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:
[youtube:aXph6p5k0-0]
  +  Fans can PREORDER the set shortly from the LEGO Shop, priced £49.99. 

[Source: DWO]

LEGO® Ideas have unveiled the brand new Doctor Who TARDIS set where fans can role-play the Doctor’s time-travel adventures!

Created by fan-designer Andrew Clark and selected by LEGO Ideas members, the set is based on the BBC’s popular and long-running television series about a Time Lord – The Doctor – exploring the universe in a blue police box. Due to trans-dimensional engineering, the TARDIS is bigger on the inside than the outside and this cool multifunctional set includes the console room that houses all the controls. 

Featuring an opening TARDIS, detachable interior console room, exclusive graphic details and steps, fans can regenerate the Doctor and defeat the evil Daleks or Weeping Angels with the help of his extraordinary companion Clara. Once the doors of the TARDIS are closed, prepare to launch into dimensions light years away from Gallifrey!

Measuring over 5” (14cm) high, 6” (16cm) wide and 9” (23cm) deep, the model contains 623 pieces to build an authentic replica. At £49.99 RRP, the set [#21304] includes four minifigures: The Eleventh Doctor, The Twelfth Doctor, Clara Oswald and a Weeping Angel, plus 2 Daleks and assorted accessory elements such as the Doctor’s signature Sonic Screwdriver.

Check out DWO's exclusive unboxing & product spotlight of the set in the video, below:
[youtube:aXph6p5k0-0]
+  Fans can PREORDER the set shortly from the LEGO Shop, priced £49.99. 

[Source: BBC Worldwide]

Further to our recent report about Lego lifting its ban on Doctor Who Lego Cuusoo submissions, one project has now successfully achieved 10,000 votes and entered the review process.

Lego posted an official updated on GlenBricker's project page, stating:

"Congratulations, GlenBricker and Kaminoan on reaching 10,000 supporters on LEGO CUUSOO!

You've presented a very nice TARDIS exterior and interior playset, and an assortment of characters from which to choose. We're looking forward to considering this project in the LEGO Review, but for now excuse us while we go make an electroshock device ... just in case this really IS a Nestene plot to take over the world via a toy factory!

We now officially advance this project to the Review phase.

What happens now?

This project moves from the Idea stage to the Review stage. A "LEGO Review Board" composed of designers, product managers, and other key team members will examine the idea. We'll build concept models and determine if the concept meets our high standards for what it takes to be a LEGO product. This includes factors such as playability, safety, and fit with the LEGO brand. Every potential LEGO product goes through a process like this and must meet the same standards.

The LEGO Review Begins in May

This project qualifies for the Second 2014 Review beginning in May and ending in September. For more information about the LEGO review process, see this knowledge base article.

The review is a thorough process and from its start, and can take several months. When finished, we make a "go/no go" decision to develop and sell a product based on the Doctor Who concept.

When the review is complete, we will inform you of our decision. If green-lit, this project goes into the longest phase of the project; the Development phase. During this time, LEGO model designers refine the product and develop it for release, we create the product materials (box, instructions, marketing), and get everything ready for a production run. This also takes several months."

DWO got in touch with Glen and Jared from the GlenBricker team to discuss their Doctor Who project:

When you first heard about Lego’s plans to open up the Doctor Who projects, what was your first thought and how did you come to settle on the project you submitted?

Glen: Ha..well, I kind of had three thoughts at the same time...kind of Left Brain/Right Brain thinking with the Geeky Brain in the back interrupting...he is always interrupting.

Left Brain: Go talk to JARED RIGHT NOW! Right Brain: You don't have time for this! Geeky Brain: NESTENE PLOT!

When Jared got back with me we were totally in sync on the set.

Jared: Basically we knew we needed a TARDIS, console, and some characters (Both good and bad), I had 2/3rds of the puzzle, Glen had the other 1/3rd 

How did it feel when you found out you had made it to the review stage?

Jared: Excited and nervous, want to know NOW!

