Doctor Who – Vintage Action Figures

Davros, lord and creator of the Dalek race – by Dapol

I am back in Rome after a relaxing summer break visiting family and friends in the UK, so thought I’d kick off a new season of blog posts with a distinctly British vintage figure. My August trip happened to coincide with some major geek news from Blighty: the BBC finally revealed that Scottish actor Peter Capaldi will take on the coveted role of The Doctor in its legendary sci-fi TV series Doctor Who, when current Doctor Matt Smith hangs up his bow tie later this year. It’s a big year for the show, with a 50th anniversary special set for global transmission on 23 November 2013, which will feature, amongst other characters, a return of the Doctor’s archnemeses, the Daleks.

Oodles of fun with the Ood from Doctor Who!

With Doctor Who Season 7 Part 2 now well under way on BBC television with Matt Smith’s eleventh incarnation of the Doctor officially joined by new sidekick Clara Oswald portrayed by Jenna-Louise Coleman, and news buzzing throughout the Internet of the return of David Tennant and Billie Piper in a super-duper fiftieth anniversary special to air at the end of 2013, I thought it might be fun to take a closer look at a Doctor Who action figure.

Last summer I visited the hugely enjoyable interactive Cardiff Bay Doctor Who Experience – a must-visit exhibition for any Whovian – and got to see the original costumes, props and aliens from the show up close.

Jelly baby, anyone?! Tom Baker as Doctor Who’s Fourth Doctor

The BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, which will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary next year, owes its longevity in great part to a very clever device the writers dreamt up decades ago – when the Doctor is close to death he can regenerate into a brand new body. This has allowed a series of completely different actors to play our hero over the years, from the 1960s when William Hartnell as the First Doctor changed into the Second Doctor played by Patrick Troughton, right through to the present day and Doctor number Eleven as played by the rather wonderful Matt Smith.

Whilst Tom Baker, the Fourth Doctor may not be the very first Doctor I remember – that honour goes to his predecessor Jon Pertwee – the wonderfully eccentric and flamboyantly dressed Baker is certainly the Doctor I recall best from my childhood.

David Tennant as Doctor Who’s Tenth Doctor

Hot on the heels of Captain Jack Harkness last week, I thought I’d follow that post with a look at another great Character Options action figure from their 5 inch Doctor Who line – none other than the Doctor himself, as played by David Tennant in the tenth incarnation of the BBC TV show’s protagonist. A hugely popular Doctor, Tennant stayed with Doctor Who for three series, as well as appearing in eight specials, before finally handing over the sonic screwdriver to the Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith in 2010.

Captain Jack Harkness…And who are you?

When John Barrowman first appeared in the BBC’s relaunched Doctor Who sci-fi television show in 2005 in the role of Captain Jack Harkness he was disguised as a Royal Air Force pilot and this is just how he is presented in this wonderful 5 inch action figure by Character Options. Teaming up with the Ninth Doctor and assistant Rose in a two-part wartime story The Empty Child and The Doctor Dances set in London during the Blitz, the swaggering, sexy and brazenly bisexual Captain Jack acquired overnight cult status in Britain, and as Doctor Who fans will know, later went on to star in the hit spin-off show Torchwood.

Delete! Delete! Delete! Armed Cyberman from Doctor Who

After a couple of weeks in the UK visiting friends and family and I have just returned to Rome with a fresh hoard of flea market and thrift store vintage action figure finds! By pure chance, on this trip to Blighty I also happened upon some quintessentially British action figures too, which I’ll share over the next few blog posts.

When the BBC revamped their cult sci-fi classic Doctor Who show in 2005 with producer and writer Russell T Davies at the helm, the series – along with spin-offs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures – was filmed on location in and around Cardiff. I was staying with my sister just outside the Welsh capital city for much of my visit, so was extra delighted to score this fabulous 12-inch Cyberman action figure in the spiritual home of Doctor Who!