Doctor Who boss says plans for 2026 Christmas special left BBC bosses "with jaws agape"
The next episode is still a year away, but Russell T Davies has already teased a jaw-dropping special as the Whoniverse expands.
We've still got a little over a year to wait, but it sounds as though the return of Doctor Who to our screens will be worth the anticipation. It was announced in late October that the sci-fi series would next air at Christmas 2026, with a one-off special written by showrunner Russell T Davies. In a recent update, Davies told RadioTimes.com that he was yet to officially begin work on the script, having been kept busy with spin-off series The War Between the Land and the Sea and upcoming Channel 4 drama Tip Toe. In a new interview with BBC Newsbeat, Davies reiterated that the Doctor Who production team haven't "started work" on the special yet, quipping, "I know what happens, but I better write it down soon in case I get run over by a bus." He did, however, confirmed that plot details have been shared with BBC bosses – and apparently what's to come left them "with jaws agape, loving it". Davies also recently shared a few cryptic clues with Doctor Who Magazine, writing in his latest column that the Christmas 2026 episode will feature the words "Bafflers" "Winternox" and "village". The last season of Doctor Who ended on a surprising twist, bringing Ncuti Gatwa’s time as the Doctor to a dramatic close. In the closing moments, the Doctor began to regenerate, only for the new incarnation to be revealed as a shock returning face: Billie Piper. Her brief appearance left fans stunned and set the Whoniverse buzzing with speculation about what comes next... Before we reach that next chapter, however, viewers won’t have long to wait for more adventures in this expanded universe, with new spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea beginning tomorrow (Sunday, 7th December) on BBC One and iPlayer. The five-part series shifts the focus away from the Doctor and onto UNIT and an escalating global crisis as an ancient race from the oceans resurfaces, threatening humanity with open conflict. With Russell Tovey leading the cast and Russell T Davies once again at the helm, the series is expected to blend large-scale sci-fi spectacle with grounded human drama – and early buzz suggests it will have plenty of links back to the main show to reward long-time fans. Read more: Classic Doctor Who box set first look sees the Fifth Doctor and Tegan Jovanka reunite Doctor Who star hints Kate Lethbridge-Stewart might not survive The War Between the Land and the Sea Doctor Who spin-off confirms alternative pop music icon for soundtrack as release date revealed Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add Doctor Who to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Fallout season 2 has a "delicious idea" to avoid confirming a canon ending for New Vegas
If you've been following the build up in hype for Fallout season 2, you will have seen a lot of chatter about this question: will the Amazon Prime Video showrunners have to decide a 'canon ending' for the 2010 video game Fallout: New Vegas? After all, the games and the TV series are all set in the same canonical timeline, and this will be the first time that the main characters in the show have spent any meaningful amount of time in a location that players have already explored and left their stamp on. And with Fallout: New Vegas being a game with lots of different factions for players to choose between, events can play out very differently from one person's save file to the next. Ahead of the arrival of Fallout season 2, we were able to put this question to one of its key producers, Jonathan Nolan, at the press junket. Did Nolan and company, as the rumour mill would have you believe, have to decide a canon ending to the game? View oEmbed on the source website "Turns out, no," Nolan told us. "I think [this is] one of the most delicious ideas that [showrunners] Geneva [Robertson-Dworet] and Graham [Wagner] and the rest of the team came up with for season two... "Knowing that, you know, that game, maybe more than any of the other games in the franchise, is sort of defined by the factionalism, the choices, the way it's all gonna work out... I'm old enough now to have seen that there is no definitive ending to anything in the real world, right? "You have these factions rise and fall, and all these sorts of things. So this delicious idea that when we're encountering Vegas 10 to 15 years after the events of the game, every faction thinks they won. And that's how the real world works, right? There is no end. There is no definitive happily ever after. "I think it's one of the things that the whole franchise has to say. It's one of the things that defines Fallout is, it's set after the end of the world. And yet what you're watching is all these different worlds being ushered into existence. You know, for me, from the beginning, it's actually not about the end of the world. "It's about the beginning of a whole new world. So, we took that ethos and kind of applied it to New Vegas. I think it's done with love, and with respect, and hopefully everyone who played the game will feel that love in the series." Fallout season 2 will arrive on 17th December on Prime Video. Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video and pay £8.99 a month after that. Read more on Fallout: Walton Goggins has arrived in Fallout 76: "We don't really explain why he's there" Who is Justin Theroux playing in Fallout season 2? Robert House character explained Macaulay Culkin announced for mysterious Fallout season 2 role Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stranger Things season 5 release schedule and runtimes: When are new episodes out?
Stranger Things season 5 is finally upon us, with the recording-breaking first volume having dropped. Fans are now, naturally, already looking ahead to volume 2, which will land as a Christmas treat later this month. It's been three years since the last season but so far, this fifth and final season has delivered in a big way with its four newest episodes, which round up with a jaw-dropping final scene. It's now also been revealed just how long the finale will be, after months of speculation about runtimes. It's set to be one last, massive journey into the Upside Down as Netflix have revealed that the final ever episode will be a whopping 2 hours and 5 minutes long. The season so far has already seen Noah Schnapp's Will Byers come into his own in season 5, with volume 1 also giving us quite the unexpected character return. New characters have also been introduced, from Linda Hamilton's Dr Kay to Jake Connelly's Derek Turnbow, while Nell Fisher stuns in her role as Holly Wheeler. But how long are each of the episodes and when can we expect more? Read on for everything you need to know about the Stranger Things season 5's episode runtimes, as well as the full release schedule and episode titles. Want more from Stranger Things? Check out our review on season 5, or delve into the epic soundtrack that we'll be bopping along to for weeks. Stranger Things season 5 episode runtimes The Duffer Brothers revealed the runtimes for episodes 1-4 before release. There are some runtimes being reported for volume 2, but they're unconfirmed - so take them with a pinch of salt. Here's what we're looking at so far: Volume 1 Chapter One: The Crawl - 1 hour and 8 minutes Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler - 54 minutes Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap - 1 hour and 6 minutes Chapter Four: Sorcerer - 1 hour and 23 minutes Volume 2 Chapter Five: Shock Jock - reportedly 1 hour and 17 minutes Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz - reportedly 58 minutes Chapter Seven: The Bridge - reportedly one hour and 37 minutes The finale Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up - 2 hours and 5 minutes Stranger Things season 5 release schedule Stranger Things season 5 will be released in three parts. Volume 1 is out now and was released on 26th November (27th November in the UK), Volume 2 will arrive on 25th December (26th December in the UK due to time differences) and the finale will be here on 31st December (1st January in the UK due to time differences). That means the release schedule is as follows: Volume 1 Chapter One: The Crawl - 26th November (27th November in the UK) - out now Chapter Two: The Vanishing of... - 26th November (27th November in the UK) - out now Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap - 26th November (27th November in the UK) - out now Chapter Four: Sorcerer - 26th November (27th November in the UK) - out now Volume 2 Chapter Five: Shock Jock - 25th December (26th December in the UK) Chapter Six: Escape from Camazotz - 25th December (26th December in the UK) Chapter Seven: The Bridge - 25th December (26th December in the UK) The finale Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up - 31st December (1st January in the UK) Stranger Things season 5 release time Usually, Netflix releases arrive at 8am UK time, but Stranger Things season 5 will buck this trend, with episodes dropping at 1am GMT. Here's what time that works out to some time zones around the world: 2am CET (Central Europe) 10am JST (Japan) 5pm PST (United States) 8pm EST (United States) 12pm AEDT (Australia) Netflix also has a comprehensive list of when the episodes will be released depending on which country you're in. What will happen in Stranger Things season 5 volume 2 and the finale? While the Duffer Brothers have kept tight-lipped about what to expect from the next episodes, including who might meet their demise. However, recently speaking to RadioTimes.com, the pair did offer up a clue about how things are going to end. Matt Duffer explained: "There's a sense of inevitability. When you're looking at shows that don't work, or the endings that don't work, it is when it feels like sometimes the shows are trying too hard to surprise fans or do something different. "So we want it to feel very much in line with the show and the endings for each of the characters to feel inevitable. That's what we're striving for." We're also going to see a lot more of Vecna's memories, with the Duffer Brothers calling that thread their new "Russia storyline" (indicating that a fair amount of time is going to be spent with our big bad). Meanwhile, the pair also teased that season 2 might not be as bloody as some have come to expect. Asked whether season 2 will get "bloodier", Matt Duffer told Variety: "I’ve said this before: The show is not Game of Thrones. I’m hoping it surprises people. But there’s no Red Wedding, if that’s what you’re asking. That would be depressing." Stranger Thing season 5 volume 2 premieres on 26th December 2025. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Classic Doctor Who box set first look sees the Fifth Doctor and Tegan Jovanka reunite at site of beloved Dalek story
Destination: Daleks is written by Pete McTighe and also sees the return of another old face in a crowd-pleasing moment for fans.
