The first Torchwood release of the year sees Rhys Williams caught up in some supernatural goings-on. Read our review here, but be sure to check out our preview with the authors first.

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Writers Lauren Mooney and Stewart Pringle are no strangers to Torchwood, Poppet being the pair’s fourth entry in the range. However, this is their first time writing for Rhys Williams, in an adventure that sees him tackle strange wooden dolls.

The story begins with Rhys working for a café, still on the run and split up from Gwen in the wake of Children of Earth. Pretty soon, he notices a strange thing by the school across the road – a mother screaming for her child. A child that the school has no knowledge of. This kicks off the events that play out, as Rhys becomes friendly with Catherine.

What unfolds is a spooky, unsettling drama that weaves together magical realism, missing people, a haunted house, and a froggy cake. Mooney and Pringle’s script manages to keep a comic strand running the whole way through, which is an impressive feat and one that Kai Owen rises to effortlessly. Amongst the dark imagery there always seems to be a glimmer of levity, which is exactly what’s required in a story like this.

The standout performance of the episode, though, is undoubtedly Sion Tudor Owens‘s intensely unsettling Mr Collins. He has the opportunity to create some truly terrifying moments, which will certainly send a shiver down the listener’s spine. Elsewhere, the whole episode has an eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere, not least in a particular scene where Rhys’s sanity is questioned…

While not completely original (it does feel like we’ve heard versions of this story before), the addition of a folkloric aspect in this story gives it a fresh feel, and it’s a fantastic way to kick off Torchwood 2024.

Torchwood: Poppet is out now and available to order on CD or as a download from bigfinish.com.