ha! Good point!

[TheLegoDr]

Looks like a great little set. New colors are always welcome and some of the new pieces will look good too. I am excited for new hair for my minifigures. Plus I like them showing little girls that it is okay to be smart instead of just pretty.

Keep up the good reviews.

[I Scream Clone]

Thanks for the review lostcarpark. I must admit the appeal of brightly coloured pieces is alluring. Maybe I will pick up one or two of these for my 'daughter'

:thumbdown: :thumbdown: :thumbdown:

Keep the spam posts to a minimum please. Lets actually try to maintain a communication on Eurobricks. Tell us why you disapprove.

[SilentMode]

We should be worrying less about the pinkness of the set and more about the fact that BMI-challenged Olivia is wearing flip flops in a science lab! Occupational Health and Safety experts will be up in arms!

I had the exact same thought, funnily enough!

Again a good review of the set, and great quality pictures!

[Esurient]

We should be worrying less about the pinkness of the set and more about the fact that BMI-challenged Olivia is wearing flip flops in a science lab! Occupational Health and Safety experts will be up in arms!

Though this could lead into the phase II set: Monica's Trauma Theatre - where she can operate on Olivia after she drops her power drill onto her foot.

I agree lol. Where are the safety goggles and first aid kit?

[Gabe]

Thanks for the review "lostcarpark"! It's great to get an early look at these sets. After some initial uncertainty, i'm liking them more and more, and i'll def be getting this one. I am a bit sad about the limited posability of the dollfigs though.

Just a minor edit to your review btw - the coloured part of the eye is called the iris, not the pupil.

We should be worrying less about the pinkness of the set and more about the fact that BMI-challenged Olivia is wearing flip flops in a science lab! Occupational Health and Safety experts will be up in arms!

Though this could lead into the phase II set: Monica's Trauma Theatre - where she can operate on Olivia after she drops her power drill onto her foot.

Haha, too true!

Also, what is on that blackboard? I'm no mathamatician, but it looks a bit to me...

[petamas]

A few thoughts I had while reading the review:

• The flask was available with the S4 Crazy Scientist figure.
  
• The Agents laptop doesn't need to be resurrected - it's in the 7066 Earth Defense HQ set too, so it's absolutely "alive"! I think it could have been placed in this set, too.
  
• I'm glad to see you noticed the similarity with the Doctor Who figures! I haven't seen anybody else (besides myself) who noticed it. Unfortunately, I find them superior to the minidolls - their heads are compatible with minifigs (mostly, my Silent's head doesn't fit well on a minifig), their hands are movable and their legs can be moved separately. The minidolls' hair-interchangeability is pretty cool, but I'd preferred a version with the DW bodies and the minidoll heads. (I didn't have the chance to compare them "in flesh" 'cause Friends isn't available here yet. Could you post a picture with Olivia and the Amy Pond figure?)
  
• Printed blackboard? Hip-hip-hurray! This exceeds all my hopes.
  

Thanks for the nice review!

Edited December 31, 2011 by petamas

[David Thomsen]

Also, what is on that blackboard? I'm no mathamatician, but it looks a bit to me...

I believe she is designing a valentine trebuchet. For the girl who is really, really proactive.

I know these sets are supposed to be all sexist and yadda yadda, but I kind of like them. In a 'brony' sort of way.

[Esurient]

I suppose Olivia's workshop is more of a backyard DIY sort of thing. I would definitely get this set.

[brickmack]

Looks nice, I'll probably have to get a few, for the blackboard and that blue color. I only wish the blackboard had some more... interesting stuff on it, what's shown is sorta...

We should be worrying less about the pinkness of the set and more about the fact that BMI-challenged Olivia is wearing flip flops in a science lab! Occupational Health and Safety experts will be up in arms!

Though this could lead into the phase II set: Monica's Trauma Theatre - where she can operate on Olivia after she drops her power drill onto her foot.

Bah, barefoot is the best way to do science. And she could probably build herself prosthetic legs.

[Gryphon Ink]

Olivia is wearing flip flops in a science lab!

