Danger: this is where Doctor Who fans meet a bold new frontier—underwater threats, surprising alliances, and a story that fits inside the Whoniverse while standing on its own. The War Between the Land and the Sea sails into view with a fresh mission: protect humanity as the Sea Devils rise from the depths and Barclay, played by Russell Tovey, is drafted from obscurity to serve as Earth’s ambassador. It's been 53 years since these ancient sea creatures first surfaced on our screens, and three years since they clashed with Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor aboard a pirate ship. Yet despite the Sea Devils’ long history, the producers insist this five-part arc is self-contained within Doctor Who’s universe, while still delivering timely reflections on today’s world.
Russell Tovey calls the series “really beautiful, brilliant, compelling.” The show invites viewers to choose their path: dive into Doctor Who lore or enjoy a standalone adventure that doesn’t require prior Whoniverse know-how. Salt, led by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, expands the antagonists’ ambitions from a mere surface skirmish to a planet-threatening bid for Earth itself. Mbatha-Raw—familiar to Whovians from her earlier role as Tish, Martha Jones’s sister—returns in a transformed guise as the Sea Devils’ leader. Her ensemble look is startlingly detailed, though she jokes that even her own dog couldn’t quite recognize Salt in full prosthetics.
The War Between the Land and the Sea is described by Mbatha-Raw as a wild, epic, and thrilling ride with messages that resonate in today’s world and offer ideas for change. A standout sequence envisions the Sea Devils weaponizing the ocean’s plastic pollution—literally throwing every scrap back at humanity—and the effect is credited to the meticulous work of the design and VFX teams, along with immersive practical set builds that make the underwater world feel tangible rather than synthetic.
The series is co-written and executive produced by Russell T Davies, who revived Doctor Who in 2005 and has returned as showrunner with Ncuti Gatwa leading the cast. Disney+ helped fund the project as part of the broader collaboration, though The War Between marks a close of that particular financial chapter for the Whoniverse. Davies notes that, while the BBC never had the budget for a big-screen successor to classic Sea Devils stories, the current production delivers lavish visuals and emotional depth—anchored by Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Russell Tovey—which is what will draw audiences in.
This new chapter arrives as the Whoniverse hasn’t shown Doctor Who in its ongoing form since Ncuti Gatwa’s recent regeneration moment, which brought back former companion Rose Tyler, played by Billie Piper. The BBC has confirmed a Christmas special planned for 2026, though Davies emphasizes that the writing process hasn’t begun in earnest yet and jokes about needing to jot down ideas soon in case fate intervenes. He also hints that the studio’s reaction to his outline was a mix of astonishment and enthusiasm.
Fans eager for a deeper look at the Doctor’s fate will have to wait, as humanity’s immediate peril remains clear: can Earth survive the Sea Devils’ threat? Davies teases a sly, hopeful grin: the story promises both danger and determination.
The War Between the Land and the Sea debuts its first two episodes on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on Sunday, December 7, with a global Disney+ release to follow in early 2026.
Listen to Newsbeat for live updates and in-depth coverage of this evolving Whoniverse chapter.
