20th December, 2025: “The End of the War”.An Introduction.
Right …
It’s officially Saturday.
Which means I’m writing this the day before Sunday, 21st December, 2025, and the day before the last episode of The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Something I’ve been watching — and reviewing — ever since the most recent member of the Whoniverse franchise started.
Given that the BBC has broadcast two episodes a night, over the past two weeks?
I’ve had my work cut out for me.
But?
I’ve been looking forward to Christmas — this coming Thursday — and the final episode.
That final episode, “The End of the War”, airs tomorrow: and, frankly?
I’m looking forward to it.
21st December, 2025.Part One.The Summary.
Episode 5 — “The End of the War” — opens with a recap: reminding us that Salt (Gugu M’Batha-Raw) has fled capture, and that Barclay (Russell Tovey) is distraught without her.
The scene shifts.
To show us the inhabitants of a small coastal village, doing the things any us of would be doing of an evening.
- Eating dinner.
- Watching the news.
- Walking the family dog …
It’s only then we see what the villagers don’t: as an Aquakind soldier surfacing, blowing a high frequency horn … and luring every one of the village’s dogs to the sea.
We see the negotiations between Sir Jonathan Hynes, and Tide, the human and Aquakind ambassadors, are going badly.
With both arguing the other shouldn’t eat their pets.
Meanwhile, in the UNIT control room … ?
We see that the distressed Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) is having flashbacks: then shown that Kate is now in the hands of a psychiatrist (Carolin Stoltz), one who is insistent that Kate be signed off of her highly pressurised role … only for Kate to insist — quite forcibly — on an increase in medication.
She really needs to get back to work.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
When Kate returns to UNIT’s office?
She finds that Barclay (Russell Tovey) is still having a fitness evaluation.
What Kate, and the medical team, don’t know?
Is that Barclay has been securely held in a posh London hotel: with a guard on the door, cameras in the suite, and an expensive scanner, so he can make sure his dinner hasn’t been poisoned.
Kate?
Doesn’t know Barclay has found a way past these cameras.
But does know this.
That the Prime Minister is part of the Severence conspiracy.
That negotiations between human and Aqua kind are getting desperate.
And that five years … ? Is too short a time …
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
22nd December, 2025.Part Two.Thoughts.
Now …
I can imagine you asking a couple of questions.
“Paul”, I hear you ask, “what did you make of ‘The End of the War’”.
“And what did you make of the five part series it’s the climax to?”
You’re not afriad to ask awkward questions, are you … ?
Let’s explore the first question, though: what I thought of the episode.
For a start … ?
The War Between the Land and the Sea has a great cast: and “The End of the War” sees them as on form as they’ve been through-out.
Yes: Gugu M’Batha-Raw and Russell Tovey as Salt and Barclay, were both touching, convincing and sympathetic.
Ruth Madeley, as Mrs Bingham … ? Is one of those minor … no, that’s the wrong choice of words, there.
Ruth Madeley, as Mrs Bingham, as UNIT’s recurring chief scientific adviser, may only have a few lines: but is one of those characters who have a bigger impact that her on-screen dialogue would suggest.
And I feel she’s replaced Colonel Ibrahim as chief aide to the boss.
Talking of the boss?
The real star of the show is Jemma Redgrave as UNIT leader, Kate Lethbridge-Stewart.
All the way from the opening shots of the episode — blackmailing her psychiatrist — to the scenes at the end?
Ms Redgrave has done a superb job: and makes the series worth watching.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Yes, I know what you’re possibly going to say, here.
Kate’s behaviour in some scenes — blackmailing her mental health worker is a a possibly good example, here — is arguably not ethical.
But … ?
The impression I’ve picked up over the years is that many corporate chief executive officers — your Jeff Bezos, your Tim Cooks, your Richard Bransons — can be utterly charming when they need to be.
Especially if a reporter’s about.
But they also have reputations for being ruthless in the boardroom.