Glen: Exhausted...and Groggy,  I tried staying up for it, like New Years Eve, but I fell asleep.  I don't sleep much but I had just finished up at SXSW (http://sxsw.com/) so my body was sore from walking all over the place for five days, lugging a laptop in a backpack...so, I woke up, Laptop right in front of me...as I said, I fell asleep in front of it.  Pressed Refresh and there it was..."Achieved."

It was very exciting, but it is only the starting of the next stage.  Now is the wait, and then the review, and then the reveal.  The real awesome thing though was that I finally felt everything snap...it was kind of like a Regeneration ;).  I had focused so much on this idea and now it was done. 

Sure, I have to write up a few articles on the next stage and what this really means to Doctor Who fans who are not familiar with the Lego Cuusoo Review process.  But I had shelved all these other ideas while working on this singular concept, so it is so rejuvenating to get back to them, let all these Tangents breath: how can I do a Silurian in Lego? a Sontaran?  How do I make Granny Weatherwax's Beehive (http://lego.cuusoo.com/ideas/view/36302).

What would your dream Doctor Who Lego set be?

Jared: I think we all want a themed series, but Cuusoo is simply for a set, so I believe the dream set is much as we pitched to LEGO, A TARDIS (preferably with light and sound, like the one I made, but couldn't show due to Cuusoo restrictions), 2-3 Doctors + 2 companions, Angels, Daleks, Cybermen, and a few other aliens.  LEGO still doesn't want to load up a set with figures at a lower price point, but needs to do so, or needs to have other sets to go along with this one to capture everyone's "Cuusoo" (Wish).

Glen: That is an interesting and very intelligent question.  The easy answer is of course, the one we presented in the project.  But, it is much more complex than that.  When I make Cuusoo projects I try to take my Love of the subject (in this case, Doctor Who) and find where it intersects with the widest audience and thus greatest chance of resulting in actual production.  

It is pretty easy for high-end Lego fans like myself and Jared to recreate what we like most from Dotor Who.  The majority of episodes take place in standard cities,  future environments, and of course quarries,  all of which lend themselves well to Lego. 

There is, however, not that much Lego designed for...well...London Circa 1892...Personally, my ideal Official Doctor Who set would be one based on "The Snowmen."  There are so many great characters in that episode and great visuals.  Plus a carriage.   

A close competitor for it would be one based on "The Girl in the Fireplace."  The story is phenomenal, and again, rare visuals to be had.  There would of course be the fireplace, and those beautifully creepy Clockwork Droids! 

Man, so hard to choose.  I could of course also go for a Tom Baker set like "City of Death."

More news on the review stage as we get it... 

[Sources: DWO; Lego]

As the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who moves ever closer, a brand new ultimate range of Doctor Who Micro Figures featuring all 11 incarnations of The Doctor has been released as part of the Character Building collection.

Each highly detailed and fully articulated micro-figure is sealed within a bag to keep the figure hidden, giving a surprise each time. Finding them all will be a challenge as some figures will be harder to find than others.

Within the new range, certain incarnations of the Time Lord will be classed as Rare, Super Rare or Ultra Rare.

Here’s what to look out for:

•  Rare - Tenth Doctor with just 500 pieces in circulation.
•  Super Rare - Third and Fifth Doctor with only 250 pieces.
•  Ultra Rare - Second and Eleventh Doctor with merely 100 pieces each to be found.

There are 11 micro-figures to collect, each with its own display base and collector’s leaflet highlighting all the characters available in this special series. Whether, Rare, Super Rare, Ultra Rare or one of the remaining six, these micro-figures will make treasured mementoes in a landmark year. The question is... Who will be the first to collect them all?

DWO's sister site, CompareTheDalek, has complete sets of all 11 Doctors from the 50th Anniversary series of Micro Figures, together with a Figure Selector Utility, to enable you to complete your collections from all the series to date. Click on the relevant links below.

+  Buy a complete set of all 11 Doctors from CompareTheDalek.com.
+  Complete your collection using the Figure Selector Utility. 

[Source: Character Options]