The Master (Pratt)-Part 2 of 3 by Dave Spilsbury

This version of the Master was portrayed by Peter Pratt in 1976's "The Deadly Assassin". This figure was released in 2010 along with his laser weapon as part of Classic Wave 2 at the RRP of £8.99.

The sculpt on this figure is very intricate. The paintwork could do with a little touching up, for instance having his arms match the color of the rest of the figure. The mad eyes are very faithfully included, and his emaciated skin in fabulous, you can feel the texture.

The Master's shown here in his ragged clothes and bearing the Sash of Rassilon, with his hood up, as in the episode. It's all good stuff here!

The quality control on this figure is pretty good, I've not heard too many moans or depreciations. This figure doesn't have a hole in its foot, but I'm sure it'd be easy enough to drill if you were desperate.

The articulation on this figure is pretty basic. There are a 13 points of articulation: the shoulders, the biceps, the elbows, the wrists, the waist, the top of the legs, and the knees. The head doesn't twist.

The gun is simple, but as it was in the story. It's fairly detailed, and a reasonable standard of detail. It would've been nice to have a small indent at the end of the gun, but it doesn't really detract from the accessory.

Overall, this is a good figure. I have one issue - the Sash. You can't remove it. Would've been nice but still.

Articulation: 8/10
Likeness: 8/10
Price: 8.5/10
Playability: 9/10
Poseability: 8.5/10
Accuracy/Attention to Detail: 8/10

It's the Master, we can't complain!

Overall: 8.5/10

Review and photography © Dave Spilsbury 2011 – Please do not reproduce without permission.

Obituary: Nicholas Courtney 1929-2011

This is a review blog, but I'm sure everyone will agree with the Frontier in Space team that Nicholas Courtney is a special exception.

The man, the legend that is Nicholas Courtney sadly passed away yesterday evening. Mr Courtney is famous for playing Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart AKA The Brigadier in Doctor Who and made a special appearance in the Sarah Jane Adventures story Enemy of the Bane.

Nicholas has appeared alongside seven of the Doctors incarnations, from William Hartnells's Doctor in the Daleks Masterplan as Brett Vyon through to Sylvester McCoy's time as the Doctor. Nicholas is just as famous in Who fandom as the Doctor, the Daleks and the TARDIS.

He is fondly remembered by Who fans and Nicholas has a special place in every fans heart.

In total, the character of The Brigadier appeared in 23 Doctor Who stories:

The Web of Fear, The Invasion, Spearhead from Space, Doctor Who and the Silurians, The Ambassadors of Death, Inferno, Terror of the Autons, The Mind of Evil, The Claws of Axos, Colony in Space, The Daemons, Day of the Daleks, The Time Monster, The Three Doctors, The Green Death, The Time Warrior, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Planet of the Spiders, Robot, Terror of the Zygons, Mawdryn Undead, The Five Doctors & Battlefield.

Courtney is survived by his wife, Karen and children, Bella and Philip, whom FiS would like to extend our deepest sympathies to.

Nicholas Courtney, 16 December 1929-February 22 2011

Fourth Doctor and K9 figure review by Ryan Wigley

Doctor Who
Season 18 Fourth Doctor and K9 Mk II
Character Options, Forbidden Planet exclusive
£19.99


This Doctor masked his brilliant and inventive mind behind a façade of bohemian eccentricity. The longest lived incarnation of the Doctors so far, he was forced to change his body after losing a fight with his old enemy the Master and falling from a radio telescope to the ground beneath him…

This evening, in my first review for Frontier in Space, I thought I would review my favourite figure, the Fourth Doctor in his burgundy clothing that was seen in Doctor Who’s eighteenth season in 1980/81 and his trusty companion K9 Mk II as seen in the story Warriors Gate.



Starting off with the packaging then. The packaging is the same as most of the FP exclusives, it’s a clamshell and the backing card just tells us info about the characters and each of the ‘classic’ Doctors tenure. What makes people about to buy feel cheated is the huge empty space in the top right hand corner that could be filled with a head or Sonic Screwdriver. Nothing special or out of the ordinary. There is an image of Tom and K9, although the K9 image is from Full Circle rather than Warriors Gate.

