A story that does some things right, some things wrong and some things decently, which adds up to a package that can be labeled as “Okay”.

The story focuses on a maid called Ruby, who works for the mysterious Gledhill family. This family sometimes shows odd behavior, like freezing in time. Everything becomes clear, however, when the Doctor and Steven arrive.

This story is a bit of an outside perspective. A Doctor Who adventure where we have the perspective of the side cast. Luckily, the maid Ruby is a pretty interesting woman with a sharp and pragmatic mind, which helps in the enjoyment.

The overall threat, though, is a bit too half baked for my liking. We see exactly 2 of the weird family behaviors before we get definitive proof that they’re aliens. They once freeze in time and once walked into a room together. I would prefer something a bit meatier than that.

Their plan is also a bit too vague, though that might be because I’m not that familiar with English history. The evil family tries to steal the plans for a warship called the “Dreadnought”, which I know nothing about. The explanation in the story is also pretty meager, however, so I felt a little left behind when we get this big revelation. Apparently stealing the blueprints for the Dreadnought would crumble the arms race between humans, which will lead to weaker weapons in the long run. Sure, I’ll take your word for it, story.

But yeah, it kind of strikes a middle ground. The villains and their plan are pretty weak, but the side character and her interactions with the party are really enjoyable. That adds up to a story that’s pretty middle of the road. By no means bad, but could’ve been a bit more fulfilling if there was an actual threat.