The War Between the Land and the Sea: New Doctor Who Spin-Off Launches with Environmental Message
Introduction: A Timely Return to the Whoniverse
The highly anticipated series The War Between the Land and the Sea launched with a thrilling double bill on Sunday 7th December from 8:30pm simultaneously on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. This five-part event series represents a significant expansion of the Doctor Who universe, tackling pressing environmental themes through the lens of science fiction. The War Between the Land and the Sea is a British science fiction television miniseries created by Russell T Davies for BBC One and Disney+ as part of the Whoniverse franchise, starring Russell Tovey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jemma Redgrave and Alexander Devrient.
Plot and Environmental Significance
When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered, with the entire population at risk, as UNIT step into action as the land and sea wage war. The series features the return of the Sea Devils, classic Doctor Who monsters now rebranded as ‘Homo aqua’. Led by Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s character Salt, the Sea Devils threaten war against humanity in response to the world’s devastating pollution and the looming climate crisis. Davies explained at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024 that the Sea Devils ‘wake up and they see the state of the oceans that we have put [them] in’, noting ‘We have wrecked the place, and it is war.’
Production and Creative Team
The series was created by Doctor Who Showrunner and Executive Producer Russell T Davies, who has written the series with Executive Producer Pete McTighe. The War Between the Land and the Sea was filmed from August to December 2024, consists of five episodes and premiered on BBC One on 7 December 2025. The production brings together impressive talent, with the series directed entirely by Dylan Holmes Williams, with Lorne Balfe serving as the show’s composer.
Conclusion: A Spectacular Christmas Offering
Russell T Davies described the series as ‘a huge, spectacular Christmas treat, with heroes and monsters and battles and romance, in a world on the edge of disaster.’ The War Between the Land and the Sea represents more than entertainment; it’s a timely meditation on humanity’s relationship with the oceans and environmental responsibility. The series is produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for the BBC and Disney Branded Television and will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK in December, and exclusively on Disney+ outside of the UK (where available) in 2026. As climate concerns intensify globally, this sci-fi drama arrives at a moment when its environmental message resonates powerfully with audiences worldwide.