Moving on from cannibalistic skeletons and claustrophobic space stations, the third boxset of Classic Doctors New Monsters introduces yet another new classic series Doctor into the fold. For his premiere adventure, the 3^rd Doctor finds himself and Sarah Jane on Earth, far into the future. The humans have long since left, and all that remains is the replica of a Victorian priory, a Hoxx host and a spooky spectre.

When the Third Doctor and Sarah journey far into the future of Earth, the last thing they expect to find on the planet is a haunted house!

Invited to dinner by the Hoxx of Balhoon and his ovine ward, the TARDIS travellers experience strange and disturbing phenomena, and the Doctor is determined to discover the cause…

Big Finish Synopsis

The House that Hoxx Built keeps the strong momentum that we were left with at the end of the second CDNM boxset. Far removed from the Time War’s troubles, however, Foley’s first contribution to the series brings with it an entirely different atmosphere. What he brings to the series is a ghost story that feels oddly cosy.  

While a cosy ghost story may seem like a bit of an oxymoron, Foley is following in the footsteps of a well-established genre as he entices audiences with lashings of familiar ghost-story tropes. There are bumps and bangs, a creepy holographic butler and a haunted history – all instantly recognisable traits that come hand in hand with a haunted house. What elevates these elements, then, is the atmosphere that Foley wraps around them. Throughout this story, we spend a lot of time with the house’s three residents and with the house itself. Learning about its history and the Hoxx’s efforts to preserve a small part of what’s left of the Earth, alongside their rather unconventional family, invites a sense of warmth that permeates the episode despite the ghostly goings-on.

Besides the warm atmosphere they create, the three residents of Fetchborough Priory also have great character dynamics. The strongest of these dynamics comes from the stellar parent-child dynamic presented by Francesca and the Hoxx of Balhoon. Despite a clear species difference (one’s a Sheeple, the other, a Hoxx), it is clear how protective the Hoxx is of Francesca, regardless of the dangers they face as the ghostly mystery deepens. Francesca also has a good blossoming friendship with Sarah Jane that develops over the course of the episode. They are as thick as thieves, and Sarah’s natural curiosity for danger helps Francesca overcome her more fearful nature.

The only issue that this story has is with the ghosts themselves – the Benighted. Unfortunately, there’s nothing that really makes these creatures stand out. An alien species that can only take on a ghostly form, the Benighted’s spooky actions are misconstrued, and ultimately, the Doctor sends them off on their merry way by the end of the story. With little more than this given to them throughout the story, they end up being a bit too simplistic and one-note, inevitably becoming a weak link in an otherwise strong adventure.