Review by Atom

He is the Doctor. A 900+ year old Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey traveling time and space in his TARDIS, a time machine disguised as a Police Box. What that means and who he is to you probably depends on which Doctor was your first Doctor.

Doctor Who is a BBC television series with a storied history running for 32 years straight before being retired in 1995. The show was relaunched in 2005 and not only drew in new viewers, but was hailed by long time Whovians because it picked up the continuity where the US made TV movie left off. The relaunched show is now in its sixth season and continues to draw in new fans.

To explain the change in actors, as the show has gone on the Doctor “regenerates” whenever he is mortally wounded. In the mythology of the series a Time Lord can regenerate twelve times, allowing them thirteen lives (There was a comment in the spin-off show, The Sarah Jane Adventures that the Doctor could regenerate 507 times. This may have been a joke or the producers are retconning the history. Only time will tell.) As of the current actor in the role, Matt Smith, we are up to the eleventh incarnation of the time traveler.

The Eleven Doctors Figure Set comes packaged in a box designed like the TARDIS. The doors on the front open to reveal all the Doctors safely packed into the plastic tray. On the inside covers we are given brief explanations about the character and regenerations of the individual Doctors.

The figures are all lashed into the plastic tray with twist ties around every limb which I found a little annoying. It’s the 21st century. Is it really still more cost effective to lash things down like this instead of making a better vacuum formed tray that would hold them in place? Anyway... 45 minutes later all the incarnations of the Doctor had been freed.

Before I discuss the figures individually, let’s start with what they have in common.

All of the figures in the set feature more than expected articulation with 12 points of articulation. I say more than expected as the Doctor is such an “intellectual and stoic hero” I don’t really think of him in “action poses.” If that’s your thing, all the Doctors can accommodate your needs.

The exception being the tenth Doctor, which has only 9 points of articulation and is missing the rotation joints in the upper arms and the waist swivel.

The First Doctor 1963-1966 (played by William Hartnell)

The Doctor is a mysterious character from another time and another world. He has a time machine called TARDIS, which is disguised as a police box and was bigger on the inside than the outside. Discovering the TARDIS in a scrapyard, two teachers are involuntarily taken on a journey back to the year 100,000 BC, and end up adventuring through time and space with the Doctor. He is also in exile for unspecified reasons.

Paint applications are all neat and clean and sculpt detail is very good, creating an uncanny likeness to William Hartnell.

The first Doctor also comes with his signature walking stick.

Even the rings on his fingers feature nice paint detail.

The Second Doctor 1966-1969 (played by Patrick Troughton)

The First Doctor regenerated whilst battling the Cybermen during the events of The Tenth Planet and eventually collapsed, exhausted. His body renewed itself and transformed into the Second Doctor. The Second Doctor characteristics centered around his ability to mislead his enemies as to the actual threat he posed to their plans. Second Doctor confronted many familiar foes such as the Daleks and Cybermen, as well as new enemies such as the Great Intelligence and the Ice Warriors. The Second Doctor was put on trial by his own people, the Time Lords, for breaking their laws of non-interference.

Again paint applications and sculpted detail are all very good. Patrick Troughton is accurately represented and comes with his flute.

The Second Doctor always had a bit of a disheveled look to him, wearing a jacket that was clearly just a bit too big for him, and this figure represents that well.

The Third Doctor 1970-1974 (played by Jon Pertwee)

Exiled to Earth, this sophisticated and elegant Doctor was more a pure Scientist than his predecessors, surrounded by gadgets and vehicles. But whether aiding UNIT against invasions or traveling to distant planets, his kindness and belief in peace was rarely stronger. After returning a jewel to an irradiated cave on an alien planet, the Doctor’s body was so badly damaged he had to regenerate once again...

The third Doctor is very nicely detailed, but this is the first in the set that seems to have a misapplied paint application.

The figure is flawless except for the eyes. It looks like they missed a pass of paint so upon close inspection he has a sort of crazy eyed look to him, and Jon Pertwee never looked crazy eyed.

It was with this incarnation the series introduced the Sonic Screwdriver. A trope the Doctor would use for many incarnations to come.

The Fourth Doctor 1974-1981 (played by Tom Baker)

The Fourth Doctor masked his brilliant and inventive mind behind a facade of bohemian eccentricity. The longest lived incarnation of the Doctors so far, he was forced to change his body after losing a fight with his old enemy the Master and falling from a radio telescope to the ground beneath him...

The fourth Doctor is probably the best remembered and popular of the original series, and the figure certainly brings Tom Baker to life on your shelf.

Sculpt detail is good, but sadly he has the crazy eyes thing going on as well.

This Doctor’s Sonic Screwdriver underwent a cosmetic change with this incarnation and is suitably detailed and painted.

The Fifth Doctor 1982-1984 (played by Peter Davidson)

His youthful appearance belied his wisdom and experience, but this Doctor still found it frustrating that so many people questioned his judgment, especially his companions. While on an alien planet he and his companion Peri contracted a disease and the Doctor gave Peri the only cure, necessitating another regeneration.

Peter Davidson was my favorite Doctor back in the day and I was very happy with the version included with the set.

Paint and sculpt detail is all very good and I have no criticisms with this figure. This Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver didn’t really undergo any dramatic change this time around so the included one is just a slightly repainted version of the fourth Doctor’s version.

