OVERVIEW: Project MC2

Signature McKeyla

In July 2015, we saw our first photos of Project MC2, MGAE's STEAM-themed doll line. There were four deluxe dolls, which had full articulation and came with a science experiment, and four basic dolls, which had articulation only at the neck, shoulders and hips.

I loved the beautiful faces with inset eyes and well-done rooted lashes, as well as the resemblances to the actresses. You see, PMC2 has a Netflix live action series! I only finally got around to watching it a few days ago and finished Season 2 just yesterday morning. I really love it. It reminds me of a more modern Ghost Writer with its campy feel and kids working together to solve problems. Only the PMC2 problems are a bit bigger than anything the Ghost Writer gang faced. And they're all girls, whereas GW was a mix.

Anyway! Naturally, my stores would be pokey at getting these, so I bought basic McKeyla and Camryn from a friend. I got them at the end of July and as it often goes with me, the deluxe dolls showed in my TRU the very same day my basics arrived in the mail!

Signature Bryden, Camryn and Adrienne

Deboxing was a chore, as it is with all MGAE dolls except for Lalaloopsy. They're the only company that ties down hair. It's trapped under multiple pieces of plastic and sometimes locks are even sewn to chunks of plastic that stick out from the box liner. It's insane.

Quality control was mostly good. The biggest issue was that my basic Camryn's hat was stapled to her head by not one but three of those plastic ties and one of them went right through her forehead. So she had a permanent hole there, which is exactly what people want on a doll. Poor thing. Signature McKeyla's right arm doesn't hold a pose well, and all of the dolls shed like mad when you brush them, but for the most part, quality was good.

McKeyla was my fave with her Scrabble tile ring and that cute hat, although I had to pin the hat on her head. It just lays on top of her thick hair otherwise. I love everything about Camryn and Bryden, too, except Camryn could look a bit more like the actress and Bryden's hair should have the awesome volume it does on the show.

Flat foot body vs. heel foot body

Adrienne would not be found until early August. She was my least favorite of the first line, although she's certainly still great.

One thing I like about the dolls is the different bodies. Camryn and McKeyla have shorter bodies with flat feet. Adrienne and Bryden have taller bodies with heeled feet. Adrienne constantly wears heels in the show, which is pointed out at least twice. She's actually one of the shorter actresses, but her giant heels make her look taller, so it works for the doll, too. Bryden's a little taller, I think, so even though she mostly wears sneakers, the height works for her and her heeled feet are well hidden by the sneaks.

2nd edition and Signature Adrienne

December 2015 brought the 2nd edition of the dolls, once again both in deluxe form with an experiment and basic form. I still had yet to watch the show, but I liked the girls in disguise theme the deluxe dolls had. I picked up Adrienne first, because McKeyla wasn't at our Target.

I like the 2nd edition Adrienne more than the first, especially now that I've watched the show. I think she captures the actress and character a bit better. Her glasses though I don't like. I don't normally take the glasses off a character that needs them to see, but those things are ugly, so they sit on her head.

Signature and 2nd edition McKeyla

I found the lovely purple-haired McKeyla eventually. She's got one of the weakest outfits of the entire line, but that purple hair makes up for it.

Bryden took ages to show up because she was being sold separately. SIGH. Here we go again with the segregated boxes. So of course my Target never got her. The only store in the area that got her was TRU and I can't even remember how long it took.

And it took me even longer, because I only just bought her today! She, and she alone, was on sale for $19.99.

2nd edition Bryden boxed

I also got to look at the 2nd edition basic Bryden and I need to get her and maybe 2nd basic Adrienne eventually. Both are on Amazon for cheaper than stores. I have a new appreciation for the basics thanks to the show, because I've seen the outfits in live action form.

2nd edition and Signature Bryden

I love 2nd Bryden. The cat mask, the ears, the entire outfit. She's just adorable. I think she's a bit prettier than the first one, too. Better eye makeup. The only issue I have with her is that her coat is very restricting. That doll is not holding any pose that requires her arms to move. The coat is just too stiff!

No one will ever guess who we are.

The glasses with noses and facial hair crack me up. So does the cat mask. It doesn't look that great on, but that's because I refused to cut the strings holding the plastic ears down, so it's jammed on over them!

I really should not have waited so long to get this girl. She's great.

Basic McKeyla v1 and v2

I actually bought the 2nd edition basic McKeyla Wednesday night at Target. I love that big books shirt! I think McKeyla has the best clothes, or at least, the shirts I want most.

When I went to TRU tonight to get Bryden, I was surprised to see Ember looking back at me. They had her, Devon, McKeyla and Adrienne from the 3rd edition deluxe dolls. So even though I have both Ember and Devon in transit from TRU.com, I bought the ones that were there, because both of them looked good to me. I'll just return the others when they arrive and I get the joy of posting my reviews of them up next!

So my want list currently is: 2nd edition basic Bryden and Adrienne, maybe 1st edition basic Bryden, 3rd edition McKeyla, 3rd edition basic Devon, Ember and Adrienne, maybe the other 3rd edition basics, too.

Good job, MGAE. I think this might be your best line yet.

PHOTO CREDITS: All mine.