14th December, 2025: “The Witch of the Waterfall”.An Introduction.
It’s not often I duplicate posts: at least, not often I use the opening of one post as the opening of another.
Except it’s something I did, last week: when writing my introduction to my reviews of the first two episodes of The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Ands it’s something I’ve repeated with this weeks two episodes.
Sue me!
Additionally?
It’s not often I complain about Apple.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m something of a Mac fan: I’m writing this on a 2024 Mac mini, using macOS Tahoe 26.2, and Safari 26.2, to write this post.
I had problems, updating to the new versions, last Thursday: when, after the update ro 26.2, my browser would not stay logged into my usual websites, after switching the thing on in the morning.
Then would sign me out when I switched it off.
As you can imagine?
It was very frustrating.
Contacting various people proved little help: including Apple’s community forums.
So?
I contacted Apple’s Support line.
Where an extremely helpful young person managed to diagnose the issue.
All I had to do, it seems, was make a small change to Safari’s preferences: turning off the cross-site tracking option in Safari>Settings>Privacy.
That seems to have solved the problem, for now: although I don’t know what long term issues may happen as a result.
I hope they’re minimal.
But I’m also aware I had that box checked for several years: with no problems.
Why it’s happened with this update?
I don’t know!
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
My problems aren’t why you’re here.
You’re possibly here out of curiosity, boredom, or a random social media post.
So, if you’re a newcomer to Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar, I’ll have to repeat what I’ve said in earlier posts.
In other words, say “Welcome aboard”, tell you I write the Daily Teaser quiz, and about films and TV shows I’ve watched.
One of those shows? Is the Dr Who spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea.
I saw the first episodes, “Homo Aqua”, and “Plastic Apocalypse”, last week, and caught the third episode, “The Deep”, last Sunday.
This post?
Is about the fourth episode, “The Witch of the Waterfall”.
Yes: I’ve started this post, early.
But?
It’s Christmas.
It’s busy!
And the weather is acting up.
Let’s move onto the review, shall we … ?
17th December, 2025.Part One.The Summary.
Episode 4 — “The Witch of the Waterfall” — opens with a recap of earlier episodes: one that reminds us Colonel Ibrahim has been killed by an assassins’s bullet, and that a lone madman on the Aquakind mission has murderous intent.
After the credits, the scene shifts.
To show us that Barclay (Russell Tovey) has been rescued from the devastation caused by a suicide bomber, and that Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) has managed to save herself by contacting UNIT: and declaring a red alert.
And done so over the dead body of her lover, Colonel Ibrahim (Alexander Devrient).
The news gets worse.
As humanity is shown an apparently genuine message from Salt (Gugu Mbatha-Raw): promising dire consequences for humanity, should they not give into Salt’s demands.
A message that only serves to send send a still-grieving Kate to the negotiation table, with Aquakind’s new ambassador, Tide (Samuel Oatley).
A meeting that sees the new Ambassador adding to the list of demands.
They want the old Ambassador, back.
They want pollution, stopped.
They exactly how to use rust …
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
18th December, 2025.Part Two.Thoughts.
So what did I think of this episode, of “The Witch of the Waterfall”?
Of the story? The politics? The cast … ?
OK … I don’t know that’s much to tell you about the story.
Except?
That it follows the same sort of dual-threaded I saw in “The Deep”.
One thread follows Barclay and Salt as they try to flee their pursuers and become lovers: the other, following a grieving Kate as she tries to deal with both the politics of the situation … and monitor the search for the man who tried to kill her.
A third, minor scene … ?
Show us the Prime Minister Shaw (Vincent Franklin) in a meeting with Generals Gunsberg and Dussolier (Stewart Alexander and Barbara Probst) chewing over the attempted assassination of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart … only for the PM to find there’s a nasty right-wing think behind the attempt, one that’s donated a lot of money to his party, over the years.
What else can I tell you … ?
I can tell you about the cast.
This show’s ensemble cast are superb, that Russell Tovey and Gugu M’Batha Raw were fantastic: Salt’s joyfully wicked “Shall I hiss, again” line was both camp … and very funny.
But there’s at least one member of the cast who’s utterly wonderful: Jemma Redgrave, as the deeply traumatised Kate Lethbridge-Stewart.
I could rave on about her performance in this episode: could tell you hiring a member of the Redgrave family means you’re getting a certified talent.
Could tell you this particular member of the clan is very good at her job.
But you know this.
Instead?
I’ll tell you to watch this episode: as Jemma Redgrave puts in one hell of a performance.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Three.The Politics.
What else can I tell you … ?
Probably plenty.
But I did mention politics, there, didn’t I?
There were one or two things I did notice.
I’ve mentioned, a couple of times, now: that The War Between the Land and the Sea is something I find reminiscent of Torchwood: Children of Earth.
That’s something “The Witch of the Waterfall” reinforced, I think.
