“You've set the TARDIS in motion, young lady. So whether you like it or not, you're coming with us.”
The Summer 2023 Doctor Who Collector Sets at B&M stores were somewhat reduced in quantity compared to previous years, bringing us the obligatory Dalek sets and a Doctor & TARDIS but with an obvious gap on any new figure 3-packs. The sets also saw a packaging update - most likely dictated by the BBC - marking the end of the Blue & Silver design that has been running since 2019. The new packaging is very much themed for the 60th Anniversary and features a plain white box, the 60th Anniversary Classic Blue logo and what appears to be a new colour accent scheme that varies by Doctor.
The Sixth Doctor and TARDIS (Special Edition) shows off the new gold accent colour assigned to Colin Baker’s era. The construction of the TARDIS packaging remains similar to previous releases with the TARDIS strapped to the inner cardboard backdrop and the Doctor sitting in front in a plastic tray. The box has two shaped windows cut out at the front and side to view the figure. The diamond-shaped callouts remain familiar confirming the size of the figures and the content of the set. These new sets also retain the gold foil Limited Edition sticker. The rear of the box gives the usual in-depth overview but focuses specifically on the Sixth Doctor and his mannerisms, character, and his journey through the BBC series, the Big Finish audio and even referencing the very recent appearance as a Guardian of the Edge. What it fails to do is confirm the source for this Doctor’s outfit as the Ultimate Adventure Stage Play, something made clear in the original release details from Character.
We start with the Sixth Doctor figure, and this utilises the same Colin Baker figure first released in 2008 and that has had a number of tweaked colour schemes since. The likeness to Baker is good and remains consistent to the aesthetic of the line since its inception with neat hand-painted features without moving into the photo-realistic space we have seen other lines go over the years. The hair has been given a darker tone this time round with a dark brown base coat overlaid with a lighter highlight.
The costume is impressive in its complexity and is pretty faithful when compared to the images of the 1989 Stage Play. The overcoat features a checked pattern, purple arm panels and trim, and a reverse made up of red, pink and blue. The waistcoat is white with coloured stripes, perhaps too white vs. the original costume. Over this, we have a painted watch chain in green and the Doctor’s neck tie in turquoise. The Sixth Doctor’s question mark logo is retained on the white shirt colour. Trousers are yellow with a light brown stripe and a black stripe pattern - and we finish off with brown shoes with a white striped sole.
The standard Doctor Who line articulation is in play for the Sixth Doctor with 16 basic joints allowing for arm and leg movement as well as some rotation at the waist and neck. The joints remain pegged, so are more visible than newer lines and the movement is limited mainly to one point of the axis significantly reducing the posing options. There are no accessories included in the set.
The TARDIS is technically the first dedicated release for the Sixth Doctor. It uses the existing Classic era Lights & Sounds TARDIS but without the actual lights and sounds. The base and roof are those used with the recent Fifth Doctor from The Visitation, and the overall paint job is a darker blue than most TARDIS releases to date with a very battered appearance with scrapes and scratches across the sides and edged panels. The door sign is a darker blue with stains over the top and the windows include some red-hued panels.
The doors both open as usual with a spring release for the right-hand door. The battery compartment - a hangover from the Lights & Sounds model is visible on the reverse but can’t be opened. You also can still see the speaker panel on the back.
The Ultimate Adventure Sixth Doctor and TARDIS Special Edition brings us another variation of the Sixth Doctor for our collection, rather than a standard re-release, as well as the first dedicated Sixth Doctor’s TARDIS. The paint work on both figure and TARDIS is impressive in terms of the detail on the Doctor, and the weathering on the TARDIS. I do like the new packaging and the accent colour principles, but the detail on the reverse remains too convoluted and could have referenced the source material for those not overly familiar with the 1989 Stage Play. The set’s main issue is the B&M exclusivity and lack of online ordering with the line heavily ‘scalped’ across the B&M stores. Stick with it though, as stocks are being found as more and more B&M’s receive and merchandise the new releases.
Keep Track of all the Doctor Who figures from Character Toys at our comprehensive
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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...