Lego Minifigures Detective Review

The Detective is another clever character design in the Lego Minifigures line. It's great that in Series 5 of this line, there are still some iconic characters such as this one being produced. Although not officially based on Sherlock Holmes, it's pretty clear that this minifigure draws its inspiration from the classic Arthur Conan Doyle character.

The Detective figure is a bit basic, and has some small flaws in design, but has very high production values and is still a lot of fun. The Detective is also a natural pair for the Royal Guard minifigure, also from Series 5 of the Lego Minifigures line. Having the Detective interviewing a member of the Royal Guard for an unsolved case is a great play scenario.

One problematic aspect of this figure stems from the fact that the Lego Minifigures are sold blind-bagged. This means when purchasing these figures, you're unable to see which one you're getting. Since the Detective is the type of character that doesn't suit multiples, it's possible to end up with more than you want.

• Name: Detective
• Line: Lego Minifigures
• Manufacturer: Lego
• Scale: 1.5-inch
• Acccessories: Stand, hat, and magnifying glass

There's nothing unusual about the Detective's basic design. He has the standard Lego minifigure body, which is well designed and attractive. The only problem is that the basic body doesn't accommodate the classic overcoat Sherlock Holmes wears. The design painted onto the figure's chest suggests he is wearing the typical overcoat, but without the actual physical form to represent it, the figure looks a bit bare.

The Detective also includes a classic Sherlock Holmes styled hat, and it is near-perfect. The mold captures all the right details, and it fits onto the figure's head in a way that doesn't obscure the face's details. If there is any criticism to be made about the hat, it's that there is too much detail and it doesn't match the style of the figure itself.

The coolest part of this figure is his accessory. Every detective needs their magnifying glass, and this figure includes a functional one. Even though it's really small, the magnifying glass included with the Detective actually works. It's a fun addition that makes this figure a lot better.

The color design for the Detective is good in every technical aspect. The paint deco is clean and free of mistakes. His head is well-designed, with big gray sideburns and a wrinkled face. Even the expression is subtly wry and inquisitive, just as it should be.

Unfortunately the limitations of Lego minfigures hurts the Detective more than some other figures. Minifigures never have paint applications on their arms, legs, or backs. This means the Detective's classic tweed outfit is limited to just his chest. It's enough to get the point across, but the chest design which is meant to imply the layering of his coat just doesn't look that good. There probably aren't any better alternatives, but this figure suffers from the problem more than most.

The normal Lego minifigure articulation is present on the Detective. He has swivel joints at the hips, shoulders, wrists, and neck. You can still get a lot of interesting poses out of so few points of articulation. Lego minifigures have certianly never suffered from a lack of creativity in play.

It's easy to place the figure's magnifying glass in neat poses. My personal favorite is with him bending over, as if looking at a clue on the ground. The included Lego block stand makes this, and many other poses, possible.

Overall Thoughts

This isn't a perfect minifigure, but the high quality and fun accessory make it another enjoyable entry into the Lego Minfigures line. Getting the Detective from your blind-bag won't be a disappointment, even if there are better figures in the line.