THE WAR BETWEEN THE LAND AND THE SEA episodes 1 and 2 (some spoilers)

 

THE WAR BETWEEN THE LAND AND THE SEA episodes 1 and 2

 

Homo Aqua and Plastic Apocalypse

 

Well, now, well done. Tovey and the entire cast do well. Now, why couldn’t RTD and his writing partner have do this for DOCTOR WHO? Clearly, this was taken seriously, this was exciting, this was realistic, this had action, build up, tension, great character interactions, warmth, sensitivity and the rest.

 

I’m not totally clear on how Barclay got mixed up with the person he got mixed up with but it’s there and explained and if I had subtitles on the device I watched, I’m sure I would get it but that’s not even the point.

 

This works from start of episode one to end of episode two. And the rising tension does remind me of TORCHWOOD-the horrid CHILDREN OF EARTH in particular but also the world crisis in the even worse MIRACLE DAY, which makes me shudder for how this will end. On another note, this CANNOT take place in the DOCTOR WHO universe in the same way that MIRACLE DAY (and probably CHILDREN OF EARTH too) can’t. It changes the present day far too much and even if this ends by resetting things, things will never be the same.

 

The seriousness of the material does not disallow a few solid character beats that are funny (“It’s like working with the Doctor!”  “Oh, and I forgot my gun.”) mostly from Barclay’s ironic position as ambassador to the Homo Aqua (and yes, with such a tight script, so far, I can overlook that the name homo aqua is probably wrong according to most sources; for the record most sources agree that Homo means man and that means descended from apes).

 

Even Kate and her crew are good here and don’t over do the silliness. Kate even stops a lot of the stray stupid comments directly on screen. Good for her.

 

This is probably how things would really go if such an event were to happen. Politics, economics, border issues, travel issues, and big business would come into play and cause friction. I see where the Sea People are coming from but humans cannot change this in a day or a week and so ….Salt becomes the villain in a way that she’s not in most of the first two episodes by giving us all our plastic back and it looks as if Barclay’s wife’s driver is killed, and probably others were, too. We are not given stats on deaths.

 

Thus, we have two sides, both wanting to survive, one having to change a great deal and yet poised to lose a lot if they do and the other side, dying from the non-change in the polluting. Quite a few surprises happen here, too: though Salt likes Barclay (“I think you are my most favorite human.”), she’s not about to abdicate her wishes to inflict the changes on humanity even if kills most of us.

 

Tovey is spot on perfect and would be such a great Doctor if cast as the Doctor, which he should be immediately.

 

I still can’t get over that RTD could write such a good action adventure sci fi with a realistic basis again. What happened to him in 2023 to 2025’s middle? Or what happened to change him back?

 

These two episodes were riveting, visually stunning, and character driven as well as plot driven. Sure, like I said before, the sea people invading the land is a cliché plot but the way this is executed is top notch and I can’t really complain about any of it, really.

 

It’s rather enjoyable so far but I tense as the next three episodes will further the conflict and I don’t want anyone of this great cast of characters to perish…but knowing RTD and his perchance for death, destruction, grim, faithless horror and innocents dying, I brace for impact.

 

Still, on the strength of these two episodes, I’m along for the sea ride.