The Humble Beginnings of LEGO Harry Potter

[@Bionickpunk]

The original first year of sets were truly unique, as they didn't emulate the movies, instead grabbing inspirations from the books, even having some doll house elements with the individual golden trio sets.

[@CheeseyStudios]

I think they were the better for it too! They really do capture the magic of the early books.

[@priestking8636]

@@CheeseyStudios Ipersonally love that all of these secret storages, moveable shelfs and couldrones transfer the feel of many mysteries and secrets within Hogwarta that we really touch in the first books! It's all about that feel

[@InvaderWeezle]

They remind me a lot of the other early Harry Potter merch

[@Marnie_C]

I didn't grow up with the books or the movie but I did have the lego catalogs. For me, the depiction of the world through the sets is how I saw Harry Potter. As an adult, me and friends had a movie marathon where we watched all the films. We got to the 3rd film when I finally asked if Snape ever glows in the dark

[@CheeseyStudios]

That is such a fantastic story 🤣 I love it

[@luisaguilar7997]

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@vinegar4556]

I always thought Snape was supposed to be a ghost, as someone who owned a few of the sets before ever reading the books.

[@henribg1]

have you ever read the books? i envy you of you are not, couse you are up for a magic treat ;)

[@mattpalmer1140]

The early Lego HP sets have a simple and elegant charm to them. The new ones are probably better in terms of objectivity but the old ones have a magical feel to them

[@CheeseyStudios]

I wholeheartedly agree! These were just so much more playful and whimsical. They feel like they were made for kids, not adult collectors like they are today.

[@TheDucksEye]

This is one of the best LEGO videos I’ve seen in a while. Seeing these funky sets broken down with Cheesey’s excellent production quality is such a treat. I love the early licensed themes because they have that delightful classic LEGO look and design, but often had consistent support with big waves, and an unmatched set variety for the time. The language of old with the scope of new. The best of both worlds.

[@lbricks7631]

The magical elements such as the printed tiles, golblets, owls, bats and spiders create a wonderful ambiance within these early years.

[@CheeseyStudios]

It's such a unique aesthetic that remains distinctly LEGO. Absolutely love it!

[@swoosh_fever_og]

I remember when I got the original castle on Christmas in 2001. Ironically I found a picture some days ago my parents made of me with the sets in my arms and a huge smile in my face. The sets from the first three movies have such a huge nostalgic point in my heart and I lovely think about being a kid at the time watching the movies and play with those sets during Christmas holidays in 2001 to 2004. Thanks for this flashback and I´m looking forward to see part 2...

[@CheeseyStudios]

Really glad I could bring back some good memories! These early years of the theme were certainly some of my favorites, too. I hope I can start work on part 2 soon - excited to connect everything together for the first time!

[@Killosworld]

These sets are genuinely so nostalgic and full of personality. The transparent spiders and unique printed pieces make everything feel so original and i wish we got more of that with newer lego sets

[@CheeseyStudios]

Exactly, right? The new sets are way too concerned about replicating the look of the movies exactly. Wish there would be more playfulness and imagination

[@henribg1]

i believe the future holds more realystic sets. i only hope they dont use stickers :( imagine a rel size replica with a stand of the new Nimbus 2000! :)

[@brickpocalypse679]

Peeves and Ron teaming up to kill Snape will never not be funny to me 😂

[@CheeseyStudios]

My favorite part of the books honestly 🤣

[@precascer8221]

Those printed books are what made me obsessed with them. My first HP set was that one with Lucius and Dobby, from 2012, but they are not even CLOSE to the charm of the accessories and beauty of the original wave. I love these dollhouse sets with the paper backgrounds that simulated a random room for Rony, Harry and Hermione. The specialized old pieces borrowed from other themes, the new colours; I can't even describe the wonder they all bring to my adult brain.

[@CheeseyStudios]

I know, right? These are just so special and magical. The new sets just don't quite compare as far as I'm concerned. It was a good time to be a kid!

[@thealmightybrick1393]

Didn't know I was gonna sit down and watch a 1:14:28 long video today, but this has been one of the most captivating videos I've seen in a long while. Great description of the sets, great showcase and a great interaction with other Lego KZbinrs. I had completely forgotten about the 2x1 with the molded ball piece if it wasn't for this video! And I completely agree that Lego should bring back alternative builds in more than their Lego Creative theme. And the craziest thing if I might add, is that I've ever only owned a single Harry Potter set! And it was that flying sport tournament (please don't attack me for not knowing what it's called) from (I think) 2011. Even though I've only ever owned one set, I grew up seeing all of the films and playing the Lego Harry Potter videogames, and I still admire the theme. The only reason I have never gotten more into it, is because I think it's too late and that I can't catch up to the theme, with all of the sets that've already released and gone off shelves the past years. And if anyone made it this far in my comment, then I thank you and appreciate your time to read my rambling lol Have a great day!

