Summary
- The upcoming Doctor Who spinoff, The War Between The Land and the Sea, is inspired by the “Cold Blood” storyline from the fifth season.
- The show may bring back the Silurians, as the Sea Devils are distant relatives, hinting at a possible connection to the main series.
- While drawing inspiration from “Cold Blood,” the spinoff will need to make major changes to avoid copying the original ending.
The War Between The Land and the Sea is an upcoming spinoff in the world of Doctor Who, following the Sea Devils as they are brought into conflict with the human race. The show was announced by Doctor Who’s showrunner Russell T. Davies at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024, where the two lead actors Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw were also revealed. Details about The War Between The Land and the Sea are still sparse, but the plot seems very similar to another story in Doctor Who’s past.
It’s not been confirmed whether or not The War Between The Land and the Sea will directly tie in to the main narrative of Doctor Who’s upcoming season, but if so, this would be a major step in the right direction for the franchising of the long-running sci-fi show. The spinoff could bring back some Doctor Who characters that are relevant to the story – Jemma Redgrave is already confirmed to be playing Kate Stewart, but there’s much room for other familiar faces. And if the show truly is re-imagining one specific Matt Smith adventure, there may be another returning villain too.
The War Between The Land & The Sea Is A Bigger Version Of Doctor Who’s “Hungry Earth/Cold Blood”
The Story Aired During Matt Smith’s First Season In 2010
From the few details that have been revealed about The War Between The Land and the Sea, it seems like the new spinoff is going to be very similar to the “Cold Blood” storyline from Doctor Who’s fifth season. This adventure, which is often regarded as one of the strongest stories in Matt Smith’s run, explores what happens when a group of humans discover a dormant species of reptilian Silurians underneath the surface of the Earth. When neither race wants to give up their home, they must come up with a compromise to share the planet.
“The Hungry Earth” marked the Silurians’ first appearance in the Doctor Who revival.
As Davies announced at SDCC 2024’s Doctor Who panel, this spinoff will see the Sea Devils feeling threatened by the humans’ mistreatment of the oceans, leading to a dangerous conflict between the two species. Clearly, these two stories are very similar: they both discuss humanity’s disregard for the environment, they both feature an alien race living secretly on Earth, and they’re both (likely) about preventing all-out war. However, by making this story much longer than “Cold Blood,” the writers should have more chances to fully explore the rich themes and philosophical ideas baked into the narrative.
The War Between The Land & The Sea Could Bring Back The Silurians
The Silurians’ History Is Entangled With The Sea Devils’
Perhaps the most interesting thing about The War Between The Land and the Sea is the show’s decision to use the Sea Devils as the alien race. They’ve only appeared twice in Doctor Who’s revival, but stories from the show’s classic run prove that they’re actually a distant relative of the Silurians. This suggests that not only is Doctor Who using “Cold Blood” as inspiration for the new spin-off, but there’s also a possibility that the Silurians themselves will be involved. If that’s the case, The War Between The Land and the Sea could be directly related to that adventure.
There hasn’t been a Silurian-focused story in Doctor Who since 2010’s “Cold Blood” […]
Additionally, the promotional materials for 2024’s Doctor Who Christmas Special, “Joy to the World” have already proven that at least one Silurian character will be making an appearance. There hasn’t been a Silurian-focused story in Doctor Who since 2010’s “Cold Blood,” so it seems like a sizable coincidence that they’re returning now, at exactly the same time as the Sea Devils spinoff. If the Silurians are involved in The War Between The Land and The Sea, there’s every possibility that it will somehow connect to 2024’s Christmas Special.
The War Between The Land & The Sea Can’t Copy The “Hungry Earth/Cold Blood” Ending
There Needs To Be Some Changes For The Spin-Off To Work
If the spin-off is using the “Hungry Earth/Cold Blood” storyline as inspiration, there must be some major differences to ensure that it isn’t too similar. For example, one aspect of the original story that probably wouldn’t work well here is the ending: in “Cold Blood,” the Silurians are preparing to go to war with the humans when a member of their own race forces them into hibernation for 1,000 years, hoping the situation will be different when they awake. This wouldn’t work for the Sea Devils, as the spinoff would likely require a much more definitive ending.
While the ending must be different, there are certain aspects of “Cold Blood” that would work very well in this case – namely, the negotiations between humans and Silurians/Sea Devils. If the show really is some kind of allegory for climate change and the destruction of natural resources, then having the humans come face-to-face with the consequences of their greed and ignorance, just like in “Cold Blood,” could be an extremely effective way of having that narrative play out on-screen.
