It\u2019s like Groundhog Day, basically, as Dan (John Bishop) notes at one point \u2013 though there is a twist. Unlike other eternal time loops, this one\u2019s getting shorter by a minute each time. And also unlike other time loops, there are loads of Daleks trying to kill you within it (which would be a great deleted scene with Bill Murray, admittedly).<\/p>\n
It\u2019s all a rollicking good time and by the end you\u2019ll be left with a big smile on your face \u2013 but you\u2019d be forgiven for being a bit confused by the time the credits roll as well. Wait, why did the loop lose a minute every time? Who made the loop? Were the Daleks trapped in it too? And why was it so important they got out at midnight \u2013 couldn\u2019t they just hide until the loop finished, then exit the building?<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve spent a while puzzling it out, and we think we\u2019ve just about got it nailed \u2013 so here\u2019s our answers to any lingering time loop questions, plus a full breakdown of every loop in the episode.<\/p>
Who made the time loop?<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs it turns out, it wasn\u2019t the Daleks trying to trap the Doctor \u2013 they did that with a simple forcefield over the door. No, the time loop was seemingly created by the TARDIS itself to try and protect the Doctor, Dan and Yaz (Mandip Gill) from their certain death.<\/p>\n
It may also have been a side effect of the special \u201creset\u201d the TARDIS was going through, which also attracted the Daleks\u2019 attention in the first place. In other words, the loop was a good thing \u2013 helping the Doctor, not the Daleks.<\/p>\n
The Daleks plan was just to seal the building and do some shootin\u2019, and they got more than they bargained for.<\/p>\n
Why did the time loop get shorter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> John Bishop, Mandip Gill and Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks (BBC)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nAs noted, the main twist on time loops in this episode is that the loop got shorter each time, giving the Doctor and co less time to escape the Daleks with every go-around.<\/p>\n
The Doctor explains this is because \u201cwhatever\u2019s made the time loop can\u2019t sustain it\u201d, noting it might be \u201cunder some sort of pressure.\u201d In other words, the damaged TARDIS is losing its grip on the loop gradually, making it a limited-time protection for the Doctor and her friends.<\/p>\n
What made the loop reset?<\/strong><\/h2>\nThis might be the crucial point in understanding this episode \u2013 unlike Groundhog Day, it seems like the loops don\u2019t reset at a particular time<\/em>. Rather, the loop resets when characters die<\/em> \u2013 exactly the same as hit Netflix series Russian Doll<\/a>.<\/p>\nIn other words, the loop was protecting the Doctor from death by giving her another go. And that\u2019s also why it was important for the gang to get out of the building before the final loop closed \u2013 once that was gone, assuming they were still trapped in the building, it was only a matter of time before the Daleks finished them off for good.<\/p>\n
Note that you never see a reset when any of the characters are left alive \u2013 it\u2019s death, not a deadline, that marks the change. All the Daleks have to do is kill everyone enough times, and the loop will stop.<\/p>\n
Were the Daleks trapped in the time loop?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Dalek \u2013 (C) BBC Studios \u2013 Photographer: James Pardon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nNo \u2013 the Daleks were teleporting in from an outside location, and the loop only existed within the self storage building itself. This is why the Daleks were able to appear in different locations during the loops \u2013 though what this means for the two that Nick (Adjani Salmon) killed is anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also why the resets only happened when the human (or Time Lord) characters died, rather than any Daleks. Presumably, there were only five Daleks assigned to this mission in total, which is why there weren\u2019t any more teleporting in after the loop closed.<\/p>\n
Why did they have to get out at midnight?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> The Doctor (JODIE WHITTAKER) \u2013 (C) BBC Studios \u2013 Photographer: Sally Mais<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nHere\u2019s how the Doctor explained her end goal during the episode:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIf we can stay alive and be outside the building when midnight hits, we might stand a chance of getting clear of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frankly, this point is a little confusing. How did the Doctor know that the Time Loop couldn\u2019t just continue on, even if the beginning was getting shorter? If they survived long enough past midnight and kept going, presumably the loop would just tick a minute forward and reset them from that point?<\/p>\n
Well, possibly not. Though it\u2019s not made entirely clear in the episode, it seems likely that just before midnight was when the time loop was first activated \u2013 the first death of the Doctor, Yaz and Dan, in other words. The loop was a reaction to this first death, so it stands to reason that this is when it naturally ends \u2013 otherwise it\u2019s not a loop, it\u2019s just an infinite respawn.<\/p>\n