[@morannnon7blackgate522]

thanks for sharing your thoughts. its never to late for some magic with your lego. you dont have to go all in but if i had to reccomend picking up one "modern" set its the polyjiuce potion set with the bathroom if you can stil get it. have a great day and happy building

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you for the kind words! Glad you were able to enjoy all 1 hour + of the video. It's insane how many HP sets there are today, but I'm really happy to see the theme going as strongly as ever.

[@from_no_where]

The flying sport is Quidditch! (not attacking just letting ya know what its called :3)

[@thealmightybrick1393]

@@from_no_where thanks mate!

[@from_no_where]

@@thealmightybrick1393 Np! I am for some reason cursed to remember soooo many things from hp despite not having read/watched any of it in years lol.

[@Fake-xe6vs]

Snape was described in the book as extremely pale. There might have been one or two lines about his skin "glowing in the moonlight" or something to that effect. That is probably where LEGO got the inspiration to make his head glow.

[@CheeseyStudios]

That would make sense!

[@Goldfyre]

I never owned any of the classic harry potter sets (yellow era) but i am so nostalgic for them because my pre-school had nearly the entire wave of sets for the kids to play with. Those figs bring back so many memories for me!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Now that sounds like an epic pre-school

[@bubblefox816]

yo you know you're deep in the lego community when they do a collab and you recognize everyone love it when the lego youtubers collab together, always so fun! would be kinda interesting to see caleb and just2good collab on something...

[@CheeseyStudios]

I'm so glad you recognized everyone! I'll definitely have to do more collaborations in the future :)

[@RRSlugger]

Finally found the time to watch this one - what a fantastic showcase of what is certainly one of LEGO's most unique eras when it comes to licensed themes! Well done as always, Caleb! I've actually had all these sets for years now but have never been able to find the opportunity to show them off properly; now, I don't have to, haha! The way you connected them all together on your table is exactly how I imagined it from looking at those old promotional photos from 2001. 😊 For parts nerds like us, these sets are like candy! So many cool, interesting, and/or obscure elements to them - I love it! For as much as I love the "dollhouse" sets, I think I too would have to vouch for Snape's Classroom being the "set to get" of the bunch. It's a great bang for your buck and seems to encapsulate all of the best aspects of this magical first wave. ❤ Looking forward to seeing you explore more of the series!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Well hey, nice to see you here! I wish I had known you were into LEGO HP - I totally would have loved to have your recommendation at the end! Perhaps for part 2...? 👀 I really appreciate you taking the time to watch this one though. This is certainly a video I've wanted to do for years, and I'm glad I was able to do it justice! Such an amazing lineup of sets, and I'm excited to pass these on to my kids some day in the hopes they'll make some great memories with them too.

[@RRSlugger]

@@CheeseyStudios No worries! I would have just echoed the same opinion as you anyways - it was nice to get some diversity of opinion in there! 😊 You really did a great job of hammering home the point that these early sets captured the magical nature of the Harry Potter world, even if they went off book at times. It kind of reminds me of the modern Minecraft sets - definitely based on the source material, but still kind of their own thing, eh?

[@NoIax]

I keep coming back to this video over and over again. This is so well edited, very cozy too

[@CheeseyStudios]

Really appreciate it! I'm so excited to get to work on part 2.

[@denyfixe1000]

Me too!

[@EpicoNubletto]

I don’t even know Harry Potter but I love the looks of these sets. So classic, and the old colours are just so good. Same with the early Star Wars sets.

[@StoneDomino]

This is awesome! I love these retrospective videos. Can't wait for part 2!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! Part 2 is going to be a lot of fun as well. Excited to combine all the sets together 👀

[@MrJeppe313]

@@CheeseyStudios Hope you combine them like that image in the instructions from the time! I always used to love looking at that shit at as a kid, wishing I had all the sets. Still my favourite era of Lego HP. This video was amazing, thank you

[@chuheiwei]

I didn't grow up reading harry potter and only recently watched through the movies post-covid, but even so I can feel the nostalgia oozing from these sets. If anything it's that simple but playable design philosophy that was ever present in that lego era that was also in all the sets I owned as a kid. Love it.

[@CheeseyStudios]

It was such a great time to be a kid! I just can't imagine the kids of today are having nearly as much fun with modern sets.

[@jacobkodicovic4041]

These sets are so nostalgic for me! I never had any of the original wave, but as a kid I loved browsing the Lego site and looking through them. Is secondhand nostalgia a thing?

[@CheeseyStudios]

I've seen enough comments about similar feelings to confirm that secondhand nostalgia is definitely a thing, ha! I'm pretty sure I've felt that way about plenty of sets I didn't grow up with either.

[@tobiaswehner6836]

Yeah secondhand nostalgia is a thing friend, because you browsed the catalog and the internet site and saw those sets as a kid. I had a few small sets from the first wave, but never had the castle and I'm nostalgic for all of them and building my collection of the sets now.