Doctor Who has delivered a thrilling excursion into its own past to mark the upcoming release of The Collection: Season 21 Blu-ray set, with faces from the series' history returning. A new short adventure – Destination: Daleks, penned by The War Between the Land and the Sea co-writer Pete McTighe – has Peter Davison reprising his role as the Fifth Doctor, alongside companion Tegan, played once again by Janet Fielding. The pair arrive by TARDIS at Butler's Wharf on the south shore of the River Thames, London, the site of 1984 serial Resurrection of the Daleks – Tegan's final story as a regular companion. Discovering a slain soldier in possession of a data beacon, the pair are surprised to receive a desperate message from another old friend – Turlough, portrayed by Mark Strickson. Turlough was last seen in 1984's Planet of Fire, opting to leave the Doctor and Tegan behind to return to his homeworld of Trion – but now we learn that Trion has been invaded by an unknown aggressor. Turlough makes a distressed plea for the Doctor's help, only for the invaders of Trion to reveal themselves as... the Daleks! You can watch the full trailer for Doctor Who: The Collection: Season 21 set below – including the Destination: Daleks short. View oEmbed on the source website Alongside the newly-revealed Destination: Daleks short, Doctor Who: The Collection – Season 21 Blu-ray set will also feature a range of exclusive bonus material. Several stories receive updated special effects, including The Awakening, Frontios, Resurrection of the Daleks and The Caves of Androzani, while Warriors of the Deep is presented in a full Special Edition, featuring a four-part re-edit, newly-created visual effects and a 5.1 surround sound mix. New surround sound mixes are also included for The Awakening and The Caves of Androzani. Fans can also enjoy behind-the-scenes features exploring the making of Resurrection of the Daleks and The Twin Dilemma, a brand new audio commentary on The Awakening, as well as an In Conversation feature with Janet Fielding, Mark Strickson and Matthew Waterhouse, hosted by Matthew Sweet. Returning favourites include Behind the Sofa, which sees an extensive panel of past Doctors, companions and guest stars revisiting the season, and another competitive instalment of The Doctor Who Escape Room. Elsewhere, Look Who’s Boating reunites Peter Davison and Janet Fielding for a Thames-side adventure, while 48 Hours with Fielding follows Toby Hadoke spending time with the Tegan actress. The box set also includes Tales of the TARDIS (a 2023 re-edit of Earthshock), The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot with new commentary, HD photo galleries, info text, PDF archives and a selection of previously released DVD extras. With Destination: Daleks offering a brand-new coda to this era, The Collection: Season 21 is shaping up to be an essential addition for long-time fans and collectors. Doctor Who: The Collection: Season 21 set is currently scheduled for release on 16th March, 2026 and is available for pre-order now. Add Doctor Who to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Pluribus release schedule: When is episode 7 on Apple TV?
The high-concept new series comes from the mind behind Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
It almost doesn't feel as though three episodes is enough to wrap up the questions and confusion that continue to boggle our minds when it comes to Pluribus but thankfully, that's all fine when we're already confirmed to be getting a second series. Still, we continue to follow Rhea Seehorn's Carol trying to uncover the truth after she's tasked with saving the world's happiness. The most recent sixth episode sees Carol sharing a horrific discovery and learning new truths in the process whilst Mr Diabaté (Samba Schutte) lives life to the fullest in Sin City. The mind-bending sci-fi series comes from Vince Gilligan, who seems to return to his X Files roots after creating beloved dramas Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. Last week's episode also saw a voice cameo from Seehorn's Better Call Saul co-star Patrick Fabian, who was on the other end of the phone line when Seehorn picks up the phone. “They surprised me. I did not know about this,” she told TV Guide about Fabian’s inclusion in the episode, which the crew saved as a secret for the actress until she shot the scene. Since its premiere, the show has not only garnered five-star reviews, but it also broke Severance series 2's record for the biggest global drama series launch on Apple TV. If you've now seen episode 6, and are wondering when new episodes land, read on for everything you need to know about the release schedule for Pluribus on Apple TV. When is Pluribus episode 7 released on Apple TV? Pluribus episode 7 will be released on Apple TV on Friday 12th December 2025. Following its double-bill premiere, episodes will now be released at a rate of one-per-week, culminating with the series 1 finale on Boxing Day 2025 (26th December). How many episodes are in Pluribus series 1? Pluribus series 1 consists of nine episodes in total. However, that won't be the end of the new series! Apple TV has such faith in the project that it commissioned two series at once, with a second set of nine episodes to follow at a later date. Pluribus release schedule If you're looking forward to seeing how Vince Gilligan's latest high-concept saga unfolds, mark your calendars for these dates when new episodes of Pluribus will drop on Apple TV: Pluribus episode 1 - We Is Us – Friday 7th November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 2 - Pirate Lady - Friday 7th November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 3 - Grenade - Friday 14th November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 4 - Please, Carol - Friday 21st November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 5 - Got Milk - Friday 28th November 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 6 - Title TBC - Friday 5th December 2025 (out now) Pluribus episode 7 - Title TBC - Friday 12th December 2025 Pluribus episode 8 - Title TBC - Friday 19th December 2025 Pluribus episode 9 - Title TBC - Friday 26th December 2025 Pluribus is streaming now on Apple TV – you can sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV now. Add Pluribus to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stranger Things season 5 cast: Full guide to actors
Here’s your guide to the main nerds and newbies in Stranger Things season 5.
After almost a decade since the first season premiere, Stranger Things season 5 is finally upon us with the first four episodes. The fifth and final season of the Netflix show welcomes are favourites heroes back for one final battle against big bad Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). But with his whereabouts and plans unknown, and Hawkins under lockdown, this is far from an easy task. With countless plot threads and characters to do justice in season 5, fans will be pleased to hear that the Duffer Brothers have focused on this in season 5 rather than adding in loads of new additions to the cast. "We're doing our best to resist [adding new characters] for season 5," Matt Duffer previously told Indiewire. "We're trying not to do that so we can focus on the OG characters, I guess." However, there are some new faces in season 5, including Linda Hamilton as the mysterious new character, Dr Kay, and Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow. So as we wait patiently for volume 2 to drop later in December, read on for everything you need to know about the returning and new cast members in Stranger Things season 5. Stranger Things season 5 cast: Full guide to actors and characters The following cast members are in Stranger Things 5. David Harbour as Jim Hopper Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven / Jane Hopper Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers Noah Schnapp as Will Byers Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield Joe Keery as Steve Harrington Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman Jamie Campbell Bower as Henry Creel / One / Vecna Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay Sherman Augustus as Lt Colonel Sullivan Alex Breaux as Lt Robert Akers Sherman Augustus as Lt Colonel Sullivan Amybeth McNulty as Vickie Joe Chrest as Ted Wheeler Clayton Royal Johnson as Andy Hunter Romanillos as Chance Randy Havens as Scott Clarke Stranger Things season 5 cast: Who are the new characters? Linda Hamilton plays Dr Kay Who is Dr Kay? A hyper-intelligent and intimidating government agent overseeing the military occupation in Hawkins, head scientist Dr Kay is taking on Dr Martin Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) work following his death º and hunting Eleven (Brown) in the process. What else has Linda Hamilton been in? Actor Linda Hamilton is the latest in a long line of iconic '80s stars to join the behemoth Netflix sci-fi show. She’ll be instantly recognisable to fans for her work across both TV and film – most notably for her role as Sarah Connor in James Cameron’s Terminator franchise. She has also starred in NBC’s spy comedy Chuck as CIA agent and Chuck (Zachary Levi) and Ellie’s (Sarah Lancaster) estranged mother and the 1987 TV series, Beauty and the Beast Alex Breaux plays Lt Robert Akers Who is Lt Robert Akers? Despite his military title, Lt Akers functions chiefly as one of Dr Kay’s (Hamilton) henchmen, working at her side in the lab while tracking down Eleven (Brown). What else has Alex Breaux been in? With previous experience in the Stranger Things universe playing a younger Dr Brenner in Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway, Breaux has also starred in American Primeval and See. Jake Connelly plays Derek Turnbow Who is Derek Turnbow? A classmate of Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher), he’s a bully and a rude, spoiled kid who is the son of the Turnbow family, real estate owners in Hawkins. With the third episode titled "The Turnbow Trap", expect him to feature heavily in this one! What else has Jake Connelly been in? The latest young newbie in Hawkins, this is Connelly’s first major acting role. He’s previously featured in Juan C Linares’s short Between the Silence. Stranger Things season 5 cast: Who are the returning characters? Millie Bobby Brown plays Eleven/Jane Hopper Who is Eleven? A telekinetic girl who mysteriously arrived in Hawkins in the first season and soon proves herself to be the only match for the creatures of the Upside down. Across the first three seasons she is taken in by Hopper and forms a romantic relationship with Mike, but at the end of the third season, she loses her powers. Following the reveal of her ties to Henry Creel (Bower) and how she inadvertently created Vecna, she’s bracing for the upcoming showdown with her former ‘friend’ following the opening of the Rifts at the end of season 4. What else has Millie Bobby Brown been in? Stranger Things was a breakout role for the young actor – although she had already had a prominent part in the BBC miniseries Intruders. Since then she's starred as Madison Russell in the MonsterVerse film series, plays the title role in the Enola Holmes films, along with other Netflix films Damsel and The Electric State. Winona Ryder plays Joyce Byers Who is Joyce Byers? Will and Jonathan Byers' mother, Joyce is a caring, strong-willed woman who works as a retail clerk. A lifelong Hawkins resident, she has been more affected than most by the strange events in the town – from the disappearance of her son Will in season one to the death of her love interest Bob in season 2. She also reunites with Hopper – who appeared to die at the end of season 3 – teaming up with Murray (Brett Gelman) to travel to Russia and rescue him. Joyce and her family return to Hawkins in the final adventure, following their move to California in season 4. What else has Winona Ryder been in? After breaking through with a succession of hit roles in the late '80s – including Beetlejuice and Heathers – Ryder become one of the biggest Hollywood stars in the '90s, appearing in a succession of big films such as Bram Stoker's Dracula, The Age of Innocence, Little Women, The Crucible, Alien: Resurrection and Girl, Interrupted. Other big-screen credits have included Star Trek and Black Swan, while her TV work also includes a main role in the acclaimed 2020 series The Plot Against America. Noah Schnapp plays Will Byers