Talking with LEGO MASTERS Season 2 Winners Mark & Steven
A couple of weeks ago, two new champions arose as LEGO Masters for season two of the hit TV competition series. FOX was kind enough to give me the opportunity to ask the winners Mark & Steven a few questions about them, the show, and LEGO. The journey to becoming LEGO Masters sounds like it was hard, but very fun and rewarding. I cannot wait for the next season. You can stream all episodes of LEGO Masters on Hulu now.
Tommy: Congrats on winning Season 2! Does the title of LEGO Masters make up for the loss of the title Castle Bros?
Mark: Absolutely! We are a little sad to lose the "Castle Bros" title but, "LEGO Masters" implies we are the best at everything LEGO, not just castle.
Steven: Absolutely! Thankfully the Castle Bros title has been outdated for quite some time. We like to build other fun things alongside the castle theme these days. And to be honest, Caleb and Jacob made an excellent cliffhanger castle.
Tommy: What was your biggest takeaway from the LEGO Masters experience?
Mark: I feel that the awesome friendships we made with all the other contestants is the most impactful result of being on the show.
Steven: A brand new LEGO Masters family. We all have been asked this question a lot and we all have the same answer. There was nothing more impacting than spending so much time with such amazing builders.
Tommy: What is a piece of advice you'd like to offer anyone who wants to try for season 3?
Mark: Become competent with all aspects of LEGO. Steven and I had little experience with Technic or motors going in, so we had to adapt quickly.
Steven: Pay attention to the judges, folks! They're there to help and they really know their stuff!
Tommy: What is a LEGO building tip that you would give to a new builder?
Mark: Be very intentional with the color pieces you are using in specific parts of what you are building. Having a little planning and good color combos results in a nicer looking creation every time.
Steven: Build for yourself. It's easy to get caught up in trends but always remember to build what you want to build, not just what you think other people want to see.
Tommy: What have you been up to since winning?
Mark: Going to LEGO conventions, sorting pieces, and planning new building projects!
Steven: One big thing is I wrote a book - The Inner Workings of a LEGO Mind [author’s note: available on Amazon].
Tommy: What was your favorite challenge and what was your least favorite?
Mark: My favorite challenge was "Hats Incredible" for episode 4! Mind-blowingly fun! My least favorite was "Land and Sea" from episode 9. Only 5 hours per build section meant no one had a chance to really show their skill.
Steven: My favorite would have to be the finale for obvious reasons, but aside from the finale, my favorite challenge was the puppet show. I got to meet some amazing people and I've wanted to do something like that since my childhood. The "Make and Shake" tower challenge from Episode 3 was my least favorite. Everything that could have gone wrong, pretty much did. We ran out of time and ended up in the bottom three.
Tommy: Finally, Billy, Will, Evil Will, or Will's Boss?
Mark: Evil Will for sure, he's got lighting laugh powers and a super evil scooter.
Steven: Not to hurt Will's feelings but my favorite would have to be Billy. Their comedic chemistry on set together was legendary.