Resolution (TV story)

Resolution was the first New Year Special of Doctor Who since The End of Time: Part Two in 2010. It was broadcast on New Year's Day 2019 and, according to Chris Chibnall, was a "de facto" conclusion on series 11, despite the previous story acting as a finale.

This episode featured the return of the Daleks, who were the first returning enemies from another era since Chibnall took over as showrunner at the start of the series. As such, this was also the first encounter between the Thirteenth Doctor and the Daleks. The Dalek in this story notably features a new design, the first since the New Dalek Paradigm were introduced in 2010's Victory of the Daleks.

Resolution is also notable for introducing a new form of Dalek weaponry. Besides the gunstick and manipulator arm (here in the form of a claw, rather than the "plunger" design), this Dalek also demonstrated possession and use of multiple short-range missiles behind each of its orbs. It also marked the introduction of a new class of Dalek, the reconnaissance scout.

This story furthers Ryan's character arc by introducing his father, who had been referred to throughout the preceding season, and addressing the conflict between them.

Behind the camera, it marked the return of director Wayne Yip, who had previously worked on Doctor Who and Class during the Steven Moffat era. He was the first returning director since Chibnall became showrunner.

It was also the first Chibnall-era production to make use of a returning editor, Edel McDonnell, and a returning director of photography, Stuart Biddlecombe.

Notably, this episode broke the tradition of yearly Christmas specials, which had aired every 25 December since 2005.

Synopsis
On Earth, New Year's Day 2019, a long-buried creature is beginning to stir. The most dangerous creature in the universe and it will stop at nothing to claim the Earth. Conquest in 9376 rels.

The Doctor must gather all her friends and resources to prevent another invasion. And if they fail... The Daleks are coming.

Plot
In the 9th century, a creature attacks the Earth. Three tribes of people come together to destroy it. After many deaths, they emerge victorious and cut it into three pieces. The Three Custodians transport them to three distinct places around the world: Anuta Island, Siberia and Yorkshire. The third Custodian in England attempts to take his piece to Yorkshire but is killed en route by thieves, shot from his horse while in Sheffield. The man's final fragment remains unguarded for over 1000 years.

It is New Year's Day in 2019 Sheffield. Two archaeologists, Lin and Mitch, gather around a proper archaeological find that they have helped uncover underground, both pleased to have something to do on the usually quiet New Year's Day. Mitch hesitantly brings up the topic of a kiss that the two shared at a party the night before, with both eventually confirming that it did mean something to them. Lin explains that that was the reason why she suggested they come in and the two promise to make plans later before Lin notices something odd near the hand of the skeleton they are studying. Later, Mitch bags up the mysterious object and explains his excitement over how their find could be key to uncovering the mysteries behind the supposed Battle of Hope Valley. The two go off to talk. Meanwhile, the current Custodians on Anuta Island and in Siberia notice something strange happening with their shrines and the bagged object in Sheffield begins to expand and writhe.

In the TARDIS, the Thirteenth Doctor, Graham, Yaz and Ryan watch some "cosmic fireworks" out of the door. The four discuss which of the nineteen New Year's Eve celebrations they have visited is their favourite (Graham choosing the original celebrations in Mesopotamia, Ryan choosing Sydney in 2000, and Yaz choosing 1801, discovering a dwarf planet with Giuseppe Piazzi), but before the Doctor can set off their twentieth on Quantifer, an alarm sounds, signalling trouble on Earth. The Doctor explains that a terrible group of non-terrestrial things are attempting to teleport together, towards none other than Sheffield.

At the dig site, a tentacle that was held in the bag has pushed itself off the table. Lin and Mitch initially attribute it to rats before Lin discovers a huge tentacled creature stuck to the wall and nearly touches it before the TARDIS dematerialises. As the Doctor and her friends introduce themselves and the excavators explain the situation, the creature is revealed to have disappeared into the water and the Doctor collects some residue to scan. Yaz leads everyone out as the area is placed under quarantine and the group returns to the TARDIS. Lin and Mitch go their separate ways, promising to meet up again, but Lin begins to act strangely as she sits down in her car.