Who is Will Byers? The most timid member of the party, Will is taken prisoner in the Upside Down during the events of the first season, and after he is freed finds himself possessed by the Mind Flayer in season 2. Despite Will’s direct connection to the shadow dimension falling to the wayside in seasons 3 and 4, it looks like it’ll be front and centre in season 5 – with Vecna declaring "William, you are going to help me one last time". What else has Noah Schnapp been in? Stranger Things has been Schnapp's most prominent role to date – but he had a small role in Adam Sandler’s Hubie Halloween, Steven Spielberg's Bridge of Spies and also starred in Waiting for Anya and Hubie Halloween. Finn Wolfhard plays Mike Wheeler Who is Mike Wheeler? An intelligent but snarky teenager, Mike is close friends with Lucas, Dustin and Will and usually plays the role of Dungeon Master during their games of Dungeons & Dragons – until they join the Hellfire Club. He develops feelings for Eleven soon after she first arrives in town and the two eventually start a rocky relationship. With season 4 splitting The Party between Hawkins and California, Mike is firmly back in ‘leadership mode’ for their mission to hunt down Vecna in season 5, according to star Wolfhard. What else has Finn Wolfhard been in? Before starring in Stranger Things, Wolfhard had appeared in only minor TV roles – but he's since gone on to pick up some impressive film credits, including It, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. Gaten Matarazzo plays Dustin Henderson Who is Dustin Henderson? Another member of Mike's friendship group, Dustin is an enthusiastic science nerd who is obsessed with monsters and has the most extensive knowledge of Dungeons & Dragons. He forms an unlikely but endearing friendship with Steve in season 2 and also Hellfire Club DM Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) in season 4. However, following Eddie’s tragic sacrifice in the Upside Down at the end of season 4, Dustin is still grieving his friend while trying to track down Vecna in season 5. What else has Gaten Matarazzo been in? Matarazzo first found fame as a Broadway child actor – playing Benjamin in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and as Gavroche in Les Misérables – but starring as Dustin is what really made his name. He’s also starred in the film Honor Society, along with tallying up a number of impressive voice roles in Cartoon Saloon's My Father’s Dragon, Andy Serkis's Animal Farm and Lego Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. David Harbour plays Jim Hopper Who is Jim Hopper? The Hawkins chief of police, Hopper has lived in Hawkins nearly all his life and was at school with Joyce. A recovering alcoholic, he forms a close bond with Eleven and takes her in as his daughter after saving Will from the Demogorgon. He was seemingly killed by an explosion caused by a Russian machine used to open a portal to the Upside Down at the end of the previous run, but Joyce (Ryder) and Murray (Brett Gelman) rescue him from a Russian jail as he’s going toe-to-toe with a Demogorgon in season 4. They return to Hawkins and he’s helping train Eleven (Brown) for her upcoming fight with Vecna. What else has David Harbour been in? Hopper has become Harbour's most well-known role, but he's also become a fan favourite in the MCU thanks to his loveable turn as the washed up Red Guardian in Thunderbolts and Black Widow. He’s also played the title character in the 2019 Hellboy reboot and starred as none other than Santa himself in Violent Night. Caleb McLaughlin plays Lucas Sinclair Who is Lucas Sinclair? Another close friend of Mike, Will and Dustin, Lucas is initially sceptical of Eleven when she arrives in Hawkins but soon learns to trust her. He is known for his excellence when it comes to the slingshot – which proves to save the gang in season 3 – and has been in an on-off relationship with Max since season 2. However, she was nearly killed by Vecna in season 4, and remains at her bedside in hospital as she’s in a coma. Season 4 saw him become the school’s basketball star, scoring the final points to win the match for the Hawkins Tigers. What else has Caleb McLaughlin been in? Before he started playing Lucas, McLaughlin had starred as Young Simba in the Broadway production of The Lion King and he's also had roles in the films High Flying Bird and Concrete Cowboy. Sadie Sink plays Max Mayfield Who is Max Mayfield? An avid skateboarder and tomboy who arrives in Hawkins with her aggressive older brother in season 2, Max soon befriends Mike, Will, Lucas and Dustin and eventually begins a relationship with Lucas. She also becomes close friends with Eleven, especially in the third run. Following the death of her step-brother Billy Hargrove – who was possessed by the Mind Flayer in season 3 – she finds herself a target of Vecna, who almost kills her. She’s currently in the hospital in a coma with Lucas (McLaughlin) by her side. What else has Sadie Sink been in? Sink starred as Ziggy Berman in the Netflix Fear Street trilogy in 2021, a year that also saw her take on a key role in Taylor Swift's All Too Well: The Short Film. She's also starred in Annie and The Audience on Broadway, along with films Dear Zoe, The Whale and O’Dessa. She’s also set to make her West End debut next year in Robert Icke’s take on Romeo and Juliet. Natalia Dyer plays Nancy Wheeler Who is Nancy Wheeler? Mike's older sister, Nancy was initially in a relationship with Steve, but soon finds herself falling for Jonathan instead. She is very handy with a gun and has aspirations to be a journalist, working alongside Jonathan as an intern at the Hawkins Post in season 3 – which eventually leads to her making key discoveries about the Mind Flayer. In season 4, she went toe-to-toe with Vecna in the Upside Down, alongside Steve (Keery), Robin (Hawke) and Eddie (Joseph Quinn). What else has Natalia Dyer been in? Dyer's screen credits include the films Hannah Montana: The Movie, Velvet Buzzsaw, Yes, God, Yes, Things Heard & Seen and horror film, All Fun and Games. Charlie Heaton plays Jonathan Byers Who is Jonathan Byers? Will's brother, Jonathan is an outsider who eventually begins a relationship with his long-term crush Nancy, with whom he becomes an intern at the Hawkins Post. He leaves Hawkins with the rest of his family at the end of season 3 – but helps rescue Eleven from the clutches of Lt Colonel Sullivan in the desert at the end of season 4. With the shadow dimension infiltrating Hawkins, he teams up with his old gang to help in their final fight with Vecna. What else has Charlie Heaton been in? Stranger Things is Heaton's most well-known role – but he's also appeared in films such as Marrowbone, The New Mutants, The Souvenir Part 2 and alongside Al Pacino in Billy Knight, in addition to an episode of the anthology series Soulmates. Joe Keery plays Steve Harrington Who is Steve Harrington? A popular student at Hawkins high school, Steve is first introduced as Nancy's boyfriend, but the pair split up in season 1. Despite initially being a minor villain, he becomes far more sympathetic from the second season onwards, forming a close bond with Dustin, acting as a protector of the kids and helping in the fight against the Demogorgon. While working at ice cream shop Scoops Ahoy in season 3 he develops feelings for his co-worker Robin – although is rebuffed when she reveals she's a lesbian. In season 4, he took on Vecna (and a whole host of demobats!) alongside Nancy and Robin, and in season 5, he looks to help support his grieving friend Dustin. What else has Joe Keery been in? Keery had relatively few credits to his name before starring in Stranger Things, but he's since gone on to have roles in the films Molly's Game, Spree and Free Guy in addition to the Netflix specials Death to 2020 and Death to 2021. He’s also starred in season 5 of Noah Hawley’s much loved TV series Fargo. Maya Hawke plays Robin Buckley Who is Robin Buckley? Introduced in season 3 as Steve's co-worker at Scoops Ahoy, Robin hates her job but is able to help the gang when she decodes the Russian radio message and finds the base along with Steve, Dustin, and Erica. She has been in a band for 12 years and is a lesbian – which is revealed due to the influence of truth serum. She then teamed up with Nancy and Steve to stand against Vecna in Season 4, severely injuring him. What else has Maya Hawke been in? The daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, Hawke's first major role was as Jo March in the BBC adaptation of Little Women in 2017, while she's also had some very impressive films roles in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, Bradley Cooper's Maestro and voicing Anxiety in Disney and Pixar’s sequel, Inside Out 2. Brett Gelman plays Murray Bauman Who is Murray Bauman? Murray is a private investigator and conspiracy theorist who helps Nancy and Jonathan in their mission to shut down Hawkins National Laboratory in season 2, and helps Joyce and Hopper infiltrate the secret underground base in Starcourt Mall in season 3. He also teams up with Joyce as they rescue Hopper from a brutal Russian prison in season 4, and is set to help the gang in their final fight. What else has Brett Gelman been in? Gelman famously played the role of Martin in Fleabag, and has also had roles on Eagleheart, Go On, and Twin Peaks. On the big screen, he's appeared in The Other Guys, The Disaster Artist, Without Remorse and Boy Kills World. Priah Ferguson plays Erica Sinclair Who is Erica Sinclair? You can’t spell America without Erica! Lucas' super sassy (and scene stealing) younger sister, Erica plays a key role in helping Dustin, Steve, and Robin infiltrate the Russian base beneath Starcourt Mall in season 3 and further helps the gang rescue Steve, Robin, Nancy and Eddie from the Upside Down. She briefly joined the Hellfire Club in their final session as Lady Applejack, a level 14 chaotic good half-elf rogue. What else has Priah Ferguson been in? Child actor Ferguson has appeared in TV series The Curse of Bridge Hollow, as well as episodes of Atlanta and Mercy Street. Her film credits include Perfectville, The Oath and The Curse of Bridge Hollow. Cara Buono plays Karen Wheeler Who is Karen Wheeler? Nancy and Mike's mother, Karen is loving and doting but isn't always aware of what her children are getting up to – and sometimes appears bored with family life, until she considers having a fling with Billy (Montgomery) in season 3. In the fifth season, she’ll be facing a Demogorgon, alongside daughter Holly (Fisher), as it breaks into the Wheeler family home. What else has Cara Buono been in? Buono has appeared in some of the most acclaimed TV shows of all time – playing Dr Faye Miller in Mad Men and Kelli Moltisanti in The Sopranos. Film roles include Hulk, Let Me In and Monsters and Men. Nell Fisher plays Holly Wheeler Who is Holly Wheeler? The youngest Wheeler sibling, Holly has been there from the start, witnessing the Demogorgon bending the walls of Joyce’s house back in season 1. While she’s played a more background role in the show so far, that’s all going to change with season five, as she “finds comfort in an imaginary friend” – with signs pointing to a certain big bad. She’ll also face a Demogorgon alongside her mother Karen, in a tense underwater scene. What else has Nell Fisher been in? Fisher has most notably starred in Evil Dead Rise, the fifth entry in the iconic horror franchise, as the youngest sister Kassie. She’s also starred in the films Bookworm and Choose Love. Jamie Campbell Bower plays Vecna Who is Vecna? The major big bad unveiled in season 4, Vecna is pulling all the strings in both the shadow dimension and Hawkins, murdering the town’s children and opening rifts in the process. Revealed to be Henry Creel (aka 001), the first child with telekinesis to be taken by Dr Brenner (Modine), he was sent to the Upside Down by Eleven, who opened the first gate. He seeks to destroy Eleven and merge the two dimensions, creating a whole new (terrifying!) world. What else has Jamie Campbell Bower been in? Bower has starred in several blockbuster franchises including The Twilight series, Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts and Mortal Instruments. Stranger Things season 5 premieres on Netflix UK on Thursday 27th November. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stranger Things season 5 release date and latest news
Hawkins's final battle is fast approaching.
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things is finally upon us, with the first four episodes available to watch now. But with the show having been running for almost a decade, there are countless storylines to conclude and characters to do justice. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, the Duffer brothers previously explained how they studied their favourite finales to try and work out how to approach the ending of Stranger Things. "We looked at Six Feet Under, which is one of the great finales that I've ever seen. We looked at Breaking Bad, we looked at Friday Night Lights, so there was definitely a handful of them that we looked and studied. Not for the plot specifically, but just like, why did that work for us and other fans of those shows?" Matt Duffer added of the Stranger Things finale: "There's a sense of inevitability. When you're looking at shows that don't work, or the endings that don't work, it is when it feels like sometimes the shows are trying too hard to surprise fans or do something different. "So we want it to feel very much in line with the show and the endings for each of the characters to feel inevitable. That's what we're striving for." It looks as if season 5 could well live up to expectations, however, if the dazzling Stranger Things trailers – which have generated enormous chatter about who might die in the finale – are anything to go by. Are you excited to learn all the secrets that Stranger Things season 5 has in store? Fear not: we've got everything you need to know about the upcoming run, which is dropping in three epic volumes. Stranger Things season 5 release date: When is it coming out in the UK? The first four episodes of Stranger Things season 5 (aka Volume 1) landed on Wednesday 26th November in the US and on Thursday 27th November in the UK, meaning they're available to watch now. The next three episodes (aka Volume 2) will be released on Christmas Day (Thursday 25th December) in the US and on Boxing Day (Friday 26th December) in the UK. And the grand finale will cap things off on New Year's Eve (Wednesday 31st December) in the US and on New Year's Day (Thursday 1st January 2026) in the UK. Each volume releases at 5pm PT, which equates to 1am here in the UK. The two-hour finale will also be shown in over 350 cinemas in the US and Canada at the same time as it drops on Netflix. Alas, the episode does not appear to be getting a theatrical run in the UK. How many episodes are in Stranger Things season 5? Stranger Things season 5 will consist of eight episodes. This is the same number of episodes as seasons 1 and 3, but one less than seasons 2 and 4. Regardless, this is likely to clock in as one of the longest entries in the saga due to the extensive runtimes already announced (more on that below). What are the Stranger Things 5 episode titles? Netflix has revealed the titles to all eight episodes in Stranger Things 5, and they have stirred up plenty of speculation among the fanbase. Here's an overview of all the episodes in Stranger Things season 5 and their runtimes: Episode 1 - The Crawl (1 hour and 8 minutes) Episode 2 - The Vanishing Of... (54 minutes) Episode 3 - The Turnbow Trap (1 hour and 6 minutes) Episode 4 - Sorcerer (1 hour and 23 minutes) Episode 5 - Shock Jock (TBC) Episode 6 - Escape From Camazotz (TBC) Episode 7 - The Bridge (TBC) Episode 8 - The Rightside Up (approx. 2 hours) The title of the second episode has left people particularly intrigued over who exactly will be "vanishing" this time around. (It also serves as an homage to the first ever episode, The Vanishing of Will Byers.) In an Instagram post (below), Stranger Things co-creator Ross Duffer described The Crawl as the "most eventful first episode since season 1" and said that The Vanishing Of... boasts the "craziest cold open we've ever done". When is Stranger Things season 5 set? Stranger Things season 5 will feature a time jump to explain why the appearances of the young cast have changed, bringing the characters' ages in line with those of the cast. A brief description of Stranger Things season 5, released along with the episode titles, stated that "in the fall of 1987, one last adventure begins" – confirming that this story will take place roughly one year after the fourth. Who stars in Stranger Things season 5? Of course, it wouldn't be Stranger Things without the original 'kids' (now all grown up), with a behind-the-scenes clip during production teasing more scenes of them together after season 4 split them up. That means you can look forward to more scenes of Noah Schnapp (Will), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) and Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven). For Schnapp, this included shooting season 1 flashbacks of his younger self lost in the Upside-Down, which relied upon a body double and state of the art 'de-aging' technology to recreate his childhood look. Brown had previously gone through the process for Stranger Things 4, which revealed Eleven's backstory in greater depth, and so Schnapp asked his co-star for advice on how to achieve the best result. "It was fun to step into those director shoes that we don't really get the chance to do on the show," he told Deadline. "And think introspectively and reflectively of how I act and how I did act and move and breathe and turn and look and kind of relay that onto this little kid, who was so cute." In terms of the scenes themselves, which see a young(er) Will going toe-to-toe with a Demogorgon, he added it was "gratifying" to find out what happened between the scenes in season 1, and teased that his character is "stronger than we may have believed". Sadie Sink is also back as Max Mayfield, who befriended the group in season 2 and has since grown particularly close to Lucas, but the nature of her role remains unclear for the time being. Max had a close brush with death in season 4, which left her comatose and potentially braindead. The first Stranger Things 5 trailer only featured her in an unconscious state, although Sink has previously teased that she may have more action to come. Other returnees include Winona Ryder as Will's mother Joyce, David Harbour as Eleven's adoptive father Hopper, plus Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton and Joe Keery as love triangle trio Nancy, Jonathan and Steve. Here's a list of the confirmed Stranger Things 5 cast – read on for more on the additions and absences in the line-up. Noah Schnapp as Will Byers Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers David Harbour as Jim Hopper Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven/Jane Hopper Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers Joe Keery as Steve Harrington Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair Paul Reiser as Dr Sam Owens Jamie Campbell Bower as Peter Ballard/Henry Creel/One/Vecna Cara Buono as Karen Wheeler Gabriella Pizzolo as Susie Linda Hamilton as Dr Kay Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow Alex Breaux as Lt Akers Amybeth McNulty as Vickie Joining the line-up as a newcomer is Terminator icon Linda Hamilton, whose casting was announced at a TUDUM fan event. She said at the time: "I don’t know how to be a fangirl and an actress at the same time. I'm gonna work on that." More recently, child actors Nell Fisher (Evil Dead Rise) and Jake Connelly have joined the Stranger Things family, alongside Alex Breaux, who recently played a young Dr Brenner on Broadway's edition of stage play The First Shadow. As for the show's Dr Brenner, it seems unlikely that he'll be returning after his expanded role in season 4 ended in calamity, despite actor Matthew Modine positing that his character might have survived (again). Another character who won't be returning is Eduardo Franco's Argyle. Introduced in season 4, Argyle was a stoner friend of Jonathan Byers (played by Charlie Heaton), who quickly became a key part of the season. He rescued Jonathan, Will (Noah Schnapp), Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Agent Harmon (Ira Amyx) before helping Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) fight Vecna at the pizza parlour where he worked. However, when asked if he'll be part of the final season on the Steve Varley Show, he said: "It's nice to hear that there's, you know, concern or something, you know what I mean? But I never got a phone call. So I think, yeah, I think that's it." What will the plot of Stranger Things season 5 be? Stranger Things season 5 will follow the final battle for Hawkins – and the world – after season 4 saw the barrier between our reality and the Upside-Down seemingly rupture for good. The official synopsis for Stranger Things season 5 reads: "The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished – his whereabouts and plans unknown. "Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will's disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. "The final battle is looming – and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they've faced before. To end this nightmare, they'll need everyone – the full party – standing together, one last time." Co-creator Matt Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview that season 5 sticks to the "north star" ending that the team have had in mind for "a really long time," but allowed room for added detours that "often surprised" even them. "Really the way we approach every season... was as if every season was a movie. Let’s not leave anything on the table," he explained. Expanding further in an interview with RadioTimes.com, the Duffers revealed that they had studied past series finales in an attempt to avoid the pitfalls of the most infamous misfires. "When you're looking at the endings that don't work, it is when it feels like sometimes the shows are trying too hard to surprise fans or do something different," theorised Matt. "So we want it to feel very much in line with the show and the endings for each of the characters to feel inevitable. That's what we're striving for," he continued, citing Breaking Bad, Six Feet Under and Friday Night Lights as influential success stories. In keeping with earlier seasons, we know this is going to be an emotional one. While promoting Deadpool & Wolverine, producer Shawn Levy said: "It's not too far away but also not soon enough... When the Duffers pitched the story of season 5, nobody wasn't crying, including me. Not a dry eye in that room." Stranger Things season 5 trailer A full-length trailer has now been released and, as you probably already guessed, it looks like our heroes are really going to be put through the wringer this season as Vecna emerges from the darkness. Watch for yourself below: View Green Video on the source website A second trailer focused on Volume 1 (consisting of episodes 1-4) followed, which had a more fun and optimistic tone – but still carries foreboding signs of trouble ahead. You can watch it on YouTube. Will Stranger Things season 5 be the final season? Yes, it's true! When season 5 was announced, it was confirmed that it would be the final season of the show. However, spin-offs are in the works at Netflix, with an animated series titled Tales of '85 being first up, followed by a live-action anthology influenced by the unique style of Twin Peaks (via Deadline). It's unclear just how involved the Duffer brothers will be in the latter project, given they recently closed a film and television deal with rival media giant Paramount. Explaining the shock pivot, the filmmakers said that they were keen to release features for the big screen and support the embattled cinema experience, while Netflix's model is primarily focused on home viewing. Speaking to RadioTimes.com at the premiere, producer Shawn Levy said that he'd love to see a Stranger Things spin-off focused on odd couple besties Dustin and Steve, but made no promises that such a project would become a reality. Previously, Dustin actor Matarazzo has suggested that he would consider reprising the role, but only after a break to pursue other opportunities – understandable after committing about a decade to Stranger Things. He said: "If you were to ask me a year from now if I wanted to come back, I'd probably be like, 'I’m gonna do some other stuff for a bit initially,' but who knows what it's going to be like?" "I would love to see, potentially, if there's a continuation of Dustin after [season] 5, if any of us make it up to that point, I would love to see what would happen, what Dustin would be like as a 30-year-old." Stranger Things seasons 1-4 are available on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stranger Things season 5 soundtrack: All the songs in volume 1