The Sixth Doctor 1984-1986 (played by Colin Baker)

Loud, boastful and colorful, this extravagant Doctor hid his vulnerability and caring nature behind a boastful mask of alien disinterest. After once again being put on trial by the Time Lords, the Doctor's TARDIS was shot out of the skies by his old enemy the Rani and the subsequent crash triggered a regeneration...

Then there was Colin Baker, the Doctor no-one seemed to like. This incarnation of the Doctor pushed the envelope, so to speak, with his garish clothing and brusque attitude.

Paint and sculpt detail is good and the resemblance to the actor is very good. The coat features all of the patchwork details of the show right down to the cat pin he wore.

This Doctor didn’t use the Sonic Screwdriver. From here on out in the classic series the Doctor wouldn’t rely on gadgets to get him out of danger, just his intelligence.

The Seventh Doctor 1987-1996 (played by Sylvester McCoy)

Mercurial and highly moral, this Doctor would often despair at the cruelty and wastefulness he encountered across the galaxies. On a trip to America in 1999, he was accidentally gunned down by a street gang and taken to a hospital, where the procedure taken to try and save him did the reverse and he seemingly died, only to regenerate within the hospital morgue...

Sylvester McCoy was the last of the classic series Doctors. He returned the character to more of the likable, calm and gentle Doctor with a more sensible fashion sense.

No complaints with this figure, everything looks great with the sculpt and paint applications. This incarnation of the Time Lord only comes with his umbrella with the question mark handle.

The Eighth Doctor 1996 (played by Paul McGann)

Passionate about life and the beauty of the world about him, this Doctor’s love of humanity drove him to fight his old foe the Master deep within the heart of the TARDIS. It remains unclear when, how or why exactly he regenerated into his Ninth body, but he had clearly done so shortly before meeting Rose Tyler on Earth...

After the seventh Doctor the BBC pulled the plug on the show saying that the Doctor had run its course. A few years later Amblin Entertainment shot a pilot for a new Doctor Who series. Picking up right where the show left off, we witness the 7th Doctor become the 8th.

Paul McGann took over the role and once again ran with the distinguished gentleman style of the earlier incarnations. The figure is well detailed and sculpted but sadly has those under-painted crazy eyes staring at you like a homicidal murderer.

It was in this made-for-TV movie the Doctor returned to using the Sonic Screwdriver and the included accessory is the same as the previous two versions included in the set only repainted all silver.

The Ninth Doctors 2005 (played by Christopher Eccleston)

The Ninth Doctor was plain spoken and didn’t suffer fools gladly. In spite of this, he still had an irrepressible curiosity and unmistakable alien outlook, which allowed him to charm and beguile friends and foes alike. After a fantastic series of adventures, this doctor was saved by Rose Tyler - she channeled the Time Vortex through herself, unleashing its power in order to destroy the new Dalek fleet. In return the Doctor saved his companion by absorbing the Time Vortex from her, causing him to regenerate...

Christopher Eccleston stepped into the role on the newly regenerated Time Lord for the relaunched show. The figure of the ninth Doctor is excellent. Beautifully detailed and sculpted, I can find nothing wrong with this figure.

The included Sonic Screwdiver is an all new sculpt and perfectly resembles the prop from the show.

The Tenth Doctor 2005-2009 (played by David Tennant)

The Tenth Doctor had a bright, sparky personality yet he rarely gave second chances to his foes. Leaping back in the TARDIS with a series of extraordinary companions, he seemed the most vivacious Doctor so far. Following repeated battles with old foes and after a cataclysmic encounter with his own people, in the end this Doctor gave his own life to save that of Wilfred Mott, absorbing radiation that would have proven fatal to his old friend. He was able to stave off the regeneration process long enough to bid farewell to his past companions and reach the safety of the TARDIS, where the Doctor began regeneration alone...

We now reach what may be the most popular incarnation of the Time Lord ever, David Tennant in the role of the tenth Doctor. This figure is excellent as well. Sculpt and paint detail is very good.

The Sonic Screwdriver doesn't change between these incarnations so it is identical to the previous figure.

The Eleventh Doctor 2010-? (played by Matt Smith)

The Eleventh Doctor saw off not one but two alien threats almost as soon as he crashed to Earth. His new companion, Amy Pond, first met him when she was six years old, and while he was clad in the raggedy remnants of the Tenth Doctor’s suit. Twelve years and four psychologists later, the girl who waited wanted answers! Realizing he owed her that much, the Doctor, now clothed in a tweed jacket and a cool new bow tie, welcomed Amy on board the new TARDIS, and took off on a series of thrilling adventures around the universe. However the two time travelers are being followed on their journey by a crack which appears wherever they go... and it looks a lot like the one on Amy’s bedroom wall.

Last, but by no means least, is the Eleventh Doctor. The youngest incarnation of the Doctor yet sports a tweed jacket and bow tie. Sculpt detail and paint is all very good.

The Sonic Screwdriver undergoes a redesign (along with the TARDIS control room) and features appropriately detailed paint and sculpt applications.

So at the end of the day I am very happy with the set. The misapplied paint applications are something that happens with mass produced figures. If you’re a super finicky collector I would strongly recommend you try and pick this up at a local shop instead of on-line so you can double check paint applications. Even with my criticisms of the paint applications all the figures look great on your shelf. Any fan of Doctor Who, young or old, toy collector or not would LOVE to add this to their collection!



