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“Resolution” Review – The Perfect Hangover Episode

Clint Hassell gives his commentary on Doctor Who’s 2019 New Year special.

Note: this review contains full SPOILERS!

Written by showrunner Chris Chibnall, and curiously airing on New Year’s Day, rather than the usual Christmas Day, “Resolution” capitalizes on a recurring plot thread from Series 11 – – Ryan’s never-before-seen father seems to desire reconciliation – – to give Ryan some much needed character development.

In a pivotal scene, Ryan and his father, Aaron – – who notably shares his son’s interest in mechanics and engineering – – have a frank discussion in a coffeeshop. With Aaron ostensibly returning to make things right in their relationship, Ryan is unwilling to commiserate with his father. Aaron has used his selfishness and immaturity as reasons to ignore his son’s feelings, so, for the two to reconcile, Aaron must finally acknowledge how his actions have affected Ryan. The scene features honest, realistic dialogue and offers a nuanced explanation for the young man’s directionless state at the beginning of Series 11. Ryan is revealed to be stunningly mature, despite how wounded he feels, and actor Tosin Cole really shines in the role.

Despite his stated goal of talking with Ryan, Aaron still carries around a microwave oven – – which, yes, he helped create – – and tries to sell it to the coffeeshop owner. The subtle connotation is that Aaron is still looking out for himself. Aaron even admits that he “make[s] it look like a con.”
Similarly stunning is Bradley Walsh as Graham. Forced to be civil to Ryan’s absentee father, Graham’s teary, red eyes denote that he is mournful because he does not want his relationship with his grandson to change, but also fearful that Ryan will get hurt. However, he doesn’t stand in his grandson’s way, when Ryan asks if he can go have coffee with Aaron. Walsh conveys layers of emotion with the briefest of glances, and it’s gratifying when, after Aaron registers surprise at Ryan addressing his grandmother’s second husband as “Gramps,” Graham calls Ryan “son.”

Graham’s opening the door, only to encounter Aaron, say, “No,” and shut the door is an amazing moment . . . topped only by the Doctor calling Aaron “Ryan’s dad,” (recalling “Yaz’s mom”) and then immediately reprimanding him, saying, “You weren’t at Grace’s funeral. Ryan waited for you. You let him down.”

“Resolution” is remarkable in its deft character work as it concludes the Ryan/Aaron storyline. The rest of the episode? Well, it’s best viewed through the squinted eyes of an audience hungover after a late night of revelry, ringing in the new year. While serviceable enough to be a middle-of-a-series filler episode, “Resolution” lacks the spectacle of previous holiday specials. Worse, the episode completely misuses the Daleks. Well, a Dalek, really, since the oft-mentioned Dalek fleet isn’t actually seen – – a shame, as it would have both added to the episode’s scope and the threat of the solitary Dalek.

Just as the motile, neck breaking thugs present in “The Time of Angels”/”Flesh and Stone” were a poor representation of the stoic, cruel, time-shunting Weeping Angels introduced in “Blink,” “Resolution” features a monster that only resembles a Dalek in the episode’s final act. When have Daleks demonstrated such strong regenerative abilities or been capable of teleporting fragments of their bodies? Is it believable that a Dalek’s biology is so similar to a human’s that they can assume control of a person’s higher functioning, with no enduring ill effects to the subject? If the dictates of the plot necessitate a villain that can overcome a human host, then why not use this opportunity to create a new, lasting addition to the canon? If the Daleks aren’t a good fit for the story, then don’t use the Daleks. Heaping nonsensical layers onto an already iconic villain only dilutes the Dalek brand. Ironically, this heavy revision doesn’t add a new, terrifying facet to the Daleks, but reinforces the idea that the series’ writers don’t know how to craft a story that effectively utilizes the classic monster.

“The vacuum corridor is expanding! I can’t control it!” Um . . . why not? This is the second time in this episode that the plot is reliant on the TARDIS malfunctioning. Are we to believe that the reconnaissance Dalek can control the TARDIS? While the TARDIS has been, at times, persnickety in its exact piloting, it has otherwise been portrayed as nigh-indestructible. A faulty TARDIS is definitely a change, and one that isn’t addressed by the narrative, so it seems entirely plot-driven – – and that’s bad.