*Warning: Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 5 episodes 1-4.* After a three-year hiatus, Stranger Things is finally back with its hotly-anticipated fifth and final instalment. Musically, season 5 has a lot to live up to after season 4's iconic scene involving Max (Sadie Sink) coming face-to-face with Vecna – to the tune of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill – went viral and resulted in the track becoming a global hit decades after its release. And well, fortunately, the new instalment doesn't disappoint. So far, in volume 1, we've seen the return of Kate Bush, with ABBA, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and The Chordettes also featuring. Matt and Ross Duffer, the show's creators, carefully chose the music alongside music supervisor Nora Felder. While we wait patiently for volume 2 and 3, which will no doubt be filled with more bangers, grab your Walkman (or streaming service of your choice) and read on for the Stranger Things season 5, volume 1 tracklist! Alternatively, if you've already raced through Stranger Things, check out our ending explained! All the songs on the Stranger Things season 5, volume 1 soundtrack Episode 1 – The Crawl Rockin' Robin - Michael Jackson Pretty in Pink - Psychedelic Furs Upside Down - Diana Ross Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush Upside Down - Diana Ross (end credits) Episode 2 – The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler Fernando - ABBA Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush Mr Sandman - The Chordettes (end credits) Music supervisor Felder recently opened up about the striking use of ABBA's Fernando in season 2, which soundtracked Karen Wheeler's (Cara Buono) fight against the Demogorgon. “I particularly enjoy how ABBA’s Fernando not only feels so perfectly Karen as she preps for her bath time, but it also builds in a unique way that heightens the accelerating terror that plays out through the horrific scenes that follow,” Felder told Tudum. The song wasn't the first choice for the scene, but, after it proved impossible to secure the rights to another track, Fernando became the perfect option. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/StrangerThingsS50099R-5de334a-e1764497938532.jpg" width="2700" height="1800" alt="Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, and Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things season 5" title="Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, and Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things season 5" /> Episode 3 – The Turnbow Trap To Each His Own - Freddy Martin I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany Oh Yeah - Yello I Think We're Alone Now - Tiffany (end credits) Episode 4 – Sorcerer Premature Plans - Elmer Bernstein (from The Great Escape) Sh-Boom - The Chords Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush How to listen to the Stranger Things season 5 soundtrack The Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 soundtrack was released digitally on 28th November. The full season 5 soundtrack will be available to purchase in hard copy (CD, vinyl, and red-coloured cassette formats) from 30th January. It's available for pre-order now. Who composed the score for Stranger Things season 5? Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein compose the score for Stranger Things, and are the brains behind the signature synth-heavy sound of the show – including the spectacular score for season 5. Stein previously opened up to MusicTech.com about the score for season 5, teasing: “[Sonically] it has a lot of ties to the last season. It’s kind of a continuation, but it also definitely feels like it’s arching back to earlier seasons as well. “We’re always trying to reinvent how we approach various scenarios. If we’re revisiting themes, then we want to make them new." Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is available on Netflix now. Further episodes follow on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin TV. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Red Dwarf confirmed to air every episode on TV again from this weekend after broadcaster scrapped new special
Red Dwarf will return to screens from this weekend, with U&Dave set to show classic episodes of the beloved sitcom from the very beginning. The broadcaster will air three episodes every Saturday night from 8:15pm, starting this Saturday with the very first episode, brilliantly titled The End. Fans who can't wait to watch can also stream the episodes on U. The beloved comedy series, starring Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John-Jules, and Robert Llewellyn (who joined the cast in season 3), follows the last human, Dave Lister, who wakes up three million years after a radiation leak wiped out the crew of the mining ship Red Dwarf. Running for 10 series, the show was hugely popular - and was even due to return with a new special this year. However, co-creator Doug Naylor previously confirmed that the new episode was scrapped by UKTV last year. A spokesperson for UKTV told RadioTimes.com at the time: "UKTV has no current plans to commission further episodes of Red Dwarf. "It's been a privilege to work with Doug Naylor and the cast in a relationship that began with the Back to Earth specials, which premiered to 4 million viewers, and has subsequently produced three full series, a retrospective and Red Dwarf's first ever feature length, The Promised Land." However, Naylor has since shared with RadioTimes.com that there's "absolutely" a chance of the episode, which was set to see Craig Charles's Lister meeting his younger self, being shopped around to other channels. "Absolutely, yeah, there's always that possibility," he said. "It's public knowledge now this week, because I've announced it, and so now we will go out. The [cast] are really keen to do more. View Green Video on the source website "I've also done two thirds of a movie called Out of the Red where the guys play fictitious versions of themselves, and there's real interest in that as well, both from a distributor and from a production company. "In fact, I had a meeting about that this morning, so there's that possibility as well. So it's not dead, Dave – yet!" Red Dwarf will air on U&Dave every Saturday night for three episodes, starting from 8.15pm. Series 1-8 and 10 are all available to stream on U now. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Fallout season 2 will see Lucy's moral compass "eroding" amid surprising choices, reveals Ella Purnell
She may be fighting monsters in a post-apocalyptic world in US video-game adaptation Fallout, but all British star Ella Purnell wants is an early night and a cup of tea.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Fallout is one of those shows that lays waste to your sleep schedule; a big-budget, post-apocalyptic adventure that’s far more fun than the end of the world has any right to be, and almost impossible to turn off. But as you’re halfway through a late-night binge, watching Lucy MacLean fight mutants and dodge bullets, the woman who plays her, Ella Purnell, will already be asleep. “I’m like an old lady who’s in bed at nine o’clock every night,” the 29-year-old actor laughs. “If you’d told me that ten years ago, I’d have said, ‘No way.’ But now, it’s a foam roller and a cup of tea. That’s all I need.” It’s a far cry from her on-screen antics, but Purnell could be forgiven for wanting to slow down after filming Amazon’s high-profile adaptation of the video game franchise Fallout. Since 1997, that game has seen more than 50 million players explore a post-nuclear-war America, trading bottle caps for currency, fighting off irradiated monsters and aligning with – or avoiding – the warring factions formed by survivors. But for all its fanfare, the TV version of Fallout landed in Purnell’s inbox like any other role. She’d never wandered its wastelands, strapped on a Pip-Boy computer or even heard of the game. “I really didn’t know much about the project,” she admits. “I was bad, and didn’t even google it, because I was busy filming [the US survival drama] Yellowjackets.” So what convinced her wasn’t Fallout’s mythos or millions of fans, but the human nature of Lucy MacLean, the show’s sheltered yet spirited lead, exploring this wild new world after growing up in an underground bunker (called a Vault). “They said to me she’s the kind of person that could star in a toothpaste commercial, but also could maybe kill you,” says Purnell. “And I was, like, yeah, that sounds like me.” Of course, once she signed on, everything became real. “It wasn’t until I got the job, and I started doing my research and my prep for the character, that I really understood exactly what I was getting myself into. That actually, this was quite a big deal and you really want to do that justice.” View oEmbed on the source website It paid off: despite telling an all-new story with new characters not before seen in the games, season one aired to critical acclaim from longtime fans and new audiences alike. And Purnell, suddenly a breakout star, faced an outpouring of affection for her endearing portrayal of Lucy. “It’s really touching to me that people love this character,” she says, smiling. “She’s so naive because she’s literally lived in a bubble her whole life. She’s never felt the wind before. She’s never looked at long distances before. I found a lot of enjoyment thinking about all the things that we take for granted, that she would have been like, ‘Wow!’” In many ways, Lucy’s sheltered life reflects Purnell’s own childhood. Growing up in London, she began her career as a baby model – “so ridiculous,” she interjects with a laugh – after a friend of the family needed a baby for a clothing shoot, and Purnell’s mum simply volunteered her “cute kid”. From there, photoshoots became commercials, commercials became theatre, and before long, Purnell was a successful teenage actor in films like Kick-Ass 2 and Maleficent. It’s an environment with clear parallels to the Vault: both carefully controlled, make-believe worlds, shielded from real life. But Purnell sees it another way. “I feel more like a child now than I did when I was a child,” she says. “Now, in the space between ‘action’ and ‘cut’, I’m free, and I’m completely playful. But as a child working, I didn’t feel like that. I was terrified, I was nervous and I didn’t know what was going on or what I was doing. “As an adult, I love these people. I love this set. I feel like I can speak my mind. I feel like I’m protected. That’s how Lucy feels in the Vault: she has a purpose, she has structure. When she leaves the Vault and all of that falls away, and she’s in completely unfamiliar surroundings and she doesn’t know the rules – that’s how I felt as a child actor.” It’s an interesting inversion. As Purnell’s celebrity has grown – with the Paramount+ series Yellowjackets, animated Netflix series Arcane and now Fallout – her world has become smaller, safer, more intimate. “In the last couple years, I’ve come home to myself a little bit more. The bigger work gets, the smaller my life gets, and that feels right for me. I still live in the same flat, I still drive the same car, I have my friends, my family, my garden. I knit. And I like that.” “I think if I was one of those people, like Justin Bieber, who became an overnight success, it would’ve really messed with me, and I’m glad that I got a longer, slower build over the course of 20 years.” That long arc has yielded a new kind of confidence – “I have a little bit more trust and faith that as long as I keep picking projects that I really care about, that’s going to come out in the performance” – as well as an appetite for morally ambiguous characters, like the murderous Rhiannon in Sweetpea, which aired on Sky Atlantic last year. “In my real life, I need things to be black and white. So I’ve noticed in my work, I’m really drawn to the grey area, and I wonder if it’s my safe, exploratory way of figuring that out, and becoming OK with it in my real life. I love when I can’t say whether a character is good or bad.” If anything, Fallout is the perfect sandbox for that exploration; in a world where everyone fights to survive, monsters are a matter of perspective. Take Lucy, Purnell says. “Yes, she has a good heart, and she cares about doing the right thing. But she’s spoilt and she’s privileged, and she can be very ignorant and stubborn. And that’s life.” So what can we expect from, and for, Lucy in season 2? Purnell grins. “Oh my God, there’s so much in store. You’re going to see sides of Lucy that I did not see coming. She makes some very surprising choices, and her moral compass is just eroding. The entire fabric of her being is suddenly unravelling. Everything she thought she knew is now coming into question. What does that do to a person?” And if Ella Purnell were to find herself at the end of the world? “I like to think I’d be Lara Croft, all the gear and great arms, but in reality, that just wouldn’t be me. I am very non-confrontational, I’m very organised, I’m very Type A.” She smiles mischievously. “I’d organise everything instead. You know, if I have access to an Excel spreadsheet, it’s game over for you. I’m going to conquer the world.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Season one of Fallout is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Season 2 will premiere on Wednesday 17th December. Add Fallout to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stranger Things season 5 breaks major all-time record for Netflix as series finale runtime confirmed
Stranger Things has officially broken a Netflix record.