At one point, Kate tells us — and others — that UNIT is above both the police and the UK’s Government, something that reminds us of Captain’ Jack’s narration of the Torchwood opening credits.
Given that, I wasn’t surprised that the gunman who tried murdering Kate, were shot by UNIT troops?
In a way that seemed … heavy-handed.
I wasn’t surprised: although I’m aware that, in the real world, UNIT would have to answer to a public enquiry, one that would be asking whether this counted as defence of their commander in chief, or asking if it was an was an extrajudicial slaying.
An extrajudicial killing carried out by a group, originally seen as a tightly regulated United Nations organisation, with all the limited authority to act that that implies.
At the very least, their original commanding officer — Kate’s father, Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart — would need to get prior permission for the actions.
General Gunsberg’s treatment of Sir Keith?
Having Sir Keith killed, with the PM’s approval?
Could be easily seen in a similar light: either it was an act carried out in the interests of national security, or it was an extrajudicial murder of the sort carried out by any paramilitaries during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
This did not affect my enjoyment of the episode.
But I’m very aware that these actions could not be done in the real world without serious consequences, that UNIT actions in defence of their leader seemed excessive, seemed reminiscent of the much discussed events in Northern Island.
It’s something I would expect to see addressed in any follow-up series.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Four.One Last Political Point.
As a last political point?
The episode* mentions an extremist, far-right, think-tank called the ‘Institute of Las Clemente’: and how the group believe in, and promotes, what it calls ‘Great Replacement Theory’.
The idea, in other words, that the Aqua-kind are trying to replace humanity.
That’s actually modelled on a real-world, far-right, conspiracy theory: also called the Great Replacement conspiracy theory.
One that says Muslims or Middle-Easterners want to replace white Europeans in white-majority countries: and used by Neo-nazis to target those they hate.
Although it’s not said in the episode?
I suspect the Institute would be what commentators call ‘Christian nationalists’: the sort of right-wing extremists as who use the Bible to justify their unpleasant beliefs.
I believe groups like this would be pointing to Genesis 1:27 — “So God created mankind in his own image” — in order to justify killing Sea Devils.
The Institute would barely recognise Aquakind as intelligent, let alone equals to humanity.
I believe the show’s writers Russell T. Davies and Pete McTighe are keeping this show grounded in the real world.
And suspect that they, like I, find these theories and groups to be what they are.
Claptrap promoted by racists.
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Five.World Building.
There’s more that I could tell you: things less inflammatory than xenophobic, right-wing conspiracies.
At least, a bit more positive!
For one thing … ?
We know that Kate Lethbridge-Stewart has a daughter: thanks to a question from the Ruth Madeley character, Shirley Bingham.
Or, perhaps, I should say Mrs Bingham: Kate has been calling Shirley that, ever since the start of the series.
We also see that Mrs Bingham — as UNIT Scientific Adviser — is second in command of the group: and that, when Kate is out of action, Shirly takes over as commander.
That? That, and a respectful form of address?
Put Mrs Bingham up in the world, I think.
I think many of us make the mistake of assuming the disabled aren’t as sexual as the rest of us.
The simple fact Mrs Bingham is married, that there’s a Mr Bingham around … ?
Reminds us that, yes: we are making a mistake, there.
What else is there?
A couple of minor, but related, points, I think.
The other good performance is from Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
This episode tells us Salt and Barclay are the old trope: they’re lovers, lovers on the run, and lovers in a relationship that at least one side — Salt’s own people — would find outrageous.
If it were not for the fact that Ambassador Tide, Salt’s replacement, demands that she be handed over to them.
On charges of murder.
The suspense is ravishing …
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Six.And Finally?
So what did I think of “The Witch of the Waterfall”?
Of an episode that has at least one powerhouse performance, that of Jemma Redgrave as Kate?
And another, from Gugu Mbatha-Raw, as Salt?
One that has the equally competent Russell Tovey on his toes: and keeping up well?
We have an incredibly strong episode: that’s left us with one of the cliffhangers.
One I’m looking forward to seeing resolved, this Sunday!
“The Witch of the Waterfall”.★★★★
~≈🧜🏼♂️≈~
Part Seven.Until Next Time!
That, folks, is where I’m going to leave things.
I will leave you with my thanks for reading this: or for watching the video version, if that’s what you’ve done.
I’ll warn you now, that review of episode five — “The End of the War” — up by Tuesday, 23rd December.
Hopefully: it is Christmas, next week, after all.
Before I go, I’ll ask you two things.
I’ll ask you to subscribe to my YouTube channel, @MrCuddy2977: and follow Nik Nak’s Old Peculiar.
If quizzes are you thing, I’ve published the Daily Teaser for years: and I’m planning more of those, along side more reviews.
Feel free to tip, keep your eyes peeled and … ?
Be Seeing You … !
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