The War Between the Land and the Sea

When an ancient and formidable species rises from the ocean and makes itself known to humanity, life on land suddenly feels precarious. Governments scramble, coastlines empty, and long-held assumptions about the world are overturned. UNIT, an international response force, moves in to contain the crisis, while individuals on all sides react with fear, curiosity and calculation. The story follows Barclay Pierre-Dupont, played by Russell Tovey, and Salt, played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, as their choices shape tense negotiations and battleground encounters between terrestrial powers and the newly revealed marine intelligence. The series keeps personal stakes tight, while the larger conflict looms.

The show premiered in 2025, created by Russell T Davies, and features Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in leading roles. It’s an original television project rather than an adaptation.

As of its initial run the series hadn’t collected major industry awards, though it drew attention during awards season conversations and among critics who tracked new genre entries for 2025.

The visual design and soundscape stood out early, prompting online discussion about creature design, coastal imagery and how science fiction can reflect environmental anxieties. Salt’s portrayal generated particular interest on social platforms, and certain sequences became frequent subjects of analysis among genre fans and design forums.

Critics have given generally positive notices, reflected in a 7.0/10 average from early voter feedback, with praise aimed at performances and the moral ambiguity the story presents. Reviewers note the show asks hard questions about sovereignty, ecological responsibility and what it means to coexist with an intelligence that doesn’t share our assumptions. Pacing and some plot turns divided viewers, but many appreciated that the series kept its focus on character dilemmas as much as spectacle, letting emotional truth drive decisions amid escalating conflict.