Character Options doesn’t seem to have consciously built collections around these specific episodes of Doctor Who, but by coincidence, as their much-loved action figure range grows, the earlier seasons and episodes have been revisited enough that one can put together episode-specific subsets. In the coming weeks we’ll more or less randomly sample some mini-collections from the first two seasons of the new Doctor Who that have emerged.
Rose actually hasn’t been revisited that much, but with the classic Doctor collections on the horizon, I’m elated to see a classic monster already in plastic form: the Autons. Available in two different flavors – a single Auton in a gray suit and the “Auton Twin Pack” (seen here) in black suits, they’re pretty good replicas of the killer mannequins that menaced shoppers in the first installment of the new series. Whenever Jon Pertwee is available in plastic form (and that day can’t come soon enough), these Autons will be waiting for him. Though I won’t object too much if “classic” Autons are also made.
Instead of hands that hinge downward, as seen in the series both old and new, these Autons’ fingertips swivel via a pivot point. Perhaps not screen-accurate, but it’s a compromise that I much prefer to having easily breakable (or misplaceable) parts – in fact, I won’t mind at all if this feature is repeated on any Pertwee-era Autons that Character cares to issue down the road. It’s a neat solution to the problem, and I’d rather have a feature that’s barely inaccurate than have a hand that can fall apart and get lost. I can’t see it diminishing play value or display value.
The second episode of the new series, and the first to venture into space or the future, The End Of The World was promoted almost insanely heavily early on, and its menagerie of alien life forms made for very marketable images to sell the largely Earthbound first season of new Who as a show that would travel in space and time a lot. Those characters also make for decent figures.
Cassandra was one of the very first Doctor Who action figures from the new series, and truth be told, there’s not much action to this action figure – she rolls around on a wheeled base. The sculpt is detailed enough, but the face on Cassandra’s stretchy patch of skin is almost too benign to be believed – as seen on screen, Cassandra virtually always wore a sneer at best, even when playing innocent. The Cassandra figure has been reissued in a “dirty” variation (meaning a “rusty” paint job on the frame that holds her skin) as well as in a “destroyed” variation without the skin/face component (which, if I’m to be honest, and as much as I love the Doctor Who figure range, is one of the silliest ideas for a figure that I’ve ever even imagined someone imagning). Three “robot spiders” are included – and I vote these as the accessories most likely to be lost with any Who figure.
Used as a marketing image even more than Cassandra, the Moxx of Balhoon is presented in action figure form with the scowl and pose from his early publicity photos (not seen in the episode at all); like Cassandra, he rolls around on a wheeled base, and his arms and head are his only moving parts. It’s an above-average sculpt, and for some inexplicable reason – as if you don’t already have enough of them to lose track of – the Moxx also comes with two of Cassandra’s robot spiders. By the time you’re finished with your End Of The World diorama, you will most assuredly not be short on robot spiders.
Finally, released in 2007 to coincide with the character’s third (and final…?) appearance, the Face of Boe is one of the very short line of “deluxe” Doctor Who figures, requiring a box that’s quite large compared to any of the individually packed action figures. Though it’s again very limited in terms of movement – the Face of Boe rolls around on a base with two wheels and a ball bearing, and has a small button which can trigger mouth movements – this is a jaw-droppingly good sculpt for a toy. It’s a very realistic representation of the equally large prop, even including detail on the back of its enclosed tank that hasn’t been seen up close on TV, and skillfully lit and photographed could probably even pass for the real deal. Even if you’re not trying to line up episode-specific dioramas with these puppies, the Face makes an especially good, “what the…?”-generating conversation piece if it’s just sitting around.
End Of The World alone could probably continue to be the source for more action figures – the Steward (now with easy melting action – just put him in the microwave and “lower the sunscreen!”), the Adherence of the Repeated Meme and especially Jabe being standouts – so there may well be an entire shelf worth of characters from this episode just waiting to happen. Time, as always, will tell.
Carded/Boxed Figures
You want textbook cryptic? Now this is textbook cryptic:
