CO Fifteenth Doctor Sonic
- Thread starter cardinal hordriss
- Start date
OK. In my "staff" hat, I'm going to point out that the purpose of this forum is discussing aspects of Dr. Who props in a purely objective manner with the intent to share information on building them. Whether you like them or not or how they might work in-universe is outside of what we do here.
Now I'm going to put on my member hat and hopefully I won't have to warn myself.
I don't get to watch much nuWho. Don't have streaming. Video stores don't exist anymore. So my total knowledge of this prop comes from this forum. That said, the photos of this toy make me like this prop a lot more. In previous photos from the show I thought it just looked stupid. I saw an interview with RTD elsewhere that they'd changed the design because the old sonics looked "too much like a gun" and they "didn't want to give kids the wrong idea."
But from these photos, the prop makes a lot more sense. The iconic Pertwee-Davison (and then McGann) sonic didn't seem like it had a lot of controls on it. Once in awhile an actor would fiddle with its raised areas like they were dials or something and there was a joke here because Tom Baker would point the "bullet" end towards whatever he was working on while all the other Doctors would point it with the other end forward that one way was "standard" and the other was "Phillips". And once in awhile ("Robot" leaps to mind) The Doctor would remove the emitter or make some other change to alter the function of the device, but again, for all the things the sonic could do (especially towards the end) it was a stretch to see how the device worked in the fictional technology of the universe.
Looking at this prop it reminds me... I've got my basic hand screwdriver that has a handle, a shaft that is retained by ball-detents, and then a large and small slotted and large and small Phillips head, held by ball-detents on each end of the shaft. So, say you've got the small slotted head set up on it. You want to go to the large slotted head, you pull the head out of the shaft, flip it so the large head is facing out and plug it back in. If you need a Phillips head, you pull the shaft out of the handle and flip it around so the end that is holding the Phillips heads is facing out. That's kind of the classic sonic. On my desk is my trusty Leatherman multitool. Like the later sonics, it does a lot more than drive screws. Like this sonic, it is a lot more complex than my basic screwdriver. You flip the hinge to open the device. You flip out whatever blade you want to use and then close the device. Or you just open it up so you can use the pliers/wire stripper-cutter.
I see where the actor can use this sonic much more like my multitool, given all the things the sonic screwdriver does these days. I see it is hinged to open up. It has all kinds of controls and buttons and settings and lights and gauges.
When the prop was first revealed, someone here pointed out modern cell phones do so much more and look so much different than the old Motorola "brick"--or the briefcase phone that preceded it.
So in conclusion, I tip my hat to the prop department that seems to have hit all the wickets in designing this prop--and Character Options for cranking out a slick replica that looks like it would be a huge pain in the butt for any prop-builder that didn't have a 3D printer and a lot of skill in using it to make. Heck, at first I tried building my own classic sonic. Lost the emitter for awhile (found it back, in the backyard, years later--against all odds) and rather than build a new emitter, I decided to just pick up the CO sonic and have been very happy with it. I did do some paint work on it to make it more pleasing to me (the red on the emitter hoop is WAAAY to red IMO). So yeah. Interesting prop and a valuable *ahem* option for anyone who doesn't feel like going to the trouble of building one from scratch.
Now I'm going to put on my member hat and hopefully I won't have to warn myself.
I don't get to watch much nuWho. Don't have streaming. Video stores don't exist anymore. So my total knowledge of this prop comes from this forum. That said, the photos of this toy make me like this prop a lot more. In previous photos from the show I thought it just looked stupid. I saw an interview with RTD elsewhere that they'd changed the design because the old sonics looked "too much like a gun" and they "didn't want to give kids the wrong idea."
But from these photos, the prop makes a lot more sense. The iconic Pertwee-Davison (and then McGann) sonic didn't seem like it had a lot of controls on it. Once in awhile an actor would fiddle with its raised areas like they were dials or something and there was a joke here because Tom Baker would point the "bullet" end towards whatever he was working on while all the other Doctors would point it with the other end forward that one way was "standard" and the other was "Phillips". And once in awhile ("Robot" leaps to mind) The Doctor would remove the emitter or make some other change to alter the function of the device, but again, for all the things the sonic could do (especially towards the end) it was a stretch to see how the device worked in the fictional technology of the universe.
