#48: Doctor Who - Sound FX Special Weapons Dalek

The Special Weapons Dalek is from the Seventh Doctor story "Remembrance of the Daleks" which was basically a 25th anniversary special for the show. The story features a couple different Dalek factions, and the special weapons Dalek is a standout from the standard design. Gone are the traditional eyestalk, plunger arm, and blaster, replaced with one big cannon. As a consequence, the only articulation featured on this Dalek is the up and down motion of the cannon. It also makes noise, and can play either a laser blast, or a laser blast followed by an explosion. The special weapons Dalek wasn't particularly chatty, even by Dalek standards, so it doesn't say "EXTERMINATE" like you might expect.

#5: LEGO Ideas Doctor Who - TARDIS (21304)

Now that LEGO has the Doctor Who license, the first (only?) building set released was from the LEGO Ideas program. Naturally, it's the TARDIS. Both the exterior and the control room. The control room is where the bulk of the pieces go for this set, and many of them are small pieces. So it's not a particularly large set, but it's pretty well detailed. It looks pretty cool, particularly the hexagonal control panels.

The other main part of the build is the TARDIS exterior, in its familiar police box shape. Its back side folds apart, and it plugs into the console room, or it can be displayed separately. There are a couple buildable Daleks, and four standard minifigures: the eleventh Doctor, the twelfth Doctor (post-regeneration), Clara, and a weeping angel. There is even a fez for 11.

#17: Doctor Who - The Other Doctor

Going to Gallifrey one inspired me to fill out my roster of Doctor figures. Since there is no proper 12th Doctor figure in the 5 inch line, I went with the "other Doctor" figure. Since John Hurt won't license his likeness for other lines (NECA creatively released a figure of his character from Alien with a facehugger covering his face), this is the best way to get a John Hurt figure. It's a pretty good likeness, although the likeness on the interchangeable Paul McGann head isn't as good. The sonic screwdriver is included, but it sadly can't be holstered on his bandolier. Also included is the Time Lord weapon, the Moment. I'm kind of surprised this wasn't released as a two pack with a figure of Billie Piper as the Moment's interface. That would have been cool.

#16: Doctor Who - Ace

For the second year in a row, I went to the Doctor Who convention Gallifrey One and bought an action figure based on one of the actors that I also got an autograph from. Ace was the Doctor's final companion in the classic series, so although she has appeared in the audio series, she's never had an onscreen departure from the TARDIS. The figure is a nice representation of Ace, they even duplicated all the patches and badges for her iconic jacket. Naturally, she includes the baseball bat that she used to destroy a Dalek from her most iconic scene. 

Ace has one of the largest assortment of accessories from the Doctor Who line. She includes alternate arms so she can be displayed without her jacket. There's also a removable backpack, RPG launcher, and some canisters of nitro-9, one of which can be plugged into the backpack as if it's sticking out from the top.

#17: Doctor Who - Rory Williams

I've been meaning to pick up the Rory figure for a while now. It took them so long to make a figure of such an important character, but I never got around to ordering one. Earlier this month, I attended my first Doctor Who convention, Gallifrey One. There was of course a dealers' room, and some of the vendors were selling toys, so I was able to pick one up at about what I would have paid online, minus shipping. Rory has the same basic articulation as all the other figures in the line. The likeness of Arthur Darvill isn't perfect, but it is recognizable as him. I don't know if Rory's penchant for vests is a deliberate nod to Marty McFly, but I'd like to think that it is.

"Sorry, we've already got one vest enthusiast traveling with the Doctor."

#2: Doctor Who - Weeping Angel

While at SacAnime, I was mostly keeping an eye out for Japanese toys, figuring that finding them would be more likely at a Japanese culture inspired event. Unsurprisingly, there were not a whole lot of western toy lines represented, but there were a few. One booth I stopped by had a few of the newer Doctor Who figures in the smaller scale. I will probably will not be collecting too many of the figures in the new scale, but a Weeping Angel is always cool. One of the things I like most about the figure is that it has the full length robes, which I find evocative of their first (and best) appearance in the episode Blink. I don't know if it's a standard for new new smaller scale of figures, but the figure is sporting considerably less articulation. Well, the arms, anyway. Obviously there's no leg articulation here. The only articulation for the arms is at the shoulders which get swivel-hinge joints. Fortunately, this isn't a figure that necessarily needs a lot of articulation, so merely looking cool is good enough.

Also included is a completely unnecessary figure stand, shaped like the current TARDIS inspired DW logo for the show.