Yes, the Doctor and co. could evade the Daleks past this point \u2013 but with the building still sealed and the Daleks after them, it\u2019d only be a matter of time before they were killed again, this time without the protection of the loop. So the Doctor\u2019s plan makes sense \u2013 use the last couple of loops to draw in the Daleks and<\/em> destroy them (so they can\u2019t just keep going after them, this time without protection) and<\/em> escape the building, which they\u2019re trapped in by a Dalek forcefield (The loop itself didn\u2019t trap them inside).<\/p>\nThat make sense? No? Well maybe we can work it out further.<\/p>\n
How many loops were there in Eve of the Daleks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Aisling Bea, Mandip Gill, John Bishop and Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nWe counted nine loops \u2013 Sarah was right with her estimate that she\u2019d been killed eight times over the course of the night \u2013 and they were as follows:<\/p>\n
- Loop 1<\/strong>: Original course of time, starting 23.51. Nick killed in corridor, Sarah killed in reception followed by the Doctor, Yaz and Dan\u2019s death in reception.<\/li>\n
- Loop 2<\/strong>: First repeat, starting 23:52. Nick tries to save Sarah, gets killed in reception. Sarah looks for a weapon, killed on fifth floor. The Doctor, Yaz and Dan are killed in reception again.<\/li>\n
- Loop 3<\/strong>: Starting 23.53. Nick, Sarah, the Doctor, Yaz and Dan all meet for the first time, hide in Nick\u2019s unit and realise their predicament. Nick pointlessly sacrifices himself, while the others are killed in Nick\u2019s unit after agreeing to head to the fifth floor and look for materials to destroy the Daleks next time around.<\/li>\n
- Loop 4<\/strong>: Starting 23:54. Sarah ends up ignoring the plan to look for Nick. The Doctor and Yaz head to the fifth floor, but Dan gets off to help distract a second Dalek in reception (where he is soon killed). Sarah and Nick try to escape through the basement but are both killed. The Doctor and Yaz find the stash of hazardous materials, but are cornered and killed by a Dalek while there.<\/li>\n
- Loop 5<\/strong>: Starting 23.55. The Doctor, Yaz and Dan head up and meet Sarah in the reception, and argue about the plan. Sarah notes that so far, in no loops has Nick survived past five to midnight. This worries her that if he dies in this period the reset won\u2019t be enough to save him, as the next loop will start beyond his death (it\u2019s not clear if she\u2019s right about this but by this point, no characters have died earlier than the staggered start of the next loop).The Doctor goes to help Nick, but he manages to outsmart two Daleks into killing each other. The pair return to reception and the entire group hatches a plan to fetch the hazardous materials from the fifth floor, wrap them round other hazardous materials in the basement and destroy the Daleks (and the building) in an explosion. But they\u2019ll have to do it in the next loop. All five characters are then killed in reception.(Note: It is slightly unclear why they don\u2019t attempt to escape through the basement door in this loop, especially given that the Doctor has time to make an emotive speech. Maybe they just wanted to lure the remaining Daleks in, as Yaz notes there are bound to be more. If they didn\u2019t, they could escape and face more Daleks outside the protection of the loop.)<\/li>\n
- Loop 6<\/strong>: Starting 23.56. The One Where the Plan Goes Wrong. Sarah is killed in the elevator, while Nick is similarly exterminated in the corridor of his unit. The Doctor tells Yaz and Dan to stay in the basement, where they have a heart-to-heart; they are soon killed by Daleks. The Doctor reaches reception, but is exterminated again.<\/li>\n
- Loop 7<\/strong>: Starting 23:57. Sarah and Nick head to the fifth floor, but Yaz tells Sarah and Nick to join her, the Doctor and Dan in the basement instead. The Doctor explains her new plan \u2013 in the penultimate loop, do misleading things to confuse the Daleks and stop them from guessing the new plan. All five are exterminated in the basement, but in an empowering way.<\/li>\n
- Loop 8<\/strong>: The decoy loop! Starting 23:58. Nick hides in his unit and has the Dalek destroy his ex-girlfriends\u2019 possessions; he is then killed. Sarah reaches the top floor in the lift, where she is killed. The Doctor, Dan and Yaz hang out in Jeff\u2019s secret room, and are killed.<\/li>\n
- Loop 9<\/strong>: The final loop, starting 23:59. The Doctor and Yaz grab the fifth floor materials, joining the other three to make the trap for the Daleks in the basement. At 10 seconds to midnight Sarah\u2019s mother calls, her voice tricking the Daleks into firing, destroying the building and themselves\u2026just as the loop closes for good.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
And then it\u2019s midnight. Happy New Year!<\/p>\n
It just about all holds together, we think, though the rules are a little confusing. For example, Sarah\u2019s mother calls at four minutes to midnight initially, but calls later once the loop progresses beyond that point. Was this a second call, or the original delayed?<\/p>\n
Does this mean they\u2019re being put back at different points in the timeline, or just being given less time from the same points? And are characters only \u2018reset\u2019 from their position at whatever time it is from the first loop, or the loops that came after? Surely the latter has to be true, or some of them would be dead when there\u2019s only a minute to go?<\/p>\n
In the end we\u2019ll probably have to wave our hands about a bit and say wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey \u2013 but in an episode this fun, it probably doesn\u2019t matter that the whole thing isn\u2019t completely airtight. And we\u2019re sure that in the months between this and the next episodes, fans will have managed to work out how it does make sense after all\u2026<\/p>\n
