Doctor Who 2022 Special 1

2022 will mark the end of the 13th Doctor era with a trio of specials known as the Jodie Whitaker specials. The series of specials kicked off with the New Year 2022 special where The Doctor and friends are stuck in a time loop while trying to save a couple from a Dalek attack, resulting in a "Live, Die, Repeat" scenario a la Edge of Tomorrow.

Doctor Who 2022 Special: Eve of the Daleks

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As the couple named Nick and Sarah as well as The Doctor and her friends were killed by the Daleks on New Year's eve, they were thrown to the time loop reliving the terrifying moment over and over again. As they failed the second attempt because of the Dalek smart enough to read their moves, the third attempt saw the couple back together and with The Doctor found them, they group together for a plan to escape from the Daleks.

Hiding from the Daleks, The Doctor came up with a plan to use the time loop as their advantage against the Dalek. By the time they got killed by the Daleks again, they were back for their fourth attempt and this time, it's four minutes before midnight. The answer is on the fifth floor. They were killed again and starting over again with one minute down.

As Nick outsmarted the Daleks, the gang regroups for a change of plans; divide and outsmart the Daleks by all means. As they were killed again by the Daleks, the real challenge begins. However, they were ambushed in the dark and failed to defeat the Daleks, resulting to their death...again.

With only two minutes before midnight, the gang are resorting to drastic measures by throwing a decoy tactic to throw the Daleks off. By the time there were back in the loop with a minute left before midnight, the gang set off an explosive trap for one last attempt to defeat the Daleks and succeeded. An explosive endgame to ring in the New Year.

With the Daleks met their explosive demise, and with the couple starting their new lives together, The Doctor and friends are setting off for another adventure...

This New Year's special of Doctor Who really took the pages from Edge of Tomorrow and Source Code. It's the case of "live, die, repeat" that really sums this special real good, although this isn't the first time The Doctor experienced this "live, die, repeat" scenario. The last time Doctor Who had this Edge of Tomorrow moment was back in the Peter Capaldi years, namely the episode titled Heaven Sent.

Comparing Heaven Sent to Eve of the Daleks is bourgeois because both episodes saw The Doctor lives, die, and repeat until the answer is found. If Heaven Sent saw The Doctor having an Edge of Tomorrow moment to uncover the path that leads him to Gallifrey, then Even of the Daleks saw The Doctor and the gang having their Edge of Tomorrow moment to defeat the Daleks. That's trial and error, Whovians. Try and try until you succeed.

What a way to kick off the 13th Doctor's final journey!

The Doctor and friends will return in Legend of the Sea Devils, airing Spring 2022.