Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“Playing House: Timey-Wimey Ghosts in a Dying TARDIS"

A haunted house mystery that blends temporal chaos, eerie monsters, and one last ride for Hattie.

A Spooky Start for Hattie

Hattie’s first trip in the TARDIS sees her and the Twelfth Doctor land in a labyrinthine manor house, immediately plunging them into a ghostly mystery. The house’s ever-changing layout and ominous Spyrillites scratching at the windows create an atmosphere of suspense that harkens back to Doctor Who’s creepier episodes.

The Doctor is his usual mix of charm and chaos, navigating the dangers with his sharp wit and a healthy dose of punk energy. Hattie, unfortunately, gets limited opportunity to shine, feeling more like a passenger in this adventure than a fully-fledged companion.

The Spyrillites: Ghosts with a Sci-Fi Twist

The Spyrillites are a neat concept: creatures that feed on artron energy and clean up the temporal "mess" left by time travellers. The idea that they inspired ghost stories throughout history is a clever touch, but they don’t feel fully utilised. While visually striking and eerie, their presence feels more like set dressing than a driving force in the plot.

The Mansion TARDIS: A Dying Mystery

The true star of the story is the haunted house itself, revealed to be a dying TARDIS purchased as a piece of old furniture at a yard sale. The premise is wonderfully Doctor Who: blending the mundane with the extraordinary in a way only this series can. The leaking artron energy and the mansion’s deteriorating state create a compelling tension, though the solution feels rushed.

The explanation that the TARDIS's breakdown could destroy Earth adds high stakes, but these stakes are undercut by how quickly the Doctor resolves the problem.

The Family: Background Players

The family trapped in the mansion, while functional, doesn’t leave a lasting impression. The mother is admirably resourceful in defending her children, but the characters largely fade into the background as the focus remains on the Doctor, Hattie, and the dying TARDIS.

Visuals and Atmosphere

The artwork is solid, though not as striking as in The Twist. Some poses for the Doctor feel out of character, but the spooky, labyrinthine mansion is well-realised, with its impossible geometry and haunting shadows creating a vivid setting. The Spyrillites, while eerie, don’t leave much room for creative variation in their design.

Hattie’s Brief Tenure

It’s disappointing that Hattie’s time in the TARDIS is so fleeting. After her promising introduction in The Twist, she barely gets a chance to grow or develop as a companion before being dropped back home. This abrupt conclusion feels like a missed opportunity to explore her dynamic with the Doctor further.

Verdict: A Fun but Fleeting Haunt

Playing House is a spooky, timey-wimey romp with some intriguing ideas—particularly the mansion TARDIS and the Spyrillites’ connection to ghost stories. However, the rushed resolution and lack of depth for both the monsters and Hattie leave it feeling more like a standalone filler episode than a meaningful continuation of Twelve’s adventures.

📝72/100

This comic is fine but nothing special. It's a cool idea done well but, compared to other stories in this range, better material exists. I also felt that the companion was quite generic. The art is nice.