[@sizar9003]

I really hope we see videos about Lego Lord of the Rings and Lego Hobbit. Middle-Earth was always my favourite Lego theme, as it is my favourite franchise ever. Really like this format of video: summarising history of whole theme

[@DuckBricks]

Thanks for having me! This was such a great video; was super fun to try and pick one favorite set from 2001!

[@CheeseyStudios]

It was great to have you help out on this! Really appreciate it. These sets were so much fun - glad you like the unusual "Harry Potter for Girls" sets too 😂

[@Schuschinus]

Lots of memories here. I got several of these sets. They have many useful parts for castle building. Even the specialized pieces are versatile. The sand green rooftops and the doorframe with molded stone wall look good on many different buildings. My favorite was 4702 The final Challenge. Although rather small, I liked the compact design. And the Quirrell minifig with the double face pring was awesome.

[@CheeseyStudios]

I do love that sand green roof piece. So pretty!

[@nkende]

Ah, the Devil's Snare eating Ron, an absolute Cheesey Studios classic! Honestly this was my favourite revisiting video you made so far, maybe it's just because I love these sets so much, they really have a sense of magic none of the future sets had! I definitely have to get these one day - there's not many for sale in my country so maybe I'll start picking up some of the pieces when I buy on BrickLink. Can't wait for these to continue! :D

[@CheeseyStudios]

Couldn't omit the eating of Ron! 🤣 So glad you enjoyed this one. I do hope you're able to part together some sets - they're all fantastic, and you're sure to enjoy them!

[@strixpixels]

Can't wait to see part 2. I had the Chamber of Secrets set as a kid and this has been a nice little jump back in time.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Such a good one! I only picked up the set a few years ago, but it is still so awesome, even as an adult!

[@valentin._.papesh]

I can't wait for part 2. I loved this Video so much! Such a calm but interesting setting and style of editing!

[@CheeseyStudios]

I've slowly been working away at it! Got the main narration shot this weekend. Just need to record a lottttt of b-roll and edit it down a ton xD Really glad you enjoyed part one though. This is probably my favorite video on the channel!

[@Galactic_J]

​@@CheeseyStudiosI'm watching this video a second time right now. It is so enjoyable I can't wait for part two!

[@L.Becker]

Luckily I have two older sisters that had most of these sets, so when I reached consciousness, I got them from them and played with them as a kid I love how playful these were with all the animals and hidden secrets, I'm sad Lego doesn't make them like this anymore

[@CheeseyStudios]

Glad you got to experience these for yourself too. I really do think they're superior to the modern HP sets. So whimsical and fun!

[@BlueToad6456]

I've been binging your "retrospective" videos lately, your professional quality is impeccable. After only watching about 20 or so of your videos, I'd put you in the upper echelons with JangBricks in the "lego youtuber quality" category. Fantastic work!!!! My favorite videos so far were your power miners reviews, can't get enough of that theme

[@CheeseyStudios]

Well hey, thank you! Really glad you're enjoying these. They're probably my favorite videos to put together on the channel. They give me an excuse to buy all the childhood sets I missed out on too which is deeply satisfying 🤣

[@The_Dinosaur_Heretic]

What I find really interesting is how the use of double-printed minifigure heads has changed. Professor Quirrell needed a double-printed head because Voldemort’s face was quite literally stuck on the back of his noggin, so that had to be represented as an almost alien growth from the back of the wizard’s head. It’s since evolved so that the rear face print is an alternate expression of the same character, and the expectation is that the head is rotated to suit whatever situation the character is in. I just think it’s fascinating how LEGO was able to take advantage of a feature designed for one character and managed to apply it to nearly every minifigure since

[@CheeseyStudios]

It was a brilliant move! The alternate expression is something I always look forward to in modern minifigures.

[@johndoe-ro5hs]

Something that I really love about the original 2001/2002 wave of Hogwarts sets compared to the more recent remakes is the sense of scale. The older castle modules are just so much larger/taller compared to the remakes, and I think it makes a huge difference in presentation. The Great Hall is a good example, but so many of the other sets are just much taller. Also, there's a lot more variation in the color in the original sets. While the remakes are mostly just tan and sand green, the originals have splashes of grey, dark grey, and black mixed in with the tan and sand green. Take the Potions Class for example, the grey and black really help to sell it as a dark and gloomy part of the dungeons.

[@danielmacrae7955]

I just discovered your channel and I just want to say thank you for this awesome video. I recently emerged from the Lego dark ages (I’m 29) and have rediscovered my love for Lego, especially with all the amazing adult focused sets they produce now. However, watching this video brought me back and reminded me of how magical of a time it was to build these sets, especially as a kid who loved the books and I can feel that nostalgia big time looking at the original sets in your video. Well done and thank you!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Welcome back to the fold! Really happy to hear you're getting back into LEGO :)

[@kentslocum]

It's fascinating to watch this video after the new "Troll on the Loose" set in 2024. Took a long time to get a remake, but I think they nailed it. 😊

[@CheeseyStudios]

So glad they finally got around to it! Nothing beats the original, but the new one does look great

[@BrickBrickProductions]

I just started reading the Harry Potter books and there sooo good! I read the 1st two books in like 5 1/2 days. I understand why people like them so much now, and I’m dying to watch the movies. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's awesome! It's such an easy series to fall in love with. I always love rereading the books.

