The War Between the Land and the Sea: Why the Doctor’s absence is actually a good thing

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The War Between the Land and the Sea spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 follow.

You’d expect the Doctor to arrive quickly when a war between land and sea erupts, especially considering their fondness for Earth. However, despite being set in the same universe as Doctor Who, the Doctor is notably absent throughout The War Between Land and Sea.

The story focuses on the return of the Sea Devils, seen through the perspective of Russell Tovey’s character, Barclay, and the team from UNIT – the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce – led by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart.

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Ultimately, The War Between Land and Sea captures the feel of a Doctor Who story, even without the Doctor, and that actually makes it stronger.

Look, I’m a huge Doctor Who fan, and I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing the Doctor show up with the Sea Devils! But honestly, some of my favorite episodes are the ones where the Doctor isn’t right in the middle of everything. Sometimes it’s cooler when they’re just on the edge of the story, or even don’t appear at all! It’s a fun twist.

The Doctor Who episode ‘Blink’ is a fan favorite, consistently ranking high in polls as one of the best stories ever – despite the Doctor actually appearing in it for a very short time. It all happens so quickly, you could say it’s gone in the blink of an eye!

The Doctor is a truly unique character, and a big part of that is how they constantly change – not just their personality, but even how they look. It’s something you feel, but can’t quite explain.

While they’re an alien Time Lord, this character feels particularly strange and otherworldly, even more so than many of the show’s heavily made-up alien creatures.

Watching The Doctor as an outside observer can make the character seem even more extraordinary, offering a new way to appreciate this classic sci-fi hero.

Russell T. Davies, the creator of the new series, takes an interesting approach by not featuring the Doctor as a physical presence. Instead, the Doctor is treated as a legendary figure, observed from a distance – which is how most people would likely see them if they really existed.

This first happens in the debut episode of The War Between the Land and the Sea. Barclay recounts a brief encounter with The Doctor to a colleague, saying, “He just said ‘Hello’ last year in the tower, and then he was gone.”

When asked to describe him, Barclay said he was incredibly memorable. He explained that even a brief encounter stuck with him, and he found himself thinking about it constantly.

This scene might seem small within the larger story, but it highlights what makes The Doctor so unique. By including it, the show also strengthens this new part of the Doctor Who universe, even though we’re only just beginning to explore it.

In the second episode, Kate gets frustrated when Barclay improvises during talks and jokingly compares working with him to working with The Doctor.

It’s a subtle scene, but it hints at a bigger story without relying on a predictable appearance by The Doctor.

By focusing on the team from UNIT in The War Between the Land and the Sea, the story finally gives them the attention they deserve. Introducing The Doctor would have taken away from that, diminishing their roles and lessening the overall tension.

I was listening to Russell T Davies talk recently, and he explained something really cool about the new series of Doctor Who. He said one of the most exciting things they’re doing is showing us what happens without the Doctor around. It’s a chance to see humanity dealing with things on its own, and apparently there’s going to be everything – monsters, love stories, action, and even some shootouts! It sounds amazing to see how everyone copes without the Doctor to save the day.

Usually, the Doctor can rely on a special, secure way to keep everyone safe, but that’s no longer an option. This season, the characters are really facing desperate situations and are being tested like never before.

Challenging the established characters in new ways brings a fresh energy to the UNIT team, allowing these beloved figures to take center stage. With The War Between the Land and the Sea, the Doctor Who universe expands its horizons, giving even previously smaller characters a chance to lead their own stories.

It’s enough to have you asking “The Doctor? Who?”

You can watch “The War Between the Land and the Sea” starting Sunday, December 7th, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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2025-12-08 01:20