To be blunt?
They’ve not built up big corporations by being pleasant.
Jemma Redgrave’s portrayal of the leader of a major organisation shows us that Kate can be polite, kindly and easy going, when it’s needed.
But just as nasty as a corporate boss, when she needs to be: happily committing blackmail, bribery and political extortion as needed.
Jemma Redgrave has done well in reminding us of this one thing: that just because you’re a good guy … doesn’t mean you’re nice.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Three.The Plot.
With the cast out of the way, what about the plot?
We can safely say that “The End of the War” is exactly that: an end, for now, of the war between humanity and Aquakind.
An end that comes as a win for humanity: but not an ethical one.
The Accord signal Salt tells Barclay to send to Aquakind, is sent too late.
As it reaches its target minutes after the Severance virus, the virus made and launched by the conspiracy led by General Gunsberg, the virus that kills some ninety percent of Aquakind …
And leaves corpses floating in the waters of the world: and leaves Salt having to make a heartbreaking concession.
One that contains a hidden warning, a warning that implies that those responsible for the virus will be punished, when they’re least expecting it.
Even after that warning?
Salt admits her people are terrified of humanity …
This finale reminds humanity can do great things: but also capable of outright genocide.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Four.The Plot Sickens.
That … ?
Is possibly too much about the plot!
When all I should have told you is simply this: “The End of the War” is a good finale to The War Between the Land and the Sea.
It’s one that shows humanity win a war against a formidable enemy … but winning a victory at the cost of its own morals.
The Severance conspirators have won a war for humanity by committing mass murder, when it should have waited: and could strike a peace deal, won the war far more ethically.
As Kate puts it, when talking to her team: “Congratulations. Or shame on us all. I’m not sure which.”
That line is a very good summary of an episode that was complex, dark, ambiguous: and very watchable.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
23rd December.
Part Five.The Series.
So, what could I tell you about the series … ?
There’s possibly a lot I could say, here, but the bottom line … ?
Is that The War Between the Land and the Sea was an engaging series: although one that does have some issues.
The big one for me?
I mentioned how — in episode four — Kate tells us UNIT is above government and police.
And that I found their potential extrajudicial execution of Colonel Ibrahim’s killer to be problematic.
For what’s supposed to be the law-abiding British branch of an international organisation?
They were — in this, at least — acting more like a maverick branch of Torchwood.
It works well in this series, I feel: but it’s possibly the wrong tone for this group to behave like that one.
They should possibly be a bit more distinct.
Whilst we’re on the subject of Torchwood?
I have to confess — still — that I found the first two episodes reminiscent of Torchwood’s third series: the critically acclaimed Torchwood: Children of Earth.
The first two episodes in particular, the ones that show us Salt acting as Aquakind’s ambassador?
It shows her in an environment tank eerily similar to the one used by the 456 in Children of Earth: an environment tank in a setting that — again — is familiar.
Unsurprising: Russell T. Davies was heavily involved in writing both, after all: and the episodes are filmed in many of the same physical locations.
Am I saying that’s a bad thing?
Not necessarily.
Yes, I’d prefer things to spring freshly out of a writer’s head, every time he creates a series like this: but I’m also aware that re-using elements, with a new twist if possible, can help get a TV show written and produced, rapidly.
That’s one thing.
The other thing that got me comparing the two series?
Is simply this: both The War Between, and Children of Earth, are five episodes long.
With Children of Earth being shown over the course of five, consecutive, nights.
It was riveting, event TV.
So, when I heard that The War Between the Land and the Sea was another five episode series?
My first thought was “Will the BBC show The War Between the Land and the Sea in the same way? Will it be shown over five nights?”
As it turned out, it wasn’t: BBC1 showed the first two episodes on 7th December, the next two on the 14th, and this last episode on the 21st.
Why?
I don’t know.
