If Star Trek Barbies were available when I was child, then I probably would have actually played with Barbies instead of He-Man action figures. It's too late for my childhood, but others will appreciate a new set of Trek dolls made to celebrate the original series' 50th anniversary. Mattel is offering Barbie versions of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and Lieutenant Uhura.
The plastic heads pretty much give all the dolls a baby-face look. There are some nice touches, like the artful spit-curl on Kirk's head and the permanent Vulcan greeting hand gesture on the Spock figure. Uhura rocks some hoop earrings very similar to ones actually worn by actress Nichelle Nichols in the series.
Each doll sells for $35 (about £24, AU$47). They are currently available for preorder. The product descriptions are pretty entertaining. Mattel describes Uhura as "smart, savvy and futuristically fabulous." Kirk "stands handsomely" and Spock displays a "calm, logic-driven demeanor" while standing "steadfastly by his captain and crew."
This is far from the first time Star Trek characters have appeared in doll form. Mego offered a Star Trek playset in the mid-1970s with plastic articulated dolls in cloth uniforms aboard a very cool Enterprise bridge version of a dollhouse.
Mattel offered Star Trek versions of Barbie and Ken in 1996 for the series' 30th anniversary. That Barbie came with a tricorder and communicator while Ken had a communicator and a phaser. Barbie really needs to demand her own phaser.
I, for one, would like to see Kirk at the wheel of a Barbie Jeep. I also think Uhura Barbie and Mars Explorer Barbie would have a lot to talk about as two pioneering space women.
(Via StarTrek.com)