Next, the fourth Doctor himself, the great Tom Baker! Just a quick rundown on the articulation then, head swivels about 90 degrees with the scarf on and off as the coat blocks the articulation. 360 degrees at the waist, although it’s pretty hard to move with the coat in the way. Bending elbows and knees which is the norm on these figures, hand swivel 360 degrees, as do the boots. Now onto detail, the detail is the exact same as on the regenerated Fifth Doctor figure, just a head swap, the paint word is applied excellently. The scarf is a letdown compared to the one seen in promotional images, but it is to be expected. The scarf is a brand new sculpt, compared to previous ones on other Tom figures, it’s accurate enough as Tom’s scarf kept getting longer and longer, which meant it had to be looped around the waist and not the neck. The figure looks superb without the scarf believe it or not, excellent detail and the gloss effect on the buttons is amazing attention to detail. The brown on the boots is done well and to prove how well Design Works attention to detail is, if you lift a bit of the coat up, the loathed question marks are sculpted onto the shirt. Excellent or what? You’re probably wondering why I haven’t mentioned the head yet; well I’m saving best to last. The head sculpt is brand new and shows a more aged Tom, with bags under his eyes, slightly aging skin and an excellent grey wash to the hair. Sadly, because the regenerated Fifth doctor figure came first and the head sculpt is on a plug rather than a peg, it means the Fourth Doctors head has to be on a plug rather than a peg like previous Toms, so it means having a head from Season 12 on the Season 18 body and vice versa is off the agenda. It’s worth having a look at the hands, again, amazing attention to detail as the veins have been sculpted on and everything! This figure deserves a well earned 10/10.

Right, now to K9 Mk II. There has been much speculation about what colour K9 would end up. In the promotional image (above) the K9 was the one released many times with the new series line. Instead of the grey shown in the classic series, it’s a re-release of the new series K9. It doesn’t bother me as I have a spare K9 that could easily be painted, but it has annoyed many people. I suppose it’s due to costs. Like previous K9’s, the removable control panel is still there. A nice feature and the inner workings have a nice gold colour rather than the bronze colour on my other K9, there is one more feature of course, pull back and go! Not a very effective feature usually, but it makes K9 go alot faster than in reality! I would have preferred to have paid £30 for the Remote Control K9 and Tom, with some extra bits and bobs. Articulation varies on K9, some (like mine) have got necks that can be twisted with ease and some have necks that cannot be twisted. The ones that do twist go back into the original position after a few seconds though. Detail on K9 is superb, although inaccurate to the classic series and accurate to the new series and Sarah Jane Adventures, it’s an excellent figure. A 9/10 for me

Accessories now. I don’t count K9 as one, he is a figure. So that takes him out of this section. The only accessories are the scarf and control panel on K9, which could easily not be classed as accessories. There was originally to be a new sculpt Sonic Screwdriver, but wasn’t included for unknown reasons. I’m sure if the head was a peg and not a plug, a head with the burgundy hat would be included.

Inaccuracies now. K9s colour, ears and handles are all inaccurate, but that's due to the K9 used in the set (K9 Mark IV as seen School Reunion, Journey's End amongst various Sarah Jane Adventures epidodes). I could be really petty and say that the coat on the Fourth Doctor is missing something, the green lining inside the coat. As you can see, I do my research, but things like coat linings aren't needed in figures.

Would I say this pack is value for money? I would say so, but I can see why people would not think so, especially people who wander into a Forbidden Planet or specialist shop and see the huge empty space on the packaging and inaccurate K9. At £20 it’s a fiver extra than a normal exclusive single carded figure, but it comes with K9 and I think that’s value for money because I only have the damaged variant as seen in the majority of School Reunion. I’d rather have paid £30 for an RC K9, Tom a variant head and sonic, but that’s me.

Overall, I’d give the pack 9 out of 10 just for the figures. 5/10 for accessories, but apart from a Sonic and maybe another head there isn’t much, so overall a well earned 9/10.

I hope you enjoyed this review!

The Master (Delgado)-Part 1 of 3 by Dave Spilsbury

Review: The Delgado Master

This version of the Master was portrayed by Roger Delgado from 1971 to 1973 in 9 stories. His version of the Master is the most iconic and instantly recognisable. This figure was released in 2010 along with his TCE and an Axon creature in a £24.99 “Claws of Axos” set.

The sculpt on this figure is highly detailed and accurate. The paintwork and details are very true to Delgado. Even the faint lines in his forehead are subtly included. The facial features and expression are very faithful and DesignWorks really have excelled themselves here.

Moving on, the Master is presented here in his black tunic and trousers, as was most common for his incarnation. Even the small details such as the breast pocket are given prominence here, and all the care taken really shows on this, one of DesignWorks' finest products, in my opinion.

The quality control on this figure is superb, I haven't heard any whinges or moans about any aspect varying massively to the norm. There is another hole in the right heel of this figure for those that display their figures on stands.

The articulation on this figure is standard, but that's a very high standard. There are a massive 16 points of articulation: at the neck, the shoulders, the biceps, the elbows, the wrists, the waist, the top of the legs, the thighs and the knees.

The Tissue Compression Eliminator is a very nice accessory, and well crafted too. The manufacturers could easily have just given us a black tube, whereas we actually got a pretty screen-accurate implement. It has small ridges for the silver parts, and a bump at the end.

Overall, this is a supreme figure, the best yet I think. The only slight gripe – and it is slight – is Delgado's skin tone. Now, I know he was fairly 'tanned', but on the figure I feel it is too extreme. Maybe just a few shades lighter would have done it for me.