Stranger Things has officially broken a Netflix record with the release of season 5 volume 1 – and is it any surprise? As viewers delved into the long-awaited return to Hawkins in the first four episodes, Netflix has reported that the show has racked up whopping 59.6 million views in its first five days. Season 4, in comparison, opened with 287 million hours watched (which was Netflix's preferred metric at the time). According to Variety, that translates to about 22 million views, marking an increase of 171 per cent – although season 4's figure was only across three days as opposed to season 5's five, so these numbers should be taken with a pinch of salt. Either way, it's the best premiere week for an English language series, with the show only being beaten overall by seasons 2 and 3 of Korean series Squid Game, which became an international phenomenon. Now, after a surprise ending to episode 4, which finally saw Noah Schnapp's Will Byers get his moment to shine, fans are not so patiently awaiting volume 2, and the finale, which has been almost a decade in the making. Thankfully, tidbits of information are emerging. In the US, tickets have gone on sale for the Stranger Things finale on the big screen – and it's revealed the last episode's runtime. Clocking in at a massive 2 hours and 5 minutes, it seems there will be plenty of time to wrap up each and every thread. After all, the creators of the show, the Duffer Brothers, have promised that they're going to do every single character justice, with endings that will feel "inevitable" for them. Previously chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Matt Duffer said: "There's a sense of inevitability. When you're looking at shows that don't work, or the endings that don't work, it is when it feels like sometimes the shows are trying too hard to surprise fans or do something different. "So we want it to feel very much in line with the show and the endings for each of the characters to feel inevitable. That's what we're striving for." Star Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Vecna/Henry Creel, also teased how things end after his dramatic return in season 5. He told us: "As a fan, I'm really, really, really happy and in love with how this ends. It's really beautiful, and it's a very fitting end to a show that we all know and love." Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The War Between the Land and the Sea review: Doctor Who spin-off could turn the tide for the Whoniverse
The Whoniverse spin-off should tempt even those disillusioned with Doctor Who.
This review is based on episodes 1 and 2 of The War Between the Land and the Sea. At such a crucial time for Doctor Who, it was either sink or swim for spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea. Thankfully, the series stays afloat in a way that Doctor Who hasn't always managed of late. The five-part series, the title of which I'm going to have to abbreviate for fear of using up my entire word count with just a few mentions, follows Russell Tovey's Barclay Pierre-Dupont, who's just your average bloke (albeit one with a rather aristocratic name), a junior staffer at UNIT who usually spends his days arranging transport for the powers-that-be in the organisation. But, after a series of unlikely events that see him replace a much more senior recruit on a top secret mission, he witnesses a horrifying incident, which leads to an encounter with a species that has secretly been inhabiting the oceans of our planet. And, quite understandably, they are not happy. Before long, Barclay comes face-to-face with the leader of this species, Salt (played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and is thrust into the spotlight as, to every politician, diplomat and world leader's chagrin, he's dragged into attempting to stop a major inter-species conflict. No pressure, then. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/541153-8570b41.jpg" width="5197" height="3465" alt="Russell Tovey as Barclay Pierre-Dupont and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt in The War Between the Land and the Sea. He is in front of an orange, firey background on the left and she is in front of a blue, sea background on the right. Their hands are touching in the middle." title="541153" /> At a first thought, the Sea Devils might seem a strange choice to bring back for a full spin-off, especially when compared to other iconic foes like the Daleks and Cybermen. At one point, it was also reported that The War Between was going to be an anthology show about various different Who monsters, with some fans being disappointed when this turned out not to be the case. Despite that, focusing the show on the creatures, which made their first appearance in 1972, works better than you might expect. The War Between grabs the opportunity to expand on the lore of the Sea Devils, and bring them into the modern era in a way that not only brings something special for Doctor Who fans and new viewers alike, but thoughtfully comments on the urgency of the climate crisis – something the show has to be commended for. Because dedicating the latest instalment in a major British franchise to broadcasting the message that we are in the midst of a urgent and terrifying climate emergency is a bold move – and a risky one. And, although Doctor Who has never shied away from topics like climate change, the impact of the series could be far greater than just a singular episode of the main show, which might be quickly forgotten about. Showrunner Russell T Davies has been honest about the fact that this spin-off was a big reason why he wanted to return to Doctor Who in the first place – and it shows. Already, in the first two episodes, the writing is much sharper than in recent seasons of Doctor Who. There are still some clumsy moments, but on the whole, it's emotive, funny, and gives the actors, especially Tovey, plenty to work with in a short space of time. Tovey's character Barclay also benefits from the type of character development that we all loved about RTD's first Doctor Who era. By the end of the first episode, he's a fully fleshed out character. We don't just know his life story – we also get to know his ex-wife, Barbara (Ann Akinjirin), and his teenage daughter Kirby (Cat Gannon), a crucial addition that grounds the story beautifully. Unfortunately, the same can't really be said for Kate Lethbridge Stewart, who we also learn more about. While Jemma Redgrave gives a fantastic performance, including a gloriously fierce entrance into the show, it's rather difficult to care about the ins and outs of her personal life, with those scenes being some of the weakest so far. Much more gripping are the negotiation scenes in the stunning Empress Hall, which the series thankfully dedicates plenty of time to. While plenty of characters are present, they ultimately boil down to a two-hander between Tovey and Mbatha-Raw, which is glorious to watch. While Mbatha-Raw is slightly underused in the first episodes, there's a big indication in the second episode that we're about to see a whole lot more of her and her world – so watch this space! It's not perfect, and there are still some jarring moments that let the script down, including one particularly silly scene in episode 2, as the action really amps up. But, ultimately, so far, The War Between does what it desperately needed to do, and stands on its own as a successful new entry in the Whoniverse. Of course, there are three more episodes to come, and anything could happen in that time. But, for now, even if you're a little disillusioned with Doctor Who, The War Between is worth a watch. You just might want to avoid eating fish for a good while afterwards. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. 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From season 4: Release date speculation, casting updates, latest news
It's going to be quite the wait for season 4.
