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The War Between the Land and the Sea - new series starts Sunday 7 December 2025 on BBC1 at 20.30

150 replies

IwantToRetire · 05/12/2025 20:21

I thought this was going to be a new SF drama and got quite excited.

But turns out to be a Dr Who spin off, so less excited.

Cant see a thread about, so adding this.

Only review I have seen has spoilers so wont post link but this is the iPlayer link.

2 episodes this sunday, 2 the following and just one Sunday after that.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002mt0s

BBC One - The War Between the Land and the Sea, Series 1, Homo Aqua

Barclay’s life becomes a world of terror when an ancient species rises from the sea.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002mt0s

OP posts:
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7
Whomanity · 05/12/2025 20:34

I’m keeping an open mind. Past Doctor Who spin offs have been pretty impressive, on the whole …

mumofoneAloneandwell · 05/12/2025 21:02

Is it sci fii fi? x

Oh a doctor who spin off, not for me 😭 although I like the actor

Whomanity · 07/12/2025 07:15

It would be unreasonable to be even the tiniest bit excited - wouldn’t it?

Whomanity · 07/12/2025 21:17

It’s fantastic so far!

SweetBaklava · 07/12/2025 21:55

I’m totally hooked 😆

Whomanity · 07/12/2025 22:10

That was reasonably thrilling. Everyone in the cast is a delight, so I can tolerate somewhat basic dialogue.

It doesn’t merit the late night time slot, but whatever …

the80sweregreat · 07/12/2025 22:19

Nice to see ‘ budgie’ in a good series and I don’t like si fi normally and I don’t watch Dr who !
I am a fan of Tovey though and this has lots to say doesn’t it.

Rummikub · 07/12/2025 22:20

Whomanity · 07/12/2025 07:15

It would be unreasonable to be even the tiniest bit excited - wouldn’t it?

I’m excited.
Then I realised it was UNIT. and got more excited.

Rummikub · 07/12/2025 22:21

I loved it.

I’ve liked everything RT has been in.

Butteredtoast55 · 07/12/2025 22:29

I found it gripping. Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw were both excellent and its central theme is very pertinent.

GoldenBracelet · 08/12/2025 16:37

Had to keep reminding myself that it's Dr Who level, ie for kids as well as adults, and it was still bad.

Preachy, illogical in its own universe, trite and obvious. Ticked every "businessmen are BAD, everymen are GOOD, Q+ peopel are EVEN BETTER" RT Davies trope.

Have decided not to persevere past the twenty mins of eipisode two I could just about stomach.

(Because the obvious question about as much of episode two as I could stomach, was - if the fishy people could throw all the plastic out of the sea, why didn't they just - do that? Why haven't they been doing it all along?)

(And, re episode one, why are humans being blamed for the fishy people being built around by the Earth? Humans didn't do that! Got to tick those colonialism boxes though, I guess.)

GoldenBracelet · 08/12/2025 16:41

Anyway, no wonder Disney dumped Dr Who, if this expensive, preachy twaddle is what RTD came up with.

snowibunni · 08/12/2025 17:36

I wouldn't have watched it if I'd know it was part of the whoniverse. As not keen on Dr Who. But I watched the two episodes and then watched the original sea devil episode in iPlayer which made me laugh out loud, a lot.

I did think there was going to be more peril.

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IwantToRetire · 08/12/2025 17:42

Well I was prepared to find it entertaining but it is another of those programmes where sound recording is all about the noise and special effects.

It didn't matter how high I turned the volume up, the spoken word level was hopeless.

And out of consideration for my neighbours didn't have the volume on high because of over done threatening music.

And even if aimed at children really the "messaging" was just tedious obvious.

I suppose I was hoping for something more Dark Materials.

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allthegoodusernameshavegone · 08/12/2025 17:46

Oh, that’s me out then, I know nothing about Dr Who. I just want something to enjoy thats not reality or celebrity TV.

Original poster
IwantToRetire · 08/12/2025 18:40

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 08/12/2025 17:46

Oh, that’s me out then, I know nothing about Dr Who. I just want something to enjoy thats not reality or celebrity TV.

I dont think you need to know about Dr Who, although he is referred to.

I would watch it all if only the sound recording was better.

In some ways it is quite fun. And the messaging is a minor irritant, and the pollutions points could have been made in another way.

OP posts:
GoldenBracelet · 08/12/2025 18:42

IwantToRetire · 08/12/2025 18:40

I dont think you need to know about Dr Who, although he is referred to.

I would watch it all if only the sound recording was better.

In some ways it is quite fun. And the messaging is a minor irritant, and the pollutions points could have been made in another way.

Show quote history

Just put the subtitles on. We do that for most series now, or I wouldn't have a clue what was going on 😆

PistachioTiramisu · 08/12/2025 18:44

The music was much, much too loud and imposing, tone far too preachy (we have heard it all before, and no I still don't believe in climate change), but a good story anyway so will stick it out. Love Kate Lethbridge-Stewart and glad she has a love interest at last!

GoldenBracelet · 08/12/2025 18:49

It felt like it should have been made 10/15 years ago. These days fiction, politics and the news, has fully covered it all.

"Oh my god, plastic is bad??!!!"
"Oh my god, are we damaging the oceans??!!"
"Wait, the baddies are our own species/race??!!"

In another 15 years, I predict that RTD that will discover the concept of microplastics and forever chemicals.

Amiunemployable · 08/12/2025 18:56

Well, I enjoyed it and thought the two leads were brilliant.

In terms of DW spin-offs, it's not as good as children of the earth but better than miracle day.

Bloodyuber · 08/12/2025 19:02

Disappointed here. Massive Whoniverse house.

Biggest disappointment was the casting of Russell Tovey. He's Alonso. For them to then pull the Titanic into the show was a very unwelcome nod to Tovey's episode.

Kate does NOT need a personal life. Completely irrelevant.

It feels like it's a huge commentary on pollution.

It feels like it's trying to bridge the Torchwood hole. It's not dark enough for that.

We'll be watching the rest, but not working for us so far.

chickenfucker · 08/12/2025 19:25

It was preachy and poorly acted, much like Doctor Who now.

Whomanity · 08/12/2025 19:33

Well, I like watching Russell Tovey - he’s pure visual poetry - and I’m quite willing to accept that he’s somehow able to be in this story as well.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw had a significant part in a Who story, too.

Obviously the characterisation is a bit basic, so neither of them is stretched.

I don’t believe in Kate’s relationship, but it was slightly thrilling to see her looking so excited before the initial interspecies meeting.

The question of why Homo Aqua hadn’t thrown back all the rubbish before is a good one. Maybe they only made themselves apparent once they’d worked out how to do it? Maybe they were reluctant to start a war before, but have reached the end of their tether with human disregard?

I certainly wasn’t expecting Torchwood or CoE, but I wouldn’t have minded it being a little less child oriented.