But I suspect showing The War Between … in the same way as Children of Earth wouldn’t get the former the same amount of domestic viewers as the latter: nor, necessarily, generate the same word-of-mouth advertising.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Six.Aftersales.
Let’s talk aftersales, shall we?
“Aftersales?”, I hear you ask.
“Do you mean sales of physical copies, Paul? Or streamed copies?”
That’s what my imagination says you’re asking, now.
Yes: I mean aftersales, both purchased, physical, copies, and ones rented or bought through streaming services like Disney+.
I don’t know if you’re inside or outside the UK.
But I’m very aware that — in the UK — we can catch The War Between … on the BBC’s iPlayer service.
And that, internationally, the show will be streamed by Disney+.
In January.
I am no expert: no expert.
But think that Disney+ may have make a mistake, there: I believe this will prompt many international viewers to use VPNs, virtual private networks, to access the iPlayer from abroad.
Or will download the videos from torrent trackers like Pirate Bay.
Even given that Disney are no longer financially involved in the Whoniverse’s production, I think the Mouse House will lose money because of this.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
I also think we have an issue: with physical media.
I watched the series in what’s called 2k resolution: which is good enough for me.
But I’m also aware that it was available on the iPlayer, in 4k: which would only work, as far as I know, on a 4k set.
I would have loved to see that: some of the scenes of Aqua kind’s realm looked fantastic at 2k and must look superb at 4k!
That’s not why I mention it.
I float around Amazon, on a regular basis: usually waiting for news of when the few bits I’ve ordered to turn up.
Given I window shop, I’m very aware that physical copies of The War Between the Land and the Sea has been available for preorder for some time.
But only in 2k blurays, or DVD formats.
Why? When we know “Twice Upon A Time”, Peter Capaldi’s last story, is available in multiple formats, including 4k?
I don’t know.
I suspect the terms of the Disney deal may be an issue, there: but I don’t know.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
OK: why make an issue of a physical media release?
Especially 4k?
OK, yes, part of it is good old fashioned resolution envy: yes, I want the really posh version.
But there’s another point to this.
The fact that some things aren’t on streaming services.
Yes, yes: I know that The War Between the Land and the Sea is on the iPlayer.
Hopefully it stays there — and on Disney+ — for as long as possible.
Given there are three classic Doctor Who series — An Unearthly Child, Terror of the Zygons and Seeds of Doom — that can’t be shown on iPlayer, but can be sold on either bluray or DVD.
I’ve seen other instances, as well.
And of cases where the CD version of an album is available, when its digital equivalent isn’t.
My point?
Is that access to physical media — as an alternative to digital versions that may be withdrawn, or unavailable — is an important part of the market.
Whether that’s the latest Whoniverse release, or archive TV no-one’s ever heard of.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Seven.Finally.
So … finally?
What did I make of both “The End of the War”, and The War Between the Land and the Sea?
Of a finale that had depth, complexity, and moral ambiguity?
And of a series that showed us sympathetic characters, facing life threatening situations.
Yes: there are issues.
Yes: the series is trying to give us Torchwood, rather than UNIT
But, in spite of all this?
Its concluding episode is a nicely done piece: and the series as a whole, very well done, and very watchable … and has shown us Jemma Redgrave is damn good at her job!
“The End of the War”.★★★★
Episode 1: “Homo Aqua” ★★★★Average: ★★★★
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Eight.Until Next Time.
That is where I’m going to leave things for now.
I’ll leave you with my thanks for reading this: or for watching the video version of this review, if that’s what you’ve done.
However, before I go?
I should tell you that I’m planning to review the fifth series of Stranger Things, at some point.
And cover some more movies.
Feel free to subscribe to my YouTube channel: and follow Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar.
If quizzes are you thing, I’ve published the Daily Teaser quiz for years: and I’m planning more of those.
Feel free to tip, keep your eyes peeled and I’ll see you next time.
Whatever else you do … ?
I hope your Christmas is blessed …
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