Doctor Who: A Collector's Guide To The 5.5 Character Options Action Figure Range

2014 - Beyond 50

As Doctor Who grew beyond its 50th Anniversary year, 2014 was up to this point the lowest amount of figures Character Options had produced. The first two sets in the year were released in January, and were both Third Doctor themed. The first was based on The Claws Of Axos, featuring a humanoid Axon, Jo Grant (only), and the Brigadier in jumper and beret with pistol (1st). The diorama of this set showed the internal structure of the Axos spaceship. A set of The Daemons was also released, containing Bok, the Master in robes, and the Brigadier in jumper and cap (only). This set featured no diorama. These sets once again released by Underground Toys and Forbidden Planet, as was the War Doctor set in April 2014. Labelled as "The Other Doctor" -  as did most memrobillia labelled him as based on The Day Of The Doctor, this set included a swappable head, the War Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver, and the Moment. The background of the set showed the Moment too.

The San Diago Comic Con/Underground Toys/Forbidden Planet exclusive of July 2014 was a set containing 11 based on The Snowmen (only) and Oswin Oswald (1st). The set was designed in a box where 11 with a background of The Snowmen was on one side, and Oswin in the eye of a Dalek in Asylum Of The Daleks was a creative move of Character for this exclusive release. In August, B&M would begin to exclusively order Doctor Who sets and create figures based on tight budgets to be released to their stores. Three 3-pack sets were released, and were all based of Series 4, 5, and 6. The background of these sets matched the other designs of releases, and at this stage of the B&M range the figures were generally rereleases of older figures.

The Series 4 set included River and accessories (3rd), Rassilon with staff (2nd), and Donna (5th). The Series 5 release contained Prisoner Zero, a Raggedy 11 (3rd), and Rory Willams (red shirt and blue bodywarmer - 2nd). The Series 6 set contained 11 in stetson, damaged Cyberman with corroded Cyberman (4th), and a Silent with open mouth (grey variant - 5th). These sets were available for £12.99. As the B&M sets continued, more exciting and greater sets were soon to follow. The Ace figure was released in September from Underground Toys/Forbidden Planet (2nd), this time with a painting and music box as this figure was based on Silver Nemesis.

Another Underground Toys/Forbidden Planet exclusive followed in November, this time based on The Time Of The Doctor. It featured 11 in his Series 7B style outfit (1st) with Handles, swappable aged heads and Twelfth Doctor head - making this the first release of a Twelfth Doctor figure. The set was designed in a TARDIS like casing, and when opened, the figures were revealed inside. The back of the opening featured information about the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors. The final release of the year came exclusively from Toys R Us, which was the Asylum Of The Daleks set containing dirty Supreme, Drone, and SFX Bronze Daleks (only).

As the interest and quality in Doctor Who decline during the Peter Capaldi years, sales of 5.5 inch figures would inevitably decline. Now, figures based on the current series that was airing were becoming rarer and rarer. Character were no longer enjoying the influx of figures they once were releasing during the Tennant/Smith era. As Character experimented with new waves to release Doctor Who toys such as the 3.75 inch range, it seemed that the golden age of the 5.5 Character Options 5.5 inch range was long over...