The Humble Beginnings of LEGO Harry Potter

A huge thank you to Bryan Firks (BryanBuilds) for his extra help with this video, and thank you to
‪@HollyOnFilm‬
‪@SwiftBricks‬
‪@Ashnflash‬
‪@DuckBricks‬
for their recommendations!
Become a channel member to get early access to new videos!
/ @cheeseystudios

[@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.

[@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! :)

[@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!

[@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 :)

[@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!

[@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?

[@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

[@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 😂

[@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

[@brickpocalypse679]

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

[@CheeseyStudios]

My favorite part of the books honestly 🤣

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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!

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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 🤣

[@Galactic_J]

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

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! ❤️

[@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

[@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.

[@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 :)

[@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

[@SammyWatsit]

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

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you so much! ❤️

[@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!

[@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).

[@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 😬

[@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!

[@NoahRJitil]

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

[@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.

[@brycevo]

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

[@CheeseyStudios]

Hopefully this week or the next 👀

[@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

[@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...

[@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!

[@DYELGAINZ]

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

[@CheeseyStudios]

So awesome, right?? 😂

[@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

[@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.

[@flannelshirtguy]

Snape’s class is probably the one I’d get-only because it was my first Lego set ever back in the day. I thought it was absolutely nuts. There was so much to it.

[@CheeseyStudios]

What a great first set! There really is just so much fun to be had with it.

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@GandalftheLego]

Something I like about older Lego sets was that they used more of the larger pieces which meant that you could get a larger structure with fewer pieces

[@CheeseyStudios]

Agreed. 100 pieces in 2000 got you a lotttt further than 100 pieces today!

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@SamFuller1989]

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

[@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

[@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!

[@0x13horizon4]

Please cover every single Harry Potter set in this format! That would be incredible

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's the plan 👀 It's going to be quite the magical journey!

[@0x13horizon4]

@@CheeseyStudios I seriously thought I was in way over my head asking that, I even considered deleting my comment haha! That is incredible, thank you for the super high quality & well researched looks into these magical sets⚡️I’m loving how dense the content is, and for the showcase to be chronological would be oh so satisfying!

[@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 👀

[@MrMitchbow]

I remember the original Hagrid’s hut being impossible to finish. The roof needed to be bound with a rubber band and nobody in my entire family was able to do it. Even my strong AF uncle couldn’t get the rubber band around all the panels

[@CheeseyStudios]

Yeah, it's a goofy goofy roof 🤣

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@SoldSanke]

11:54 The technic bricks are supposed to function as a guessing game, you're meant to put all the 'common' keys on the front side, and the silver key on the opposite side of one of the bricks. This represents Harry and friends 'hunting' the right key. The theme had other small play ideas like this, such as the hidden jewel treasure hunt in Hogwarts Castle.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ah, that makes sense!

[@codemanthe2nd343]

I got a tub of second hand lego when I was a kid, and saw there was a lot of Harry Potter stuff. After watching this video I now know what sets the person before me had, neat.

[@CheeseyStudios]

That's always a fun experience! Bulk tubs are so cool

[@Cm-xv7oe]

I share this experience lol.

[@bethkurland6610]

Loved this video. Those of us collecting Harry Potter haven't seen these sets...enjoyed it.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Really glad to hear it!

[@thequestion8697]

I remember my only connection to the Harry Potter Franchise being some of these sets. Absolutely great theme with so much creativity in it.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Indeed. I love how much freedom the designers were given to make this theme their own.

[@Ruune__]

Nowadays I feel like Lego Harry Potter has overstated its welcome with how bland most of the sets are, so it’s nice to see how imaginative these older sets were. So much life and personality to be found here.

[@Jellonaa]

59:13 I just love how you had to open the see through chest to see what's inside of it!

[@CheeseyStudios]

I know, right? Such a cool pair of pieces!

[@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.

[@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

[@hardcorehead6284]

They used to put so mutch playfeatures in these harry potter sets miss it these days

[@CheeseyStudios]

I agree. Glad I grew up with these sets!

[@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 🤣

[@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.

[@NovaVortex193]

og lego harry potter has to be one of coziest things ever

[@CheeseyStudios]

Facts

[@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

[@Shedikk-ts8gg]

This wave was surely unique and.. It have something that still making it better then new sets

[@CheeseyStudios]

Agreed. I miss the magic and playability these had to offer.

