REVIEW: ‘The War Between The Land And The Sea’ Episode 2 — “Plastic Apocalypse”

The War Between The Land and The Sea Episode 2 is written by Pete McTighe, created by Russell T Davies, and directed by Dylan Holmes Williams. The Doctor Who spinoff stars Russell Tovey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jemma Redgrave, and Colin McFarlane. Barclay had been chosen as Earth’s ambassador and must lead negotiations with Homo Aqua to stave off war.

This episode steps up the negotiations in every way. Barclay (Tovey) had been appointed to a major role, advocating for all of humanity before hostile, angry creatures from Earth’s oceans. The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2 begins right where the previous episode left off, with the ambassador for the Sea Devils specially pointing Barclay out. This means we get the full chaos of the reaction, and it’s intense and comical. It’s a ridiculous situation to have a complete nobody in charge of the world’s safety. But it allows for honesty amid programmed power struggles.

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2 sees the political commentary really step up a gear. The whole episode is filled with statements on how humanity has treated this planet. There’s a fury within the world, on both sides. McTighe’s dialogue in these scenes is sensational. Salt (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), the ambassador for Homo Aqua, talks about the pain and the suffering of her people. But Barclay also gets a chance to rant, and there’s a fantastic speech about feeling helpless and devastated by the state of the world.

The ending of The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2 is the most Doctor Who part of the miniseries so far.

It’s an opportunity to apologize, to be cathartic. And it’s not just pollution that is aimed at. It’s the opportunists and those in power and wealth who profit from killing the world—those who seek to manifest war and inequality. Donors, generals, and politicians all get the full brunt of the fury. It’s in your face and not exactly blunt, but that explosion of rage is palpable, and what’s being said needs to be put out in the open.

A long time is spent inside the same place, where negotiations are falling into place. But, like the previous episode, it’s tense and hostile throughout. Barclay and his allies are constantly on the precipice of everything falling apart. And it does. The ending of The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2 is the most Doctor Who part of the miniseries so far, just as so much time spent in the exact location was starting to get stuffy. It’s action-packed and deadly, showing a ruthless steal, whilst staying on brand for the topic at hand.

The cast continues to excel in The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2, showing that their strength will power this sci-fi story that never leaves Earth. Tovey is just phenomenal, an absolute powerhouse. At first, Barclay’s anxiety and feeling of being overwhelmed are exceptional. He’s coming out with anything, barely able to think. Then, when his first interactions with Salt go well, he’s a man reborn.

Hidden under layers of scales and prosthesis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s performance is enchanting.

That infusion of adrenaline and confidence makes Barclay a different person entirely. And it’s tragic because you know it’s turning into pride and overconfidence, leading him into a false sense of security. Standing before Salt and the delegation of Homo Aqua, Barclay carries the weight of the world and feels it. So many times, he has pressure leaning on him from both sides.

The speech is delivered perfectly, but the speaker is frightened of the consequences. And then there’s Salt, played by Mbatha-Raw. Hidden under layers of scales and prosthesis, her performance is enchanting. She smiles and is sweet to Barclay. But she can also be forceful and alien. Little looks and glances that transform Salt from being in control to defensive are so impressive in The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2.

The early formations of connection between Salt and Barclay are terrifically written and acted. They’re close and able to make eye contact. But there’s autocue and people in Barclay’s ear that are getting in the way and making tensions worse.

The rest of the supporting cast are fantastic for adding voices and recounting the stories from Doctor Who. The nerve center is a mixture of new faces and familiar ones, including Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Redgrave), Colonel Ibrahim (Alexander Devrient), and Shirley Bingham (Ruth Madeley). All have their storylines extended and enhanced from Doctor Who. Kisses have turned into full relationships. Kate is a fantastic chatty because she embodies the lessons the Doctor and her father instilled in her. She’s willing to take chances on ordinary people and show restraint instead of reaching for her gun. She’s the Doctor’s representative on Earth.

The production is again terrific in The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2.

The production is again terrific in The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2. The main set for this episode is exciting and effectively sets up the show. There’s the Homo Aqua on one side, with a contraption that brings water into the room, and then a sea of politicians and generals. Salt is a stunning design. Half Homo Aqua, half human, her face being visible allows Mbatha-Raw to emote whilst the rest of her is a crafted mixture of clothing and blue skin. And once again, it’s important to stress how difficult it is to act while encased in fins, gills, and glue.

The scene at the end of The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2 is an enormous spectacle. It’s so vast and impressive that some blockbuster movies would be impressed. There’s wreckage, whole cities in danger, and carnage on the streets. It’s a statement of intent from the series that shows the increased budget Doctor Who received has stretched to this miniseries, too.

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2 is a cathartic outpouring of rage. This world and what has been done to it can be so upsetting and frustrating, because it often seems like there’s nothing we can do. McTighe shows that you can yell about it. The fury within the characters, always threatening to bubble up, gives the show terrific energy even when it slows down. It has diplomacy and important conversations, revealing how little those in charge are willing to change. The main cast has remained small, but the preferences are huge and theatrical. This show is more than just a side story; it continues the storylines Doctor Who started and takes them further.

The War Between the Land and the Sea Episode 2 is available on BBC iPlayer now and Disney+ in 2026.

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