[Original Review by Chris - 2/18/2014]

I accidentally bought two of this set because, to this day, K-Mart’s web site shows the alternate Scanning Crew member as part of this set.  I returned my extra set to the store and the clerk accidentally credited me for both sets, so HAH. Joke’s on you K-Mart.  But then again, I actually had to go to a K-Mart store to make the return, so I guess the joke is back on me.  Foiled again.

In reality this set comes with the same Scanning Crew member that was released in 2009 which you likely bought too many of.  Likewise, it comes with the bottom half of the scanning cart which you also have too many of, but you can’t bring yourself to throw them away because like all collectors you have some sort of low grade OCD and can’t part with accessories so they’re taking up unnecessary storage space in the unfinished part of your basement (deep inhale).  Man, you are some sort of pathetic loser.

This half of the scanning crew set is named the Death Star Scanning Crew to distinguish itself from the other half of the tandem which is named the Imperial Scanning Crew.  As with the tech from the other set, this technician’s jumpsuit has a faint grimy wash applied to it (at least mine does) so it’s slightly different than the 2009 release.  I would comment on any differences to the scanning cart, but I have so many of those taking up unnecessary storage space in the unfinished part of my basement that I hardly paid attention to it once the package was open. 

So the likely reason you’re going to buy this set is for the unnamed Imperial Officer.  Logic dictates that since the Imperial Scanning Crew set comes with the specifically named and detailed TK-421, this is the officer who says “TK-421, why aren’t you at your post? TK-421, do you copy?”  That officer is named Pol Treidum.  The mutton chop sideburns and the 4 blue squares on the rank badge go a long way towards confirming that.  But the hair color is a bit too sandy to represent the actor Peter Sumner.  The figure itself comes with the updated E-11 blaster rifle with the collapsible stock. Hasbro should know that it is cruel to give a figure a floating trigger finger and also give that figure a weapon that has a sculpted trigger guard, but not make the finger long enough to go through the trigger guard.  I have low grade OCD, damn it.  I spent 15 minutes trying to get the finger to stay posed inside the trigger guard.

The bad news about this figure is that it borrows the much hated legs from 2007’s Death Star Trooper.  So not only is the figure too tall, it appears to have arthritic knees.  I know what the sculptor was going for.  It was meant to represent the bunched up pant material being tucked into the boots.  But when that falls exactly at the point of articulation, it looks odd.

I shouldn’t judge this set for its lack of newness, but I can’t help but judge this set for its lack of newness. The only reason to buy this set is for the maybe-Pol Treidum, but as that figure underwhelms, I have to give it a 6 out of 10.

[Updated Review by Bret - 1/16/2023]

It was time we updated this particular set for our galleries, along with the sister set, the Imperial Scanning Crew, which will follow shortly.  The reason for this random review is because Chris told me to do it, since these 2 are in our old styling, and are not up to our current standards.  Yes, Bantha Skull has standards.  Other than that, it’s because I have no recent releases to review.  Also since we have the awesome VC231 Stormtrooper, as well as Imperial Officers coming in the pipeline (Piett, Jerjerodd, ...), it makes some sense to check on these figures.

Side note:  I am writing this review coming off watching the Giants knock out the Vikings, so forgive me if my giddiness results in typos and other nonsense.

Chris covered a lot in his original review, but here are a few notes I have on the set.  The Scanning Crew figure in this set is essentially a repack of the single carded release in The Legacy Collection.  Chris noted that it appears to have a bit of a wash to the uniform, so it makes it very slightly different in that regard.  If you are unable to see the difference in the photos, one other thing I noticed that was different was that this release adds two tiny silver dots to the square readout on the left forearm.  These dots are absent in the original.  The rolling accessory is repainted from the one that was included with that figure as well.  So not much new here.

[Note:  After some notable feedback by readers in the comments, as well as some additional research which was lacking on my part when I did this review, I’ve updated the gallery above, as well as the following paragraph.]

The Imperial Officer is kind of neat.  We received the first modern version of a black-uniformed officer in the collector-friendly 2001 Power of the Jedi line.  That figure was then not only released in the 2003 Saga line with a new head, but another headsculpt variant was included as a running change, giving us three variants.  Later, in 2008, the Hasbro repainted the 2006 TSC Moff Jerjerrod figure, believed by most to be LT “You Rebel scum” Renz.  Sadly, Hasbro failed to remove the rank badge from the original buck, as Renz wore no rank badge.  Shortly thereafter, Hasbro did remove the badge, added a new headsculpt, and gave him the name of COL “Wilhelm Scream” Dyer, played by Ben Burtt.  All of these figures had limited articulation, which changed with this TVC update. 

The base figure is that of 2008’s Captain Needa.  It seemed like Hasbro was going to use this officer buck to pump out a bunch of repaints, especially since the went through the trouble of making the rank badge a separate piece that could be changed, depending on the character.  To my recollection, Needa and this guy were the only two that used this base figure, and it’s interesting to note that Hasbro did create different rank badges for both.  As Chris points out, this is probably Pol Treidum, but went unnamed on the package, even though the sister set names the stormtrooper. 

The officer also comes with the novel, but somewhat clumsy, 3-part blaster.  You can unfold the stock for some variation, but the bulky pieces make it impossible to pose the figure with a THWG.

It’s a neat set, with the unique officer, but at the same time it was the less interesting of the pair of sets.  We’ll see if Hasbro ever finds a way to get us black-clad imperial officers in TVC.  With a new buck on the way, it could be a great opportunity to repaint it with new heads in the troop builder sub-line.  I think Hasbro could pump out those variations of those 4-packs every year with new heads and new names, and collectors would gobble them up.