2019 see's the biggest ever range of 5 inch Doctor Who figures as B&M Stores exclusives, and also includes the first collaboration with Big Finish to produce three Doctor & Dalek 2-packs based on the Big Finish audio series.
Packaging 4/5
The 2019 B&M sets carry a new packaging design that is essentially a deep blue box intersected with silver inserts that are illustrated as the TARDIS. The sets use the new Who logo, but in a silver colour. The figures themselves are presented in a window that wraps the top and right flaps of the box. The window is perhaps a little undersized and the Dalek is partially obscured by the left hand wrap of the box. Under the window sits the character names as the War Doctor and Dalek Scientist. To the right of this is the Big Finish Logo alongside the Character badge. And above the set name, stuck on the window, is a "limited edition" gold badge.
The Big Finish sets are a step up on the other B&M sets thanks to their gorgeous artwork on the left hand side, taken directly from the Big Finish cover designs. On the back of the box we have the actual CD cover art for the story on which the set is based (A Thing of Guile) as well as an in depth overview - although it seems to lose its train of thought about halfway through the explanation of the story.
"A THING OF GUILE
The Time War is raging across the universe - past, present, future - as the Daleks and Time Lords are locked in an eternal conflict.
To break this deadlock, both combatants are trying to find new and deadlier weapons to eliminate their foes. Once, the Time Lords were a peaceful race, but under their Lord President Eternal, Rassilon, they've grown in military might and strength, their policy of non-intervention being discarded.
The Time Lord once known as the Doctor - a last apparent conscience for his people - has stopped some of their worst schemes, including resurrecting their own dead with ancient spirits from the past.
War Council member Cardinal Ollistra, who assigns the renegade Time Lord with his missions, has captured him and keeps him prisoner on an artron leash - now known as Prisoner 1010. Ollistra has discovered the Daleks are developing a secret weapon on Asteroid Theta 12 - and is vital for the Time Lords to learn what it is.
A team of Dalek scientists, working independently from Dalek High Command, have created their ultimate weapon of war, but will Prisoner 101 find out what the result of their experiment is, before it's too late."
Paint & Sculpt 3/5
The War Doctor is essentially a re-use of the original 2015 John Hurt figure, although in this incarnation we have lost the scarf. The likeness to Hart is one of the best of the line and the paint apps are neat, albeit quite basic.
The body is a little out of proportion with the coat making him very broad shouldered. The paint on the outfit however is impressive with a very distressed look for this coat and defined colours for the other layers underneath - including the bandoleer and waistcoat, complete with silver buttons.
While the 2015 War Doctor was a good figure, I think this 2019 re-release does edge it slightly in terms of paint finish and overall looks.
Our Dalek Scientist is another repaint of a existing sculpt, this time the new series Dalek in its newer better proportioned shape. Colouring remains similar to the generic releases of this dalek with bronze base plastic and painted panels round the mid section. The roundels are now painted silver, as is the dome. For some reason the dome coverage is poor and it looks like a bad custom attempt - the silver obviously did not take well to the original dome colour.
Accessories N/A
The set comes with no accessories. The Sonic Screwdriver originally packed with the War Doctor in 2015 is not included - despite the right hand still being shaped to hold it.
Articulation 3/5
The War Doctor, being a newer release, comes with the same 16 points of articulation but with the added benefit of the shoulder now being mobile in more than one direction using a pivot peg.
Head : neck post swivel
Body : waist post swivel
Arms : shoulder post peg, bicep swivel, jointed elbow, peg wrist
Legs : T-Joint hips, thigh swivel, jointed knee
This means the arms are more mobile for posing and are not restricted to a single circle of movement around the shoulder. Legs can get into seated positions if needed as well as wider stances.
Our Dalek has 4 points of articulation - ball jointed mobile sucker and gun, and a eye stalk that moves up and down. The final joint is in the nec which allows the dome to rotate a full 360 degrees.
The Dalek can also be moved around thanks to 3 wheels on its base - two are fixed and a rotating castor wheel.
Summary
For £19.99 this set provides good value in that you get a very good John Hurt War Doctor figure and a new series Dalek variant. The set does have some flaws though, particularly around the painting of the Dalek and the lack of even the smallest of accessories for the Doctor.
I score the War Doctor and Dalek Scientist and above average 3 out of 5.