With the TARDIS scanning for any extraterrestrial life, they land back in Graham and Ryan's house, needing some household ingredients to help with analysing the residue. While they are there, the doorbell rings and Graham immediately shuts the door on the visitor without talking to them. As they continue ringing, Ryan answers instead, leading a man into the house - his father, Aaron. However, despite his attempts to be kind, the Doctor does not return the gesture because of him being missing from Ryan's life and not showing to Grace's funeral. Ryan begrudgingly agrees to go and grab a coffee with him, but not before Graham also tells Aaron some choice words.

Meanwhile, in Lin's house, she returns to go to the bathroom, taking off her jacket to reveal that the creature is settled on her back with one tentacle inserted on her neck. It begins to talk, gloating at being able to control her fully, and eventually starts talking through her mouth. In the TARDIS, the Doctor finally founds out what creature they are dealing with: a Dalek. Controlling Lin, the Dalek mutant forces her to access UNIT's archives so it can learn about Earth's capabilities and fulfil its purpose. The Doctor continues to explain the background of the Daleks to Graham and Yaz and wonders how it is able to move so fast when it is out of its casing. It is revealed that the Dalek's control of Lin has now extended to forcing her to drive her car at over 100 miles per hour and she is quickly pulled over by police. Relishing the opportunity, the Dalek mutant attacks police officer Will as he is speaking to Lin. The mutant then attacks a second police officer and Lin steals her uniform. It flees in the police car and leaves both officers lying in the road.

In the café, Aaron attempts to sell a combo microwave and oven to the owner to no success. To Ryan, he admits that his new business venture is not working very well and may have to return to the offshore oil rigs before he asks Ryan how he is. Ryan is very angry at his attempt to start their rehabilitation in that way and explains how lonely, abandoned, and lost in life he has felt without his father's presence. The severity of the situation dawns on Aaron and he explains how he made some bad decisions in the past that forced him to run away because he was too scared to face the truth but promises not to hide any more.

Outside in Sheffield, Mitch talks to Yaz on the phone about what he has seen and the TARDIS materialises next to him, having followed his phone signal, and Yaz ushers him inside. After the initial shock subsides, the Doctor plans to scan for any other traces of the Dalek, but after mentioning the Custodians, they return to Graham and Ryan's house. While there, Mitch unloads his findings and explains the history of the battle, with the Doctor realising that the Dalek was revived thanks to being placed under ultraviolet light. After Yaz explains that she cannot get hold of Lin at all, Mitch and the Doctor begin to worry about her and return to the TARDIS. The Doctor is able to identify the coordinates of both Lin and the Dalek and discover that they overlap.

Meanwhile, Ryan and Aaron return home, and Ryan enters the TARDIS, where he tucks his father's microwave away. Attempting to get a read on the Dalek, the TARDIS' systems short-circuit thanks to interference from the creature. The Doctor explains that should be impossible unless it is a reconnaissance scout, a specially advanced form of Dalek that was one of the first to leave Skaro and reach Earth. The Doctor sends an annoyed Graham off to buy some peanut butter to fix her systems.

Still controlling Lin, the Dalek speeds to the MDZ Research security archives in Yorkshire and promptly kills the only security guard, using him to unlock a secure room and retrieve a Dalek gun. She suddenly stops, hearing the Doctor's voice in her head, speaking from the TARDIS. The Dalek confirms that it is a recon scout and it now has a weapon to try and conquer Earth. The Dalek attempts to laugh at her and, enraged, the Doctor summons a hologram of Lin so they can see each other. Getting through to Lin for a short time, she shows her how Mitch is safe and they are coming for her, before revealing to the Dalek that she has bought time to reboot her systems. Promising to find the Dalek, the TARDIS takes off, leaving Graham and Aaron alone in the house together.

Flying after the Dalek, Mitch explains that MDZ is a weapons research company that buys alien weaponry from the black market. The Dalek prevents the TARDIS' bio-fix, so the Doctor goes "old-school", tracking CCTV cameras, GPS and car number plates until the Dalek shoots the cameras out. Taking Yaz's phone, the Doctor resolves to get help. However, attempting to phone Kate Stewart at UNIT, the Doctor is instead put through to the 'UK Security Helpline', where the call centre worker, Polly, eventually learns that UNIT has been suspended following financial disputes. Powerless, the Doctor hangs up. Back in Graham's house, Graham brings down a large box full of a child's drawings and toys. They are revealed to all be Aaron's, and Grace kept them all her life. Aaron states that he wishes to be better at life, and Graham tells him there is still time to make it up.

