Manufacturer: LEGO
RRP: £49.99
Release Date: 1st December 2015
Reviewed by: Doctor Who Online
Review Posted: 9th October 2015
For years we have been campaigning (and pleading) to LEGO to make some Doctor Who sets. The greatest toy company in the world, coupled with one of the most-popular Science Fiction TV series in the world - it's a no-brainer! When we found out that Andrew Clark's Doctor Who set had achieved the 10,000+ votes needed on the LEGO Ideas site, we were keeping our fingers crossed that it would be picked for production. Thankfully it was, and what a set it is!
We were lucky enough to be sent one of the very first sets to review from LEGO, and when the box arrived, it was smaller than we expected. Without wanting to throw in a well-known Doctor Who phrase, however, the set literally is bigger on the inside. There are only 623 pieces, but due to the fact they are smaller in size, and the fact there are lots of sections to build, you get great value for money - both in time (taken to build), and for what you get with the finished build itself.
We clocked the build time at around 2 Hours approx, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable 2 hours at that! Building the TARDIS console room from the ground up was immensely satisfying as you see the familiar set take form. The time rotor was a particular favourite section to put together, and clicking it into place will appease the bubble-wrap fans amongst you. With two main build sections - THE TARDIS exterior and the TARDIS interior - you will similarly like the way one simply connects to the other, giving the impression that The Doctor has just walked into the TARDIS from the outside.
There are some fantastic little details on the build, from the various buttons and screens that form the TARDIS console, to the back panelling of the TARDIS and the Police Box signs that adorn the top of the TARDIS exterior. The exterior can be detached and once the hinged Police Box signs are swivelled down, you can place the TARDIS roof on. You then lift up the hinges and remove the roof to open the Police Box. Inside, you get a cool effect of the interior of the doors, a plinth to stand The Doctor or Clara on, and a neat little roundel effect, either side of the hinged, pull-out sections.
As for the mini-figures, you get The 12th Doctor, The 11th Doctor, Clara, 2 x Daleks and a Weeping Angel. There's a feeling that this set is based on the events at the end of 'The Time Of The Doctor', as the 12th Doctor (complete with Sonic Screwdriver) is wearing 11's purple frock coat, Clara is also wearing the exact outfit she wore in the episode. The 11th Doctor is wearing his brown tweed suit, and comes with a Fez and Sonic Screwdriver accessories.
The Daleks are constructed a little differently to what we expected them to look like in LEGO form, but this is no bad thing. For a scaled-down version, they look fantastic, and LEGO have gone all out by creating custom art for the Dalek dome. A little bonus is that you can actually swivel the Dalek's head 360°. Finally, you also get a Weeping Angel - complete with wings! There are two faces, so, dependant on your mood you an choose between 'serene' and 'screaming'.
Tying everything together is the impressive 127-page build manual. It's full of easy-to-follow instructions, as one would expect from LEGO, but, ever so coolly, there are neat little Doctor Who facts randomly printed along the way. There is also a brief guide to the character featured in the set, as well as a short bio on Andrew Clark and his process with LEGO Ideas. There are also some short bios on LEGO Product Designer, Samuel Johnson (Paul McGann's nephew) and LEGO Graphic Designer; Adam Corbally.
We forsee this set being a huge success, and we can only hope that it will pave the wave for future LEGO Doctor Who releases.
[With thanks to LEGO]
Check out DWO's exclusive unboxing & product spotlight of the set in the video, below:
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+ Fans can PREORDER the set shortly from the LEGO Shop, priced £49.99.
[Source: DWO]
