Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has teased a future for the franchise’s upcoming spinoff, The War Between the Land and the Sea, despite its status as a miniseries. The War Between the Land and the Sea will see the return of the Classic Who monsters previously known as the Sea Devils, as they vow violence against humans and UNIT for polluting the waters they call home.
The five-episode spinoff marks the final official collaboration between the BBC and Disney+. The series is set to premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK on December 7 with two episodes and will be rolled out worldwide on Disney+ in the new year. Thankfully, this isn’t the end for the Whoniverse, as the BBC has already confirmed Doctor Who will return with a 2026 Christmas special.
There may already be even more Who-related stories on the horizon, however, if the spinoff creator’s latest comments are anything to go by. When RadioTimes.com asked creator and writer Davies if The War Between the Land and the Sea is “strictly a standalone series,” Doctor Who’s current mastermind responded: “It’s a complete story – it absolutely ends… and I will say, stay tuned for the very end, keep watching.”
Though Davies’s comments promise that this particular iteration of the UNIT vs. Homo Aqua (the Sea Devils’ new preferred name for themselves) conflict will come to a satisfactory conclusion, the showrunner seems to be hinting that more will be revealed in an additional mid- or post-credits scene.
“That doesn’t mean… that sounds like the Doctor appears – that’s not what happens! But within the story, the credits start to roll… keep watching!” Davies told RadioTimes.com.
Given the mystery surrounding Ncuti Gatwa’s regeneration and Billie Piper’s sudden reappearance in the latest season finale, a Doctor cameo would likely only lead to further confusion. However, Davies’s insistence that viewers watch until the very end of the final episode, despite the lack of a TARDIS sighting, is intriguing. He might have more up his sleeve.
So, what could this mean for The War Between the Land and the Sea?
Credit: BBC
While the BBC’s own Director of Drama, Lindsay Salt, has referred to the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff as a “brand-new epic miniseries,” The War Between the Land and the Sea being renewed for a second season wouldn’t be the first time a previously labeled mini- or limited series was turned into an ongoing project.
Mark Ruffalo’s recent HBO series Task was originally billed as such, too, before it was confirmed the show would return for season 2.
Additionally, there’s the possibility that The War Between the Land and the Sea’s format will be turned into an anthology, of sorts, potentially with Kate Lethbridge-Stewart’s (Jemma Redgrave) UNIT at the center of it all. As a military-like organization specializing in timey wimey shenanigans and extraterrestrial threats, UNIT has no doubt made plenty of monstrous enemies, far more than just the Sea Devils.
For now, though, the Whoniverse’s focus is on The War Between the Land and the Sea’s Homo Aqua, led by Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s character, Salt. Caught between the Homo Aqua and UNIT is Russell Tovey’s Barclay, an unsuspecting human who becomes the negotiator in the middle of the two warring sides. Can his unique relationship with Salt prevent the world from descending into chaos?
The War Between the Land and the Sea premieres in the UK on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on December 7. The show will have a wide release on Disney+ in 2026, though an official start date has yet to be confirmed.
Network
BBC One
Showrunner
Russell T. Davies
Directors
Dylan Holmes Williams
Writers
Russell T Davies
Franchise(s)
Doctor Who / Whoniverse
Russell Tovey
Kate Lethbridge Stewart
Jemma Redgrave
Colonel Christofer Ibrahim