In Season 7's 'Plaything,' Brooker pays homage to his experiences as a 1990s video game journalist while weaving a horror narrative. The episode depicts a games journalist who encounters Poulter's character, leading him into disturbing situations. Brooker contrasts the cute aesthetics of the game's characters, the thronglets, with the dark themes of neglect and chaos, embodying a satirical take on gaming culture. Krankel notes that the game design embraces the idea that the thronglets are both adorable and horrific, reinforcing the episode's tonal clash and underlying message.
"That's as autobiographical as this gets, because then all sorts of horrible things happen," Brooker says, reflecting on the personal nature of his storytelling.
"Charlie said something early on that we wrote on the wall very quickly: 'Thronglets are adorable and horrible,' and so that is the game," Krankel shares, emphasizing the duality of the game's design.
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