TZ Spotlight: Mystic Seer bobblehead (Bif Bang Pow!)

After missing this the first time around (the initial run sold out quickly earlier this year), I ordered it (two, actually) as soon as it was restocked. It arrived, serendipitously enough, on my birthday last week. I should also note that, as of this writing, it's sold out AGAIN, and won't be available again until February 2010.

The Mystic Seer appeared in (well, dominated) the Twilight Zone episode "Nick of Time," which originally aired on 11/18/1960 and starred William Shatner and Patricia Breslin. It's a napkin dispenser that also dispenses fortune cards when you drop a penny in the front slot.

The Mystic Seer used in the episode makes a perfect candidate for the bobblehead treatment because it is, among other things, an actual bobblehead. That is to say, the head rests on a skinny post and bounces around when touched (Shatner taps it affectionately at one point in the episode):

On to the review. First off --- the bobblehead is much bigger than I thought it would be (about 6.75 inches tall, from base to horn tips). It's also much heavier than it looks (let's put it this way: you could use it as both a paperweight and a blunt object with which to brain somebody). Neither of these constitutes a complaint, however... this thing's got presence.

It's painted in a monochromatic scheme, which it SHOULD be, since it's from a black and white TV show. It's sculpted in gray resin with black and white paint apps. This thing just plain POPS. The head sculpt is screen accurate, sharply detailed, and beautiful to behold. There's actually a tiny little plastic gem in the eye, and it catches light nicely.

The proportions of the overall piece are clearly not accurate (the base unit, which dispenses the fortune cards in the episode, is much too small here), but since it's a bobblehead, accuracy isn't really a concern, is it? The text on the body is sculpted, not just painted... a nice touch. The Twilight Zone logo is elegantly sculpted on the piece's back:

...and the company logo can be found on the bottom:

On the subject of the fortune cards: even though this thing doesn't actually dispense them, Bif Bang Pow! saw fit to include eight fortunes (two strips of four), all of which appeared in the episode:

The packaging is great too, which is a great reason to buy two (I did)...

Overall, I LOVE this piece. If I had to list a single complaint, I guess I'd mention that the paint job is a bit sloppy in spots. However, for a mass-produced toy that retails for less than fifteen bucks, it's a pretty mild gripe. For their first Twilight Zone item, Bif Bang Pow! has hit an absolute home run with the Mystic Seer. Can they keep up the momentum with their next bobblehead (The Invader)? Tune in next time to find out….