Read more about Doctor Who:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks confirms Yaz has feelings for the Doctor<\/a><\/li>\n
- Doctor Who brings back surprise character from Jodie Whittaker\u2019s debut<\/a><\/li>\n
- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks addresses series 13 Flux plot holes<\/a><\/li>\n
- The Sea Devils will return to Doctor Who in Spring 2022 special<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
Doctor Who returns to BBC One for Legends of the Sea Devils this spring. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi<\/a> page or our full TV Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n
","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":9429,"template":"","categories":[5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",800,533,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/9428"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\""Doctor\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/Doctor-Who-festive-crop-0bf3bc3-e1640254019959.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>As noted, the main twist on time loops in this episode is that the loop got shorter each time, giving the Doctor and co less time to escape the Daleks with every go-around.<\/p>\n
The Doctor explains this is because \u201cwhatever\u2019s made the time loop can\u2019t sustain it\u201d, noting it might be \u201cunder some sort of pressure.\u201d In other words, the damaged TARDIS is losing its grip on the loop gradually, making it a limited-time protection for the Doctor and her friends.<\/p>\n
What made the loop reset?<\/strong><\/h2>\nThis might be the crucial point in understanding this episode \u2013 unlike Groundhog Day, it seems like the loops don\u2019t reset at a particular time<\/em>. Rather, the loop resets when characters die<\/em> \u2013 exactly the same as hit Netflix series Russian Doll<\/a>.<\/p>\nIn other words, the loop was protecting the Doctor from death by giving her another go. And that\u2019s also why it was important for the gang to get out of the building before the final loop closed \u2013 once that was gone, assuming they were still trapped in the building, it was only a matter of time before the Daleks finished them off for good.<\/p>\n
Note that you never see a reset when any of the characters are left alive \u2013 it\u2019s death, not a deadline, that marks the change. All the Daleks have to do is kill everyone enough times, and the loop will stop.<\/p>\n
Were the Daleks trapped in the time loop?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Dalek \u2013 (C) BBC Studios \u2013 Photographer: James Pardon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nNo \u2013 the Daleks were teleporting in from an outside location, and the loop only existed within the self storage building itself. This is why the Daleks were able to appear in different locations during the loops \u2013 though what this means for the two that Nick (Adjani Salmon) killed is anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also why the resets only happened when the human (or Time Lord) characters died, rather than any Daleks. Presumably, there were only five Daleks assigned to this mission in total, which is why there weren\u2019t any more teleporting in after the loop closed.<\/p>\n
Why did they have to get out at midnight?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> The Doctor (JODIE WHITTAKER) \u2013 (C) BBC Studios \u2013 Photographer: Sally Mais<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nHere\u2019s how the Doctor explained her end goal during the episode:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIf we can stay alive and be outside the building when midnight hits, we might stand a chance of getting clear of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frankly, this point is a little confusing. How did the Doctor know that the Time Loop couldn\u2019t just continue on, even if the beginning was getting shorter? If they survived long enough past midnight and kept going, presumably the loop would just tick a minute forward and reset them from that point?<\/p>\n
Well, possibly not. Though it\u2019s not made entirely clear in the episode, it seems likely that just before midnight was when the time loop was first activated \u2013 the first death of the Doctor, Yaz and Dan, in other words. The loop was a reaction to this first death, so it stands to reason that this is when it naturally ends \u2013 otherwise it\u2019s not a loop, it\u2019s just an infinite respawn.<\/p>\n
Yes, the Doctor and co. could evade the Daleks past this point \u2013 but with the building still sealed and the Daleks after them, it\u2019d only be a matter of time before they were killed again, this time without the protection of the loop. So the Doctor\u2019s plan makes sense \u2013 use the last couple of loops to draw in the Daleks and<\/em> destroy them (so they can\u2019t just keep going after them, this time without protection) and<\/em> escape the building, which they\u2019re trapped in by a Dalek forcefield (The loop itself didn\u2019t trap them inside).<\/p>\nThat make sense? No? Well maybe we can work it out further.<\/p>\n
How many loops were there in Eve of the Daleks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Aisling Bea, Mandip Gill, John Bishop and Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nWe counted nine loops \u2013 Sarah was right with her estimate that she\u2019d been killed eight times over the course of the night \u2013 and they were as follows:<\/p>\n
- Loop 1<\/strong>: Original course of time, starting 23.51. Nick killed in corridor, Sarah killed in reception followed by the Doctor, Yaz and Dan\u2019s death in reception.<\/li>\n