#115: Doctor Who Micro-Figures - Dalek drone

Here's another Christmas gift, from James. Thanks, James! Doctor Who has spawned its own line of LEGO-esque building sets, along with the requisite minifigures. And of course, it is good business to do a line of blindpacked figures, so that's what they did. The figure I got was the Dalek drone, which is the tiniest Dalek I've ever seen. You know how smaller versions of things are cute? That totally applies here. The Dalek comes unassembled, in nine pieces. It's a Dalek, so you can't expect much articulation, and at this scale, you can rotate the head and that's it. It's too bad that this line isn't readily available in stores, because I wouldn't mind getting a few more of them.

#122: Doctor Who - The Eleventh Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver

I've been meaning to pick up a sonic screwdriver for a while now, but they're usually at least 25 bucks (plus shipping) so that has been holding me back. Fortunately, Thwipster was selling them briefly for a cheaper price than I'd seen anywhere else, so I figured it was time to finally order one. It's a nice looking replica of the prop used in the series. It lights up and makes appropriate noises, and the claw tip extends. Unfortunately, when the tip is extended, the regular activation button can no longer be used, and you have to use one hidden in the base which is kind of in an awkward position. It would have been a huge improvement if this problem had been avoided. Still though, this is loads of fun to wave around and point at things and just in general play Doctor. Plus, it's more portable than a lightsaber. Totally worth picking up for a Who fan, and if you don't like the design, there is a variety of models to choose from. Hopefully you can find one for a decent price.

#98: Doctor Who - The Master and Axon

When this set came out, it was the only way to get the original version of the Master, and it still is. Since it cost 40 bucks, I wasn't willing to pay that much because the Axon didn't interest me enough to justify the price. But Figureoftheday had it a couple weeks ago for 25 dollars, which was low enough to get me to spring for it.

The Axon figure pretty accurately represents the guy in a suit look of its TV appearance. It's my tallest Who figure, and definitely the bulkiest. The sculpt is pretty intricate, capturing all the somewhat disgusting texture of the Axon's body, with appropriate paintwork. Without elbows or knees, articulation is somewhat lacking. It's a big, weird looking alien, so it's cool to have around.

This Master is the first one to appear, played by Roger Delgado. I think this is one of the better likenesses on a Who figure, which is cool since the John Simm Master figure was a bit lacking in that department. All the standard Who figure articulation is here. He also comes with his tissue compression eliminator. He's pretty cool, and I'm glad I was able to get this set for a more reasonable price than it's original one. Last I checked, there are figures for three different incarnations of the Master, so it raises the question of how long it will be until an Eric Roberts version of the Master will be released.

#1 (and #151): Doctor Who Regenerating Weeping Angel

So as I mentioned in the post about the Cyberman, I had another Doctor Who figure that broke. I tried contacting the website I bought it from to see about getting a replacement, but they wouldn't take any opened merchandise and referred me to the company that sells the toys here in the States. They were kind enough to send a replacement free of charge, and didn't even want me to send them the broken figure. Thanks, Underground Toys! I assumed I would be sending the damaged figure back, so I didn't included it as one of last year's entries. Since I still have it, and it's the same figure, I'm doing a dual entry this time.

The Weeping Angels are probably my favorite antagonists that have been introduced during the current run of Doctor Who. They're quite creepy, and with the appearance of angel statues are visually interesting as well. So naturally, I wanted an action figure. I missed out on the first version which is designed to hold the face covering 'weeping' pose. Fortunately with their more recent appearance came new figures. There are a few variants of this: the calm face, the angry face, and a clear version.

With the first figure, the arm snapped off after I had left it in the freezer for a while in hopes of unsticking the bicep joint. Unfortunately, on the newer figure, both bicep joints are stuck, so I am not even going to try unsticking them this time. On the positive side, since this figure isn't designed to hold the 'weeping' pose, it doesn't bother me too much that the biceps won't rotate. At least the arms can still go up and down, and the wrists rotate. As for the broken figure, I will probably glue the arm back on.

#145: Doctor Who Cyberman with Cybergun

So far all the Cybermen figures I have are from the modern Cybus Industries style or from the 60s. Those are cool and all, but I've been wanting an 80s style Cyberman. This version, from the serial Earthshock, came out a while ago, and I've finally bought one. It's a very cool looking figure, but I need to complain about the stuck joints.

The right bicep swivel and the right wrist swivel are stuck. When I try to turn them, there's a little give which tells me that if I put too much force into it, the joint will shear off. It happened earlier today with a different figure from the same company. That was after leaving it in the freezer for a while, so I'm not even going to try it with the Cyberman. It was even the same joint that broke, the right bicep swivel! I wish Character Options would make figures without stuck joints, especially since they're already more expensive and harder to come by due to the toys being imports. For the most part, it's not like I spend time posing most of my figures beyond the initial unpackaging, so I'm trying to not let it bother me too much. I'm trying to get a replacement, but the store I ordered it from referred me to the company that imports the toys, so I am waiting to hear back from them.