Lin, still being controlled, drives up to a farm workshop, and after shooting the owner, states that "I shall be reborn" before collecting a lot of metal parts. Lin is forced to start welding many plates together and as she begins to tire, she attempts to fight against the creature. As she does so, the Doctor, Yaz, Ryan and Mitch run to find her. By the time they do, the Dalek mutant has already disconnected from her, leaving her weak but alive. The Doctor tells her friends to return her to the TARDIS while she has a personal talk with her enemy. Finally, the fully-built Dalek emerges. It is not perfect, is clearly made out of recycled metal from memory, and has a claw arm. The Doctor sonics its laser as it syncs itself up, allowing them to talk. The Dalek claims it has control over the Earth and will summon its fleet to take over the planet, but the Doctor contests it, stating that she is not human. The Doctor finally identifies herself to the Dalek and it overrides the block from the sonic screwdriver to shoot at her. She ducks away, but the Dalek states that it has all the information it needs and will conquer Earth in 9,376 rels, before taking off through the ceiling.

Back in the TARDIS, the Doctor explains to her friends that she did the opposite of getting rid of the Dalek and sets the TARDIS in flight. As Lin admits she is still feeling shaky, the Doctor gives her some medication before she receives a phone call. It is Graham, asking where she has gone. The TARDIS returns to pick him up, allowing Aaron to witness it materialising, and the two enter.

The Dalek lands in a barren area, quickly followed by the army. They surround it, guns all pointed, but refuse to listen to the Dalek's time period for surrender and they begin to get killed. Their bullets are harmless to the Dalek and in response, some of its domes open up to reveal rocket launchers that finish off the rest of the soldiers, running away. After shooting down a tank as well, the Dalek flies off. In the TARDIS, Aaron's microwave slides across the floor and he explains about it. After talking to Ryan about his life with the Doctor and realising that the Dalek is made of metal, the two take apart the microwave to remove its element. As more and more alarms sound, the Doctor realises that the Dalek is moving to the centre of British communications.

The Dalek bursts through the ceiling of the General Communications Headquarters, immediately killing the security guard, and diverts all possible power towards Skaro. The Doctor discovers that it has shut down the UK's Wi-Fi, phone signals, and internet to power the transmission as one family laments being forced to talk to each other. The TARDIS lands in GCHQ and although the Dalek immediately attempts to exterminate the Doctor, it is deflected by the TARDIS' shield. The rest of the group emerge and the Dalek refuses its "final, final, final warning", causing the Doctor to enact her plan. Telling the Dalek that Earth is protected, this year and every other, the Doctor slides around the room behind the Dalek in one direction while the others run the opposite way. Working together to turn the Dalek around, they attach the microwave parts to its casing and, with the voltage and amperage fluctuating wildly, it burns through the recycled metal case and causes a small explosion. With the Reconnaissance signal not having sent, the Doctor celebrates, but not for long as it is revealed that the mutant has now taken over Aaron. The Doctor promises to send the creature to its fleet as long as it keeps Aaron alive.

They enter the TARDIS, with the Doctor stating that they have reached the fleet, but opens the doors to see a supernova, with a vacuum corridor ready to drag the mutant into space from Aaron's back. However, the corridor expands, beginning to take Aaron with it. As he barely holds on by the doors, Ryan risks everything to run and grab him, finally saying that he forgives him and loves him, and with the two holding hands, the Dalek mutant is finally jettisoned into space. The TARDIS doors finally close with the threat removed.

Sometime later, the TARDIS lands back at the underground dig site in Sheffield, returning Lin and Mitch to their work with everything back to normal. The Doctor offers a trip in the TARDIS to Aaron, but he politely turns it down, with Ryan promising to call him when he returns. With Team TARDIS back together and safe, they prepare to head back into the box - destination everywhere.

