The War Between The Land And The Sea review – Strong start despite tired tropes

The War Between The Land And The Sea premiered last night (7 December) and, while it shows promise, its uneasy politics and sloppily written female characters left me feeling a little… sunken.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for The War Between The Land And The Sea’s first two episodes.

From its opening moments, The War Between makes one thing very clear: this is a character-driven story first, genre spectacle second. Despite its apocalyptic framing and world-changing stakes, the first two episodes ground the conflict firmly in the everyman. And that everyman, played by Russell Tovey, is the standout of the series.

Tovey’s character, Barclay, brings warmth and accessibility to the audience, playing the surrogate for anyone who isn’t familiar with the Whoniverse. With a narrative that could very easily become grim and self-serious, Tovey adds a layer of humour and relatability to the show. There’s a very deliberate ‘everyman’ quality to his performance. 

On a technical level, the show is very impressive. The Disney money is very obviously showcased in some of the shots and the CGI monsters are actually, genuinely, a bit creepy. The Sea Devils, now called ‘Homo Aqua’ in The War Between, have been redesigned for the show and while they do look considerably different from their original design, it’s extremely effective. 

The first two episodes of The War Between The Land And The Sea make no attempt to be subtle about the show’s central metaphor. We’re going through a full climate disaster. It’s a direct, urgent allegory and is often blunt in its execution. The show isn’t asking us to decode a message or look for hidden meaning, it’s demanding we sit with it. And while clunky and exposition-heavy at times, it feels very intentional. 

The most troubling aspect of the first two episodes of The War Between lie in its treatment of certain female characters, particularly Salt, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw. In one particular scene, a group of male-leaders from across the world begin shouting at her, undermining the leadership of Tovey’s character Barclay. Salt’s response to this confrontation is to transform herself into a more masculine-presenting version of herself.

The ambiguity here feels unproductive. Is it critiquing male violence? Commenting on gendered power? Or simply defaulting to the tired logic that authority must look masculine to be effective? 

Despite its marketing efforts to stand out separately from the Whoniverse, The War Between The Land And The Sea fails to differentiate itself enough from Doctor Who. It’s hard to shake that the show is a spin-off, especially with multiple mentions of The Doctor. Viewers with no familiarity or affection for Doctor Who are unlikely to connect with the story and characters.

That said, The War Between The Land And The Sea does feel stronger than the most recent output from Doctor Who. Is this where Russell T Davies was pouring his focus? The character work is sharper, the pacing is more controlled and the thematic focus is a lot more coherent. 

For fans of Doctor Who, this will likely feel like essential viewing. While I don’t think it’s going to be making waves in the bigger picture of the show, it feels like a good start to the series.

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