[@brycevo]

I can't wait for part 2. Chamber of Secrets was one of my favorite waves

[@CheeseyStudios]

Hopefully this week or the next 👀

[@juankid8802]

The cracking and peeling of stickers in the early 2000s is why I still avoid stickers about 9.9 times out of 10. Whether it’s the old stickers peeling, cracking, or being placed on multiple bricks, to the more plastic stickers lego uses now which I’ve found tend to not stay adhered to rounded surfaces and collect dust around the edges, prints are the way to go. If only they could get the paint opacity perfect on printed parts…

[@CheeseyStudios]

Stickers on LEGO is almost always bad, yeah. I do hope they up their print quality, though!

[@SagwaPrime]

When I was younger, I always assumed that the Snape minifigure had a glow-in-the-dark head due to the 2004 set Harry and the Marauder’s Map where Harry shone his light in Snape’s face, and including the glowing head would replicate this feature within the set. Once I realized that the figure was first released three years before the Prisoner of Azkaban wave of sets the reasoning of his head was lost on me once again! This Lego Harry Potter retrospective is absolutely fantastic, just having finished the second part myself! Can’t wait for part three!

[@kentslocum]

LEGO should be ashamed at how far they have let their art department fall. Modern box art and instruction manuals are bland and unimaginative, compared to these incredible early-2000s examples. 😢

[@CheeseyStudios]

The instruction manuals were such a treat. I miss the alternate builds especially

[@morannnon7blackgate522]

1:06:54 has an super aswome detail! gryffindor banner with what i assume to be housepoints. the final sets dont show that banner. very intressting. thanks a lot for the video it bought me much joy as i played with gringotts and fluffy as a kid and recently bought the modern counterparts to sets i didnt have as a kid. i spend hours looking at the poster of the combined castle.even tho i have a lot of nostalgia for these older sets i prefer most of the new ones but maybe thats bc im an adult now. cant wait for part two since dumbledors office was my main hogwarts caslte for many years till the halfblood prince set and i recently acqiured the! chamber of secrest that its miles ahead of its modern version. thanks again for the high quality videos on some of the themes i loved the most

[@CheeseyStudios]

Good catch on the banner! That's really interesting. So glad you enjoy these videos. Part 2 is going to be quite fun - can't wait to combine all the sets together!

[@brayden141]

I used to have the Gryffindor common room set when I was a kid. So many amazing retired colors

[@CheeseyStudios]

Right? Those sets are a treasure trove for sure

[@46sirobwolf]

Hey man, i live in Amsterdam. Since i was a kid i've always been a fan of Harry Potter, and Lego. but there where not that many of these sets in stores over here. I just got into lego again just recently and when i saw your video about this, i got a bit emotional. suddenly i got a rush of memories boulding and playing around with these on rainy days, and watching the movies straight after. Crazy how stuff like this stays with you for such a long time. loved the video my man.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Really glad this could bring back some good memories! I adore these early sets. I wish the modern ones could capture this same magic.

[@user-nq9lv2by1c]

i love that late 90s early 2000s clip art 3d sorta style the art on the prints and minifigures had, so wonderful and nostalgic, peeves was most likely included as a mini figure because as we know these sets were released before the movie, the character was a big part of the early books and was sadly cut from the philosophers stone , a really interesting fact, his dialogue and actor were so funny the kids couldn't stop laughing at his scenes making them almost impossible to film, its so interesting to see lego constantly including stuff that doesn't make the cut for licensed movie themes even two decades later.

[@SuperSecretBricks]

I remember longing for these sets, starring at them in the LEGO catalogs. Never got a chance to own any of them, so instead made my own with the LEGO I already had (1999 Jar Jar Binks was known to me as Dobby the Elf) 😅. Thanks again for a fantastic retrospective

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's legendary, ha! I love it. Really glad you enjoyed the video ❤️

[@SuperSecretBricks]

@@CheeseyStudios I also used to use my Belville figs as Hogwarts teachers 😬

[@MegatronJon8]

I'm brand new to the Lego set deep dive corner of KZbin, but I think I'm addicted. I also wasn't allowed to have anything related to Harry Potter as a kid, so my only exposure was seeing the sets in my Lego magazines and wondering things like "Why does that guy have a glow in the dark head?" and "is that wizard in pink robes and blonde hair a guy or girl?" This was so fun to watch.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ha! You're definitely in the right place for old set deep dives 🤣 LEGO HP was something special though, especially during these early years.

