Episode three of LEGO® Masters USA aired on February 19, 2020. For their challenge, contestants first raced to select half of an everyday object cut down the middle. LEGO® plates filled the space where the other half had once been. Aspiring LEGO® masters had to build the missing half. However, simply replicating the other half did not cut it. Telling a story through sculpture in 12 hours was the goal.
A special thanks to FOX for providing images from this week’s episode.
In watching episode three, it seemed to me that many teams had woken up and realized the competition was on. Most contestants really brought their A-game. Of note, Sam and Jessica found their groove and came together in spectacular fashion. They produced an inspired and masterfully crafted mermaid bursting out of a fire hydrant. The team really showcased their artistic abilities. Consequently, I secretly hoped they would take the win. In the end, Sam and Jessica scored second place this episode.
Sam and Jessica found their groove this week, but lost to Flynn and Richard.
Flynn and Richard won the challenge with an imaginative fantasy story built around a cuckoo clock. A community of Minifigures lived beneath the clock. To prevent the clock from ever winding down, the Minifigures erected a giant robot to continually re-wind it. There were many moving parts, including shifting eyes on the giant robot. I liked this build. A fun story and moving parts made for a captivating creation. However, I felt Sam and Jessica produced more of an art piece in terms of color and composition.
I also enjoyed Aaron and Christian’s kraken build and story. Attached to a diving helmet, an island appeared above a watery scene. However, below the waves, the island turned out to be a kraken above a sunken city. As with previous weeks, the execution of Aaron and Christian’s work was excellent. However, the scale of their build was small compared to other teams and did not command the same attention from a distance.
Aaron, Christian, Tyler, and Amy are still top contenders.
Tyler and Amy produced a build on half of a telescope that was equally impressive, but grander in scale. Their story involved imagining possibilities and adventures. It was a true work of art, and like Sam and Jessica’s piece, worthy of display in a gallery by my humble standards. I found the rocket blasting off particularly eye-catching.
Again, this week, Mel and Jermaine came up with an interesting idea. Their build certainly had a presence. The team constructed a one-octopus band on half of an electric guitar. I still find their building style a little blocky. However, they took their technique up a notch this week compared to last week’s “Legor”. I really like the ideas and energy these guys have.
Boone and Mark also produced something imaginative and fun, even though they did not get the item they hoped for. The team seemed to struggle with direction when thrown their object selection curveball. However, in the end, they executed the build well. The work showcased the life of a Minifigure portrayed through the lens of his laptop. The judges commented that it was not chaotic enough for the internet, but I disagree. I found the linear structure in this case to be representative of the different avenues that people take on social media.
The Bearded Builders and East Coast Bricksters came up with imaginative ideas.
The bottom picks in Cut in Half were Krystle and Amie, as well as Corey and Travis. Krystle and Amie struggled with a theme early on and ended up changing tracks. They were perhaps a little too ambitious in trying to build something neither had tried before. The result was chaotic and hard to follow on screen. As per the judges’ comments, it was not easier in person.
Corey and Travis were far too ambitious in their pinata/race car design. At one point, Travis pointed out that the guys had a pact to stop and switch gears if they were not feeling the build. However, Corey pressed on. The final product looked nothing like a race car, and sadly it cost the brothers their place on LEGO® Masters. Incidentally, I had the chance to interview the Brothers Who Brick following the show and asked their thoughts on those very comments. Stay tuned for more on that.
The curtain closed for Travis and Corey this week.
Cut in Half certainly saw a lot less drama than the previous episode. Overall, the teams seemed more cohesive and appeared keenly aware of the fierce competition around them. My favorites this week came from Sam and Jessica, Tyler and Amy, Boone and Mark, and Aaron and Christian. What were yours? Be sure to comment below or shout out on social media. LEGO® Masters returns on Wednesday night at 9:00 pm ET on FOX. In episode four, the writers and director of the LEGO® Movie will be on hand to challenge contestants with a movie themed build! For more coverage of LEGO® Masters, click here.
Until next time,
-Tom
p.s. What about Manny and Nestor, you ask? Well, they produced a peculiar build this week in my opinion. Consequently, I am not really sure what I think of it…
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