‘Lego Masters’ Promises To Take Toy Brick Building to a Whole New Level
Competition shows are a dime a dozen. The success of the format has given rise to some fantastic concepts, and some not so fantastic ones. The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, for example, have seen great success, but CW’s attempt at the show with a farming spin flopped, as did Fox’s Joe Millionaire. Cake Wars, Nailed It and Top Chef have all succeeded as food competition shows, and there are plenty of dancing and singing competitions currently on TV. Could a competition show revolving around Lego bricks be successful, though? Fox is betting on it. Lego Masters is set to debut on Feb. 5, and there is already a lot of hype around the show.
Why is Lego willing to work in television now?
Lego was on the brink of extinction back in 2003. After an ill-advised decision to diversify, the company saw record losses and almost went bankrupt. By going back to its core product, the old-fashioned, but much-beloved plastic brick, they once again soared in popularity. Between 2010 and 2015, the company had record sales, according to The Hustle. 2017 brought a bit of a downturn, and now the company is looking to diversify into the digital world.
While the Lego Movie franchise has done wonders for the company, this time, they are looking to move into the world of television, and Lego Masters seems like the perfect way to drum up interest in the famous building bricks. There is already proven success with the concept, too. Lego Masters has been on the air in the United Kingdom since 2017. With two seasons under its belt, the competition show is set to return for a third season.
Australia also has a version of the competition show, and The Netherlands is set to debut its own series in 2020, according to Television Business International. A German version of the series is slated for the 2020 calendar, too.
What is the premise of Lego Masters
The United States version of the show aims to follow the same format that has proven successful in the United Kingdom and Australia. The series, which premieres on Feb. 5, will place two expert builders on a team together. Several teams will battle each other through a series of progressively more difficult tasks, in an attempt to be named the Lego Master. Along with the title comes a cash prize.
The cash prize for the United States version of the competition series has not been announced, but U.K winners are gifted $100,000 along with a Lego trophy. According to TV Insider, 20 contestants, split into 10 teams, will be competing for the grand prize. The contestants’ actual occupations are all over the place. One contestant is a set designer, while another is in the information technology sector. Each team appears to be bringing a completely unique element to the show, making the competition stiff and somewhat unexpected.
How are contestants chosen?
The show’s inaugural season will see a pretty wide array of personalities. There are friend teams, married couples, and everything in between. So, how does Fox figure out who to cast? According to the show’s casting call, the application process is pretty lengthy. Those interested in competing have to provide all of their personal information, as well as the personal information of their proposed teammate.
Aside from basic info, potential contestants must share images of their most complicated original builds and are asked to list any Lego competitions they’ve participated in or won. It doesn’t look like previous competition experience is a necessity, but it certainly appears to help. Professional Lego builders seem welcome to apply, too. One contestant on the series first season is a Lego educator by trade (Yes, that is a real job title).
While the first season has already been cast, it looks like Fox is banking on a Season 2 for the competition series. The casting call remains open, and Lego fans are still encouraged to apply for a chance to compete for the show’s top prize.