Cast

 * The Doctor - Jodie Whittaker
 * Graham O'Brien - Bradley Walsh
 * Yasmin Khan - Mandip Gill
 * Ryan Sinclair - Tosin Cole
 * Lin - Charlotte Ritchie
 * Mitch - Nikesh Patel
 * Aaron - Daniel Adegboyega
 * Police Officer Will - Darryl Clark
 * Security Guard Richard - Connor Calland
 * Farmer Dinkle - James Lewis
 * Mum - Sophie Duval
 * Teen 1 - Callum McDonald
 * Teen 2 - Harry Vallance
 * Call Centre Polly - Laura Evelyn
 * Sergeant - Michael Ballard
 * Voice of the Dalek - Nick Briggs

TARDIS

 * When the TARDIS is locked down, the Doctor asks Graham to get some peanut butter to grease the geo-feudal locks with.
 * The TARDIS is capable of bio-tracking, as well as holo-projection.
 * It can also triangulate mobile phone signals, track CCTV cameras, monitor satellite footage, and follow GPS and number plate tracking.

Daleks

 * The Dalek buried on Earth is a reconnaissance scout, who have abilities beyond those of normal Daleks. Among these is that removed from its casing, the recon scout's Kaled mutants can control humans and use them as vehicles instead.
 * Kaled mutants can be restored to life by energy from ultraviolet lamps, even if they are split into pieces.

History

 * The Three Custodians were involved in the Battle of Hope Valley in the 9th century.
 * The Doctor takes Team TARDIS to 19 New Year's Eves in a row.
 * Graham's favourite was Mesopotamia, modern-day Iraq, which the Doctor says was the original.
 * Ryan's favourite was Sydney, 2000, where they watched the fireworks from the Harbour Bridge.
 * Yaz's favourite was 1801, when they discovered a dwarf planet with Giuseppe Piazzi.

Locations

 * The Three Custodians intend to bury the three pieces in remote places around the Earth. Two travel to Anuta Island on the South Pacific, and Siberia, Russia, while the third is killed in Yorkshire, England before reaching his intended destination.
 * Sheffield Town Hall is later built over the site of the third Custodian's remains. The site itself is in the sewers.
 * The Doctor wants to take her friends to Quantifer, a settlement on the edge of the known universe, for their twentieth New Year's Eve.
 * After discovering the mutant in the sewers, Team TARDIS visits Graham O'Brien's house.
 * Ryan and his father Aaron visit a café around the corner from Graham's house.

Organisations

 * The offspring of the surviving Three Custodians become the Order of the Custodians.
 * MDZ Research is a weapons research company.
 * The Dalek accesses the Black Archive on Lin's computer.
 * Lin is chased and then stopped by a Hallamshire Police car for speeding. She was driving at 103 miles per hour.
 * The Doctor calls the UK Security Helpline with Yaz's phone and asks to be transferred to Kate Stewart at UNIT.
 * According to Polly, UNIT operations have been suspended, pending review, following financial disputes and subsequent funding withdrawals.
 * The Dalek makes its way to the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), and uses its relay dishes to contact the Dalek fleet.

People

 * Aaron Sinclair, Ryan's dad, previously worked as an oil rig engineer, and is currently trying out other income opportunities.
 * Richard, the MDZ security guard, has a boyfriend.

Objects

 * The TARDIS lands on Graham's wooden chair when the team arrives at Graham's house.
 * Lin constructs a new Dalek casing, welding it out of remnants of its old shell, as well as metals found at Dinkle's farm.

Clothing

 * The Doctor wears a long scarf during their New Year celebrations.
 * Lin dons a pink bathrobe, on the Dalek's command.

Weapons

 * The soldiers in the Battle of Hope Valley fight with swords.
 * The third Custodian is killed by an arrow on his way to the Yorkshire burial site.
 * Lin, controlled by the Dalek, retrieves its Dalek gunstick from the MDZ Research facility.
 * The newly designed Dalek casing has short-range missile launchers behind its sense globes.
 * The Army tries to destroy the Dalek with a tank, which it promptly blows it up with one of its missiles.