[@thomasjeppesen3055]

I must have been five years old when these sets came out but I still vividly remember when and how I got every single one of them and where I put them together for the first time. I have so many strong memories attached to all these sets and I think they were really what got me hooked on Harry Potter.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Same here! It really takes me back. Good times

[@Galactic_J]

This video was like a review of all the early sets! I love it! Great job!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! ❤️

[@zenbricks]

I have many of these sets - just now digging them out of my attic! You're right, the imagination and charm of these sets really sets them apart from the modern ones, and the capes for each character were a lovely inclusion. Excited to be rebuilding them soon. I will be uploading the full build videos to my channel, in case anyone is interested :)

[@CheeseyStudios]

Happy building! These sets are just delightful

[@Wingspan_5]

I had a number of these and am SO nostalgia for them. The 90s/early 2000s style of Lego sets and minifigs is so iconic.

[@CheeseyStudios]

They really are! It was a fun era for LEGO. Loved these early licensed themes.

[@NoahRJitil]

This is such a great early theme. It has such a unique aesthetic that Lego has never really matched or replicated!

[@GrieveIV]

Favorite part about the Hagrid’s hut alternate builds. If you bought multiple, the alternate builds are basically extensions to the original set. Becoming wholesome additions to Hagrid’s rustic little pad.

[@CheeseyStudios]

So true! That would be epic

[@SamFuller1989]

That dramatic pause before "Troll on the Loose" had me in stitches, lol! xD

[@CheeseWisconsin]

Listening to this and having been 4 when these sets began to release... an absolute FLOOD of lego memories and sets began to come back.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Rebuilding these was truly a step back in time for me too. Love these sets

[@CheeseWisconsin]

@CheeseyStudios so, I put on your videos and listen to them as I drive (youtube premium, don't drive and watch videos folks) your description of the sorting hat set sent me straight back to 01'. I'm unsure if you mentioned that the baseplate was a 8x8 gridplate, but it's such a unique texture and detail that's been stuck in my head for 22 years. Jealous! Gotta get one soon (or root through my loose bricks to put it back together).

[@JonnDthunDer]

Thank you for putting this together, very well done! And apologies for the thought dump, but hey, a 1.25 hour video gives plenty of times for me to have thoughts LOL The general change in interior / play feature focus to exterior aesthetics is interesting and especially apparent in these sets particularly when compared to later Harry Potter sets. As I've grown with the LEGO brand, I'm far more interested in a good exterior aesthetic than I am a filled-out and play-feature filled interior...but I can't help but wonder if the LEGO experience for newer / younger fans is lacking some of the play features and creativity in older sets like these (especially with those alternate builds!). This was a FANTASTIC wave of movie-tie in sets. Admittedly, something like HP was a huge franchise-beginning tie in, but still, I do miss the fantastic waves of sets we *sometimes* got. The first Harry Potter and Star Wars Revenge of the Sith are two of the more notable ones that I remember, in terms of really covering all the ground I'd have expected. And the product life cycle was also interesting, that these sets would all come out before the movie. Compared to now, when everything is under wraps until later so we'll have things like an Ahsoka tie-in that only has half of the main settings and characters because 'oh no, it's a spoiler'...it's just such a different way of treating things. The collectability of minifigures, or rather lack of it, is also noted here. The big set of the wave technically has one unique minifigure, but also it's just...a suit of armor. The biggest set of a product wave not having exclusive / super desirable minifigures spread throughout the wave sure seems like a retroactive breath of fresh air compared to most Star Wars / Marvel / even Harry Potter sets they make now. Also interesting that all of the minifigures were in bag one and built in the first step...somewhere along the way they started spreading them out by bags, which I don't have any problems with, but it's still interesting. Also, are you actively looking to collect the instructions for the sets you don't have? I have most of the instructions from this first wave, and most should be in good condition, too. I've recently pulled all my instructions out thinking I'd go through and sell some of the ones that have at least some value...but also I haven't gotten anywhere with that yet. If you're actively looking for any that I have, I'd be happy to send those over if they help complete your collection!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ha, don't worry! We appreciate thoughts here. The Harry Potter theme is such a great way to see the long-term changes that have taken place to LEGO's design philosophy over the years, especially when we get direct remakes of some of the classic sets. Some things have changed for the better, but some things were also just better way back in 2001! I do appreciate the offer! I'm not too interested in collecting the instructions, honestly, as I really just wanted them to showcase in this video, ha! Thankfully between Bryan and myself, I do think I have most of the Chamber of Secrets covered for the next video. If I do think of any gaps though, I may hit you up. :D

[@devilsguy8711]

I have a really soft spot with the Lego Harry Potter sets. As a little kid, maybe no more than 10, my grandmother, who took care of me my whole life, found me a massive bin full of legos at a thrift store for 25 bucks. Naturally, that was a steal, and being an epic grandma, as all grandmas are, she got it for me and we sat down together and opened it up. It was like dusting off the ark of the covenant; Harry Potter, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and so many other themes crammed into this plastic tote box, about to burst. Within that box, the entirety of this first line of Harry Potter sets. The castle, the hut, the whole shibang. We spent hours reassembling based off of instructions online and box art, and while it probably wasn’t 100% accurate, it was my entire childhood. This video gave me something awesome to look back on, and I can’t stress enough just how heartwarming and nostalgic it was to watch.

