Character Options is a British toy company, notable for having both the Disney and Doctor Who toy licenses. It hit the headlines during 2007 as the UK distributor for the Bindeez range of products was recalled due to a dangerous chemical.
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In 2005 Character Options was granted the master toy licence to produce merchandise related to the revived series, Doctor Who. After the success of the Dalek Battle Packs (two remote controlled Daleks with either a Ninth Doctor or Rose Tyler action figure) at the end of 2005, increasingly larger waves of action figures were released in two scales - 5" and 12" - during 2006 and 2007. Representing the first three televised seasons of the revived series, the line has included variants of the Tenth Doctor and Rose, and an extensive representation of the alien enemies encountered since 2005. Retailers and fans were united in praise for the productions and the action figure range won the Toy Retailers Association's Boys Toy of the Year Award in 2006. Other merchandise released consists of an electronic UV Sonic Screwdriver, electronic TARDIS moneybox and various electronic masks in the forms of Daleks, Cybermen, Judoon helmets and the Dalek Sec Hybrid.
The Doctor Who five inch action figure range originally began with the Dalek Battle Packs in which you would receive either a Ninth Doctor or Rose Tyler, the wave increased the following year by adding monsters from both series one and two.
Following the revival of Doctor Who, Character Options have released numerous action figures from the new series.
| Action Figure | Source Serial | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Tenth Doctor | New Earth | |
| Tenth Doctor in trenchcoat | New Earth | In trenchcoat with Sonic Screwdriver |
| Rose Tyler and K-9 | Rose (Doctor Who) | Version One - Rose Tyler from Rose (Doctor Who)
Version Two - Rose Tyler from New Earth |
| Moxx of Balhoon | The End of the World (Doctor Who) | Chair has 'Pull Back and Go' feature |
| Slitheen | Aliens of London | Second version included a Space Pig mini-figure; Third version included an empty human 'suit' |
| Sycorax Leader | The Christmas Invasion | |
| Cassandra | The End of the World (Doctor Who) | Second 'dirty' version from New Earth came with Chip |
| Cyberman | Rise of the Cybermen | Second version had 'gun arm' moulded |
In July 2007, Character Options announced the range would be expanded from August 2008 with a line of Classic Series action figures. These were:
| Action Figure | Source Serial | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fourth Doctor | Revenge of the Cybermen | In a red velvet coat and with interchangeable heads, one with and one without a hat and Sonic Screwdriver. |
| Fifth Doctor | Castrovalva | Without celery and with a Sonic Screwdriver. |
| Sixth Doctor | Attack of the Cybermen | With patchwork frock coat, shorter hair and Sonic Lance. |
| Broton the Zygon | Terror of the Zygons | With Skarasen Recall device. |
| Sea Devil | The Sea Devils | With string vest and Heat Ray. |
| SV-7 (Super Voc) | Robots of Death | |
| D-84 (Dum Class) | Robots of Death | With Anti Robot Transmitter and removable decals to allow you to have the numbered DUM you want. |
| Magnus Greel and Mr Sin | The Talons of Weng-Chiang | Twin pack. |
Each figure pack included an exclusive piece which when assembed makes a K1 Robot. Two sets of three classic Daleks from The Daleks, Planet of the Daleks and Genesis of the Daleks and Saucer Pilot Dalek from ‘Dalek Invasion of Earth’ (1964), an Emperor’s Guard Dalek from ‘Evil of the Daleks’ (1967) and Supreme Dalek from ‘Day of the Daleks’ (1972) has also been released.
In July 2009 Character Options released First Doctor (with Saucer Commander Dalek from The Dalek Invasion of Earth) and Second Doctor (with Cyberman from The Tomb of the Cybermen) in boxsets exclusive to Underground Toys and Forbidden Planet. Both are available in colour and in black and white. Released in August 2009 was another re-release of the season 12 Fourth Doctor, this time in a boxset which included the Osiran Mummy as listed below, a Voc Robot from The Robots of Death and a Dalek with bombs from Destiny of the Daleks. Released as exclusives in October 2009 were two Third Doctor boxsets (with a silver Death to the Daleks Dalek in one boxset and with a Sea Devil in the other). Underground Toys and Forbidden Planet revealed on October 2, 2009 that another Third Doctor pack would be available from October 17, 2009 consisting of the Doctor and 3 Maggots from The Green Death. Also announced for December 2009 was another Fourth Doctor figure from Pyramids of Mars.
