Doctor Who showrunner, Russell T Davies, has seemingly confirmed that members of the aquatic race seen in pictures for The War Between the Land and the Sea are the iconic Sea Devils, now looking completely different.
Though long suspected, the race looks vastly different from the cousins of the Silurians, previously seen in The Sea Devils and Warriors of the Deep, as well as, most recently, Legend of the Sea Devils.
When asked about the terrestrial species, Davies told the Radio Times:
“It’s racist to say Sea Devil.”
It was apparently said with “a twinkle in his eye,” so maybe that’s a joke. Still, calling another race the Devil is a tad insulting. Yet it will also cause many eyes to roll.
The War Between the Land and the Sea makes mankind into the villains, seeing as we’ve been polluting the oceans. Naturally, this leads to war, as Barclay (Russell Tovey) and Salt (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) step in as respective human and aquatic negotiators. As UNIT is involved, you have to wonder whether Barclay will be working for them.
“I think every writer in the world is thinking, how do you write about the climate crisis? We’re already in a climate war. This just dramatises it.”
As a writer, I can confirm that I’m not thinking, how do you write about the climate crisis?
It’s something Doctor Who has touched upon, namely in Orphan 55 and then Praxeus, the latter written by The War Between the Land and the Sea‘s co-writer, Pete McTighe.
Davies’ comments will be seen as provocative, of course, and it seems that’s how he likes it. UK viewers have to wait until next month to see how they like this Doctor Who spin-off.
