Section32

Seriously. This is the main reason why I've never felt compelled to collect the DS figures: I've got most of the AA Enterprise range and the Nemesis foursome, with their uncanny laser-scanned headsculpts*, and I also have Martok (badass) and DS9/ TNG movies Worf (less so tbh), but the majority of DS's models, for all their high quality detailing, etc, are almost totally unappealing purely because the likenesses are so lousy, Kirk being the worst example. I mean, who is that? It sure as hell isn't Shatner. And his face gets more distorted and less recognisable with age! TOS Kirk is just barely passable, but TMP Kirk, with his weirdly bouffant hair, is all wrong, and the various Wrath of Khan Kirk's look so unlike our James T, it's as if they've been modelled on someone else entirely.

I'm reminded of the Aliens toy line from the 90's, which boasted a minigun-wielding, Robocop-esque Bishop and a Ripley that was completely unlike Sigourney Weaver, allegedly because she doesn't like being rendered in plastic. 

The Spock figures aren't great, either. Most of the TNG crew suck, with Diamond having apparently decided that as long as the most famous features were present and correct (Picard's baldness, Riker's beard, Worf's Klingonness, Data's skin colour, etc), not much else was required. It's not that the DS line doesn't have its triumphs- Martok, as I said, is stunning- but overall, it amazes me that Playmates' famous Picard heads still reign supreme, whilst the best Kirk likenesses are arguably those created by Mego way back in the 70's.
 

OK, rant over...For now.

* Although comparing Nemesis Picard to the solicited prototype perfectly illustrates how a bad paint job can kill a good likeness

Dude, RELIANT TRANSFORMER

Great stuff, Redshirt! Informative, too: I hadn't realised this line had individual body sculpts due to the new articulation, that's really cool.

I always liked the unused uniforms, honestly. I'm just surprised they never appeared in any subsequent TV episode, knowing how economical the Trek production team always was with costumes, props, sets. They loved to get their money's worth and pretty much everything got reused somewhere along the line, so it's odd that they paid to create new uniforms, decided not to use them after all and then just boxed up the lot and forgot about them. One obvious downside to the design though- Worf's rank pips would be covered up by his sash. Is this why they added stripes to the sleeves? And why the Worf figure doesn't have the sash?

Oh, and I had no idea the phaser rifle was a 'photonic concentrator'. Thanks Playmates