I suppose I’ve got the resurrection of Doctor Who to thank. It’s back in the public eye and that means it’s a merchandisers dream ticket.
It’s got it’s moments the new stuff, but it’s a bit rushed, drama for the Playstation and fast food generation. I’m part of that social movement, but I still like characterisation, suspense, a plot that isn’t series of exclamations linked by running around.
But it’s got it’s moments the new stuff, mostly with Christopher Ecclestone.
Patrick Troughton was the Doctor when I was born, but my first vivid memories are of Jon Pertwee setting off mines in the sand with his sonic screwdriver as the Sea Devils 
lurched out of the sea, and of the invisible Spiridons lending a hand the give the Daleks a kicking.
Pertwee’s last couple of series and the Tom Baker years seem like a map of my childhood at times, and the monsters that menaced the quarries and brighly lit studio sets of the day have stuck with me. So when the rejuvenated marketing machine started cashing in on the New Who, they were bound to try and pull in the old guys like me who have long memories of the toys the played with in the 70’s and are quite prepared to face questions from the Misses as to why a group of wee plastic men have appeared on the dressing table.
And that’s exactly what’s happened of course. I really shouldn’t be allowed near shops at lunch time.
But they’re so much better made that the ones that I had when I was wee, I just had to…
It’s finding that damned Action Man, it’s started some sort of regression complex.
Shops at lunch time – a deadly combination.
Nothing wrong with ‘reviewing ones past’, it was after all what made the version of you we ‘see’ today.
Anyway I cannot talk. A trip into the loft at my folks would reveal far too many Action Men, Doctor Who figures and Subbuteo teams.
There’s a bad of Star Wars figures up in that loft somewhere as well. I hate to think what that’ll trigger if I find it…
Them sea devils used to scare the crap out of me as a kid. I hope they bring them back in the new series as there is definately room for them and they are better than the cybermen. i can see em now popping out the thames flood barrier.
I had a ‘Striker’ figure with a pair of specs, which I thought was excellent.
A bored factory worker on a Friday afternoon was undoubtedly responsible.
I much preferred Striker (and superstriker) to Subbuteo, even though the availability of additional ‘stuff’ (teams stadia, supporters, etc.) was negligable.
Hi coops!
They should bring the sea devils back, they’d make the cosyumes so much better now. They’d have to keep the string vest though, that’s the scariest part!
David, I now want to see the “Action Man with Spectacles” edition. With his realistic hair, gripping hands and now improved close up vision he will stand in a slightly awkward looking pose on your carpet with a plastic beret and sten gun.
I’d like to see a return of the dayglo maggots down a Welsh mine episodes – I think that was a John Pertwee / Jo Grant / UNIT outing, although I can’t put a date to it.
I suppose the merchandising opportunites for dayglo maggots are a bit limited though…. ;O)