February 7th, 2020
38 comments
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
A Closer Look – Character 13th Doctor Tardis + Custom Insert
Available to order from www.forbiddenplanet.com
Also available to order from www.character-online.com and www.amazon.co.uk
Here at last…
Regular visitors and forum users will know that some time ago an image of a prototype 13th Doctor Tardis was “doing the rounds”.
Sadly things don’t always work out as intended and here we have the next best thing, a 13th Doctor Tardis, adapted from previously released models, and presented in the now universal “Classic” style guide packaging.
Unlike the more recent budget Tardis sets from B&M this one features the welcome return of ‘take off’ and ‘landing’ light plus Sound effects.
The Tardis has a new roof profile and lamp to match the current version as well as the “reverse” door sign.
It all looks the part although they have not been able to add the ribbed windows and the top and bottom notches on the corners posts, presumably as that would have effected the possibility of any future Classic Tardis sets.
One of the other things that is missing of course is the background, but its fairly easy to do your own. We have images below which may help.
All in all its just good to see Doctor Who products back on the shelves although for the moment at least this seems restricted to just a few specialist stores and on-line retailers.
As far as we know there are still some B&M Dalek sets and a Tardis set due at some stage in February and more 3 figures sets including a 13th Doctor set with Yaz and Ryan later in the year.
Custom Background inserts
Right click and “save image”
These are designed to print out on A4 paper exactly as they are with no adjustment.
Print out on High quality photographic paper or standard paper and stick to thin card.
Score between the solid lines before cutting to give a neat fold, then cut out to remove the white boarders
If in doubt please print a low quality draft. The distance between the two solid lines should be 75mm and the height 150mm. This should fit exactly but if you find it to fiddly you could trim the top/bottom as required.
This first image is intended to just tuck behind the doors but may give and uneven look to the windows from the outside.
This second image ( Again Right click and “save image” ) has the sides oversized to custom fit. When measuring remember to allow for the battery compartment. The hight is the same as the image above.
If the above doesn’t work for you then the full image is below for you to customize your own.
Tardis Interior image copyright BBC studios personal use only.
Categorised under: Reviews
The Doctor Who Site
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Merchandise
Flickr
YouTube
Nick D
February 9th, 2020 - 9:57amGreat post. Thanks for the DIY help ☺︎
whovian
February 8th, 2020 - 2:51pmHow long will this print-off be available for exactly? I wanted to find out so I know when to plan a trip to the library for their printer (Which is slightly annoying as it’s more to spend on the item), but being the completionist that I am, I need the backdrop of the interior
booboo
February 8th, 2020 - 2:54pmits on here all the time now
Anonymous
February 8th, 2020 - 2:49pmI want to order this and the dalek from character online, when do you think character will stock the figures?
StetsonDoctor
February 8th, 2020 - 12:48pmForbidden Planet Manchester have these in stock. Just got mine – about 4 left, if I recall.
Omega63
February 8th, 2020 - 11:58amAs much as the visual look of this is great, I’m feel like because it’s been a long time coming people are being a bit kind. It’s a big step down from the 12th Doctor flight control we got back in 2015, which was a return to form with full windows, police sign lights, sound, and at least an interior card. This is missing all of those and, as nice as it looks, really isn’t a good match to screen. I get why that’s the case but still.
The Living Shadow
February 8th, 2020 - 2:26pmTo be fair, the 12th Doctor one used the New Series Tardis as it’s base, so it was just a matter of mix and matching parts from the 10th and 11th Doctor boxes (and creating one new part for the left door), however 13’s Tardis is using the Classic series box as it’s base, so it’s far more limited in what it can do. In fact, I believe this new Tardis actually contains more newly sculpted pieces than the 12th Doctor’s one!
I still hope that we’ll one day see the prototype 13th Doctors Tardis get a release though
JRT!
February 8th, 2020 - 4:11pmLooks great,just like on the show. lol! Can’t wait to get one and print out the console room and stuff it in there.
Judooning
February 8th, 2020 - 7:38pmI think the 12th dr TARDIS is most certainly the better of the new series flight control TARDIS boxes.
13’s version is still very nice, and when comparing it to online images of the actual prop, its not half bad. However I do miss the glow windows and signs. Many fond memories of having the 10th Dr stood in the doorway of his TARDIS with the inside light pulsating and taking some “good” images with my camera 🙂
Exterminator
February 8th, 2020 - 11:54amFor those without a printer, save the image to your phone and take it to a Boots photo printing machine. A lovely glossy print of 6” by 4” should be about right and costs 25p per print.
The Living Shadow
February 8th, 2020 - 2:27pmThanks! I have a printer but the colours always seem to come out very unsaturated, so I’ll give that a try!
Exterminator
February 8th, 2020 - 2:47pmYou might need to try out different sized prints to see what works best and cut them to size.
The Pardox
February 8th, 2020 - 11:39amIt should be noted that it’s not simply a Doctor Who problem, when it comes to dwindling interest in this sort of merchandise. There seems a perception in the DW community that the lower sales and reduced production of DW figures is simply a result of kids not connecting with Capaldi and later Jodie. The truth is though that sales were starting to drop off even during Matt’s era. We just didn’t see it until later when less figures were being made.
And this is, as I said before, not a problem that is limited to DW. Star Wars, Star Trek and any number of newer franchises like Stranger Things are seeing less and less interest in the action figure ranges. Trek is back on television and more popular than it’s been in years, but you’re not gonna see much in the way of “kids” focused merchandise. The only one that I’ve seen continued successful sales in has been Marvel Legends, but that has the benefit of both comic and movie fans being potential customers, and frankly they do a better range than pretty much any of the competition.
