New Doctor Who spin-off makes up for two disappointing Jodie Whittaker episodes

After the Jodie Whittaker era produced two disappointing attempts in the same vein, Doctor WhoThe upcoming spin-off offers a chance for redemption. When Russell T. Davies steers the ship again, Doctor Who is expanding, and War between land and sea marks the first correct one Doctor Who spin-off of the series, as it was short-lived Variety in 2016. Focusing on UNIT after the organization’s significant role in Doctor Who ending of season 14, War between land and sea will pit humanity against the Sea Devils, a race of monsters that first crawled ashore during the time of the Third Doctor.

Comparisons will inevitably be made between War between land and sea and previous “Sea Devil” adventures, while the spin-off also bears unavoidable similarities to past “UNIT vs. the Reptilian Enemy” stories such as 1970’s “Doctor Who and the Silurians.” War between land and sea however, perhaps has more in common with two specific stories from Doctor Who Season 12. None of them could ever seriously be counted among Doctor Whobest series, but the new spin-off seems to be righting that wrong.

Upcoming Doctor Who spin-off will have a strong environmental message

Prepare to feel guilty about that plastic bottle you didn’t recycle…

While specific plot details remain under wraps, War between land and sea apparently carries an environmental message. As Russell T. Davies (via BBC) describes the plot, “[the Sea Devils] wake up and they see the state of the oceans… We destroyed this place and this is warThe claim that human pollution of the oceans is the trigger for war on sea devils immediately throws a veil of ethical ambiguity over it. War between land and sea. It becomes impossible to completely declare the Sea Devils to be outright villains. when humans spent decades deliberately destroying their own planet.

Then immediately War between land and sea filled with a loud social message and a painfully sharp political background. Ocean pollution won’t just be a subtext in the background Doctor WhoIt’s a new spin-off, but it’s a core plot element that needs to be addressed openly and decisively. Even though UNIT will fend off attacks from Earth’s aquatic inhabitants, Kate Stewart also has to recognize that her species doesn’t hold the moral high ground in this scenario. The idea of ​​displaced sea devils being forced to find a new home could also potentially open up an entirely different political conversation, parallel to refugees and immigration.

Such comments have always been embedded in Doctor WhoDNA. Even during the First Doctor’s era, Planet of the Giants dealt with the environmental issues of the time, and hardly a season has gone by since then without at least one villain desecrating nature for the sake of greed. Social awareness is not even remotely new to Doctor WhoAnd War between land and sea proudly maintains this tradition.

Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor Who had two disappointing environmental episodes in one season

“Sirota 55” and “Praksei” had good intentions, but did not impress

Two of Doctor WhoBoth of the most recent and relevant environmental episodes aired in season 12, the second episode of Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor. “Orphan 55” came first, exploring a potential future in which the Earth has destroyed itself due to climate change, followed three episodes later by “Praxeus,” which more specifically explored ocean pollution. Both episodes convey worthy moral messages, but both also made the fatal mistake of not wrapping those messages in strong, compelling narratives.

Take away the twist that Orphan 55 is Earth, and all that’s left is a relatively run-of-the-mill joke in which monsters chase the Doctor around an alien base for an hour. Nothing was helped by the predictability of this turn of events, nor by the impact of the critical environmental warning behind it. Doctor WhoThe episode “Orphan 55” was dulled by its unoriginal storytelling and lack of ideas.

“Praxeus” fell victim to almost the same trap. Even though Praxeus offered much more innovation and memorable characters, it failed to stand out from many others. Doctor Who episodes associated with a deadly virus were quickly forgotten. As with “Orphan 55,” these shortcomings seriously weakened the environmental message the episode was trying to convey.

Why a war between land and sea could right the wrong of Whittaker-era Doctor Who

The war between land and sea could be one of Doctor Who’s best political stories

Big advantage War between land and sea ended Doctor Who Season 12’s “Orphan 55” and “Praxeus” rely on the latter to keep their environmental messages interesting, while the upcoming spin-off uses an interesting premise to elevate the environmental message. Promise of war between Doctor Whoorganizations UNIT and the Sea Devils, the presence of familiar characters such as Kate Stewart, the absence of the Doctor himself, classic Doctor Who the villain returns – even before taking into account the environmental element, War between land and sea sounds like a convincing watch.

The real-life social parallels built into the sea devils’ motivation to attack humanity are an additional element to a plot already filled with intrigue and ideas. The more memorable, emotional and powerful a spin-off is without relying on its morals, the more those morals will be reinforced and remembered by viewers long after the end credits roll, and many classic Doctor Who Episodes from the last 60 years provide proof that such a formula can be a great success.

The Third Doctor era Inferno is a remarkable parallel universe story with a witty political twist that makes it one of Jon Pertwee’s best works. Meanwhile, Tom Baker’s Origin of the Daleks will go down as one of the greatest works of all time. Doctor Who episodes even without its strident anti-war message. Even in this era, Doctor Who Season 14’s 73 Yards is a near-perfect, eerie folk tale that doubles as a critique of right-wing political rhetoric through the character of Roger ap Gwilliam.

All of these episodes understood the need to create a strong, stand-alone story that could serve as a conduit for social commentary, and that was a trick that Orphan 55 and Praxeus missed. In a promising sign for Doctor Whonew spin-off, War between land and sea took the same approach. The idea of ​​a spin-off would still sound appealing even if the Sea Devils’ invasion was caused by the lack of submarine tickets to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. The fact that they’re invading because humans have destroyed the ocean just adds an extra layer of depth, poignancy, and reality to enhance the whole package.

Sources: BBC