The War Between the Land and the Sea shows where TV is failing with disability representation

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The latest Doctor Who series, a five-part story called The War Between the Land and the Sea, is back with Russell T Davies at the helm. Building on his commitment to inclusive casting, Davies is significantly increasing disability representation. In addition to bringing back the character Shirley Bingham, played by Ruth Madeley, the show introduces Steve Chesney (George Robinson), a computer expert who also uses a wheelchair and joins the UNIT team.

As a film buff, I’m really disappointed by the casting in “The War Between.” It feels like the show thinks simply including a disabled character is enough. So far, it seems they haven’t gone any deeper than surface-level representation – there’s no real exploration of disability beyond what you immediately see. It’s a sadly familiar pattern in media, where just having a disabled person on screen is considered a job well done, and it’s frustrating to see it happening here too.

As a movie fan, I really appreciate that “The War Between” actually cast actors with disabilities in those roles – it’s still surprisingly rare, even when films are trying to do better with representation. Just look at “Wake Up Dead Man” which came out recently on Netflix – it did a great job showing chronic pain with a character who uses a wheelchair for mobility, but they still cast someone who doesn’t use a wheelchair for the part. It’s encouraging to see any progress, but it highlights how much further we have to go.

However, in the first four episodes of the new Doctor Who series, Bingham and Chesney haven’t been given much to do beyond delivering science fiction jargon and participating in UNIT meetings. A particularly telling scene shows them literally positioned at the edge of a glowing, high-tech table while their colleagues comfortably view the display from above, highlighting their marginalization.

It’s true that this is a government organization, and like many, it operates within a society that isn’t always accessible for everyone. The show aims to appear modern and welcoming, often communicating this through the UNIT organization. However, it rarely shows how characters who use wheelchairs actually navigate the world beyond simply adding a ramp here and there.

While some might be satisfied with the current level of inclusivity, shouldn’t we aim for even better representation in 2025? If the creators genuinely care about portraying diverse characters, they should recognize that wheelchairs are deeply personal and unique to each individual. Showcasing advancements in wheelchair technology would be a logical accommodation and could even appear futuristic to many viewers, including those with disabilities. Alternatively, a simple solution would be to provide lower tables.

You know, watching the scenes jump between the UNIT headquarters and various government offices got me thinking. It felt like the show was really highlighting the huge gap between what little support is actually available for people with accessibility needs, and what it should look like when those needs are genuinely addressed. It wasn’t just set dressing; it felt like a pointed statement.

Bingham and Chesney largely stay at the office throughout the series and aren’t involved in the more active, field-based storylines. When the show shifts focus, they’re left behind. Bingham has a short moment leading the office while others are gone, but remains a minor character, especially in episode 3. Chesney fades into the background, appearing briefly in the next episode with only a few lines about deepfakes.

It’s understandable why some are reacting this way, given Doctor Who’s past portrayal of disabled characters – often as angry, deceitful, or malicious. However, showrunner Russell T Davies recently addressed this history by reimagining the villain Davros, who traditionally uses a wheelchair, as physically capable in 2023. He explained this choice, stating that the previous version of Davros perpetuated the problematic idea of a wheelchair user being inherently evil.

It’s too simple to say villains are always disabled due to their condition, or to avoid showing any flaws in disabled characters. Disabled people are complex individuals, just like everyone else, and deserve to be portrayed with that full range of human experience.

The casting feels particularly disappointing when compared to Isaac Goodwin from Sex Education, who offered a thoughtful and nuanced portrayal of disability. Isaac was fully woven into the plot with realistic, and sometimes flawed, motivations. He evolved from an initial romantic competitor – a role often denied to disabled characters – into a genuine friend, all while maintaining the intriguing complexity that made him a compelling character.

While ‘The War Between’ isn’t as problematic as some other recent portrayals of disability, simply including disability isn’t enough to earn praise. In a society that often teaches us to avoid looking at disabled people, the show unfortunately offers many reasons for viewers to continue doing just that, ultimately negating any positive impact its representation might have had.

The latest Doctor Who special, titled ‘The War Between the Land and the Sea’, concludes on December 21st. You can watch it on BBC iPlayer.

Authors

Geoffrey Bunting

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2025-12-18 20:05