- Loop 2<\/strong>: First repeat, starting 23:52. Nick tries to save Sarah, gets killed in reception. Sarah looks for a weapon, killed on fifth floor. The Doctor, Yaz and Dan are killed in reception again.<\/li>\n
- Loop 3<\/strong>: Starting 23.53. Nick, Sarah, the Doctor, Yaz and Dan all meet for the first time, hide in Nick\u2019s unit and realise their predicament. Nick pointlessly sacrifices himself, while the others are killed in Nick\u2019s unit after agreeing to head to the fifth floor and look for materials to destroy the Daleks next time around.<\/li>\n
- Loop 4<\/strong>: Starting 23:54. Sarah ends up ignoring the plan to look for Nick. The Doctor and Yaz head to the fifth floor, but Dan gets off to help distract a second Dalek in reception (where he is soon killed). Sarah and Nick try to escape through the basement but are both killed. The Doctor and Yaz find the stash of hazardous materials, but are cornered and killed by a Dalek while there.<\/li>\n
- Loop 5<\/strong>: Starting 23.55. The Doctor, Yaz and Dan head up and meet Sarah in the reception, and argue about the plan. Sarah notes that so far, in no loops has Nick survived past five to midnight. This worries her that if he dies in this period the reset won\u2019t be enough to save him, as the next loop will start beyond his death (it\u2019s not clear if she\u2019s right about this but by this point, no characters have died earlier than the staggered start of the next loop).The Doctor goes to help Nick, but he manages to outsmart two Daleks into killing each other. The pair return to reception and the entire group hatches a plan to fetch the hazardous materials from the fifth floor, wrap them round other hazardous materials in the basement and destroy the Daleks (and the building) in an explosion. But they\u2019ll have to do it in the next loop. All five characters are then killed in reception.(Note: It is slightly unclear why they don\u2019t attempt to escape through the basement door in this loop, especially given that the Doctor has time to make an emotive speech. Maybe they just wanted to lure the remaining Daleks in, as Yaz notes there are bound to be more. If they didn\u2019t, they could escape and face more Daleks outside the protection of the loop.)<\/li>\n
- Loop 6<\/strong>: Starting 23.56. The One Where the Plan Goes Wrong. Sarah is killed in the elevator, while Nick is similarly exterminated in the corridor of his unit. The Doctor tells Yaz and Dan to stay in the basement, where they have a heart-to-heart; they are soon killed by Daleks. The Doctor reaches reception, but is exterminated again.<\/li>\n
- Loop 7<\/strong>: Starting 23:57. Sarah and Nick head to the fifth floor, but Yaz tells Sarah and Nick to join her, the Doctor and Dan in the basement instead. The Doctor explains her new plan \u2013 in the penultimate loop, do misleading things to confuse the Daleks and stop them from guessing the new plan. All five are exterminated in the basement, but in an empowering way.<\/li>\n
- Loop 8<\/strong>: The decoy loop! Starting 23:58. Nick hides in his unit and has the Dalek destroy his ex-girlfriends\u2019 possessions; he is then killed. Sarah reaches the top floor in the lift, where she is killed. The Doctor, Dan and Yaz hang out in Jeff\u2019s secret room, and are killed.<\/li>\n
- Loop 9<\/strong>: The final loop, starting 23:59. The Doctor and Yaz grab the fifth floor materials, joining the other three to make the trap for the Daleks in the basement. At 10 seconds to midnight Sarah\u2019s mother calls, her voice tricking the Daleks into firing, destroying the building and themselves\u2026just as the loop closes for good.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
And then it\u2019s midnight. Happy New Year!<\/p>\n
It just about all holds together, we think, though the rules are a little confusing. For example, Sarah\u2019s mother calls at four minutes to midnight initially, but calls later once the loop progresses beyond that point. Was this a second call, or the original delayed?<\/p>\n
Does this mean they\u2019re being put back at different points in the timeline, or just being given less time from the same points? And are characters only \u2018reset\u2019 from their position at whatever time it is from the first loop, or the loops that came after? Surely the latter has to be true, or some of them would be dead when there\u2019s only a minute to go?<\/p>\n
In the end we\u2019ll probably have to wave our hands about a bit and say wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey \u2013 but in an episode this fun, it probably doesn\u2019t matter that the whole thing isn\u2019t completely airtight. And we\u2019re sure that in the months between this and the next episodes, fans will have managed to work out how it does make sense after all\u2026<\/p>\n
Read more about Doctor Who:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks confirms Yaz has feelings for the Doctor<\/a><\/li>\n
- Doctor Who brings back surprise character from Jodie Whittaker\u2019s debut<\/a><\/li>\n
- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks addresses series 13 Flux plot holes<\/a><\/li>\n
- The Sea Devils will return to Doctor Who in Spring 2022 special<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
Doctor Who returns to BBC One for Legends of the Sea Devils this spring. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi<\/a> page or our full TV Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n
","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":9429,"template":"","categories":[5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",800,533,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/9428"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
