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

2021 - Expecting A Bit Less

At the start of 2021, fans of the 5.5 range were told to expect a bit less from the releases in the year following the incredible wave of figures from 2020. Fans commonly discussed their wish lists of figures based on the huge wave the previous year. In the meantime, as the waiting continued for even more figures, the Time Meddlers website discovered various new and unused figures which they released in February. Sadly, the Time Meddlers website was soon taken down several weeks after the figures were on the site. The first release that was made available again was the 11th Doctor from The Time Of The Doctor from a 2015 release. Figures from the September - November 2015 ranges, featuring Rose with clean K-9, Clara, Missy in black dress with umbrella, and Missy in purple dress and hat all became available to purchase. 

In 2021, only figures based on the original run of the series were released. This led many fans to speculate whether Character Options still held the rights to release figures based on Modern Who, which indeed they did as proven by the 2022 releases. 2021 however focused specifically on the Classic series. News came of the upcoming wave of releases in March. From here on, B&M would seemingly be okay that the release schedule of their wave of figures were revealed months before they were released. The product codes were all leaked, as were the titles of the sets. There were sets to be released based on The Keys Of Marinus, The Sensorites, and Dalek sets based on The Power Of The Daleks and Day Of The Daleks. Rumours circulated in this leak that the Daleks were going to be 3 pack Dalek sets rather than two, but this may have been confused with the 3 pack sets.

More sets were due in the year featuring a 1st Doctor and TARDIS that was non-electronic, Dalek sets from The Evil Of The Daleks, Planet Of The Daleks, and 3 pack sets based on Earthshock and The Five Doctors. A set was also due from B&M in December based on Doctor Who and the Giant Robot. These rumours were confirmed to be true as early as June, as pictures were leaked of the Day Of The Daleks HOTD 7 and of The Sensorites set. Leaked photos came from these figures as a result of these figures being used as a test for sales which were kept at the back of a B&M store. Worse was when these test sets, The Power Of The Daleks HOTD 5 set, were, in fact displayed in a store and were bought by a fan who then sold it on Ebay. Any more news on the release schedule of the B&M figures were overshadowed in early July following the release of another new exciting Character Options online exclusive set.

A video was leaked days before the full announcement was due through the Character Options YT channel, featuring a 2nd Doctor in fur coat with electronic TARDIS (the first Classic series electronic TARDIS since 2010) based on The Abominable Snowmen (only). The set was limited to 5,000 units for a high price at £39.99. Included were instructions and information about the electronics of the TARDIS. The 2nd Doctor in fur coat had been a figure that was much hoped for at some stage, as this figure was once made as a prototype back in 2009 with a prototype Yeti. Both figures were cancelled.

This 2nd Doctor in fur coat was specifically stated that he would not appear in the upcoming set of The Five Doctors. The TARDIS features swapped doors as the prop featured and the parts made for this TARDIS was based off the previous 2nd Doctor TARDIS from 2020. No tape was used to hold the TARDIS up in this set. By August, this set sold out, but in September a few damaged sets were released back on the CO website now for £29.99. These sold out within a day. An orange light flashed at the lamp and this TARDIS featured a variety of sounds that were not included on previous Classic TARDISs, but were featured on the New Who TARDISs. Once again, this set is now very difficult to come across and retails for very high prices on second hand markets.