REVIEW: ‘The War Between the Land and the Sea’ Episode 1 – “Homo Aqua”

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 is a Doctor Who spinoff. Written by Russell T. Davies and directed by Dylan Holmes Williams. The show stars Russell Tovey, Jemma Redgrave, and Colin McFarlane. Barclay Pierre-Dupont is dragged into a meeting between the Sea Devils and humanity on the eve of what could turn into a devastating war.

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 wastes little time getting to the point. There is no Doctor in this spinoff, just a normal man who works in the lowest levels of UNIT, the organization that protects the planet. The plot rushes, introducing Barclay to the Sea Devils and what comes next. Davies isn’t moving too fast because there’s some exceptional character building among that. But it’s important to show the opening shots early; devastated, it’s the consequences of these deaths that are crucial to the plot.

The horror elements throughout The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 are executed superbly. These scenes turn slow and agonizing, letting the tension build. When something happens, or the Sea Devils are about to make a move, there’s a sickly feeling of dread. Because there is no backup coming, and the Sea Devils have the power.

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 has a terrific leading man.

They’ve got the territory, the leverage, and whatever else is lurking in the ocean. Every meeting between a human and a Sea Devil is like a standoff, getting more severe and expansive each time. It goes from two soldiers to a conclave of armies to the entire planet, and the scale gets huge.

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 has a terrific leading man. Tovey is no stranger to Doctor Who viewers, appearing in a Christmas special 18 years ago and steering a burning Titanic above Buckingham Palace. Here, he’s a completely unrelated character, beginning as just a regular man. Tovey’s physical acting is sensational. He’s a nervous wreck, a fish completely out of water. Soldiers and sea creatures surround him, and he is utterly panicking.

He was not meant to be there. The way that he stutters and frets is both believable and engaging. He has started from the bottom and is very quickly getting propelled forward. For most of The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1, Barclay is a passenger. He’s our journey into this changing landscape, as it’s there to be bewildered and unprepared for it all, which is fantastic for world-building.

It’s always important to note how normalized diversity is in Doctor Who-related projects.

The dialogue in The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 moves between sci-fi talk and trying to be as honest and grounded as possible, something Davies specializes in. As Barclay gets called in, small bits of conversation create connections and reveal history in seconds. It’s also interesting that the Sea Devils have their name changed, referred to in this series as Homo Aqua or other Latin names. It highlights an attempt for the time of this series to be more diplomatic and serious than a regular Doctor Who episode that needs snappy names to be exciting.

At first, the UNIT team is completely unknown. There is a selection of agents, many of whom are encountering hostiles for the first time. They’ve never met the Doctor or fought alongside him. But later in The War Between The Land and The Sea Episode 1, that’s when the rest of the supporting cast step in, fresh from the last season of Doctor Who. The cast, in general, has power, heart, and interestingness, which is crucial when you’re lacking the Doctor’s charisma and chaos. In fact, without the Time Lord taking control, there’s much more procedure involved.

It’s always important to note how normalized diversity is in Doctor Who-related projects. There are trans characters and disabled characters. It’s not brought up or commented on. They exist, as they do in the real world. The one issue with Kirby (Cat Gannon), Barclay’s child, is their age. They look and talk like an older teen, but are referred to and tested as if they were a younger child. Tossed between parents, it seems like there wasn’t quite a definitive answer in the script.

The visuals are spectacular in The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1.

Perhaps the best scene in The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 is the first contact between the two sides, because Davies approaches it with a fascinating twist. He shows nuance, using translation issues to manifest and heighten the tension. How the UNIT interprets the responses changes the entire context.

The production is an example of how brilliant the Doctor Who team is. The visuals are spectacular, and the set dressing is phenomenal. Seeing Barclay sweating profusely alongside the soldiers, proving he isn’t one. The Sea Devils are superbly designed. There’s a simplicity when they’re viewed from afar, but much more detail upon closer inspection. There are some spectacular uses of CGI, such as when the Sea Devils’ ships rise from the water around the world. It looks ominous and imposing. But there are moments, notably helicopters, that look like a video game.

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 is fresh and inviting. The first spinoff in a long time, this one has its own energy. It’s not trying to go up in age or darkness like Torchwood, nor becoming more for a younger audience like The Sarah Jane Adventures. It’s just finding a specific topic and sticking to it. It’s slow, expansive, and more in-depth than a typical Doctor Who episode. Tovey has shown he can carry this whole mini-series on his back, but he doesn’t have to, as he’s flanked by a supporting cast that has proven they don’t need the Doctor to save the world.

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 1 is available now on BBC iPlayer and on Disney+ in 2026.

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