In other words, the loop was protecting the Doctor from death by giving her another go. And that\u2019s also why it was important for the gang to get out of the building before the final loop closed \u2013 once that was gone, assuming they were still trapped in the building, it was only a matter of time before the Daleks finished them off for good.<\/p>\n
Note that you never see a reset when any of the characters are left alive \u2013 it\u2019s death, not a deadline, that marks the change. All the Daleks have to do is kill everyone enough times, and the loop will stop.<\/p>\n
Were the Daleks trapped in the time loop?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Dalek \u2013 (C) BBC Studios \u2013 Photographer: James Pardon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nNo \u2013 the Daleks were teleporting in from an outside location, and the loop only existed within the self storage building itself. This is why the Daleks were able to appear in different locations during the loops \u2013 though what this means for the two that Nick (Adjani Salmon) killed is anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also why the resets only happened when the human (or Time Lord) characters died, rather than any Daleks. Presumably, there were only five Daleks assigned to this mission in total, which is why there weren\u2019t any more teleporting in after the loop closed.<\/p>\n
Why did they have to get out at midnight?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> The Doctor (JODIE WHITTAKER) \u2013 (C) BBC Studios \u2013 Photographer: Sally Mais<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nHere\u2019s how the Doctor explained her end goal during the episode:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIf we can stay alive and be outside the building when midnight hits, we might stand a chance of getting clear of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frankly, this point is a little confusing. How did the Doctor know that the Time Loop couldn\u2019t just continue on, even if the beginning was getting shorter? If they survived long enough past midnight and kept going, presumably the loop would just tick a minute forward and reset them from that point?<\/p>\n
Well, possibly not. Though it\u2019s not made entirely clear in the episode, it seems likely that just before midnight was when the time loop was first activated \u2013 the first death of the Doctor, Yaz and Dan, in other words. The loop was a reaction to this first death, so it stands to reason that this is when it naturally ends \u2013 otherwise it\u2019s not a loop, it\u2019s just an infinite respawn.<\/p>\n
Yes, the Doctor and co. could evade the Daleks past this point \u2013 but with the building still sealed and the Daleks after them, it\u2019d only be a matter of time before they were killed again, this time without the protection of the loop. So the Doctor\u2019s plan makes sense \u2013 use the last couple of loops to draw in the Daleks and<\/em> destroy them (so they can\u2019t just keep going after them, this time without protection) and<\/em> escape the building, which they\u2019re trapped in by a Dalek forcefield (The loop itself didn\u2019t trap them inside).<\/p>\nThat make sense? No? Well maybe we can work it out further.<\/p>\n
How many loops were there in Eve of the Daleks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Aisling Bea, Mandip Gill, John Bishop and Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nWe counted nine loops \u2013 Sarah was right with her estimate that she\u2019d been killed eight times over the course of the night \u2013 and they were as follows:<\/p>\n
- Loop 1<\/strong>: Original course of time, starting 23.51. Nick killed in corridor, Sarah killed in reception followed by the Doctor, Yaz and Dan\u2019s death in reception.<\/li>\n
- Loop 2<\/strong>: First repeat, starting 23:52. Nick tries to save Sarah, gets killed in reception. Sarah looks for a weapon, killed on fifth floor. The Doctor, Yaz and Dan are killed in reception again.<\/li>\n
- Loop 3<\/strong>: Starting 23.53. Nick, Sarah, the Doctor, Yaz and Dan all meet for the first time, hide in Nick\u2019s unit and realise their predicament. Nick pointlessly sacrifices himself, while the others are killed in Nick\u2019s unit after agreeing to head to the fifth floor and look for materials to destroy the Daleks next time around.<\/li>\n
- Loop 4<\/strong>: Starting 23:54. Sarah ends up ignoring the plan to look for Nick. The Doctor and Yaz head to the fifth floor, but Dan gets off to help distract a second Dalek in reception (where he is soon killed). Sarah and Nick try to escape through the basement but are both killed. The Doctor and Yaz find the stash of hazardous materials, but are cornered and killed by a Dalek while there.<\/li>\n
- Loop 5<\/strong>: Starting 23.55. The Doctor, Yaz and Dan head up and meet Sarah in the reception, and argue about the plan. Sarah notes that so far, in no loops has Nick survived past five to midnight. This worries her that if he dies in this period the reset won\u2019t be enough to save him, as the next loop will start beyond his death (it\u2019s not clear if she\u2019s right about this but by this point, no characters have died earlier than the staggered start of the next loop).The Doctor goes to help Nick, but he manages to outsmart two Daleks into killing each other. The pair return to reception and the entire group hatches a plan to fetch the hazardous materials from the fifth floor, wrap them round other hazardous materials in the basement and destroy the Daleks (and the building) in an explosion. But they\u2019ll have to do it in the next loop. All five characters are then killed in reception.(Note: It is slightly unclear why they don\u2019t attempt to escape through the basement door in this loop, especially given that the Doctor has time to make an emotive speech. Maybe they just wanted to lure the remaining Daleks in, as Yaz notes there are bound to be more. If they didn\u2019t, they could escape and face more Daleks outside the protection of the loop.)<\/li>\n