[@Bigman086]

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.

[@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...

[@ShorK]

This video was so good and informative!! Hope it gets more views! Very nostalgic while I never even had a Lego Harry Potter set haha

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! Really glad you l liked it. There's just something about sets from this era that take us all back. It's such a playful style - you can't help but love it!

[@Chokun-Gaming]

Hagrid has molded fingers because his arms are directly taken from the different style of figures seen in jack stone and other "4 juniors" themes

[@CheeseyStudios]

Oh! I guess I hadn't even realized that. Good catch!

[@romahawk3125]

For me it is 4709 and it always will be. It was the first ever Lego set I got and it was a truly magical experience playing with it as a kid. I remember how I once poured water on the ground plate to replicate the scene where Moaning Myrtle floods the toilet. I even used a red marker to write the infamous warning on a few pieces where it says that the ‘chamber of secrets has been opened’. Oh boy, what a hassle to remove that afterwards 🤣. But in the end it was worth it. To me the Hogwarts Castle has fulfilled it‘s job as a playing set and also initiated my love for the world of Harry Potter.

[@CheeseyStudios]

What an awesome start to your LEGO journey! It's such a great set. I miss the magic they put into these classic HP sets. It made them so unique and memorable!

[@lukemiles04]

I have so much nostalgia for these sets but I never owned them nor was alive when they came out (born in 04.) I was buying lego mainly in the early 2010's but would watch constant videos on these early sets and loved the more simple artstyle and yellow mini figs and that grey robe

[@CheeseyStudios]

They are quite fantastic. I hope you get a chance to pick one up at some point and experience it in person, if you haven't already!

[@HerCeleryPancakes]

What a great video. I think this video truly captures the unchallenged magic of the classic Harry Potter sets. Classic Harry Potter will forever be my favourite licensed theme and never beat by the new sets, so many wonderful memories these sets give me and I absolutely love those weird parts that every classic Harry Potter set incorporates. I’ve loved lego hairy potter since i was four and this video made me so happy and gave me so much nostalgia. On a different note I’d pove to see the newly revealed Animal crossing sets reviewed here with Audrey ( not to replace the legendary Clickits advent calendar lol) great vid as always Cheesey came up a day before my bday so that was a fun surprise ❤❤❤❤

[@CheeseyStudios]

Well a happy early birthday! I'm glad to see you love these classic sets so much too. This is peak LEGO. I imagine Audrey will be picking up a few Animal Crossing sets in March - perhaps we can convince her to do some reviewing!

[@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 :)

[@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!

[@EdwinvdKaaij]

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

[@faselblaDer3te]

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

[@CheeseyStudios]

That would be an amazing deep cut xD

[@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 😊

[@rafajian62]

You deserve order of merlin first class for this video!!!!, my very first lego HP set was the sorting hat, makes me nostalgic, the magic was captured perfectly in this wave of sets, but my favourite was always chamber of secrets sets, looking forward fot the next video

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you! Really excited to eventually get to part 2 as well. So many great sets to come!

[@vinegar4556]

I can't get over how Ron appears to be carrying some sort of metal pipe around as a weapon instead of a wand.

[@CheeseyStudios]

Now I won't be able to unsee it either 🤣

[@fritzmoy101]

I love the fact that the capes have a copyright marking for no real reason

[@CheeseyStudios]

Ikr 😂 Like LEGO owns the rights to stars or something lol...

[@RipOffProductionsLLC]

I remember never being able to get the roof on Hagrid's hut to work, so I'm fine with the boxier designs of later sets of it.

[@CheeseyStudios]

It does take a lllottt of finagling lol

[@Linda-dd9nt]

The Lego Harry Potter sets from 2001 to 2011 are a very intense interest of mine. I am always excited, when I see a set of this period.

[@CheeseyStudios]

There's nothing else quite like them! They sure make me smile

[@Linda-dd9nt]

I have this one Lego Harry Potter book from 2011, where they showed every set and minifigure. The book makes me dream, having all the sets.

[@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.

[@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

[@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 🤣

[@kwong06]

Love the modular original sets even more with your commentary!

[@CheeseyStudios]

Thank you!

[@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

[@kozo213]

I got into Lego Harry Potter around 2009 so these sets were long gone, I remember looking through ToyWiz and seeing all the weird yellow minifigs and the derpy faces and thought they were bootleg😂