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's wonderful. ❤️ Grandmas are the best

[@SammyWatsit]

This video was truly exceptional. So well done, never thought an hour could go by so quick 💪

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you so much! ❤️

[@Immortalcheese]

I had all these sets collected over a few years as a young teenager and I absolutely loved revisiting them through this video

[@356z]

Awesome video! This was actually really cool to see. I had most of these, and lots more to come. I remember the arguing with the parents because they said they were expensive. When i got older, my parents sold ALL my legos for like $100 to "clear space". It's really cool seeing the detail they put in the old sets.

[@awaitednightmare]

Thanks for the nostalgia! Had quite a few of these sets as a kid and loved the tie-in computer game from this era!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Yes! I do wish I could play that game again. I've got memories of bits and pieces of it yet...

[@Lumpyrox1412]

I would adore a revisit of the beginning of Star Wars like this! I find yellow skin Star Wars super charming.

[@CheeseyStudios]

That would honestly be quite fun! If I can ever get all those sets, I'd be happy to give it a go

[@mike.94]

You know, many thing in the first year was based on books rather on the movie itself. There's few examples of it: - Dumbledore has weird chest and violet robes - Voldemort has red eyes - Harry uses a flute - Fluffy is totally a diffrent breed - Hogwarts look weird - Ron has a bowl cute as a poor boy And more. To be honest I feel like Goblet of Fire started to be film accurate. YES. Three first films lego was doing first time looked innacurate at some point

[@bigben5555]

i love these older sets. the prints and pieces and colours give the 2001-2003 era so much style

[@CheeseyStudios]

I totally agree! It's so distinct, and I love the emphasis on playability

[@CaleAdams]

I rebought most of the 2001 line new in box back in 2021 for its 20th anniversary and i remember how difficult putting Hagrids roof on was 😂

[@CheeseyStudios]

That roof is quite ridiculous 🤣

[@Selckunk]

Big Cheese assembling the avengers of lego youtube for their top set picks is something I hope to see more of. Pleasantly surprised to see ashnflash make a cameo.

[@CheeseyStudios]

It was really fun! I'll definitely be doing something like this again in the future.

[@bdd-il6so]

Just got some of the 2001 Harry Potter minifigs and I love them. They have a charm to them that I don't get with the newer sets.

[@cloud_and_proud]

32:07 oh man that's fun, the trolley is almost exactly the same build as the trolleys in the modern sets. I think there might even be one with the exact same build. The more things change and so on

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ha, true that! Don't fix won't ain't broken

[@shampooer]

Another small detail: the knight figure in the castle is actually another Peeves wearing armor!

[@CheeseyStudios]

I've always loved that little touch. It's such a pity Peeves was cut from the movies

[@timrob12]

I definitely collected a lot of these back in the day and especially if they had a character that I didn't have before or if a character was unique to a set, like for example Quirrell, but also Escape from Privet Drive which had Uncle Vernon and, being a bit of a Dursleys fan, I was excited to see that character represented in Lego.

[@TheCaptainSquid]

Just completed my boxed collection of 2001-2003 Harry Potter set collection. Glad to see them getting more love

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's fantastic! Such beautiful boxes too

[@Cob_Bizarre]

Used to be crazy about these as a kid, loved to see you both go through them so thoroughly!

[@kgmaster9421]

awesome look on the older sets, the only set from the early 2000s i had was the 2002 Flying Lesson set but i can't help but imagine that the entire instructions with real images were built together with their own instructions for the photographer.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ha! That's too funny to think about - a secret second instruction manual exists somewhere...

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I love the appreciation you showed to the “girls” sets. I have the classroom one (minus the cardboard) and I love the weirdness and charm of it.

[@CheeseyStudios]

I'm glad you enjoy them too! They're just so unique and magical.

[@stephenwillis9518]

Remembering the hours of playing with a few of these sets when I was a kid. Loved using the bits and making wizard and wand shops like diagon alley. Fighting with my brother's as to who got the best HP items to put in our lego shops😅

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ha! That sounds like something I'd do with my brother too 🤣

[@SomeDonkus086]

We can do a lot more with Lego today and the sets look undeniable better, but there is just something that makes you like the older sets more. Some of my favorite lines are the originals like Harry Potter, Star Wars, Batman, space police, etc.

[@DYELGAINZ]

20:00 god these are my fav alternate builds and I am obsessed with them

[@CheeseyStudios]

So awesome, right?? 😂

[@RavenclawBrix]

I'm really surprised Professor McGonagall never showed up in the first wave. In fact the only sets she came in for the first 10 years where Dumbledore's office (2002) and Hogwarts Castle (2010)

[@CheeseyStudios]

Her 2002 figure is pretty sweet - had to be one of the earliest instances of dress printing.

