Broadcast dates for all five episodes, a new synopsis, and the full name of Russell Tovey’s Barclay
New details about upcoming Doctor Who spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea are now available. Following the announcement of the premiere date of the 7th of December, the dates for the remaining episodes have been published. They’ll be on iPlayer and BBC One in double bills each Sunday, with the final episode airing the Sunday before Christmas.
- Episodes 1 and 2 – 7th of December
- Episodes 3 and 4 – 14th of December
- Episode 5 – 21st of December
We also now know the full name of Russell Tovey’s central lead character. It turns out Barclay’s not his last name, it’s his first. His full moniker is the impressive Barclay Pierre-Dupont. Whether any French ancestry plays a role in the adventure is hard to say. However, Dupont is certainly an appropriate name for someone in Barclay’s position – literally meaning ‘of the bridge’ just as the UNIT member tries to form a bridge between UNIT and the Sea Devils. (It’s probably not a Tomb Raider deep cut, though.)
An updated BBC synopsis for The War Between the Land and the Sea also confirms Barclay’s status as a “low level UNIT staff member” who somehow “becomes humanity’s ambassador.”
The BBC have also launched dedicated social media accounts for the series, in addition to the existing Doctor Who presence. These include a new trailer, featuring Jemma Redgrave as UNIT leader Kate Stewart briefing the world on the crisis.
The War Between the Land and the Sea
The five-part series follows Barclay (Russell Tovey), a low-level UNIT staff member whose ordinary life becomes a world of terror when an ancient species rises from the sea. Barclay becomes humanity’s ambassador when the mysterious Salt (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) emerges from the Tank at a summit on the Thames. UNIT, led by Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), fights for control as humanity faces destruction.
The War Between the Land and the Sea begins at 8.30pm on iPlayer and BBC One on the 7th of December