Still, a wonderful figure. Let's see the scores on the doors:

Articulation: 10/10
Likeness: 10/10
Price:8/10
Playability: 9/10
Poseability: 10/10
Accuracy/Attention to Detail: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

Review and photography © Dave Spilsbury 2011 – Please do not reproduce without permission.

Thanks

Frontier in Space would like to thank you all for the positive feedback given to us. We do take it all onboard and improve.

Expect some Hartnell action tomorrow and maybe a review or two on the way!

Feel free to comment about the site layout and what can be improved. Do expect a couple of extra features within the next few days.

Many thanks.

Frontier in Space

Third Doctor and Sea Devil figure review by Gareth Thomas

Doctor Who Exclusive - 3rd Doctor and Sea Devil 2009

Reviewing Character Options third doctor with sonic screwdriver & Sea Devil with weapon

I will start with the Sea Devil it features revised detail compared with the original 2008 release, in particular the Sea Devil included in this set has a darker skin tone but is basically the same as the classic wave release, the Sea Devil is wearing a fishnet vest and gun-belt complete with weapon, the weapon can be holstered or placed in hand.

Lets get the negatives out of the way, the fishnet effect vest could be better quality it looks flimsy and cheap, also the fishnet is far too clean not at all screen accurate, this is the only major problem i found.
If I were to make an improvement, i would have given the Sea Devil a better fishnet vest and probably made the legs slightly chunkier as i feel the figure looks a bit scrawny, if you ever look at a screen still from The Sea Devils you will notice they have wider legs.

The articulation on this figure is good as is the overall mold, the Sea Devil is painted beautifully and finished to a superior standard.

Honestly, if the Sea Devil were more screen accurate it would probably cost more, also we need to bare in mind Character Options were only dipping their toes into the classic range when this figure was produced.

Moving on to the Third Doctor he really is the main feature in this twin pack, dressed in blue jacket and black cloak, we get a white shirt and black bow variation, very screen accurate, although it might have been nicer if the doctor were wearing his black gloves.

I honestly can't find any fault with this Third Doctor variant, a lot of time and hard-work has obviously gone into this figure.

Again the articulation is good and the likeness is stunning they really capture Jon Pertwee's strong character, the paint finish is of the highest standard. Overall i was very impressed with both the Doctor and the Sea Devil, i can easily say this twin pack is one of my favorites.

If you are lucky enough to have this twin pack and the original classic wave Sea Devil, put together all three make a wonderful little set, doing this review was a pleasure as i just love homo-reptilians

An Unearthly Child by Christopher Kerr

We all know that Doctor Who has been on the little box for nearly 50 years, but it's time to turn back time (Pun intended!) to the very first episode; the pilot if you will, and see how such a successful show kicked off so well.
As soon as the iconic theme tune ends, we are shown a very familiar sight: 76 Totter's Lane Junkyard.Or, to be precise, Totter's Lane Scrap Merchant.When the huge gates open, it seems as though you're on a carnival ride; gliding by heaps of scrap metal and rubbish.Until, something very odd; something very out-of-it's-place: A blue, wooden box.
And then we hear the sudden ringing of a school bell; after which the chemistry between teachers Ian and Barbara is revealed.A typical, 'will-anybody-notice?' chemistry.
But, Susan Foreman seems to be a rather mysterious character to the teachers; as she is with the viewers both past and present.Who is she? How does she know so much? Where is the from...? The answer lies more closer to home.The Junkyard. And, in that Junkyard, past the junk and the overgrowth, round the corner and through the doors of the wooden box, we find all those answers and more.
The Doctor, in his old and wizened incarnation, is quite secretive and personal in this episode; not wanting Ian and Barbara to find out the truth; although that is understandable.It is very clear where Susan, his Grandaughter, gets her brains and wits from.She is utterly alien from start to finish; wanting to read a huge book on the French Revolution in one night, knowing more about History than Ian the History Teacher and countless more.
In fact, Susan and The Doctor may be the answer to a question I'm sure most of you have wondered: What would an alien think if they came to Earth? How would they act?
And from both their reactions, there's no doubt what the answer is.
On top of all this, this is one of few episodes that doesn't feature an alien.Well, besides the obvious.The Doctor is actually quite villainous in a sense as he locks Ian and Barbara in the TARDIS, won't let them escape, kidnaps them to another time and they end up getting caught with cavemen.Oh, and then-
I'm afraid the rest of 'An Unearthly Child' is just too good to put into a review without spoiling it.So, you'll need to see it for yourself.
This Who-Reviewer would give An Unearthly Child 10/10 for beautiful acting and a simple, easy-to-follow plot.I said at the start I'd proove to you how Doctor Who is so successful.And, in reading this, I'm sure it's obvious why it is.Bravo, Doctor Who.Bravo!

Welcome to Frontier in Space!

Hello all, and welcome to Frontier in Space, the brand spanking new Doctor Who review Blog. We sincerely hope you enjoy our reviews and feel free to comment.

We look forward to your views.

Frontier in Space.