The Eighth Doctor Collectors Set was part of the B&M Doctor Who releases for 2022, released in the Summer alongside the Tenth Doctor Set. It is packed in the usual grey window box with TARDIS blue trim and TARDIS line art design. The box carries the foil 'Limited Edition' sticker on the window and the red flash that confirms the scale as 5.5 inches. The back of the box is entirely made up of text with a very in-depth write-up on the 8th Doctor and his appearances in the original 1996 TV Movie, his roles in the Big Finish series, and his return for the 50th Anniversary in the Night of the Doctor.
The first figure of the 8th Doctor is the costume he wore in the 1996 TV movie and was originally released in the Character Toys line in 2010 as part of the original 11 Doctors Collectors Set. The likeness to Paul McGann at the time of the TV movie is good but remains the basic painted likeness keeping it in line with all the other figures from across the range. While there are some minor paint variations vs the original release, the look overall is pretty much identical.
Figure two is the Big Finish 8th Doctor and his 2010 costume featuring a pair of jeans and a blue overcoat. The figure is the same as released in 2019 as a B&M/Big Finish exclusive set - utilising the 9th Doctor body and the head from the Night of the Doctor. This new 2022 release does present a much better facial paint job and looks much more like McGann. It also comes with a satchel which is a nice addition.
The third figure is another re-release, this time of the 2015 Night of the Doctor figure as seen during the 50th Anniversary. It features some slightly different coloring on the jacket in particular but it is missing the bandoleer and goblet that were originally included.
Out of all the figures, the Night of the Doctor figure features the best articulation, purely on the addition of a shoulder joint that can open outward as well as rotating around the torso. The joints remain quite basic and with very visible pins at the shoulders and elbows. Posing options are limited.
The 8th Doctor Set ticks the box for Collectors by bringing three fairly sought-after figures back to the market, and at a time when McGann's stock is quite high thanks to his appearance during of the Jodie Whitaker 'The Power of the Doctor' finale. As is fairly standard with B&M sets there are no accessories as such, even though all three Doctor's have hands shaped to hold a sonic screwdriver. There are no significant paint variations for those with the original figures to worry too much about, but the inclusion of the Big Finish costumes satchel is something we haven't seen before in the line.
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About Me : As a child of the 70's and 80's I grew up in a golden age for action figures and in my youth bought and sold myself through collections of Star Wars, G.I. Joe (Action Force) and M.A.S.K. while also dabbling in He-Man, Transformers and Ghostbusters. Roll forward and I am now reliving that Youth with the action figures of today and am a collector and fan of the larger 6-8 inch figures from my favourite movie and TV licences - including the ones mentioned above, but also the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Doctor Who and the Aliens. I launched The Mephitsu Archives in 2015 with a view of creating a UK focused site or these figures where fans can pick up the latest action figure news, read reviews and get information on where to buy their figures and what is currently on store shelves. I hope I am delivering that to you guys...