Technology

 * The Doctor thinks Graham's doorbell is an intruder alert.
 * The Dalek commands Lin to open her laptop, which it uses to assess Earth's military capabilities.
 * Aaron is trying to sell a Matsoki combination microwave and oven. The Doctor later uses the microwave oven to attack the Dalek.
 * Ryan mentions that you can buy a microwave online.
 * The Doctor follows Mitch's mobile phone signal.
 * Lin, controlled by the Dalek, shoots out CCTV cameras with her Dalek gunstick to try and prevent the Doctor from tracking them.
 * The Army sergeant thinks the Dalek is a drone.
 * There is a wind turbine near the site where the Army engages the Dalek.
 * In order to contact the Dalek fleet, the Dalek takes control of GCHQ's relay dishes, and syphons off power from the rest of the UK to aid in the transmission.
 * In doing so, the Dalek shuts down the Wi-Fi across the UK, as well as all telephone signals.

Vehicles

 * The Dalek drives Lin's car while controlling her. They proceed to steal Will and the other officer's police car.

Science

 * The Doctor takes Team TARDIS to see cosmic fireworks.
 * The TARDIS detects the Dalek mutant's attempt at a spatial shift.
 * The Dalek is brought back to life accidentally through ultraviolet light.
 * The Doctor opens the TARDIS doors to a vacuum corridor produced by a star going supernova, in order to flush the Dalek out of her ship.

Archaeology

 * Lin laments that they aren't digging up Alfred the Great.
 * According to Mitch, Richard III's remains were found at a car park in Leicester.

Medicine

 * The Doctor gives Lin medicine which will help her recover from her time under Dalek control. She warns her not to take it with alcohol, or she'll grow an extra head.

Zoology

 * Lin thinks the Dalek mutant looks like a massive squid.

Measurements

 * The Doctor can't remember how long a rel is.

Culture

 * When the Dalek shuts down the Wi-Fi across the UK, two teenagers lament that they cannot access Netflix.
 * A man in the café is reading a copy of the Sheffield Advertiser. The front page features the headline: "Local bus route may change".

Story notes

 * According to Darren Fereday, the concept artist, the Dalek in this episode was fully robotic and thus radio-operated, requiring no Dalek operator inside the casing. Three separate systems controlled the eyestalk, the gunstick and manipulator arm, and the lights. He also noted that the melted Dalek made use of practical LED lighting.
 * This is the third Dalek episode to air on New Year’s Day, following, "Volcano" and Part One of Day of the Daleks. 
 * The underground sewer system was one of the biggest sets ever built for Doctor Who, according to Matt Strevens.
 * Before Resolution was announced, the 2018 Christmas Special was rumoured to have been skipped.
 * The copy of the Sheffield Advertiser which Graham is reading in the Series 11 teaser is the same one he is reading in this episode.
 * Like The Woman Who Fell to Earth, Resolution lacks an opening title sequence and leaves the title card for the beginning of the end credits.
 * Like The End of Time: Part One and The Big Bang before it, Resolution takes place on the day it was broadcast: 1 January 2019.
 * This is the first television story in which Nicholas Briggs is credited as "Nick Briggs". It is also his first credit under Chris Chibnall.
 * Briggs revealed that he wanted to make this particular Dalek super arrogant and that he wanted it to sound as little as possible like the regular Daleks as it is sitting on Lin's back as it is speaking within its mind.
 * The Daleks' gunfire sound from Remembrance of the Daleks is reused in this story.
 * Following the Special, in which the Dalek attacked the GCHQ, the real-world establishment jokingly reported that they were back up and running once again.
 * To keep the return of the Daleks a surprise, two methods were used:
 * Nick Briggs (Voice of the Dalek) remained uncredited both in Radio Times and on BBC iPlayer.
 * The Dalek was codenamed "Kevin".

Ratings

 * 5.15 million (UK overnight)
 * 6.95 million (UK consolidated ratings)

Filming locations

 * Newton Beach, Porthcawl - Siberia
 * 36 Shrewsbury Road, Sheffield - Graham's house, front door
 * Cathays Llywodraeth Cymru offices, Cardiff - MDZ Research HQ, exterior

Production errors

 * Like in The End of Time Part Two, the end credits specified that the episode was broadcast in 2018 — hence BBC MMXVIII appears, whereas it should say BBC MMXIX because it was broadcast in 2019. This did not happen in Revolution of the Daleks, which was broadcast on New Year's Day 2021.