Anyway, as it says up there in the title, the Cyberman comes with a Cybergun. I'm not entirely clear on how it's supposed to be held, but it has a strap, so I currently have it hanging off the Cyberman's shoulder. The picture on the back of the package shows it being held in a way that I can't pose the figure to do because of the stuck bicep swivel. Annoying! In the end, it seems that my affection for Doctor Who in general is enough to make me overlook these issues with the toys.

#140: Doctor Who Davros

Christmas is over, so it's time to start blogging about the toys I received as gifts! The first here is from James, and it's Davros, creator of the Daleks. As is fitting the character, there is minimal articulation on the figure. The only thing that can move is his arm, and there are wheels in the base. This is a figure I've been wanting to pick up for a while, so it's cool to finally add him to my collection.

#139: Doctor Who Ironsides Dalek

The episode "Victory of the Daleks" from the first series starring Matt Smith as the Doctor featured brand new re-designs of the Daleks. Naturally they have been made into toys, but I'm skipping those, as I don't like the newer versions as much. Also in that episode was this Dalek, the Ironsides Dalek. Apparently created to defend England during the Blitz, this Dalek has a military green paint job, its "ears" are wrapped in cloth, and is carrying some sort of utility belt. There's even a canteen on the back, presumably for other soldiers to use. There is even a tiny Union Jack right below the eye stalk, a bit of design that I really dig for some reason.

#109: Doctor Who The Master

Perhaps the Doctor's greatest nemesis is the Master. Like the Doctor, he's a renegade Time Lord, but he'd rather rule the Universe than help people. As one of the few people that can match the Doctor intellectually, it's always trouble when he shows up. The Master has been played by a few different actors through the years, and this is the most recent version, played by John Simm. Apparently John Simm has a face that's hard to capture as an action figure head, because although there have been a couple figures so far based on him, they haven't yet made a good likeness. The hair doesn't look right at all, unfortunately. I think the expression they went with is also part of the problem. John Simm's Master is pretty manic, so the calm expression doesn't look right. The picture they used on the package shows him with a crazy grin, and I think that would have been appropriate to use for the figure as well. Other than that, my only complaint is that the right bicep swivel seems to be stuck, even after some time in the freezer. Hopefully the next time they make a John Simm Master (assuming that they do), it will have a better likeness.

#108: Doctor Who Vashta Nerada Suit Monster

I've been meaning to buy one of these guys for a while now, and I'm glad I finally got around to it, because it's damn cool. There are a couple characters this toy could represent, but basically it's a victim of the Vashta Nerada (an invisible swarm of tiny carnivorous creatures). They have skeletonized the suit's inhabitant and are using it to walk around in. So basically, skeleton spaceman! My only complaint about this figure is that the lines are perhaps too prominent due to the paint. I think this is a figure that would be worth picking up even if you're not a fan of Doctor Who. It's hard to top a skeleton in a spacesuit.

#107: Doctor Who Captain Jack Harkness

Aside from Amy Pond, Jack Harkness is my favorite companion since the re-launch of the series. I'm not his only fan, as he was given a starring role in the spinoff Torchwood. There have been a couple Jack figures. I like this the best, as it's the outfit he wore throughout Torchwood, and for his return appearance on Doctor Who. This version of the figure has also been released with the Doctor's hand as an accessory, but this one just comes with Jack's trusty revolver. The hand would be cool to have too, but it's no big deal to miss out on it. Otherwise, it's an all around good figure, as are most of the figures in the line.

#81: Doctor Who Amy Pond

Traveling through all of space and time can get kind of lonely after a while, so the Doctor has a long line of companions, starting from the very beginning of the series. The Eleventh Doctor met his first companion almost immediately after his regeneration when he crash landed in Amy Pond's back yard. She was a young girl at the time, but after what was meant to be a trip minutes into the future, the Doctor ended up years further than he intended where he met up with a grown Amy.

Like all the other figures in the line, Amy looks great. Well, except for her knees. The ends of the pins sticking out to the side is unfortunate. Now that a majority of my Doctor Who figures are the Doctor himself, it is good to have someone else in the collection. I'm not sure if they are going to be making any of the pre-revival companions into figures, but if they don't at least I've got one of my favorites.

#80: Doctor Who The Eleven Doctors Figure Set

When the Doctor Who toy line was starting out, I thought it would be cool to get all of the Doctors. After I got Ten and Four, they started releasing the older Doctors as expensive exclusive sets so I gave up on that goal. Fortunately Character Options decided to put all 11 Doctors into one set. I have bought sets of figures before, but never one with 11 figures in it. The packaging is pretty cool, they come in a big box that looks like the TARDIS, and there are two flaps on front that open up to provide a view of all the figures in the case. For the most part, all the figures have the same level of articulation, which is pretty standard across the line. Since each Doctor has pretty distinctive clothing, there isn't much, if any, reuse of parts, and the paint tends to be pretty good as well. The face sculpts are pretty spot on as well.

