Posted in: BBC, Collectibles, Doctor Who, TV | Tagged: bbc, Character Options, christopher eccleston, david tennant, doctor who, jodie whittaker, matt smith, peter capaldi, Rubbertoe Replicas, sonic screwdriver

Doctor Who: Diving Down the Rabbit Hole of Sonic Screwdriver Toys

Doctor Who has turned the sonic screwdriver into a fetish object for fans & toy collectors alike - a fascinating rabbit hole to dive down.

Doctor Who fans own sonic screwdriver replica toys – and they have for some time. Kids love them, and so do hardcore collectors and cosplayers. It's become a bigger part of the modern era show than even the classic era. It's become a bit of a crutch. It's the Doctor's magic wand, just like Harry Potter's. It's also a good toy. Remember, Doctor Who makes the BBC at least $100 million a year in sales and merchandising, and toy sonics are part of that business model. Why wouldn't hardcore fans want their own emotional support sonic screwdriver? We dived into the world of the sonic screwdriver toys and fell into a rabbit hole. Or should that be a wormhole? Man, it's deep!

It seems the most popular sonic screwdriver continues to be the one used by the Ninth (Christopher Eccleston) and Tenth Doctor (David Tennant). It's loved not just by David Tennant fans but also overall fans of the show and a whole cult that admire its design. It's considered the most elegant of all the sonics and just low-key enough not to be too flashy. It looks practical. The second seems to be the Eleventh Doctor's (Matt Smith) sonic screwdriver, which is bigger, clunkier, and flashier. Both sonics can extend – very phallic and Freudian move.

The Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Doctors' sonic screwdrivers have been discontinued, which happens whenever a new Doctor comes along in the series, but fans still want them.  The Twelfth Doctor's second sonic screwdriver is one of the least talked about and possibly the rarest of the toys because it only lasted one season, namely Peter Capaldi's third and last season. The Thirteenth Doctor's (Jodie Whittaker) sonic is the most criticized and least liked amongst hardcore fans though kids still like it since she's their Doctor.

Interestingly, there are currently dozens of sellers offering the Tenth and Eleventh Doctor's sonics at affordable prices on eBay, many in China and Asia, some in the US, all seemingly offering the same supplies with the same pictures. You could wonder if they're counterfeit or they're factory surplus since they were all produced in China anyway – licensed by UK toymaker Character Options. Seven20 is a US licensor for sonic screwdriver toys, and there was discussion amongst collectors that their versions of the Tenth, Eleventh, and Thirteenth Doctor's sonic replicas were inferior and less accurate and that the Character Options versions were better. Yes, fans and collectors compare notes. Let's remember these are pieces of plastic that can break.

Character Options has been the primary license holder for Doctor Who action figures and sonic screwdriver replica toys for over a decade now and tends to make limited editions of the more recent sonic replicas that offer more exclusive bells and whistles. This is especially true with their official replica of the Fourteenth Doctor's (Tennant again) sonic screwdriver, which hasn't really been seen in action yet beyond a formal reveal and some teases – that's being saved until the 60th Anniversary Specials in November. This is the most elaborately designed sonic yet, referencing the previous periods of the show and sonic screwdrivers. It's so complex and meta that it could be considered a work of art – the prop designers are artists and artisans who are masters of their craft. Character Options made an online exclusive version for San Diego Comic-Con with a shiny chrome finish and extra colours in the lights that are now sold out and being flipped for hundreds on eBay. They have brought out a retail version that's also a bit scarce, so the price of that one currently fluctuates. They've announced they would be bringing out more of the online exclusive version in early December once the 60th Anniversary Specials air, and you can expect those to sell out quickly and end up flipped on eBay again. It's designed to be a fetish object for fans – just look at the official BBC video! It even has its own dramatic soundtrack music!!

If you want really authentic replicas of the sonic screwdrivers, you'd have to go to Rubbertoe Replicas, who are the official makers of limited edition replicas made from real metal with real working parts that are worth hundreds of dollars. Their upcoming replica of the Fourteenth Doctor's sonic, up for pre-order, is being priced at over a thousand Pounds Sterling and US Dollars. You'd have to have insane amounts of disposable income to afford those. Being a hardcore collector is expensive, but to paraphrase Marie Kondo, if it brings you joy, who are we to judge? Just make sure you still have money for rent and food and, you know, staying alive to enjoy your collectibles and watch Doctor Who.

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