- Loop 6<\/strong>: Starting 23.56. The One Where the Plan Goes Wrong. Sarah is killed in the elevator, while Nick is similarly exterminated in the corridor of his unit. The Doctor tells Yaz and Dan to stay in the basement, where they have a heart-to-heart; they are soon killed by Daleks. The Doctor reaches reception, but is exterminated again.<\/li>\n
- Loop 7<\/strong>: Starting 23:57. Sarah and Nick head to the fifth floor, but Yaz tells Sarah and Nick to join her, the Doctor and Dan in the basement instead. The Doctor explains her new plan \u2013 in the penultimate loop, do misleading things to confuse the Daleks and stop them from guessing the new plan. All five are exterminated in the basement, but in an empowering way.<\/li>\n
- Loop 8<\/strong>: The decoy loop! Starting 23:58. Nick hides in his unit and has the Dalek destroy his ex-girlfriends\u2019 possessions; he is then killed. Sarah reaches the top floor in the lift, where she is killed. The Doctor, Dan and Yaz hang out in Jeff\u2019s secret room, and are killed.<\/li>\n
- Loop 9<\/strong>: The final loop, starting 23:59. The Doctor and Yaz grab the fifth floor materials, joining the other three to make the trap for the Daleks in the basement. At 10 seconds to midnight Sarah\u2019s mother calls, her voice tricking the Daleks into firing, destroying the building and themselves\u2026just as the loop closes for good.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
And then it\u2019s midnight. Happy New Year!<\/p>\n
It just about all holds together, we think, though the rules are a little confusing. For example, Sarah\u2019s mother calls at four minutes to midnight initially, but calls later once the loop progresses beyond that point. Was this a second call, or the original delayed?<\/p>\n
Does this mean they\u2019re being put back at different points in the timeline, or just being given less time from the same points? And are characters only \u2018reset\u2019 from their position at whatever time it is from the first loop, or the loops that came after? Surely the latter has to be true, or some of them would be dead when there\u2019s only a minute to go?<\/p>\n
In the end we\u2019ll probably have to wave our hands about a bit and say wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey \u2013 but in an episode this fun, it probably doesn\u2019t matter that the whole thing isn\u2019t completely airtight. And we\u2019re sure that in the months between this and the next episodes, fans will have managed to work out how it does make sense after all\u2026<\/p>\n
Read more about Doctor Who:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks confirms Yaz has feelings for the Doctor<\/a><\/li>\n
- Doctor Who brings back surprise character from Jodie Whittaker\u2019s debut<\/a><\/li>\n
- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks addresses series 13 Flux plot holes<\/a><\/li>\n
- The Sea Devils will return to Doctor Who in Spring 2022 special<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
Doctor Who returns to BBC One for Legends of the Sea Devils this spring. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi<\/a> page or our full TV Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n
","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":9429,"template":"","categories":[5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",800,533,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/9428"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\""Doctor\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/New-Dalek-Eve-189702d.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>No \u2013 the Daleks were teleporting in from an outside location, and the loop only existed within the self storage building itself. This is why the Daleks were able to appear in different locations during the loops \u2013 though what this means for the two that Nick (Adjani Salmon) killed is anyone\u2019s guess.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also why the resets only happened when the human (or Time Lord) characters died, rather than any Daleks. Presumably, there were only five Daleks assigned to this mission in total, which is why there weren\u2019t any more teleporting in after the loop closed.<\/p>\n
Why did they have to get out at midnight?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> The Doctor (JODIE WHITTAKER) \u2013 (C) BBC Studios \u2013 Photographer: Sally Mais<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nHere\u2019s how the Doctor explained her end goal during the episode:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIf we can stay alive and be outside the building when midnight hits, we might stand a chance of getting clear of this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frankly, this point is a little confusing. How did the Doctor know that the Time Loop couldn\u2019t just continue on, even if the beginning was getting shorter? If they survived long enough past midnight and kept going, presumably the loop would just tick a minute forward and reset them from that point?<\/p>\n
Well, possibly not. Though it\u2019s not made entirely clear in the episode, it seems likely that just before midnight was when the time loop was first activated \u2013 the first death of the Doctor, Yaz and Dan, in other words. The loop was a reaction to this first death, so it stands to reason that this is when it naturally ends \u2013 otherwise it\u2019s not a loop, it\u2019s just an infinite respawn.<\/p>\n
