Doctor Who Spinoff Reveal: Dark Plot, New Sea Devils, and Returning Characters

by

The Season 2 finale of the show was accompanied by the premiere of the initial trailer for an upcoming spin-off series, titled “UNIT: Front Line.” This spin-off, announced at San Diego Comic Con in 2024, will focus on the Doctor’s allies at UNIT as they embark on a thrilling journey facing off against classic enemies from Doctor Who, the Sea Devils. Details about the storyline are scarce, but the main cast has been disclosed, featuring returning UNIT stars like Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, Ruth Madeley as Shirley Ann Bingham, and Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim. Joining them are familiar faces from the Doctor Who universe, Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who will be portraying new characters in this series.

The five-part series, penned by Russell T Davies, who’s behind Doctor Who, and Pete McTighe, author of “Lucky Day,” is still awaiting an official air date, but it’s anticipated to debut later in 2023. This upcoming series will expand on the narrative thread from “Lucky Day,” hinting at a more sinister side of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart. Davies has previously hinted that the Sea Devils will be seeking vengeance for the damage humans have caused to the oceans. The Sea Devils last appeared in 2022’s “Legend of the Sea Devils,” with Jodie Whittaker portraying the Thirteenth Doctor. However, this spinoff introduces a fresh take on these classic adversaries.

A Darker Tone Than Doctor Who

The War Between the Land and the Sea Wades Into Dark Waters

The trailer for “The War Between the Land and the Sea” clearly shows that this spinoff will have a darker tone compared to the usual optimistic vibe brought by the Doctor. Instead, it seems like the storyline will explore situations where hope is scarce, and the boundaries of right and wrong may not be so distinct. The trailer hints that Russell Tovey’s character, Barclay, will play a significant role in the series, finding himself entangled with Salt, portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who is the Sea Devil. Barclay, a soldier by all appearances, questions why Salt selected him after she suggests they can end the war between their respective species.

It seems like the tension between humanity and the Sea Devils is reaching alarming heights, as portrayed in the upcoming episodes. The preview hints at instances involving important councils or investigative panels, where Tovey’s Barclay is seen being escorted away under heavy guard. Later on, Kate and Colonel Ibrahim are depicted entering the same room, with Kate exclaiming, “You must stop!”

There are glimpses of soldiers patrolling the streets, UNIT troops preparing for battle, and Kate and other recognizable UNIT members looking troubled, as if they’re struggling to maintain the authority they usually wield in Doctor Who. This suggests that the storyline will revolve around a conflict unfolding among political figures, legislators, and various military factions.

In my perspective, it won’t be the first time a spin-off of Doctor Who, created during Russell T Davies’ tenure as showrunner, strays from the lighter tone of its parent series. Back then, there was Torchwood, focusing on Captain Jack Harkness and Torchwood Three based in Cardiff. Unlike Doctor Who, which caters to a younger audience, Torchwood was designed for adults, often incorporating mature language and themes unsuitable for the young viewers of Doctor Who. Whether The War Between the Land and the Sea will be as explicitly adult as Torchwood was remains to be seen. However, given its focus on an older audience and the return of at least one character from Torchwood, it seems likely that it will tread similar thematic ground.

Familiar Faces Return for The War Between the Land and the Sea

The Trailer Offers a Look at Returning Characters From the Whoniverse

In the spinoff series of The War Between the Land and the Sea, both Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw are taking on fresh roles, while some familiar faces from before are making their comeback. The trailer offers a glimpse at several returning UNIT characters who have had significant past roles. Notably, Colin McFarlane reappears as General Austin Pierce, last seen on Torchwood: Children of Earth. McFarlane’s return to the Whoniverse might come as a surprise to many, given that it has been 16 years since his previous appearance. As such, General Pierce may not be a well-remembered character among fans.

In the third season of Torchwood, titled “Children of Earth,” a continuous narrative unfolded across 5 episodes. General Austin Pierce, a U.S. Army member, was dispatched to the UK by the President to act as America’s representative in negotiations with an extraterrestrial entity called the 456. The trailer for “The War Between the Land and the Sea” hints that Tovey’s character, Barclay, might be collaborating with or serving under Pierce. Given that Barclay is British, it raises questions about why he would report to an American general. However, regardless of Barclay’s connection to Pierce, it becomes evident as a global conflict between humanity and the Sea Devils appears imminent, why Pierce would be significant in the storyline of “The War Between the Land and the Sea.

In “Lucky Day” during Season 2 of Doctor Who, we saw Kate Lethbridge-Stewart on the brink of allowing a dangerous alien called a Shreek to kill Conrad Clark because he had crossed her. This hints at the character dynamics when the Doctor isn’t present and sets the stage for what viewers can anticipate from her in this series. The trailer showcases an increased UNIT presence, but with human-Sea Devil relations strained and Salt seemingly trying to evade an impending war, UNIT’s aggressive stance could exacerbate the existing tensions.

New-Look Sea Devils

The Doctor’s Old Aquatic Enemies Get an Updated Design

In the original “Doctor Who” series, the Sea Devils made their appearance in 1972’s “The Sea Devils,” where they joined forces with the Master to combat Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor. Since then, they’ve only shown up a few times on “Doctor Who,” keeping much of their original appearance intact. Even when the Sea Devils reemerged in 2022’s “Legend of the Sea Devils,” their design was quite similar to how it looked back then. However, the first trailer for an upcoming series titled “The War Between the Land and the Sea” hints that the Sea Devils are undergoing a significant redesign since their first appearance in the “Doctor Who” universe. There might even be multiple Sea Devil designs to look forward to in this spinoff.

At the onset of the trailer for “The War Between the Land and the Sea“, you can observe a fresh interpretation of the conventional Sea Devil aesthetics. Unlike “Legend of the Sea Devils” which adhered to the original Sea Devils’ bulky rubber heads from classic Doctor Who, “The War Between the Land and the Sea” has chosen a contemporary, more menacing design. Now, the Sea Devils exhibit more human proportions, but retain their sharp, beastly features. This new appearance gives off a much more intimidating vibe that aligns better with the grittier tone of “The War Between the Land and the Sea“. However, the main Sea Devil in the series appears somewhat distinct.

In the role portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, the character named Salt exhibits a more human-like form among the Sea Devils, with human facial features contrasting her finned head and scaly skin. This design choice is practical in that it enhances Mbatha-Raw’s acting abilities, fostering a stronger emotional bond between the audience and Salt compared to traditional Sea Devil appearances. It remains possible that there is an explanation within the story for this difference, such as Salt being a hybrid of human and Sea Devil lineage. Some speculate that she might not be a Sea Devil at all, but rather one of the fish people created by the Atlanteans in the Second Doctor serial “The Underwater Menace.

It’s possible that Doctor Who has previously given a less complex explanation for the distinction between Salt and the other Sea Devils. In essence, the Sea Devils are part of the second branch of Homo Reptillia to emerge, with the Silurians being their land-dwelling relatives who came before them in the classic series. When the Silurians reappeared in Doctor Who, they were found to have more human-like faces compared to their earlier versions, which was explained as a result of these Silurians belonging to a different subspecies. Similarly, Salt could be from another branch of Sea Devil evolution, which might account for her looking more human than the other Sea Devil shown in the trailer for The War Between the Land and the Sea.

The battle between Land and Sea is set to premiere on BBC iPlayer within the UK, and on Disney+ wherever it’s accessible.

Read More

2025-06-06 04:21