Thing is, I have no doubt that DW action figures are on their way out, but they won’t be alone. Kids aren’t buying them anymore, preferring their action figures to be virtual in online games. We, as older collectors, might sustain the market for a few more years but I’d say the end of the line is in sight.
booboo
February 8th, 2020 - 11:41amthat’s all very true, the figures are essentially a collectors line now.
BeeversMaster
February 8th, 2020 - 1:26pmIt may also be due to the lack of funds to make new figures and also the fact that Character Options have lots of brands which means they have to pay lots of money to produce products for them too. If Character had less brands then potentially we could get more figures and go back to the good old days of the nu who ranges coming out once a year with loads of figures in them.
booboo
February 8th, 2020 - 1:34pmno that’s not it
The bottom line is there is not enough interest from retailers and hasn’t been for ages because they just don’t sell well enough now.
They also don’t have the entire USA market at the moment which people forget.
The Paradox
February 8th, 2020 - 1:32pmGonna actually type my username out correctly this time… 🙂
It’s a shame to see them go, but it’s also a sign of the times, I guess? Just last week we had an episode of Doctor Who warning of the dangers of plastic production, and here we are wanting to see an increase in the production of figures made of exactly the same stuff. I’ll miss them too, when they’re finally discontinued, but maybe it’s time we accepted luxury items like these are meant to be a thing of the past, if we’re gonna start making the necessary changes? Just my opinion though.
The Paradox
February 8th, 2020 - 1:38pm@BeeversMaster Really not that simple! If CO had continued making lots of profit from DW figures then they would never have slowed down production! It’s a matter of demand, and the demand is slowly dying. Again though, not just for DW products, but for merchandise like this generally.
GallifreyanKnight
February 8th, 2020 - 10:59amI don’t have access to a computer.
Will this still print out properly if I have it to my iPhone and print it via AirPrint?
Tardis7k
February 8th, 2020 - 10:41amDoes anyone know what the budget is or how low it was due to I’m seeing a lot online Pepole going on about it’s budget
booboo
February 8th, 2020 - 11:11amno one is going to be able to give you figures but the 2005+ Tardis was designed to have card inserts right from the start so it could be done on the production line, they also used to sell 10’s of thousands of them.
The classic Tardis (which this basically is) never was so to alter it to allow for one would simply have cost to much money as we are in a much more restricted market now.
Ian
February 8th, 2020 - 8:33amReally like the Tardis. The red top 13 is better than the first release, the blue one similar to the first release. The Sonic Screwdriver is the same apart from a shinier finish & the emitter being opaque.
Nuallain
February 7th, 2020 - 9:54pmThe insert is a little ironic since, if you look carefully, the interior image in the actual on location prop in Series 12 , it still shows the Series 11 console room set up.
The Werewolf
February 7th, 2020 - 9:01pmWow, thanks for doing this booboo. I feel like a kid again
The Living Shadow
February 7th, 2020 - 7:58pmI really appreciate this! Looking forward to printing it out! I’m going to be a little cheeky though and say that I’d love to see this for all the other classic boxes which don’t include interior photos
booboo
February 7th, 2020 - 8:07pmwill look at it, love to do it, would like to get a bit more feedback on how this does and if it looks and fits OK, great believer in keeping in it “simple” for people, I’m not a technophobe to be honest, just want to help.
Anonymous
February 7th, 2020 - 9:08pmThat would be amazing!
The Green Death
February 7th, 2020 - 7:55pmBackground fits perfectly, thank you
DalekAgent
February 7th, 2020 - 7:28pmI dont know if this has been answered anywhere but why doesn’t it have a backdrop included?
booboo
February 7th, 2020 - 7:38pmcost, it would have to be inserted on the production line pushing it over budget, things are not as simple as they seem.
Your saviour
February 8th, 2020 - 12:11amGive the license to Tomy, Hasbro or Jakks Pacific and then it would be.
The Outcast
February 8th, 2020 - 1:43amNo, it wouldn’t. The problem is the profit margins for the range are so small because retailers aren’t picking up the merch. A new company couldn’t fix that. As well as this, who is to say another company would even want the license? If they wanted it, they could outbid CO on the license when it comes up for renewal, but no one ever has. And, even if another manifacture got the license, the figures they produce are unlikely to fit in with the CO ones we currently have, so we’d be back at square one with the action figure line.
These types of comments bug me, because so little thought has gone into them.
Bob James
February 8th, 2020 - 3:15amWell noted comment from “The Outcast”. These new offerings really amount to the BBC trying to spin some promotion out for the “brand” which in this market, as in many others, is deteriorating rapidly. To be fair, that was also happening with the Capaldi era releases. With the Big Finish crossover sets, and the Classic Doctor and Tardis sets there obviously remains some confidence in a perhaps shrinking, but existent market. These are favors for a party that exists for a section of fandom that might not trade in this kind of merchandise, and a party that exists more and more so solely in the BBC’s heads. The Graham figure is a quite impressive one though, so at least that much effort is there.
TheMaster
February 7th, 2020 - 6:31pmSo Smiths stocking these?
So up to twice the price on Amazon or 24.99 directing difficult choice lol
booboo
February 7th, 2020 - 6:35pmno indication Smyths will be stocking it
Grant
February 7th, 2020 - 6:18pmMany thanks for the background may well purchase this now! And for this site and all the hard work that goes into it!
Anonymous
February 7th, 2020 - 6:27pmI second this. I would miss a lot of stuff if it wasn’t for this site.
booboo
February 7th, 2020 - 6:53pmThank you, it really is appreciated, but from what I’ve read elsewhere this maybe the last time I can do anything this in advance, or if at all.