For those of you that aren't familiar with Doctor Who, all these figures are of the same character, who has been played by eleven different actors so far. The Doctor is from an alien race, and so has the ability to regenerate his body into a new one if he is gravely wounded. It's a nice in-universe explanation that allows the same character to be played by multiple actors, which is important when a show has been on for almost 5o years.

From left to right are the First, Second, and Third Doctors. I wasn't sure if there would be any accessories included, but almost all of the figures get one. One has his walking stick, Two has his recorder (with a handkerchief or something tied around its end), and Three has his trusty sonic screwdriver. The Third Doctor marks the beginning of the Doctor's more outlandish taste in clothing, and I dig his dark green coat, so I'm glad it was included here.

As I mentioned earlier, I already have a figure of the Fourth Doctor, but this is a different outfit, so I don't mind. He's the only figure in the set with a hat, although Five and Seven wore hats too sometimes. Four and Five get a sonic screwdriver each, and Seven gets his umbrella. Six is the only figure in the set with no accessories, perhaps the garishness of his outfit is its own accessory. The pink on it looks a little too dark. This picture makes it look like the Doctor spent the 80s getting shorter. I've never seen all the actors lined up like that, but I am guessing their relative heights are true to life.

The four most recent Doctors all get sonic screwdrivers. Eight only made one onscreen appearance, in a failed TV pilot movie here in the US, although he went on to make more appearances in audio plays and books. Because of his odd place in canon, he is probably the Doctor I least expected to be made into a figure, but here he is. Nine and Ten have slightly less articulation than the others, so I suspect they are partially re-uses of older figures, from before the line started including the current levels of articulation on the figures. I also have another figure of Ten, but again, this one is different enough for me to be okay with that. His hair on this version looks really cool, too. They captured the crazy way it sticks up perfectly on this version.

I'm glad they put out this set, because even if they release all the Doctors as single carded figures, getting them in one set is cheaper than buying them all separately. They did a good job of picking representative outfits for those Doctors that had varied wardrobes, so if you get this set, you may not need to buy another Doctor figure until the Doctor has regenerated again.

#79: Doctor Who Flight Control TARDIS

When you're wandering through space and time, you're going to need some advanced technology, and you can't do much better than a TARDIS. But if the chameleon circuit becomes faulty, you might end up with a much less grandiose appearance for your time and space travelling machine. But, like the Millennium Falcon, it's what's on the inside that counts.

Since the Doctor Who line started, there have been a few different TARDIS toys, but I finally got around to picking one up while placing an order and getting free shipping. This version is the current one, that the 11th Doctor is riding around in. The main thing that sets it apart is the "St John Ambulance" emblem on the door. It was present on the original TARDIS props, but disappeared at some point until the TARDIS repaired itself after the 10th Doctor's regeneration.

It may look like a plain box, but the TARDIS has some fun play features, mainly in the way of lights and sound. It takes AAA batteries, which I had laying around, so fortunately I was able to play around with it. The doors open, and there is a cardboard representation of the TARDIS's control room (it's much larger on the inside, of course) and while the doors are open, it makes ambient engine sounds. There is a button on the bottom that when pressed plays the TARDIS's distinctive materialization sounds. When the button is released, it plays the VWOORP VWOORP VWOORP of the TARDIS taking off. When you shake it, it plays the sounds of the engines in distress. At the bottom there is a small panel to place your finger in, which allows you to spin the TARDIS like a top, and then it plays more engine sounds. The lantern on top flashes whenever sounds are being played. It's also ridiculously loud, I could see some parents being less than pleased with this.

Because it's an import, and has electronics it is somewhat pricier than one might like. But if you only get one Doctor Who toy, the TARDIS would probably be your best bet.

#54: Doctor Who The Fourth Doctor

Until recently, if you mentioned Doctor Who, the average person probably thought of Tom Baker. He was the longest running Doctor and continues to be one of, if not the most, popular actors to play the part. His outfit has certainly been the most iconic, featuring a ridiculously long multi-colored scarf. Consequently, he has been hard to find available for a decent price. When I found one being offered for an acceptable price, I took the opportunity to buy it.

This is a really well done figure of the Fourth Doctor, I can't think of any major improvements that could be made. A large part of what I like so much about this figure is the manic grin that he was sculpted with. Something about it just screams Tom Baker for me. He includes an alternate head which isn't wearing the hat, but is sporting a more serious expression, and comes with a piece of the killer robot from his first appearance. He also comes with his trademark Sonic Screwdriver (which my other Doctor figure is lacking). His scarf is also removable, so any other figure it will fit on can dress up.

Now that I've got two Doctors, I'm contemplating getting a whole set, assuming they make all ten (soon to be eleven).