Yes, the Doctor and co. could evade the Daleks past this point \u2013 but with the building still sealed and the Daleks after them, it\u2019d only be a matter of time before they were killed again, this time without the protection of the loop. So the Doctor\u2019s plan makes sense \u2013 use the last couple of loops to draw in the Daleks and<\/em> destroy them (so they can\u2019t just keep going after them, this time without protection) and<\/em> escape the building, which they\u2019re trapped in by a Dalek forcefield (The loop itself didn\u2019t trap them inside).<\/p>\nThat make sense? No? Well maybe we can work it out further.<\/p>\n
How many loops were there in Eve of the Daleks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n ![\""Doctor\"]( "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Aisling Bea, Mandip Gill, John Bishop and Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nWe counted nine loops \u2013 Sarah was right with her estimate that she\u2019d been killed eight times over the course of the night \u2013 and they were as follows:<\/p>\n
- Loop 1<\/strong>: Original course of time, starting 23.51. Nick killed in corridor, Sarah killed in reception followed by the Doctor, Yaz and Dan\u2019s death in reception.<\/li>\n
- Loop 2<\/strong>: First repeat, starting 23:52. Nick tries to save Sarah, gets killed in reception. Sarah looks for a weapon, killed on fifth floor. The Doctor, Yaz and Dan are killed in reception again.<\/li>\n
- Loop 3<\/strong>: Starting 23.53. Nick, Sarah, the Doctor, Yaz and Dan all meet for the first time, hide in Nick\u2019s unit and realise their predicament. Nick pointlessly sacrifices himself, while the others are killed in Nick\u2019s unit after agreeing to head to the fifth floor and look for materials to destroy the Daleks next time around.<\/li>\n
- Loop 4<\/strong>: Starting 23:54. Sarah ends up ignoring the plan to look for Nick. The Doctor and Yaz head to the fifth floor, but Dan gets off to help distract a second Dalek in reception (where he is soon killed). Sarah and Nick try to escape through the basement but are both killed. The Doctor and Yaz find the stash of hazardous materials, but are cornered and killed by a Dalek while there.<\/li>\n
- Loop 5<\/strong>: Starting 23.55. The Doctor, Yaz and Dan head up and meet Sarah in the reception, and argue about the plan. Sarah notes that so far, in no loops has Nick survived past five to midnight. This worries her that if he dies in this period the reset won\u2019t be enough to save him, as the next loop will start beyond his death (it\u2019s not clear if she\u2019s right about this but by this point, no characters have died earlier than the staggered start of the next loop).The Doctor goes to help Nick, but he manages to outsmart two Daleks into killing each other. The pair return to reception and the entire group hatches a plan to fetch the hazardous materials from the fifth floor, wrap them round other hazardous materials in the basement and destroy the Daleks (and the building) in an explosion. But they\u2019ll have to do it in the next loop. All five characters are then killed in reception.(Note: It is slightly unclear why they don\u2019t attempt to escape through the basement door in this loop, especially given that the Doctor has time to make an emotive speech. Maybe they just wanted to lure the remaining Daleks in, as Yaz notes there are bound to be more. If they didn\u2019t, they could escape and face more Daleks outside the protection of the loop.)<\/li>\n
- Loop 6<\/strong>: Starting 23.56. The One Where the Plan Goes Wrong. Sarah is killed in the elevator, while Nick is similarly exterminated in the corridor of his unit. The Doctor tells Yaz and Dan to stay in the basement, where they have a heart-to-heart; they are soon killed by Daleks. The Doctor reaches reception, but is exterminated again.<\/li>\n
- Loop 7<\/strong>: Starting 23:57. Sarah and Nick head to the fifth floor, but Yaz tells Sarah and Nick to join her, the Doctor and Dan in the basement instead. The Doctor explains her new plan \u2013 in the penultimate loop, do misleading things to confuse the Daleks and stop them from guessing the new plan. All five are exterminated in the basement, but in an empowering way.<\/li>\n
- Loop 8<\/strong>: The decoy loop! Starting 23:58. Nick hides in his unit and has the Dalek destroy his ex-girlfriends\u2019 possessions; he is then killed. Sarah reaches the top floor in the lift, where she is killed. The Doctor, Dan and Yaz hang out in Jeff\u2019s secret room, and are killed.<\/li>\n
- Loop 9<\/strong>: The final loop, starting 23:59. The Doctor and Yaz grab the fifth floor materials, joining the other three to make the trap for the Daleks in the basement. At 10 seconds to midnight Sarah\u2019s mother calls, her voice tricking the Daleks into firing, destroying the building and themselves\u2026just as the loop closes for good.<\/li>\n<\/ul>
And then it\u2019s midnight. Happy New Year!<\/p>\n
It just about all holds together, we think, though the rules are a little confusing. For example, Sarah\u2019s mother calls at four minutes to midnight initially, but calls later once the loop progresses beyond that point. Was this a second call, or the original delayed?<\/p>\n
Does this mean they\u2019re being put back at different points in the timeline, or just being given less time from the same points? And are characters only \u2018reset\u2019 from their position at whatever time it is from the first loop, or the loops that came after? Surely the latter has to be true, or some of them would be dead when there\u2019s only a minute to go?<\/p>\n
