Doctor Who Spinoff The War Between The Land And The Sea Confirmed With Episode Count & Returning Star

Terrifying old foes and familiar faces collide, as the first spin-off of Ncuti Gatwa’s Doctor Who era is confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con with The War Between The Land And The Sea. Gatwa took on the role of the Time Lord following David Tennant’s brief return for 2023’s 60th-anniversary specials. Despite representing a whole new era of the show, returning showrunner Russell T Davies has long wanted to see the Whoniverse grow, revisiting familiar companions on their own journeys and taking advantage of the full scope of the universe.

Davies revealed the Whoniverse will expand with confirmation of a long-awaited spin-off at San Diego Comic-Con. The War Between The Land And The Sea is written by Davies and returning writer Pete McTighe, with season 14 director Dylan Holes-Baker set to direct all five episodes when cameras start rolling in September. The series sees UNIT face a Sea Devil emergence, as Jemma Redgrave’s Kate Stewart and Alexander Devrient’s Colonel Ibrahim are joined by returning stars Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in currently unknown roles. Check out the synopsis and Davies’ statement below:

Davies:
I’m so lucky to work with such a magnificent cast. And this is a huge, muscular, thrilling drama which will shake The Whoniverse to its foundations. When the Doctor’s not in town, the whole of humanity is in trouble.

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, UNIT steps into action as the land and sea wage war. Created by “Doctor Who” showrunner and executive producer Russell T Davies, who wrote the spinoff with Pete McTighe (“A Discovery of Witches,” “The Pact,” “Doctor Who”), the series features the triumphant return of the Sea Devils, classic “Doctor Who” villains first seen in 1972.

Will The War Between The Land And See Have Two Tenth Doctor Era Character Returns?

Both Tovey & Mbatha-Raw Played Notable Whoniverse Roles

Though rumors of The War Between The Land And The Sea have been building for some time, the series’ two returning Doctor Who stars are sure to raise some eyebrows. Tovey, who most notably worked with Davies on his dystopian sci-fi drama Years and Years, previously appeared as Midshipman Alonso Frame in 2007’s seasonal special “Voyage of the Damned”, while Mbatha-Raw portrayed Freema Agyeman’s companion Martha Jones’ sister, Tish. Both of their previous characters are from literally two different worlds, so it is unknown how either could find themselves in the midst of a Sea Devil incursion.

For Tish, there may be some credibility to her involvement, as her Doctor Who role saw her inducted into the government of Harold Saxon, otherwise known as the Master (John Simm) to trap the Doctor and Martha in season 3. As such, she had not only some involvement in the UK’s highest offices, but a connection to the Doctor that would make her an ideal candidate for UNIT’s recruitment. Alonso was on the other hand last seen exhausted but stumbling into romance in a far-off alien bar. Alternatively, much like Varada Sethu’s season 14 and 15 roles, they may be playing new characters altogether.

Regardless of whom Tovey and Mbatha-Raw are playing in their Doctor Who return, The War Between The Land And The Sea is the next major step in Davies’ Master Plan to make Doctor Who a sci-fi juggernaut once more. After a highly-marketed season featuring both new and familiar faces both in front of and behind the camera, the spin-off series could easily tide viewers over between season 15 and a potential season 16. While the Sea Devils may bring Earth to the brink, the Whoniverse’s growth is just getting started.

The War Between The Land and Sea

The War Between The Land and Sea is a Doctor Who spinoff series from BBC. The live-action series will focus on the iconic Sea Devil species.