A sensational year brought a new companion, new monsters and a new look for an old enemy – all of them pocket-sized.

By JIM SANGSTER

One of the Martha Jones action figures released by Character Options in 2007.

This variation of the Tenth Doctor was part of Character’s Voyage of the Damned gift set in 2008. The figure included a sonic screwdriver accessory.

Their Dalek and Cybermen voice-changer helmets having grabbed ‘Christmas must-have’ headlines for two years running, Character Options began 2007 with an accolade from the Toy Retailers Association – the Boys Toy of the Year Award for their 5" action figures. These 1/12-scale articulated toys tapped into the primal hunter-gatherer instinct that Star Wars fans had long enjoyed, where a trip to the shops could be a quest all by itself.

In many ways, the figures were perfect additions to what we’d come to call ‘the brand’ – that nebulous thing that exists around the TV show and deftly takes its place when it’s not on air. One of the most thrilling things about these toys was the way they’d briefly hijack commercial television with beautifully crafted adverts.

In 2007, the main ad condensed the first half of the latest television series into just 30 seconds, introduced Martha Jones to the Doctor (showing off his new blue suit), and presented the season’s new arrivals in stunning miniature dioramas based on the stories’ locations. The Judoon Captain and his platoon stood to attention on the Moon, Lilith swooped into play from the rafters of Shakespeare’s theatre, feline friends Brannigan and Novice Hame offered help from New Earth, while hordes of scarecrows surrounded an old building. All in all, an impressive introduction to Character’s ever-increasing figure range, and an indication to CITV-watching kids that Doctor Who’s adventures weren’t limited to the spring TV schedule.