Looking at this prop it reminds me... I've got my basic hand screwdriver that has a handle, a shaft that is retained by ball-detents, and then a large and small slotted and large and small Phillips head, held by ball-detents on each end of the shaft. So, say you've got the small slotted head set up on it. You want to go to the large slotted head, you pull the head out of the shaft, flip it so the large head is facing out and plug it back in. If you need a Phillips head, you pull the shaft out of the handle and flip it around so the end that is holding the Phillips heads is facing out. That's kind of the classic sonic. On my desk is my trusty Leatherman multitool. Like the later sonics, it does a lot more than drive screws. Like this sonic, it is a lot more complex than my basic screwdriver. You flip the hinge to open the device. You flip out whatever blade you want to use and then close the device. Or you just open it up so you can use the pliers/wire stripper-cutter.
I see where the actor can use this sonic much more like my multitool, given all the things the sonic screwdriver does these days. I see it is hinged to open up. It has all kinds of controls and buttons and settings and lights and gauges.
When the prop was first revealed, someone here pointed out modern cell phones do so much more and look so much different than the old Motorola "brick"--or the briefcase phone that preceded it.
So in conclusion, I tip my hat to the prop department that seems to have hit all the wickets in designing this prop--and Character Options for cranking out a slick replica that looks like it would be a huge pain in the butt for any prop-builder that didn't have a 3D printer and a lot of skill in using it to make. Heck, at first I tried building my own classic sonic. Lost the emitter for awhile (found it back, in the backyard, years later--against all odds) and rather than build a new emitter, I decided to just pick up the CO sonic and have been very happy with it. I did do some paint work on it to make it more pleasing to me (the red on the emitter hoop is WAAAY to red IMO). So yeah. Interesting prop and a valuable *ahem* option for anyone who doesn't feel like going to the trouble of building one from scratch.
It would appear they've designed themselves entirely out of the "screwdriver" form factor. I haven't watched Dr. Who since 1984.
cardinal hordriss
Well-known member
I'm not sure about the line that the previous models looked too much like weapons.
The series is packed with guns and other weapons. I know that's not the same as the Doctor himself carrying one but in sci-fi any number of weapons have weird designs. The TNG dustbuster phasers were deliberately designed so as not to look like guns. So why is the new design any less like a weapon than the classic, Eccleston, Smith or Capaldi designs?
The series is packed with guns and other weapons. I know that's not the same as the Doctor himself carrying one but in sci-fi any number of weapons have weird designs. The TNG dustbuster phasers were deliberately designed so as not to look like guns. So why is the new design any less like a weapon than the classic, Eccleston, Smith or Capaldi designs?
Apparently from a "Rolling Stone" article--and not a direct quote, but here's a credible reference: https://www.doctorwhotv.co.uk/rtd-sonic-screwdriver-gun-101283.htm
cardinal hordriss
Well-known member
Volpone said:
Has RTD had a stroke since 2009?
cardinal hordriss
Well-known member
Limited edition, electroplated version confirmed for San Diego Comic Con and general release in September.
https://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/sdcc-2024-fifteenth-doctors-sonic-screwdriver/
https://merchandise.thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/sdcc-2024-fifteenth-doctors-sonic-screwdriver/
cardinal hordriss
Well-known member
It does have the pop out thing at the front. Forbidden Planet are taking preorders for release in early October. I'm guessing there'll be flash drops of the metallic version on the CO website as with 14th's.
cardinal hordriss
Well-known member
Metalic version now available on CO website -
https://www.character-online.com/doctor-who-the-fifteenth-doctors-sonic-screwdriver-deluxe-edition
https://www.character-online.com/doctor-who-the-fifteenth-doctors-sonic-screwdriver-deluxe-edition
cardinal hordriss
Well-known member
Mine arrived today.
As a toy - 5*, well put together, worth paying for the metallic version. Has some nifty features and is well engineered.
As a sonic - I wasn't sold on the design at first but I slowly warmed to it. Now that I've seen it up close and played with it I'm quite pleased with it.
As a toy - 5*, well put together, worth paying for the metallic version. Has some nifty features and is well engineered.
As a sonic - I wasn't sold on the design at first but I slowly warmed to it. Now that I've seen it up close and played with it I'm quite pleased with it.
cardinal hordriss
Well-known member
New varient.