This was the very first thing I thought of when I saw the first pics of this set. The SECOND thing was "wow, purple tools? That's not sexist at all, is it?"

However, despite my issues with the purple-and-pinkness of it all, this is a neat little set with some cool parts and inventive building - that vise is a great idea.

[lostcarpark]

I know these sets are supposed to be all sexist and yadda yadda, but I kind of like them. In a 'brony' sort of way.

I don't buy that. They definitely seem to be promoting non-stereotypical female activities. While not perfect, I think it's a heck of a lot better than toys like Barbie.

The bit that's confusing me is what age are the characters supposed to be? Because they have girls' body shapes, but seem to be involved in grown up activities.

James

[tafkatb]

Thanks for the review! I was pretty ambivalent about Friends at first, but I think it's an overall very positive move. About the several mini-builds - that's sort of the point. I think it was in the Bloomberg Businessweek article about Friends that one of the designers said a key element of the sets would be that much of the building is done in separate stages, so that you can still play with it even before it's "fully" built. I think that's a pretty good approach - it lessens building time without necessarily de-emphasizing building or using big "<insert that tiresome argument>" parts.

And the laptop - we do see that in another Friends set, the design studio, on the desk next to the enormous sandwich.

[vexorian]

Does it come with an extra round trans green tile?

The friends sets are cool, it is the mini-dools that are an aberration to all that is good. On one hand, I have double thoughts about buying this set. I wanted the little robot ever since the leaked pictures appeared, and the purple tools shall be useful for some mech ideas I have, and then we have the trans green round tile. On the other hand, if I buy this set there is a chance LEGO would take it as a message that it is fine to use these non-minifigures in sets. So I might have to stick to HF :/

Also, what is on that blackboard? I'm no mathamatician, but it looks a bit to me...

It is just math giberish, of the sort you would catch at any blackboard in an animated cartoon series. The 1->2->3 could be interpreted as stuff I would write in my own notebook when solving graph theory problems, but I doubt they intended it as such. (And of course, since she is a girl she would also alternate flowers and hearts with the mathy stuff)

Edited December 31, 2011 by vexorian

[Leela]

I really like this set, will definitely get it. I like the idea of the lab/workshop, the overall look, the accessories. I really love the Friends theme .

I agree there should be a computer in the set, but I'm glad it's a small set rather than a big one (therefore it's less pricey).

Thanks for the pic comparing the figures to the Doctor Who ones.

The arms are also noteworthy. (...) One slight reservation is that the hands can't turn as standard minifig hands do, so the angle accessories can be held at is much more limited, so she can hold a guitar, but not play it.

I'm glad someone finally paid attention to it. I don't like how the legs can only move together but the limited articulation of the hands is even worse. So even though I think these minidolls are actually very cute I'll be putting minifigs in their place.

[lightningtiger]

Thanks 'lostcarpark' for your review of this set, I guess for an AFOL this set is only good for spare parts....pink drawers - ah, for a bedroom....though purple hand tools....well, pity they weren't metallic look !

The little robot looks a little like Wall-e eh ?

A printed blackboard....how many school room MOC's will appear now eh ?

Brick On Review On 'lostcarpark' !

[Aanchir]

Thanks for the review! I also think this is one of the most creative, least gender-role-defined sets in the new theme. I hope this set sells effectively enough that we see more sets like it in future waves! And of course that is coupled with my hope that the Friends theme in general sells effectively and sends out a global message that girls are a viable market for building toys.

_{(And no, that's not just because I think My Little Pony Kre-O would be an interesting product)}

[Echo]

A solid parts pack. I'll be picking this set up for Olivia's hair piece, which I shall use to complete my Mikael Akerfeldt minifig.

[lorax]

Thanks for the review.

I love that there are no stickered parts (because I am always reluctant to use the stickers). The dolls (sans hair) will likely find there way into my belville/scala dolls box (which rarely comes out). But I love the sets themselves.

I agree, the set would have worked will with a computer.

But overall, I think these sets are full of parts I will use and delicious colours.