Still, the inclusion of a Dalek in “Resolution” isn’t a total loss. The redesigned claw arm is a sensible update to the suction cup appendage. Seeing the Doctor effortlessly switch from accosting a Dalek to comforting Lin demonstrates the level of Jodie Whittaker’s talent. Thirteen’s responding to the Dalek’s assertion that, “Humanity will surrender,” by stating, “They really won’t. Trust me, I’ve seen them in action. They’ve fought off so many things, including the worst of their own people,” dovetails with the overarching theme of Series 11.

If only “Resolution” had featured more scenes like the one in which the lone Dalek utterly decimates a battalion! As it stands, 42 minutes of the hour-long episode has elapsed before anything resembling a Dalek appears, and that Dalek is defeated when it is microwaved to death. The frequent inclusion of the popular Daleks has seemingly reduced them to the Doctor’s most easily vanquished foe. If Chibnall wants to correct this, perhaps not having the Doctor crack jokes while defeating them would be a good start.

Random Musings

Why does the editing of the opening strive to hide that the “opponent . . . beyond [the] wildest nightmares” of the Medieval warriors is a Dalek? Surely, Chibnall knew that the episode’s marketing would spoil the Daleks involvement.
The introductory scene involving Lin and What’s-His-Name is twee and unoriginal, and only included to raise the emotional stakes of Lin’s abduction. Care about her safety because she’s just found love!
The episode endeavors to create a mythology around the reconnaissance Dalek, its fragmented carcass guarded by a lineage of monastic minutemen, but then does nothing with this. Perhaps, a better solution would have been for Lin and That Guy to have found an ancient Dalek artifact that, once reactivated, attracted a Dalek fleet . . .
. . . because, actually, UV radiation would have a sterilizing effect, NOT a regenerative one.
These “cosmic fireworks” are beautiful. It’s always nice to see what the Doctor and her companions do when they aren’t running down corridors. I wish that the New Year’s Day special had forgone the typical monster-of-the-week fare in lieu of a view at what the Doctor did while Graham and Ryan talked with Aaron, and Yaz visited her family – – a “day in the life,” if you will, a la Series 6’s NIGHT AND THE DOCTOR.
Yaz is correct: Giuseppe Piazzi discovered the dwarf planet Ceres, on New Year’s Day, in 1801.
Why would she touch this creepy squid thing on the wall?
Despite an hour-long runtime, and a theme of reconciling with one’s father, “Resolution” can only hint that the Doctor didn’t have a dad?
This abstruse editing technique undermines the element of body horror inherent to what Lin is experiencing, hiding it behind quick cuts and soft lighting.
Best unintentional laugh: “The most dangerous creature in the universe” . . . is wearing a pink bathrobe.
Most tired trope: A Dalek who has been reanimated after 1,200 years can hack the Black Archive with just a few keystrokes on a laptop? Riiiiiiiight.
Mr. Chibnall, having a nameless character mention that they are gay just before they are killed is not good LGBT representation. Please, stop.
Wait, did Chibnall just dismantle a pivotal part of WHO mythology, removing two of the most beloved supporting characters from the modern era and the legacy of an adored former associate . . . for a comedy bit?!
“How long is a rel?” “Evolution of the Daleks” established that a rel is 1.2 seconds, so, the Dalek’s estimation of 9,376 rels until the “total conquest of Earth” equals 3 hours, 7 minutes, and 31 seconds.
Best classic WHO nod: Referencing the Fourth Doctor’s opening credit sequence!

(Time) Capsule Review

Showrunner Chris Chibnall caps off Thirteen’s introductory series with an episode that is insightful in its exploration of the dynamic between Ryan, his absentee father, Aaron, and grandfather, Graham. Lacking the spectacle of previous holiday specials, however, “Resolution” is best viewed while hungover – – it’s enjoyable enough to watch after a night of drunken merriment, but doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, once sober.