Doctor Who's UNIT Spinoff Controversially Changes A Classic Villain In Unexpected (But Logical) Way
By Dan Bibby
November 5th, 2025
The War Between the Land and Sea is set to finally pay off the introduction of Doctor Who's new UNIT team when the spinoff airs later this year, and the miniseries' main "antagonists" are both familiar and different at the same time. Introduced in 1972, the Sea Devils debuted during the era of Jon Pertwee's Third Doctor. However, they have returned in other Doctor Who storylines.
After their most recent appearance during the Jodie Whittaker era, the Sea Devils are set to be far more prominent than they were during their encounter with the Thirteenth Doctor. The War Between the Land and Sea will be the franchise's final collaborative project with Disney, as the BBC looks to move forward on its own when Doctor Who returns with a Christmas special in 2026.
After their most recent appearance during the Jodie Whittaker era, the Sea Devils are set to be far more prominent than they were during their encounter with the Thirteenth Doctor. The War Between the Land and Sea will be the franchise's final collaborative project with Disney, as the BBC looks to move forward on its own when Doctor Who returns with a Christmas special in 2026.
Russell T. Davies Has Changed The Name Of The Sea Devils Because It's "Racist"
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies is also in charge of The War Between the Land and Sea, and has made an addition to Sea Devil lore that will likely prove divisive. According to IGN, an interview with RTD in the Radio Times revealed that "viewers will learn it's racist to say 'Sea Devils.'" Instead, the villains are being rebranded as Homo Aqua.
From context, it doesn't sound like Davies is accusing viewers of racism for using the term; otherwise, he surely wouldn't have said it himself. Instead, it seems more like the classic-era race considers the term offensive, and as much will probably be revealed when The War Between the Land and Sea premieres.
Unlike some of the showrunners' other recent tweaks to classic Doctor Who canon, the Sea Devil change doesn't come across as overly sensitive or misguided. Instead, it actually makes sense. A race introducing themselves as the Sea Devils is borderline nonsense, unless they're moustache-twirling bad guys who wear their water-based villainy like a badge of honor. It's far more logical that the term would arise as a pejorative label, given to Homo Aqua by humans.
This also doesn't sound like it's going to be the case. From Davies' comments in the same Radio Times interview, the plan appears to be to frame humanity as the villains, not their amphibious counterparts. As such, retroactively making "Sea Devil" an in-universe slur suddenly becomes a master stroke that will help reinforce the miniseries' concept.
From context, it doesn't sound like Davies is accusing viewers of racism for using the term; otherwise, he surely wouldn't have said it himself. Instead, it seems more like the classic-era race considers the term offensive, and as much will probably be revealed when The War Between the Land and Sea premieres.
Unlike some of the showrunners' other recent tweaks to classic Doctor Who canon, the Sea Devil change doesn't come across as overly sensitive or misguided. Instead, it actually makes sense. A race introducing themselves as the Sea Devils is borderline nonsense, unless they're moustache-twirling bad guys who wear their water-based villainy like a badge of honor. It's far more logical that the term would arise as a pejorative label, given to Homo Aqua by humans.
This also doesn't sound like it's going to be the case. From Davies' comments in the same Radio Times interview, the plan appears to be to frame humanity as the villains, not their amphibious counterparts. As such, retroactively making "Sea Devil" an in-universe slur suddenly becomes a master stroke that will help reinforce the miniseries' concept.
The Sea Devils' Name Change Isn't RTD's Only Alteration To The Classic Doctor Who Race
The Sea Devils have traditionally been visually portrayed as monsters of the deep, but the overall look of the race has become rather dated by modern standards. It also makes it trickier for viewers to relate to them, as they look very much like monstrous Doctor Who villains. Early glimpses revealed the Sea Devils had undergone a radical aesthetic update, especially where their faces are concerned.
Whereas they often tend to look like anthropomorphized fish people, The War Between the Land and Sea features at least one Sea Devil with facial features that are far more human. Played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, the character known as Salt was originally believed by some Whovians to be the new blueprint for all members of the Homo Aqua race, but further teasers have revealed that isn't the case.
Instead, Salt appears to be an outlier. Additional promotional material has proven that the classic Sea Devil look is still intact, if not updated a little for the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff. The in-universe reason why Mbatha-Raw's character looks so different hasn't yet been revealed, but it's reasonable to assume that introducing a new variety of Sea Devil in The War Between the Land and Sea who looks far more human is an easy way for the Loki star to be recognized, and it will invariably help in the expression of emotion.
The War Between the Land and Sea is confirmed to have a December 2026 release, but an exact date hasn't yet been announced.
Whereas they often tend to look like anthropomorphized fish people, The War Between the Land and Sea features at least one Sea Devil with facial features that are far more human. Played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, the character known as Salt was originally believed by some Whovians to be the new blueprint for all members of the Homo Aqua race, but further teasers have revealed that isn't the case.
Instead, Salt appears to be an outlier. Additional promotional material has proven that the classic Sea Devil look is still intact, if not updated a little for the upcoming Doctor Who spinoff. The in-universe reason why Mbatha-Raw's character looks so different hasn't yet been revealed, but it's reasonable to assume that introducing a new variety of Sea Devil in The War Between the Land and Sea who looks far more human is an easy way for the Loki star to be recognized, and it will invariably help in the expression of emotion.
The War Between the Land and Sea is confirmed to have a December 2026 release, but an exact date hasn't yet been announced.
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