octor Who, one of TV's longest-running science-fiction shows, ended its run in 1989, and ever since its end fans have clamored for more. A product of the BBC in the United Kingdom, this story of an enigmatic character who travels in space and time setting wrongs right is beloved worldwide.
Corgi, a United Kingdom company whose products are also enjoyed worldwide, has been one of the foremost producers of excellent die-cast vehicle toys for over 40 years. Corgi has long produced accurate cars and trucks for collectors, but for fans of science fiction Corgi has a special place as the producer of some of science fiction's most memorable vehicles, such as the classic 1960s Batmobile, the Green Hornet's "Black Beauty" limousine, the famed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and, perhaps most memorable and exemplary, James Bond's Aston Martin, replete with cool toy functions like a bulletproof shield, retracting machine guns and an ejector seat. Corgi's place in science-fiction merchandise history is solid.
And just as the BBC was announcing it was bringing Doctor Who back to the masses, Corgi did the same.
Included in the new line are figures of the Doctor as he appeared when played by Tom Baker (from 1974 to 1981); a Cyberman (a silver cybernetic humanoid—a precursor to the Borg); a Dalek (still considered one of the classic cybernetic villains of all time); K-9 (the Doctor's robotic pal); the TARDIS (his time machine); and Davros (creator of the Daleks).
Each figure measures approximately 2.5 inches tall (with K-9 coming in at under an inch) and are made of either die-cast metal, plastic or a combination of the two.
The figures come in sets of two or three, or in a mega-set in a circular tin that includes a specially painted Dalek. There are also three-packs of Daleks in various colors, and a special U.N.I.T. set featuring military vehicles as seen in the early 1970s episodes as well as a black and gold Dalek. (U.N.I.T. was a military organization formed by the United Nations to deal with extraterrestrial threats to Earth.)
The Doctor is in—miniature!
Among the six figures for review, the quality varies greatly.
The Doctor, a plastic figure featuring a burgundy greatcoat and matching hat, is quite a poor rendition of a humanoid, let alone of Tom Baker. The head sculpt has the largish nose right, but that's where the resemblance to Tom Baker (the most universally loved Doctor) ends. A weak attempt at his famed scarf (a later, burgundy version) is present but nigh impossible to notice.
The Cyberman, also a plastic figure, is far better. This model does a great job of rendering a Cyberman from the later 1970s. (Cybermen changed form over the decades, as did the Doctor himself.) Nicely formed details include the abdominal tubing, Cyber weapon and characteristic tubes on the head. Everything about this figure is accurately modeled, and since the Cyberman is mostly silver, the minimal paint does the job excellently.
K-9, Tom Baker's doglike robotic companion, is well defined, and apart from the antennae that form its ears, this figure is nicely rendered in die-cast metal with a plastic tail. It rolls on wheels underneath the base, just like the original did. Oddly, the "K-9" name, which should appear only on K-9's right side, appears on both. Not a huge complaint.
The standard silver Dalek with blue sensor globes is a beautiful model of this archetypal robotic menace. Rolling along on four wheels under the base, this Dalek has all the detail of the real thing, including the toilet-plunger arm and weapon arm, rotating head and tilting central eyestalk. Many companies have created Daleks, but none this small has been so accurate.
Davros, a savagely deformed Kaled who created the Daleks, sits in a motorized wheelchair formed from the base of a Dalek. His head is painted in a pale peach color and has no painted details at all, despite its fairly good molded detail. His backboard and headgear are fairly well represented, and he is shown accurately with only one arm visible above his rolling platform.
Perhaps the most desirable item is the TARDIS, a blue police box commonly seen on streets in 1950s London (extinct with the advent of portable police radios). This time machine is intended to morph itself to blend into its surroundings. After landing on Earth in 1963, the Doctor's TARDIS got stuck in that form and has looked like a police box ever since. Corgi's version is nicely stocky and well painted. Almost totally of die-cast metal, this model has one flaw—a poorly rendered bas-relief image of Tom Baker's Doctor leaning out the half-open doorway. I would have preferred the TARDIS with door closed and no figure.
The nicer items more than make up for these flaws in the humanoid characters. As a set, these miniatures reflect the beloved characters from one of the best-known science-fiction shows of all time.