[@RavenclawBrix]

@@CheeseyStudios true. Hadn't even considered that

[@SuperMoviemaster21]

Where is part 2? Really truly gratefully appreciate this video BTW, brought back so many memories! I literally have all the sets except for the Hogwarts classrooms and Gringotts!

[@CheeseyStudios]

This video took about 6 months to make! So still working on part 2. I try to rotate through the Revisiting videos too to keep everyone happy

[@EdwinvdKaaij]

Wow, some really unique and amazing sets. Especially the 3 girls sets with the cardboard backdrop.

[@stephanwackman5816]

I got most of the first sets in 2001, and after a few exciting years I outgrew it late 2005. Set 4762 'Rescue from the Merpeople' was my last one. It wasn't until late 2020 I fell back into it thanks to ERB's 'Harry Potter vs Luke Skywalker'. I was blown away by how much the theme had grown since then, although the first sets really were magical in addition to the first two movies.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Glad you found your way back to the theme! They really are making some cool sets these days

[@lachrome_1838]

i love the gradient of the walls to simulate shadow and the dark corners of the ceilings

[@CheeseyStudios]

Great stuff! It's such a unique style.

[@williambuchanan8157]

Seeing these sets bring back so many memories, what a wonderful time it was to be a kid playing with them, really enjoyed this video and subbed looking forward to part 2.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! Glad to have you here. Part 2 is gonna be a fun one. Can't wait to get all those sets together again!

[@joce1275]

I remember seeing these sets when they first released but not being a huge fan of mixing the cardboard and vinyl with the bricks... so despite loving Harry Potter, I didn't actually purchase a set until the 2007 castle! However I did love your deep dive into them, they definitely had some charm and great pieces that are missed at first glance. Fascinating video, can't wait for part 2 😊

[@luc6145]

This was seriously one of the highest quality videos I've seen on the platform lately, good stuff man keep it up! I subbed

[@CheeseyStudios]

Much appreciated!

[@kailahmann1823]

I guess, for diagon alley the chrome coins may be some of the more common pieces :) THE most common piece in that is the trans-neon green stud, followed by some of the cones - while all the regular plates and bricks are in orange (a color that was quite new at the time).

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ha, true! That set is truly wild. Easily one of my all-time favorites!

[@ZiddersRooFurry]

They did an amazing job capturing the essence of these early sets in later sets and especially in the Harry Potter video games. I can't think of specific examples atm but I know there are at least a few easter egg references to these here and there throughout the games. LEGO might iterate and move on from early designs but they don't necessarily forget them. Great video.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! I do always love callbacks like those. They've done a great job including stuff like that in recent sets - especially with the graphic design work

[@AClassicBrick]

By coincidence I found something interesting about the design of Snape and his glow in the dark head. Apparently there was a "Warner Bros. Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone Illustrative Style Guide" that was given out to license partners like toy companies with some concepts of how the characters are supposed to look like. In this book you can see for example how Dumbledore is basicly exactly like the LEGO Minifigure with a purple robe and green/yellow details. It even explains the stars on the students robes, as those are also present on the characters robes in this book. And wouldn't you know it: Snapes skin has a light greenish touch to it, which makes LEGOs glow in the dark colour the perfect fit for it! Also Rons and Hermiones faces from this book are so close to the LEGO faceprints its insane how well they captured it 😀 Unfortunately this book is like a thousand dollars on eBay but a few pictures of it and even a youtube video about it exist going through those pages.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Just looked it up on eBay. That looks incredible. Such a cool piece of HP history!

[@PolyGarrett]

Absolutely wonderful! Lego harry potter is by far my favorite theme. I think by far the early Lego harry potter line showed the best of what Lego in general could be. The set that I think captures this best is 4757 Hogwarts Castle. Its building style is a blend between classic Lego design and new designs. It still has a lot of basic pieces that are to be able to do so much more with so little. I really miss that with newer Lego sets. sometimes less is more. For me all the special pieces and fun little secrets is what makes the Harry Potter set so wonderful and makes them feel so much like a adventure. I 100% agree that the alt builds need to come back. they were some of the best features of this line. What I would do as a kid was try and challenge myself to make a new set out of just the one set's pieces. classic Harry Potter was the most fun to do this because the pieces used a lot of basic parts so you were able to make a lot out of each set and for me I think that added even more playability to each set.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ah, yes! 4757 is my all time favorite set. I cannot wait to cover that one with the 2004 wave!

