With The War Between The Land and Sea continuing production, current Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies has shared insight on where filming currently stands and the challenges that the project has faced. Davies confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con that a spin-off centered on an uprising by classic series villains, the Sea Devils, was in development. The War Between The Land and Sea will be led by Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in new roles, and see several familiar characters from UNIT face the underwater menace, including Jemma Redgrave’s Kate Stewart, Alexander Devrient’s Colonel Ibrahim, and Ruth Madeley’s Shirley Ann Bingham.
Davies recently opened up to Doctor Who Magazine (per RadioTimes) about the current status of The War Between The Land and Sea several weeks into its production. The writer stated that, at the time of writing, the series was into its third week of filming in a scheduled singular block of filming that will last until December, but just before Christmas, as opposed to separate blocks, reiterating that writing duties were divided between himself and fellow Doctor Who writer Pete McTighe:
In the office, this show is generally shortened to TWB , which makes me think it stands for Torchwood: Birmingham . We’re in the third week of filming. Very exciting! The shoot will go on until just before Christmas, and it’s a mammoth task, all wrangled by one director, Dylan Holmes Williams. I wrote eps 1 and 5, Pete McTighe wrote eps 2 and 3, and ep 4 is by both of us. Shooting a miniseries as one block brings its own challenges.
Furthermore, Davies admitted that steps had been taken to accommodate the schedules of those involved so that scenes could be filmed more flexibly, rather than sticking to a specific order, highlighting a particular final episode character appearance in the fifth and final episode that would require more flexibility. Check out the rest of what Davies shared below:
Normally, five episodes would be broken down into two or three blocks, filmed roughly in order. But this is all one big block, so an actor could appear for the first time in the very last scene of the very last episode (and indeed, someone does), but we could need them to shoot tomorrow. Equally, someone could be needed in ep 1 sc 1, but maybe we won’t shoot that until December. Logistics galore. When you see all those names listed in the credits, that’s people hammering this into shape, with smoke and steam hissing from the joints as they batter the schedule with big hammers! Production! It’s brutal!
What Davies’ Comments Reveal About The War Between The Land And Sea
A Returning Key Character Could Be In The Cards
Davies’ comments reveal several new points of interest about The War Between The Land and Sea that could hint at how its story will unfold. Typically, Doctor Who filming has a season divided into several blocks, with a single block consisting of multiple episodes. With The War Between the Land and Sea being envisioned as a single miniseries, its single block does affirm that it will be focused on a singular ongoing storyline, rather than being divided into more standalone stories.
Furthermore, Davies’ hints at a mysterious final episode star may leave fans wondering just who could appear in the season finale. While it could easily be a new character portrayed by an actor of significant reputation, it could also easily be a cameo by the main series’ leading Time Lord. Ncuti Gatwa is set to make his debut in the National Theatre’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest from November to January, so a cameo by the Fifteenth Doctor would have had to be filmed earlier in the production block.
Our Thoughts On Doctor Who’s Future Spin-Offs
Can The Franchise Prove Its Potential In The Streaming Era?
Doctor Who is no stranger to spin-offs, as two simultaneous spin-offs ran alongside the series under Davies in his original showrunning tenure, with the younger demographic-focused The Sarah Jane Adventures and the more-adult-oriented Torchwood. As such, many may feel safe given his prior experience and transparency with the show’s development.
However, many fans may also be wary about how a Doctor Who spin-off will be executed in today’s streaming environment. Many viewers have become critical of how larger franchises have been handled in the shorter episode count and miniseries-heavy format, leaving many to desire a change in how productions are handled. As such, The War Between the Land and Sea has to prove that the franchise can be a standout performer and worthy of expansion in the streaming era.
