The Whoniverse is expanding with a new and serious story. The War Between the Land and the Sea, a Doctor Who spin-off created by Russell T Davies, started its journey on Sunday, December 7, 2025. Unlike the main show, this five-part series focuses on what happens on Earth when the Doctor is not there to save the day. It features the return of the classic enemies, the Sea Devils, and follows UNIT as they try to prevent a global war.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the show is now available weekly on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. International fans in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other regions will be able to watch the series exclusively on Disney+, but they will have to wait until 2026 for its release.
Complete Episode Release Schedule and How to Watch
The series launched with a special double episode on its first night. The remaining episodes will continue to air on Sunday nights in the UK. The full release schedule is as follows:
| Ep. | Episode Title | UK Release Date & Time (on BBC One & iPlayer) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | “Homo Aqua” | Sunday, 7 December 2025, at 8:30 PM |
| 2 | “Plastic Apocalypse” | Sunday, 7 December 2025, at 9:15 PM |
| 3 | “The Deep” | Sunday, 14 December 2025, at 8:30 PM |
| 4 | “The Witch of the Waterfall” | Sunday, 14 December 2025, at 9:20 PM |
| 5 | “The End of the War” | Sunday, 21 December 2025, at 9:05 PM |
How to Watch in the UK: All episodes are free to watch with a valid TV license. They are broadcast on BBC One and are available to stream at the same time on BBC iPlayer. The final episode on December 21 will run for 53 minutes.
How to Watch Internationally: For viewers outside the UK, The War Between the Land and the Sea will stream exclusively on Disney+. The platform has confirmed the show will arrive in 2026, but a specific month and date have not been announced yet.
Story and Cast: A Doctor Who World Without the Doctor
The series asks a big question: how does humanity handle an alien crisis without the Doctor’s help? The story begins when the Sea Devils, an ancient aquatic species first seen in Doctor Who in 1972, rise from the ocean and reveal themselves to the modern world. This act triggers an immediate international crisis.
Leading the human response is UNIT, the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. The organization is commanded by the returning Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, played by Jemma Redgrave. However, the central human character is Barclay, portrayed by Russell Tovey. He is a low-level UNIT transportation worker who is unexpectedly chosen to be humanity’s ambassador to the Sea Devils.
On the other side is Salt, the leader of the Sea Devils, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw. She selects Barclay as her counterpart for negotiations. The show explores their complex relationship as they try to stop a war.
Russell T Davies explained the different tone, saying, “The tone is adventure. It’s a little bit tougher than Doctor Who, it takes on tougher themesโฆ Normally the Doctor has a magic blue doorway they can take everybody safely through, that safety net has gone.”
The cast includes several familiar faces from the Whoniverse. Alongside Jemma Redgrave, Ruth Madeley returns as scientific advisor Shirley Anne Bingham, and Alexander Devrient is back as Colonel Christofer Ibrahim. A notable comeback is Colin McFarlane as General Austin Pierce, a character last seen 15 years ago in the Torchwood series Children of Earth.
Behind the Scenes and Fan Reactions
The series is a major production for the BBC. It was filmed from August to December 2024, primarily in and around Cardiff, Wales. The crew built massive sets to create the underwater world of the Sea Devils. Gugu Mbatha-Raw described one of these sets, saying, “The Empress Hall set was hugeโฆ One of my favourite sets was under the ocean in Salt’s domain. Everything else up until that point, Salt is out of her comfort zoneโฆ Stepping onto that set really transported you to another world.”
Early reactions from fans and critics have been mixed but passionate. Some viewers on platforms like IMDb have praised the show’s serious tone and timely themes. One fan review stated, “I’ve really enjoyed the first two episodes, good story and good special FX tooโฆ The last two seasons of Doctor Who should have been more like this with a darker more menacing tone.”
Other reviews have been more critical, with some feeling the story’s environmental message is too heavy-handed. Professional critics have also offered different opinions. The Guardian gave the series three out of five stars, calling it “an opportunity wasted,” while other outlets have praised Jemma Redgrave’s performance as Kate Stewart.
The soundtrack for the series, composed by Lorne Balfe, was released digitally on December 5, 2025. A physical release is planned for 2026.
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