Finally announced that this will begin on 7th December with a double bill at 8:30pm, on BBC One and iPlayer. Another double bill after on the 14th and then the finale on the 21st!

Not long to go, I’m excited

A special re-edited edition of Classic Doctor Who adventure The Sea Devils heads to BBC iPlayer and BBC Four on 7th December.

Fans are set to be transported back to 1972 with a newly re-edited version of the classic Doctor Who story The Sea Devils, airing on BBC iPlayer from 6am and BBC Four at 7pm on Sunday 7th December, ahead of the foes’ highly anticipated return in The War Between the Land and the Sea at 8:30pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

This new 90-minute blockbuster special condenses the original six-part adventure into a feature-length experience, with updated sound design by Mark Ayres, and an enhanced score featured in The War Between the Land and the Sea created by the legendary Lorne Balfe, which has been woven together with Malcolm Clarke’s groundbreaking 1972 music.

The Sea Devils stars Jon Pertwee who played the Third Doctor between 1970 and 1974, alongside Katy Manning as companion Jo Grant, and features the iconic villain the Master, played by Roger Delgado. Written by Malcolm Hulke and directed by Michael E. Briant, the story introduced audiences to the formidable aquatic species the Sea Devils.

Russell T Davies, Showrunner, Writer and Executive Producer says: “52 years after they first rose from the depths, it’s Sea Devil night across the BBC! A great idea never dies, and viewers young and old can now heed the warning: watch the seas!”

The special version of The Sea Devils will air on BBC iPlayer from 6am and BBC Four at 7pm on Sunday 7th December, and will be followed by a double bill of The War Between the Land and the Sea at 8:30pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

The Sea Devils is produced by Bad Wolf with BBC Studios for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer. Executive producers are Russell T Davies, Joel Collins, Julie Gardner, and Jane Tranter.

https://www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-features/classic-adventure-the-sea-devils-returns-to-screens-in-december

Ooh that's one of the best Third Doctor stories but with half of it cut out I wonder how it'll play out on screen. Past edits haven't been too bad I guess.

I really don't enjoy this whole idea of chopping apart the classic stories to turn them into 'blockbusters' and from what I've seen of the other edits it really doesn't make much of a difference either besides condensing the story. Really hope that's something they put a stop to soon.

EXCITE

First four episode titles have been announced (was beginning to think they wouldn’t be titled):

Homo Aqua

Plastic Apocalypse

The Deep

The Witch of the Waterfall

Im guessing the 5th must be a big spoiler if they have ommited it

I think it’s just because the listings for 21st December aren’t out yet! But I’m intrigued 🤔

Even more strange isnt the christmas tv mag out before the ones the week before (well normally they are at work)

Sounds like RTD has more or less confirmed they’re angling for The War Between X and Y to be more than just a one-off too saying that something will happen at the very end / as the credits roll to excite us. Hopefully the BBC have faith in the vision in that case and don’t do a Class.

Episode 5 title is now confirmed too: The End of the War

Ooh very original 🤣

Happy launch day!

Can’t wait

I think I liked it? Russell was definitely the star as Barclay. It was a little virtue signalling again (typical) but not a terrible start

Watched both episodes late last night and I think overall I really like it so far, a lot of good work setting up the story and all of the characters, but I feel like the Sea Devils (and particularly the anomaly of Salt’s ‘race’ and all the variations over the millennia) have been brushed over a bit too much and there’s some pacing issues - maybe quite jarring for a casual viewer - but I can forgive it.

Considering this is the same man that wrote Praxeus, it feels like he saw the response to that episode and decided he wanted to prove he could deliver the same message in a much more nuanced, thrilling way the last 10 mins or so of episode 2 in particular were great!

The only thing giving me the ick is Kate constantly referring to Shirley as ‘Mrs Bingham’

I need to catch up with doctor who and get onto this

Hopefully this will get Russell up the end of year hotness rankings on here!

Just caught up and if the first 2 episodes are anything to go by this is looking phenomenal

Higher overnight ratings for the first episode than any episode of season 1 and 2. Wonder if this might encourage the BBC to go back to a Sunday slot when the main show does return for another series.

3 hours ago, Calum said:

Higher overnight ratings for the first episode than any episode of season 1 and 2. Wonder if this might encourage the BBC to go back to a Sunday slot when the main show does return for another series.

I guess though this wasn't available to watch before hand on i-player - so the overnights probably would be higher.

Either-way though, its good to see it draw an audience, particularly against the IAC final.

Edited December 8, 2025Dec 8 by ElectroBoy