[@cheeseontop17]

Dont know anything abt Harry Potter save from Lego, but i always have loved these early sets. I may pick up a couple after watching this

[@tannuroakes2553]

For the forbidden corridor, in the books Harry used a flute that Hagrid gave him for Christmas to lull Fluffy to sleep.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Yeah! It's fun that detail made it into the set

[@AndrewJamesGordon]

This brings me back to my childhood. I have all the HP Lego sets from Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone to Goblet of Fire (technically the HP for Girls subtheme sets belong to my sister). I was the perfect age (9 years old) for when the first wave of HP sets were released. I think the only HP set from the first four films I don't have is the Hogwarts Express 2nd Edition from 2004, mainly because I got the 10132 motorized version instead.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ooh, you have the motorized one? That's so epic! That's definitely been a dream set of mine. Slowly rebuilding it for that Revisiting video but holy cow has it been pricey!

[@bricksfordom]

This wave of sets is truly special, I especially like the classroom sets, due to the fact that they have interesting pieces

[@CheeseyStudios]

Those three sets are incredible - so happy they exist at all!

[@Tadicuslegion78]

Thing that was so fantastic about the phase one Harry Potter sets is they were designed to be put together to make a full castle with levels. something I wish Lego would do more

[@CheeseyStudios]

Yeah! The modularity was brilliant. So many themes could benefit from that today

[@BrotherhoodWorkshop]

I remember having such mixed feelings about these sets. My parents disapproved of Harry Potter, so I felt I wasn't allowed to like them....but I also thought they looked really cool. Glad they brought HP back as I felt like I missed out as a child.

[@CheeseyStudios]

It's so great to see the theme going strong after all these years. My parents were super chill with me reading the books, but I remember some of my teachers' disapproval when I brought those books to class. Crazy times, ha!

[@BrotherhoodWorkshop]

@@CheeseyStudios On the plus side, it was that feeling of deprivation that finally broke me out of my "dark age" and compelled me to buy the 2011 Diagon Alley after having not bought a LEGO in years. It all works out.

[@adamcoxworthy9373]

I read the books before seeing the movies as a kid, but I had a few sets even before that. The Lego versions were my first visuals for Harry Potter, so I found it stranger that Snape's skin didn't glow in the dark in the movie. I always found it interesting this line had the first double-sided heads, but that unlike nearly every other example they weren't meant to be swiveled around. I loved the old style books, but it really frustrated me that you couldn't put them in minifigures' hands without chewing up the edges. Troll on the Loose and Slytherin are both supposed to be in the Hogwarts dungeon, I think, so it's appropriate that they're "lower" than other sets, even if it makes them less compatible with the rest.

[@bodhigoh8423]

I always love these revisiting videos of yours, it's cool to see old themes be seen by people who have never seen them before.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Really glad you enjoy these - thank you!

[@bodhigoh8423]

@@CheeseyStudios Yes, please keep making them!!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Many, many more to come :)

[@starmovies5523]

Yesss! Very amazing video! Als an unexpected but very welcome surprise to colab with various other LEGO fans and channel! Recognized pretty much all of them! Hope you keep this up with the next waves 😊

[@CheeseyStudios]

Really glad you liked this! Can't wait to get to work on part 2 👀

[@trismatthews7693]

Glow in the dark head Snape is awesome haha it made sense to me as a kid. He was kinda Spoopy and was always causing stress for our main trio. No it doesn’t make sense as an adult but as a kid it made perfect sense 😂

[@CheeseyStudios]

So true xD

[@faselblaDer3te]

53:24 maybe that's a blast-ended skrewt?

[@CheeseyStudios]

That would be an amazing deep cut xD

[@nelly5954]

Never read the books, seen like half a movie, but I can't deny these sets are a work of art- and the style of early 2000s Lego is really very charming. Even still, all the rare colour talk is all just making me want a Belville revisiting video lol

[@CheeseyStudios]

I would love a Belville Revisiting 🤣 Those sets are so hard to get though

[@Matt..S]

My mom made a lot of those sets into a DIY advent calendar for me, every day a few bricks and steps neatly packaged up in a numbered bag, long before Lego caught on to that idea haha And because back then the steps didn't include a box with the pieces needed, she had to half assemble, then take apart each step and also guess which bricks were used, which caused only a minor bit of early morning chaos and drama when a brick was missing :(

[@CheeseyStudios]

That calendar sounds so cool! What a fun idea

[@PortsTM]

Love the HP sets and collected from the very beginning. I have them all and for 2001 still hold up today! The hogwarts castle still looks iconic and holds much more than we needed like the owlery and library!

[@kwong06]

The glow in the dark skin comes from the description of sallow in the books I’m assuming as sallow refers to unhealthy colored skin (yellow or brown) but everyone already had yellow flesh

[@CheeseyStudios]

That does make sense, and it certainly accomplishes the 'unhealthy' look! xD

[@RyanPumpkins]

I was lucky enough to have all of these sets when I was young. I therefore ended up with multiple Harry/Ron/Hermione figures, so I'd swap about their heads and hair pieces to create other 'students'. Ginger Harry, long haired Ron, etc. Thanks for the memories and great video :-)