Before tonight’s final episode of The War Between the Land and the Sea, called “The End of the War,” the show’s creator, Russell T Davies, and co-writer Pete McTighe discussed the Doctor Who spin-off on the BBC’s YouTube series, The Whoniverse Show.
The discussion about how the series began and a preview of the final episode – which Russell T Davies called “carnage” – led to talk about Jemma Redgrave’s character, Kate Lethbridge-Stewart. Kate, who leads UNIT, has been a regular part of Doctor Who since she first appeared in 2012.
Presenter Christel Dee noted it was great to finally see Kate’s personality and backstory explored further, as the character has been part of Doctor Who for some time.
She continued, saying it was wonderful to watch her being challenged, and then asked them to share her progress so far.
I was really struck by how highly Davies spoke of Kate Redgrave. He explained he made her head of UNIT because she’s just fantastic, and he’d always wanted to give her more responsibility. He did admit, though, that actually finding the opportunities to do that wasn’t always simple.
It’s difficult to find enough for Kate to do when the Doctor is around, as he tends to take the lead and handle everything. This episode gave her a chance to really step up and take initiative, and she did just that.
I remember McTighe talking about how she started exploring a bit of a darker side to the character back in the ‘Lucky Day’ episode – season 15, episode 4. She was already hinting at things to come, and pushing the character into situations where she had to face some really awful truths. It felt like she was intentionally laying the groundwork for what we were seeing unfold later on, and it was cool to notice that in retrospect.
It’s wonderful to have the chance to really explore this character and see how they develop. Their story is incredible and continues all the way through the series.
Davies laughed, recalling the moment in episode 5 when she was at her breaking point during her session with her psychiatrist.
“She shows sides to her you’ve never seen before, and she’s ferocious. I love her,” he added.
Davies shared that the romantic connection between Kate and Colonel Ibrahim, hinted at in Doctor Who, was planned to be explored more in future episodes.
We’ve developed a great connection that feels very organic, and it’s letting us delve deeper into Kate’s character. It’s also giving us the chance to show more of what’s going on inside Christopher, who’s always been responsible and dedicated. He’s finally revealing a more personal side, which will lead to some exciting developments.
Although the specifics of the finale are being kept secret, actress Redgrave hinted that Kate might face some significant danger.
Playing this character has been an incredible experience, not just throughout the various seasons of Doctor Who, but also in this current series. Each time I’m asked to return, it feels like a wonderful surprise, and I hope it continues for a long time.
As a huge fan of ‘The War Between the Land and the Sea’, I’m letting everyone know the final episode is coming up on Sunday, December 21st at 8:05pm! You can catch it on BBC One, or if you miss it, it’ll be available on BBC iPlayer.
Don’t miss The War Between the Land and the Sea! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob app – download it today for daily TV suggestions, exclusive features, and more.
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2025-12-21 15:05