Credit: BBC
By
El Kuiper
Published 13 minutes ago
El is a Senior news and reviews writer for ScreenRant, with previous experience as The Mary Sue's UK and Weekend Editor. She holds a Bachelor's in International Media and Entertainment Management, as well as an MA and Ph.D. in Creative Writing. There is little she loves more than discussing her favorite TV shows with fellow fans. One day, she hopes to publish an original fantasy novel.
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The Doctor and the TARDIS will not be making an appearance in the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, raising the stakes significantly as the Classic era monsters previously known as the Sea Devils make their way to shore.
Led by Gugu Mbatha-Raw's character Salt, the Sea Devils, AKA the Homo Aqua, will threaten war against humanity in response to the world's devastating pollution and the looming climate crisis. Normally, though, when a monster emerges from space — or in this case, the ocean — the Doctor is on hand to help. Not this time. UNIT and Jemma Redgrave's Kate Lethbridge-Stewart are on their own.
Speaking with Radio Times, Doctor Who showrunner and The War Between the Land and the Sea creator, Russell T Davies, explained why he decided to exclude the Doctor from this particular story. "One of the most interesting things you can do with Doctor Who is to take the Doctor out. This is a world without the Doctor, and we’re seeing how we cope as the human race."
"Normally, the Doctor has a magic blue doorway they can take everybody safely through, that safety net has gone. You very much find these characters up against the wall and pushed to the limit," Davies continued. That includes human negotiator Barclay (Russell Tovey), who develops an unexpected but deep bond with Salt — one that could alter the course of history.
According to Davies, the Doctor's absence makes The War Between the Land and the Sea "tougher" than Doctor Who. "It takes on tougher themes, and people have tougher reactions in it, again, because there's no Doctor." That doesn't mean there's no Doctor Who-like fun to be had, though. "There are monsters, there's romance, there are chases, there's gunfights," Davies pointed out.
Despite the lack of Time Lord knowledge, viewers will learn more about the Sea Devils' history and culture in the five-episode limited series, including a deep dive into their homeland in The War Between the Land and the Sea episode 3. "We didn't really know much about them before," Davies explained.
"Essentially, they were monsters on a beach in Portsmouth, or in Sea Base, we didn't really delve into their culture and their society, and that's what we're able to do a lot more of here. You get to see how they live and their environment and all the different species, so that's been a huge amount of fun to expand the backstory." The Sea Devils were last seen during Jodie Whittaker's era as the Thirteenth Doctor, though they've undergone a significant makeover since then.
Of course, the Sea Devils aren't the only ones who've recently experienced a makeover, as Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor surprisingly regenerated into former companion Billie Piper in Doctor Who season 15/2's final episode, "The Reality War." It's unclear whether the Doctor's unusual regeneration is linked to the Time Lord's absence in The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Even so, the spinoff hasn't forgotten about its Doctor Who roots. Fellow series writer and producer Pete McTighe has assured fans that, even without the Doctor's enigmatic presence, there will be plenty of Whoniverse Easter eggs for the most dedicated Whovians to spot. "There are absolutely Easter eggs to be seen – if you get the pause button ready, you'll be seeing plenty of stuff," McTighe told RadioTimes.com.
The War Between the Land and the Sea marks the final co-production of the BBC+Disney era. The BBC has confirmed that its flagship sci-fi franchise will live on, however, starting with a Doctor Who Christmas special in 2026. For now, though, it's time to uncover the mysteries of the Sea Devils.
The War Between the Land and the Sea will premiere in the UK on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on December 7 and worldwide via Disney+ in 2026.
The War Between The Land and Sea
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Kate Lethbridge Stewart
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Colonel Christofer Ibrahim
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