Wave 2 was released in 2010 but without any 'build-a-figure' components. It consisted of the following figures:
| Action Figure | Source Serial | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Warrior | ||
| Cyberman | Earthshock | With gun |
| Osiran Service Robot | Pyramids of Mars | A Mummy with Canopic Jar |
| Morbius Monster | The Brain of Morbius | |
| The Master | The Deadly Assassin | With Sash of Rassilon and gun |
| Voc Robot | The Robots of Death | With replaceable decals to allow you to choose which numbered Voc you want. Also includes red eyes which glow under a light |
A Cyberman wave, consisting mostly of classic Cybermen, has been released. The build a figure was the Cyber Controller from The Tomb of the Cybermen. These are:
| Action Figure | Source Serial | Details |
|---|---|---|
| The Tenth Planet | (1966) Cyberman | with Cyber Controller's head. |
| The Tomb of the Cybermen | (1967) Cyberman | with torso and left arm. |
| The Invasion | (1968) Cyberman | with both legs. |
| The Next Doctor | (2008) Cyber Leader | with hip and right arm. |
It was originally announced that the build a figure for wave two would be a Krynoid, as seen in Tom Baker's six-part story - The Seeds of Doom. However, this figure was pulled from the wave along with the 7th and 8th Doctors. There were also plans to release a Season 12 Boxset, which would have consisted of a Tom Baker figure, Electronic TARDIS and Bessie. However, although sculpts for both the TARDIS and Bessie have been approved they are no longer scheduled for release as of yet.
In 2010, Character Options released an Eleven Doctors Figure Set featuring figures of all eleven actors to have played the part to date. The figures variously included minor paint or sculpting revisions of earlier releases, an accessory (usually a sonic screwdriver) for all figures except the Sixth Doctor and the first release of the Eighth Doctor Paul McGann. Unlike previous classic assortments, the Eleven Doctors Figure Set does not appear to be a limited release, and was freely available for sale on the Character Options website.
Further Classic Doctor Who figures were released as exclusives commissioned by Forbidden Planet and Underground Toys due to a lack of interest in the line by major retailers. These exclusives have seen a wide variety of characters from the Classic Series released. December 2011 saw 7 new sets released in the span of a month.
Character Options has released The Sarah Jane Adventures merchandise (consisting of figures and electronics. However this was pulled off due to lack of customer interest. Torchwood figures were announced in an advertisement in the June 2008 issue of Doctor Who Magazine, but are made Scifi Collector not by Character Options.
In 2007 Character Options announced they would also be creating Primeval action figures, including a flying 'Rex' (developed by WowWee) and also include all main characters (Nick Cutter, Helen Cutter, Connor Temple and Abby Maitland to name a few) in addition some of the creatures (including future predators, Hesperonis and Dodos) and even plastic versions of anomalies. Character also released a large plush toy version of the team's "mascot", Rex.
In 2007, Character Options released The Sarah Jane Adventures merchandise. The range started with Sarah Jane & Star Poet set, Sonic Lipstick & Wrist Scanner and Alien Communicator with Reporter's Pen & Notepad. Later figures included different figures of Sarah Jane Smith twin-packed with a monster from the series: a Child Slitheen, General Kudlak and a Graske.
After the show's sudden cancellation due to the death of Elisabeth Sladen, Character Options confirmed that no other Sarah Jane Adventures figures will be released.
In 2009, Character Options released the HM Armed Forces merchandise, designed by Character Options in conjunction with the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force to ensure the camouflage gear and weapons are authentic.
The Bindeez toy range was subject to a multi-national product recall after it was found that the Wangqi Product Factory in Shenzhen, China had substituted a cheap toxic chemical for the specified one in some shipped toys, resulting in the illness and hospitalisation of some children who ingested the beads. Argos and Amazon.co.uk both withdrew products for sale. See the voluntary recall from Character Options.
The brand do toys based of the popular kids programme Peppa Pig.
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