Doctor Who Spinoff's Last-Minute Name Change Is Not In The Least Bit Surprising
By Dan Bibby
November 22nd, 2025
With Doctor Who's UNIT spinoff just around the corner, the BBC is ramping up the show's promotion. The first two episodes are set to drop for UK audiences on December 7th on the BBC iPlayer. The third and fourth installments will be available on December 14th, and the finale will go live on December 21st. International viewers will get to watch the show on Disney+ in 2026, but an exact date hasn't yet been announced.
The miniseries is the last remaining Doctor Who project that came into existence via the short-lived collaboration between Disney and the BBC. When it was confirmed that Disney had opted not to continue to team-up, it took a little while for the BBC to reveal that Doctor Who would be back with a Christmas special in 2026 and that another season is in the works. But, thankfully, sole control of the franchise has been returned to the BBC.
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies is also the creative force behind the upcoming spinoff, with a writing credit on three of the five episodes and another showrunning role. His main writing partner on the miniseries is Pete McTighe, who penned the script for Doctor Who's "Lucky Day" in 2025, as well as two Jodie Whittaker-era episodes. Davies has already confirmed a key change to established Doctor Who lore in the spinoff, renaming the Sea Devils as "Homo Aqua." However, that isn't the only change that's been made.
The miniseries is the last remaining Doctor Who project that came into existence via the short-lived collaboration between Disney and the BBC. When it was confirmed that Disney had opted not to continue to team-up, it took a little while for the BBC to reveal that Doctor Who would be back with a Christmas special in 2026 and that another season is in the works. But, thankfully, sole control of the franchise has been returned to the BBC.
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies is also the creative force behind the upcoming spinoff, with a writing credit on three of the five episodes and another showrunning role. His main writing partner on the miniseries is Pete McTighe, who penned the script for Doctor Who's "Lucky Day" in 2025, as well as two Jodie Whittaker-era episodes. Davies has already confirmed a key change to established Doctor Who lore in the spinoff, renaming the Sea Devils as "Homo Aqua." However, that isn't the only change that's been made.
The War Between The Land & The Sea's Title Has Been Drastically Shortened By Official Outlets
Overnight, Disney and the BBC seem to have had a sudden change of heart regarding the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff's title. Promotional material for the show has always proudly displayed "The War Between the Land and the Sea," making sure fans know what the miniseries is called as it prepares to unleash the episodes onto the world. However, when coming across a few recent social media posts, I noticed the show's title had dropped a grand total of five words.
On platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the UNIT-heavy project is simply being referred to as The War Between. Since posts have gradually started to put the words "The Land and the Sea" in increasingly smaller fonts, it's perhaps the logical next step to remove them from the title completely. Now, the eight-word version of the show's title can only be seen on older posts, and the name found on the promotional accounts themselves has been shortened to reflect the sort-of-subtle change.
Of course, no rebrand is straightforward. On sites like Wikipedia and IMDb, The War Between still has its far lengthier title on full display. At least, they do as I sit here writing this. If the BBC's intent is to execute a hard renaming effort, then it could be that other outlets take a while to make the necessary alterations. That is, if they happen at all, or if the changes are even possible.
On platforms like Facebook and Instagram, the UNIT-heavy project is simply being referred to as The War Between. Since posts have gradually started to put the words "The Land and the Sea" in increasingly smaller fonts, it's perhaps the logical next step to remove them from the title completely. Now, the eight-word version of the show's title can only be seen on older posts, and the name found on the promotional accounts themselves has been shortened to reflect the sort-of-subtle change.
Of course, no rebrand is straightforward. On sites like Wikipedia and IMDb, The War Between still has its far lengthier title on full display. At least, they do as I sit here writing this. If the BBC's intent is to execute a hard renaming effort, then it could be that other outlets take a while to make the necessary alterations. That is, if they happen at all, or if the changes are even possible.
Nerdy Trivia
Ncuti Gatwa's Fifteenth Doctor referenced The War Between's original title in "73 Yards," when he described the Welsh coastline as a "war between the land and the sea." The episode aired before the spinoff had been officially announced.
Why The War Between's Title Change Makes Perfect Sense
As soon as Disney and the BBC announced the title of The War Between the Land and the Sea, I was immediately irritated by how unwieldy it was. TV shows are constantly spoken about in social circles and in the media at large, so it didn't make sense that the Doctor Who spinoff had been made so difficult to refer to. Out of context, "Doctor Who spinoff" could refer to several projects, so that's far from a perfect alternative. (What if I'm talking about Torchwood?)
Besides, there was no way any fan was going to go around asking, "Did you see The War Between the Land and the Sea last night?" It was always far more likely that a shorthand would be quietly agreed upon among Whovians. The two most viable options in a title like that are The War Between or Land and Sea. I think we're all in agreement that Land and Sea would have been the inferior choice. So, even if the Doctor Who spinoff is never universally recognized under its newly shortened title, it's comforting to know that the BBC at least tried to come to its senses before it was too late.
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