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Doctor Who review: Project Infinity concludes the first series of Dalek Empire with major revelations

By James Aggas

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All the questions are answered in Project Infinity, the last episode in the first series of Doctor Who spin-off Dalek Empire. But does the episode truly resolve the series?

Throughout the first series of Dalek Empire, a huge secret of the Earth Empire has been mentioned. A secret that could either save the galaxy or give the Daleks victory. That secret is something called “Project Infinity“, and that’s exactly what’s revealed in the final episode of the Doctor Who spin-off’s first series.

Continuing from “Death to the Daleks!”‘s major cliffhanger, Alby is in a really bad place. In fact, he’s at his lowest point since the series began in Invasion of the Daleks. Until a message gives him hope. But will he find the answers that he’s been looking for? Or, at least, hoping for?

Answers are a key plot point in Project Infinity. Not only does this last episode provide answers to major questions that have been raised throughout the series, particularly what “Project Infinity” actually is. But those answers provide a completely different take on the events of the series so far.

For example, up to this point, it had been assumed that the Daleks’ primary aims in this series had simply been to invade and conquer the galaxy. That’s what the whole war fought between the Dalek and the Earth empires had been about, after all.

But what if that wasn’t their aim at all? What if, this entire time, the invasion and the war had been nothing more than one big distraction?

This was an idea that really leaped out to me, simply because it was both brilliantly bold and devious. It’s also something that only the Daleks both could and would do. It’s excellent ideas like this that have helped Dalek Empire – along with the original Doctor Who arc of the same name – to bring back the threat and the power of the Daleks in a big way.

When Dalek Empire began, the story was focused on the Daleks’ invasion. But has the entire series been about more than that?

(Image credit: Dalek Empire/Doctor Who/Big Finish Productions.

Image obtained from: Big Finish Productions.)

An ending, or a new beginning?

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However, while questions are answered in this story, that doesn’t mean that the series is resolved. In fact, the ending of Project Infinity sets up the next series in a big way. By the time you reach that major cliffhanger, you know that there’s still a lot more to tell for this particular story, and the characters have a long way to go before they’ll be able to see an end to this war.

This was definitely a bold way to end the series. Especially since, when we reached the ending of “Death to the Daleks!”, it almost looked like the main arc of the first series seemed close to a resolution.

But I actually like this cliffhanger ending. It shows that even here, Nicholas Briggs has a lot of confidence in the series. And quite right, too.

As one of Big Finish’s first completely original Doctor Who spin-offs, Dalek Empire was a huge risk, but one that paid off in a big way. Not only did the success of the first series lead to three further series (so far), but it also paved the way to other great Doctor Who spin-offs, such as Cyberman, Gallifrey and Jago & Litefoot.

But before we got those other spin-offs, how strong was the second series of Dalek Empire? Does it work as well as the first? Find out soon, as we review Dalek Empire II: Dalek War…

Next. How one of the greatest stories ever affected the Daleks. dark

Would you want a TV series focused on the Daleks? Would you want it to be as dark and gritty as Dalek Empire? Let us know in the comments below.

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