Myths and rumours

 * The episode's full title was going to be Resolution of the Daleks. This was proven false.

Continuity

 * The Doctor has been on Earth for the start of New Year 2000 before, in their second (PROSE: That Time I Nearly Destroyed the World Whilst Looking for a Dress), fourth, (COMIC: The Forgotten, PROSE: Millennium Shock) sixth (PROSE: Millennial Rites) and eighth incarnations. (TV: Doctor Who)
 * The Doctor has previously encountered Dalek mutants outside of their casing. (AUDIO: The Apocalypse Element; TV: The Power of the Daleks, Destiny of the Daleks, Resurrection of the Daleks, Twice Upon a Time)
 * Ryan calls Graham "gramps". (TV: It Takes You Away, The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos)
 * Ryan's dad, Aaron, appears. The Doctor mentions he missed Grace's funeral. (TV: The Woman Who Fell to Earth, Arachnids in the UK)
 * The Dalek accesses the internet to research the planet's capabilities. (TV: Dalek) It accesses the Black Archive. (TV: The Day of the Doctor, et al.)
 * The Doctor calls Aaron Sinclair "Ryan's dad." Similarly, she called Najia Khan "Yaz's mum." (TV: Arachnids in the UK)
 * The Doctor again states that just one Dalek could take over the planet. (TV: Dalek)
 * The Doctor states she once learned to think like a Dalek. The Doctor's similarity to Daleks has been mentioned before. (TV: Dalek, Into the Dalek)
 * The Doctor mentions the TARDIS' dimensional transcendentalism. (TV: An Unearthly Child, et al.)
 * The Doctor requests for UNIT and Kate Stewart. (TV: The Invasion, The Power of Three et al.)
 * The Dalek predicts conquest in 9376 rels. Rels are a Dalek measurement of time. (AUDIO: The Genocide Machine, Blood of the Daleks; TV: Doomsday, et al.)
 * The Doctor mentions that short hops in the TARDIS are difficult. (TV: Full Circle, State of Decay, Logopolis, The Bells of Saint John)
 * The TARDIS has shielding which can keep the Doctor and her allies in a protective bubble, safe from Dalek weaponry. (TV: The Parting of the Ways, Rosa)
 * The Doctor gives a final warning to her nemesis, allowing it one last chance to back down. The Tenth Doctor regularly gave his enemies one last chance to surrender. (TV: The Christmas Invasion, New Earth, School Reunion, The Poison Sky, The Next Doctor)
 * She cites her kindness as her reason for doing so. (TV: The Doctor Falls, Rosa)
 * Dalek laughter is once more shown to be off-putting to humans. (COMIC: City of the Daleks)
 * The Doctor and her companions manually steer the Dalek. (TV: The Daleks, Journey's End)
 * The Doctor refers to her companions as her "extended fam". (TV: The Woman Who Fell to Earth, Arachnids in the UK, The Witchfinders, The Battle of Ranskoor Av Kolos)
 * The Doctor opens the TARDIS doors with a switch on the control console. (TV: An Unearthly Child, et al.)
 * In the end, Ryan forgives his father for all he put him through. (TV: The Woman Who Fell to Earth, Arachnids in the UK, The Tsuranga Conundrum)
 * Ryan mentions that he has dyspraxia. (TV: The Woman Who Fell to Earth, The Ghost Monument, Kerblam!)
 * The Reconnaissance Dalek found out the Doctor's species by scanning her biology. Another Dalek who confronted the Tenth Doctor did the same thing. (PROSE: I Am a Dalek)
 * The Doctor states that the Earth is protected. (TV: The Christmas Invasion, The Eleventh Hour, et al.)
 * The Reconnaissance Dalek was initially defeated by an army of enemies who had banded together. The Fourth Doctor previously noted that worlds would become allies just because of their fear of the Daleks. (TV: Genesis of the Daleks) The humans and the Draconians also became allies against the Daleks, their common enemies. (TV: Frontier in Space)

DVD releases
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Digital releases
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