By Owen Quinn author
Character Options have long been producing good quality action figures for the Doctor Who and the latest addition is not only long awaited but a very welcome one.
The 25th anniversary story Remembrance of the Daleks cemented the return of the show as epic adventure back in the 80s but as we know the BBC didn’t care and just wanted it gone. Andrew Cartmel came in and along with John Nathan Turner brought the show back to a level fo quality story telling we had not seen in a while. It is a firm fan favourite as the seventh Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and new companion Ace (Sophie Aldred) face a Dalek attack in London in the sixties. It is tied beautifully to the first episode An Unearthly Child. The mystery of the Doctor’s true identity is explored as we discover that the first Doctor was laying a very elaborate trap for the Daleks. We revisit the junkyard in Totter’s Lane and a lot of the action takes place in Coal Hill School where Ace fights a Dalek with a baseball bat and handles the same book on the French Revolution that the Doctor’s granddaughter Susan did in the very first episode. We got a fledgling UNIT of sorts, a story that dealt with racism and prejudice and scenes that are references to this day as recently as the 13th Doctor finale, The Power Of The Doctor which also saw Ace’s return to the show.
At the climax of the story the Emperor Dalek is revealed to be Davros himself encased in the cream and gold Dalek unit with a retractable top.
Now he is available as a stand alone action figure and a great addition he is too. I do have a problem with the packaging as it obscures part of the figure. This has been a problem for a while for me as seen with the History of the Daleks series and the recent Fugitive Doctor and Tardis set. We need to return to the days of a clear window where you can look at the figure in its entirety eg The Doctor and Tardis sets.
My other issue is the availability of these releases. B&M do not have a buy online option so to get your hands on any release and be there when the doors open first thing in the morning. if there are multiple stores in the area you may need to visit them all. But you are competing with collectors that will do the same thing, buy up all the stock and sell it on at sometimes extortionate prices.
But the actual figure itself is divine in its simplicity. I have always liked the gold and cream colour scheme of these Daleks. There is something elegant about them. This one comes with a retractable dome as in the episode which allows you to practice your rice pudding speech.
When the dome is closed it is visually beautiful right down to the last detail. When you allow Davros to show his face the figure still holds its own. His facial features and expression are intricately done evoking his character as well as reflecting the mass of wires that encased him as seen below in the photo.
This is a great figure and cracking addition to any collection so grab yours before it goes sky high on eBay.
The Time Warriors and Beyond 
This was certainly the most effective way for Davros to return after how he returned three times prior since Genesis Of The Daleks. So it’s no surprise that they finally spaced out his next and last two returns to date for the modern series. Recurring villains and especially for long-enduring franchises like Doctor Who, Star Trek and Star Wars may creatively take their toll when it comes to giving them the best returns and stories (certainly in the case of Destination Skaro). Thankfully these action figures can keep the earlier endeavors for such iconic villains close to our hearts. So thank you too for this review.
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