In the end we\u2019ll probably have to wave our hands about a bit and say wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey \u2013 but in an episode this fun, it probably doesn\u2019t matter that the whole thing isn\u2019t completely airtight. And we\u2019re sure that in the months between this and the next episodes, fans will have managed to work out how it does make sense after all\u2026<\/p>\n
Read more about Doctor Who:<\/strong><\/p>\n- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks confirms Yaz has feelings for the Doctor<\/a><\/li>\n
- Doctor Who brings back surprise character from Jodie Whittaker\u2019s debut<\/a><\/li>\n
- Doctor Who: Eve of the Daleks addresses series 13 Flux plot holes<\/a><\/li>\n
- The Sea Devils will return to Doctor Who in Spring 2022 special<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
Doctor Who returns to BBC One for Legends of the Sea Devils this spring. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi<\/a> page or our full TV Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n
","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":9429,"template":"","categories":[5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",800,533,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/9428"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\""Doctor\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/Jodie-Whittaker-Eve-of-Daleks-5d862a4-e1640253974921.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Here\u2019s how the Doctor explained her end goal during the episode:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIf we can stay alive and be outside the building when midnight hits, we might stand a chance of getting clear of this.\u201d<\/p>\n Frankly, this point is a little confusing. How did the Doctor know that the Time Loop couldn\u2019t just continue on, even if the beginning was getting shorter? If they survived long enough past midnight and kept going, presumably the loop would just tick a minute forward and reset them from that point?<\/p>\n Well, possibly not. Though it\u2019s not made entirely clear in the episode, it seems likely that just before midnight was when the time loop was first activated \u2013 the first death of the Doctor, Yaz and Dan, in other words. The loop was a reaction to this first death, so it stands to reason that this is when it naturally ends \u2013 otherwise it\u2019s not a loop, it\u2019s just an infinite respawn.<\/p>\n Yes, the Doctor and co. could evade the Daleks past this point \u2013 but with the building still sealed and the Daleks after them, it\u2019d only be a matter of time before they were killed again, this time without the protection of the loop. So the Doctor\u2019s plan makes sense \u2013 use the last couple of loops to draw in the Daleks and<\/em> destroy them (so they can\u2019t just keep going after them, this time without protection) and<\/em> escape the building, which they\u2019re trapped in by a Dalek forcefield (The loop itself didn\u2019t trap them inside).<\/p>\n That make sense? No? Well maybe we can work it out further.<\/p>\n We counted nine loops \u2013 Sarah was right with her estimate that she\u2019d been killed eight times over the course of the night \u2013 and they were as follows:<\/p>\n And then it\u2019s midnight. Happy New Year!<\/p>\n It just about all holds together, we think, though the rules are a little confusing. For example, Sarah\u2019s mother calls at four minutes to midnight initially, but calls later once the loop progresses beyond that point. Was this a second call, or the original delayed?<\/p>\n Does this mean they\u2019re being put back at different points in the timeline, or just being given less time from the same points? And are characters only \u2018reset\u2019 from their position at whatever time it is from the first loop, or the loops that came after? Surely the latter has to be true, or some of them would be dead when there\u2019s only a minute to go?<\/p>\n In the end we\u2019ll probably have to wave our hands about a bit and say wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey \u2013 but in an episode this fun, it probably doesn\u2019t matter that the whole thing isn\u2019t completely airtight. And we\u2019re sure that in the months between this and the next episodes, fans will have managed to work out how it does make sense after all\u2026<\/p>\n Read more about Doctor Who:<\/strong><\/p>\n Doctor Who returns to BBC One for Legends of the Sea Devils this spring. For more, check out our dedicated Sci-Fi<\/a> page or our full TV Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/body><\/html>\n By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":9429,"template":"","categories":[5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",800,533,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/01\/doctor-who-eve-of-the-daleks-time-loops-explained.jpg",845,563,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Huw Fullerton Published: Saturday, 01 January 2022 at 12:00 am New Doctor Who New Year\u2019s special Eve of the Daleks traps the Doctor (Jodie Whittaker) and four others in a deadly time loop, with our heroes forced to run from and outwit a squad of Daleks, only for everything to reset and force them…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/9428"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}How many loops were there in Eve of the Daleks?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\""Doctor\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/Eve-of-the-Daleks-cast-bcce466.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C401"\" "\\"\"Doctor\\"")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"