It's an exciting time for fans of MGM's best horror hit, with From season 4 getting a big production update. The series, starring Harold Perrineau and following the residents of the nightmarish small town that fans call Fromville, has officially wrapped production. While we've still got a while to wait until we see season 4, it does mean we're inching ever closer to finding out some answers after the cliffhanger of season 3's ending, including what's behind the arrival of a mysterious new villain known as The Man in Yellow, and what on Earth is going on with Julie and her time travel. But when can we expect new episodes to arrive? Here's everything we know about From season 4, from its likely release date, to some exciting casting news. From season 4 release date speculation From season 4 will premiere on MGM+ in 2026. Given that the season started filming in summer 2025, we expect it to air early in the year. In November, MGM confirmed that From season 4 has officially wrapped filming, sharing a video of the cast members celebrating on social media (which you can check out below) and the caption: "#FROM has officially wrapped and is coming soon to @mgmplus!" View oEmbed on the source website This 2026 release date was confirmed by Deadline, along with the news that season 4 has been filming in Nova Scotia, Canada, where the previous three seasons were filmed. Stay tuned for more news! Which cast members could return in From season 4? Amid characters returning in from season 3, a new face will also be joining the main cast of From season 4! Sophia, described as "a sheltered and vulnerable pastor’s daughter," will be played by Julia Doyle, who previously appeared in the teen comedy series Astrid and Lilly Save the World. While the rest of the cast hasn't officially been confirmed, we can expect these lead actors to return in some capacity in season 4: Harold Perrineau as Boyd Stevens Catalina Sandino Moreno as Tabitha Matthews David Alpay as Jade Herrera Elizabeth Saunders as Donna Raines Scott McCord as Victor Kavanaugh Ricky He as Kenny Liu Chloe Van Landschoot as Kristi Miller Kaelen Ohm as Marielle 'Mari' Sinclair Pegah Ghafoori as Fatima Hassan Corteon Moore as Ellis Stevens Hannah Cheramy as Julie Matthews Simon Webster as Ethan Matthews Avery Konrad as Sara Myers Robert Joy as Henry Kavanaugh Samantha Brown as Dani Acosta AJ Simmons as Randall Kirkland Nathan D Simmons as Elgin Douglas E Hughes as The Man in the Yellow Suit It wouldn't be From without the show's troubled hero Boyd Stevens, so Harold Perrineau is obviously expected to return. However there's a big question mark over another lead character, Jim (Eion Bailey), who appeared to die in the season 3 finale. This is definitely the kind of show where dead characters can return, whether it's as a ghost, a hallucination, or some kind of parallel timeline. So far there's been no official announcement about Jim's future, but he could easily return in a smaller role in season 4. There's already one obvious precedent for a dead character getting resurrected: Father Khatri, who was part of the main cast in season 1, and continued on as Boyd's hallucination buddy for the next two seasons. One character we are expecting to see more of is the Man in the Yellow Suit (Douglas E Hughes), who is clearly being set up as a recurring villain. Eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed hints of his presence earlier in the show, but the season 3 finale revealed him as a major player. What could happen in From season 4? Coinciding with the season 4 renewal announcement, From's creator John Griffin shared some hints about upcoming storylines: "In season 4, a new journey begins. The question is whether it will lead our characters home, or deeper into this unrelenting nightmare." Judging by From's previous seasons, we're going with "deeper into this unrelenting nightmare." That's really the show's defining appeal, constantly coming up with bizarre new ways to torment its main characters. Harrold Perrineau also previously spoke to RadioTimes.com about his predictions for season 4, saying he expects a "rift" and "division" between the residents of From's nameless town. Along with a bigger role for the ominous Man in the Yellow Suit, we're expecting to see more screentime between Tabitha and Jade. Season 3 revealed that these two were married in a previous life, hinting at a potential romance now Tabitha's husband Jim is seemingly out of the picture. The show also seems to be teasing a bigger role for Julie, following the whole time-travel situation in the finale. Over on the Colony House side of the community, we can also expect some updates from the aftermath of Fatima's pregnancy, which culminated in her giving birth to a new incarnation of the Smiley Creature - one of the most memorable monsters from earlier seasons. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, From's creator John Griffin said: “The mythology is our road map. "But we’ve left ourselves very open to the organic nature of surprise. I won’t go into the whole metaphor, but I often think about this as a road trip where you know where you’re starting, you know where you’re ending, but you get to wander, get lost, get surprised, because you know what the structure of the trip looks like.” From's chaotic storytelling style keeps fans coming back for more – but it also leaves them with a lot of unanswered questions. Actor Harold Perrineau apparently had a similar experience, admitting that even he was still baffled about one particular storyline. How many episodes will there be in From season 4? Much like the first three seasons, From season 4 will consist of 10 episodes, according to Variety. Considering the show's previous track record, that will offer more than enough time for a wild array of new twists and turns. Will From season 4 be available to watch in the UK? Yes, we'd expect so. The UK release date hasn't been confirmed yet, but we'd expect it to be in 2026, soon after the US release. Given that From's previous seasons aired in the UK following the US release, we can expect season 4 to air in the UK – likely on Sky and NOW again. Is there a trailer for From season 4? There's no trailer just yet, but we'll make sure to update this page when it arrives. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website From is available on Sky Sci-Fi and NOW – sign up for Sky TV here. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. 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The War Between the Land and the Sea: Release date and news for Doctor Who spin-off
The new spin-off will see UNIT fending off an attack from the Homo Aqua, formerly known as the Sea Devils.
We're still just over a year away from Doctor Who returning for its 2026 Christmas special, but thankfully, fans have got a brand-new spin-off series arriving to tide them over until then. The War Between the Land and the Sea, a five-part standalone miniseries, follows on from previous spin-offs such as Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Class, and features a number of returning stars in both new and existing roles. Starring Russell Tovey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Jemma Redgrave among others, the series has been created by Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies and longtime Doctor Who writer Pete McTighe – and the latter has teased we will see plenty of Easter eggs tying it to that show's history. Speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com, McTighe said: "There are absolutely Easter eggs to be seen – if you get the pause button ready, you'll be seeing plenty of stuff." But what is The War Between the Land and the Sea about and when can we expect to watch it? Here's everything we know so far. When will The War Between the Land and the Sea be released? <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/08/539619-72a4712.jpg" width="4743" height="3162" alt="Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge Stewart, Alexander Devrient as Colonel Ibrahim and Mei Mac as Min Tso in The War Between the Land and the Sea. They are all stood by computers, Min is holding a tablet and they are looking shocked and distressed at something off screen." title="539619" /> The War Between the Land and the Sea will start airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 8:30pm on Sunday 7th December 2025. Episodes 1 and 2 will air back to back, with episodes 3 and 4 airing and week later, and episode 5, the finale, airing on its own the week after that. For international viewers, it will arrive on Disney Plus at some point in 2026. Speculation on the release date for the series has gone back and forth, with it once being announced the series would air next year. It was finally confirmed to be arriving late this year back in October. What will The War Between the Land and the Sea be about? Taking place in the Whoniverse, this miniseries will feature familiar characters from from the UK government agency UNIT, but it isn't expected to include the Doctor. In fact, it's specifically pitched as a story about how humanity copes with a disaster when the Doctor isn't around to help. The BBC's official synopsis reads: "When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. With the entire population at risk, UNIT step into action as the land and sea wage war." This story will feature the Homo Aqaua, a re-branded version of the Sea Devils. The Sea Devils are a classic Doctor Who creature that first appeared in 1972, and returned in 2022 for the Thirteenth Doctor episode The Legend of the Sea Devils. View Green Video on the source website Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024, Russell T Davies explained: "There's a race that lives beneath the oceans, they wake up and they see the state of the oceans that we have put it in. We have wrecked the place, and it is war. And it's war on an epic scale." Climate change will be a key theme in the story. At the Edinburgh TV Festival in 2025, lead actor Russell Tovey said: "You can expect heart palpitations. You can expect love. Again, I keep going back to that, it's driven by love. This guy [Tovey's character Barclay] loves his life, loves his family, and will do anything to protect them. You're going to be moved and entertained with this." Highlighting the contrast between this spin-off and the typical format for Doctor Who stories, he added, "It's set in this world and this force comes upon us. I feel like that's different, in some ways, to the way that Doctor Who has been before, because it's always [us] visiting them, whereas this is like Independence Day." Who will star in The War Between the Land and the Sea? Russell Tovey will star as the drama's everyman protagonist Barclay, alongside Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a Sea Devil character named Salt, a role involving extensive prosthetics. Both actors have appeared in the Doctor Who franchise before, but this time they're playing new characters with no relation to their previous roles. Thanks to UNIT's central role in the story, we're going to see several familiar faces from Doctor Who, including the characters Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) Colonel Ibrahim (Alexander Devrient), and Shirley Ann Bingham (Ruth Madeley). Another returning character is more of a deep cut: General Austin Pierce (Colin McFarlane), who previously appeared in the 2009 miniseries Torchwood: Children of Earth. The cast will also include Adrian Lukis, Patrick Baladi, Francesca Corney, Mei Mac, Vincent Franklin, Waleed Hammad, Iestyn Arwel, Hannah Donaldson, Manpreet Bachu and Ann Akinjirin. Some of their new characters have been announced, while others are still unknown. There's obviously a lot of speculation about potential cameos from other Doctor Who stars, but we're not expecting to see Ncuti Gatwa (or Billie Piper) during the gap between seasons fifteen and sixteen of the main show. The full cast for the series is as follows: Russell Tovey as Barclay Pierre-Dupont Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt Jemma Redgrave as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart Alexander Devrient as Colonel Christofer Ibrahim Ruth Madeley as Shirley Anne Bingham Colin McFarlane as General Austin Pierce Adrian Lukis as Jonathan Hynes Vincent Franklin as Harry Shaw Francesca Corney as Hana Chakri Mei Mac as Min Tso Waleed Hammad as Tariq Hashim Hannah Donaldson as Louise Mackie Ann Akinjirin as Barbara Pierre-Dupont Is there a trailer for The War Between the Land and the Sea? There is! A full-length trailer is available to watch here. View oEmbed on the source website The War Between the Land and the Sea will air on BBC One on BBC iPlayer, starting at 8:30pm on Sunday 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 ending explained: What happened to Will and who does [spoiler] have prisoner?
Your ultimate breakdown of every twist and turn in Stranger Things season 5 volume 1. Buckle in and beware of spoilers.
*Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 5 episodes 1-4.* The wait is officially over, and Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is here – with a jaw-dropping ending that has left fans desperate for the next instalment. The final battle has begun, with Vecna/Henry (Jamie Campbell Bower) targeting the children of Hawkins, starting with Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher), and the gang desperately attempting to stop him for good. Meanwhile, Linda Hamilton's Dr Kay has been holding a very important person from Eleven's (Millie Bobby Brown) past prisoner, with Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) having some incredible powers to stop the Demogorgons from massacring his friends. So, as we embark on the wait for the new episodes and the highly anticipated finale, here's the ending to Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 broken down. Alternatively, delve into the show's epic soundtrack, or revisit everything you need to know from season 4. Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 ending explained with full spoilers What happened to Will Byers and how did he stop the Demogorgons? The final scene of episode 4 shows Will using his connection to Vecna to stop the Demogorgons in their tracks and prevent them from killing his friends, leaning on happy memories with his loved ones Intriguingly, the final shot of the episode shows Will's nose bleeding in the same way that Eleven's does when she uses her powers, indicating that he's adopted some similar powers to her. Will we see Will and Eleven defeat Vecna together? Stranger things have happened... The final scenes of episode 4 show Will, Joyce and co's mission to rescue the targeted children thwarted, as they face up to not only the military, but also a swarm of Demogorgons and, eventually, Vecna himself. As the Demogorgons raise hell, Vecna paralyses Will and taunts him, telling him he was easy to break. But this time, Will is able to fight back. The first scene of episode 1 made it clear that Will and Vecna have been connected since his disappearance in season 1. Throughout season 5, Will has also felt a connection to the Demogorgons, literally seeing through their eyes and even feeling their emotions. By the end of episode 4, and with Robin's (Maya Hawke) help, Will has strengthened that connection to the point that he can actually control them. Clearly, Will's journey to accepting himself and the strengthening of his powers is linked. So far, season 4 has seen him and Robin bond over feeling like outsiders, with the pair of them both having struggled with their sexualities (although that remains unspoken on Will's side of things). As Will prepares to fight back against Vecna and the Demogorgons, a montage of his happiest childhood memories plays out, over Robin telling him that he's had the answers all along – and that's when he manages to stop the Demogorgons. Perhaps Will's growing confidence, which may lead to the strengthening of his powers, is the key to defeating Vecna for good. Indeed, Ross Duffer told Tudum: “One of the earliest ideas in [Season 5] is, ‘What if Will were able to harness this connection and use it against our villains?’ "We also felt it very natural to re-center the story on Will. He was the kid who was taken in Season 1, so it felt right for the story to come full circle. If anyone [was] going to be the key to ending Vecna, it needed to be Will.” Either way, Will's new powers have huge implications for the rest of the season. If Will can stop the Demogorgons, he might just be able to eliminate one of the biggest threats to the people of Hawkins. And if he can actually control them? He can use them against Vecna, forcing the foot soldiers to turn against their master, and hopefully ridding Hawkins of the villain for good. Who is Kali – AKA Eight – and why is Dr Kay holding her prisoner? It's revealed that Dr Kay is holding Kali, AKA Eight, prisoner in the Upside Down, and seems to be using her to create the Kryptonite that stops Eleven from being able to use her powers. Dr Kay is woefully ill-informed about the events in Hawkins, believing that Eleven has taken Holly and the other missing children. She seems to believe that if she tracks down Eleven, she'll find the missing children. Kali (played by Linnea Berthelsen) was introduced way back in season 2, and is another of the children experimented on as test subjects at Hawkins Lab. Like Eleven, she developed powers – but Kali's are psychic rather than telekinetic, allowing her to warp the perception of others. Following her escape from Hawkins Lab, Kali sought revenge on those who had hurt her. When Eleven tracked her down in Pennsylvania, she was living as part of a gang that would punish people from their pasts for wronging them. Eleven eventually had to leave Kali and her gang to return home to help her friends, but Kali played a key part in Eleven's journey, teaching her about the importance of her emotions in harnessing her powers. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/wvpublicitypostlaunchstill26.000001-5abd8fb-e1764675810617.jpg" width="5573" height="3720" alt="Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven and Linnea Berthelsen as Kali in Stranger Things season 2. Eleven is holding her arm out to use her powers as Kali looks on, egging her on" title="Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven and Linnea Berthelsen as Kali in Stranger Things season 2" /> During their siege on the military facility in the Upside Down while looking for Vecna, Eleven and Hopper find Kali. It's unclear how Dr Kay got her hands on Kali, or what exactly she's done to her, but it seems that Eleven and Hopper (David Harbour) are about to rescue her – if they can escape from the facility alive, that is. What happened to Max Mayfield, and is she alive? Yes, Max is still alive and exists simultaneously in a coma in Hawkins General and in a prison of Vecna's/Henry's memories. She appears to Holly at the end of episode 3 and, in episode 4, explains exactly what's happened to her. She says that she should be dead, and, for a moment she was. Then, she felt something calling to her and woke up in Vecna's memories, including seeing his experiences at high school (which links season 5 to the play The First Shadow) - and even witnessing the moment he "cursed" her. However, she still has a connection to the outside world, as she's able to hear the music that Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) plays her in the hospital when he comes to visit – a callback to the iconic Kate Bush moment in season 4 – and even feels his hand on hers as she gets close to escaping. Tragically, she is almost able to escape Vecna's prison, with the music leading her to a gateway back to the outside world – before the music suddenly cuts off and the gateway closes. Soon afterwards, Vecna finds her, chasing her through his memories, until she reaches a cave that he seems terrified of and won't step foot in, leading her to build a home for herself there. While she had given up on finding a way to escape, Holly's arrival has spurred her on to create a new plan. For now, Holly needs to return to the Creel house to bide her time and convince him that nothing is out of the ordinary. Why is Vecna/Henry afraid of the cave? This isn't explained in the show, but is in the Stranger Things play The First Shadow – so beware, spoilers for it below! When Henry was a child, he grew up near those caves in Nevada, and close to a military base that experimented on objects inside the caves, trying to make them invisible. One day, Henry entered the cave and found some technology that sent him to Dimension X (the original Upside Down) for 12 hours. While he managed to escape, he was left terrified of the caves and refuses to enter them. While Max isn't yet aware of this, she's already using it to her advantage. What does Vecna want with Holly and the Hawkins children? Vecna says he has targeted the children of Hawkins to reshape the world, due to the weakness of their bodies and minds, making them easy to control – "the perfect vessels". He taunts Will, telling him that he was the first pawn in his plan and that he broke "so easily". It's unclear why Vecna started with Holly – perhaps due to her proximity to Will, being Mike's (Finn Wolfhard) younger sister. However, evidently his plan doesn't end with her, as he also targets multiple other children, including Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly) who helps the gang to fight back. Unfortunately, the military have figured out the pattern of kids going missing, rounding up the children and holding them at the MAC-Z – however, the gang work that to their advantage, sending Derek right into the heart of their operations and planning to tunnel underneath to rescue the children that Vecna has targeted – a la The Great Escape. Meanwhile, Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Steve (Joe Keery), and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) are tracking a Demogorgon through the Upside Down, hoping it will lead them to Vecna, and therefore Holly – although they might be needed in aiding with Eleven and Hopper's escape from the military facility. One major flaw in Vecna's plan is that he's clearly underestimated the children of Hawkins, as well as Will. As shown throughout the four episodes in volume 1, Will has learnt a lot more about his connection to Vecna, and is now on the front foot as he learns to fight back. The younger children are also clearly keen to fight back, with Derek showing a huge amount of courage by marching into the MAC-Z and feeding information to our gang of heroes, convincing the other children to subtly escape through the tunnel created by Joyce (Winona Ryder), Will and co. Perhaps that will be Vecna's fatal flaw, and what will ultimately lead to his downfall. To know for sure, though, we're going to have to wait patiently for volume 2, but actor Campbell Bower has given us a hint of what to expect. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, he said: "I feel like there's unfinished business between [Vecna] and Will. And so whilst I can't give anything away as to how that might be used, I am certainly looking forward to people experiencing it." He added: "As a fan, I'm really, really, really happy and in love with how this ends. It's really beautiful, and it's a very fitting end to a show that we all know and love." Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is available on Netflix now. Further episodes follow on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin TV. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. 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It: Welcome to Derry release schedule – when is episode 7 released?
The secret history of Pennywise the Clown comes to light in Sky and NOW's sci-fi horror.
It looks as though another clown is in town as It: Welcome to Derry episode 6 has revealed a closer look at the mysterious Periwinkle the clown. It was a bit of a long time coming until Pennywise arrived on our screens but it's safe to say his grand entrance was worth the wait, leaving fans on tenterhooks until the latter half of the season. The creative team behind the Stephen King adaptation made the bold decision to withhold the iconic villain for the first half of the series, while expanding the lore of the demonic entity in ways that have left fans divided. Now though, it seems that the horror is poised to kick into high gear, with Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise back on our screens and more frightening than ever. The most recent episode however also dug deeper into the story of Ingrid Kersh, with some of the revelations set to really surprise viewers. Of course, nothing quite beats the fear of seeing Pennywise on our screens, with the young cast of It: Welcome to Derry recalling their first time seeing Pennywise on the set in an interview with RadioTimes.com (see video above). "Once we got to that official scene, when we got to see him, it was so scary," said Amanda Christine, who plays Ronnie. "It was like, 'Oh my gosh! I've never been afraid of clowns, but at this moment I'm terrified." Co-star Matilda Lawler, who plays Marge, agreed that Skarsgård's Pennywise makes for an "imposing" sight, which is just "as terrifying in person – if not more – than it is on screen". But what can fans expect from the next instalment of It: Welcome to Derry, and when will it arrive? Here's everything you need to know about when episode 6 is released. When is It: Welcome to Derry episode 7 released? It: Welcome to Derry episode 7 will be released on Monday 8th December in the UK (and Sunday 7th November in the US via HBO). The next chapter, titled Neibolt Street, will first broadcast at 2am on Sky Atlantic, before a repeat later that day at the more reasonable time of 9pm. Alternatively, stream at your convenience on NOW. How many episodes are in It: Welcome to Derry? It: Welcome to Derry will consist of eight episodes initially. However, co-creator Andy Muschietti has teased that their could be multiple future seasons of the horror series, telling Deadline that "there is an intentional bigger arc that will open". "My intention with this was to create a story that is a little bit like an iceberg under the water all through seasons 1, 2 and 3. There will be an expansion in the mythology and more answers to the big questions." It's thought that each season of the show will go further back in time each season, to show the origins of Pennywise's reign of terror. It: Welcome to Derry UK release schedule Stephen King fans won't have to wait long for It: Welcome to Derry to come to the UK, with episodes scheduled to air on Sky Atlantic and NOW just a day after their premiere in the US on HBO. Here's an overview of the release schedule at the moment: It Welcome to Derry episode 1 – The Pilot – Monday 27th October 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 2 – The Thing in the Dark – Monday 3rd November (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 3 – Now You See It – Monday 10th November 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 4 – The Great Swirling Apparatus of Our Planet's Function – Monday 17th November 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 5 – Neibolt Street – Monday 24th November 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 6 – In the Name of the Father – Monday 1st December 2025 (out now) It Welcome to Derry episode 7 – TBC – Monday 8th December 2025 It Welcome to Derry episode 8 – TBC – Monday 15th December 2025 It: Welcome to Derry continues on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday 7th December 2025. Add It: Welcome to Derry to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who star hints Kate Lethbridge-Stewart might not survive The War Between the Land and the Sea
Jemma Redgrave is back in action in The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Whovians considering skipping the upcoming spinoff series The War Between the Land and the Sea may have to think again following the latest tease from a major fan favourite Doctor Who star. In the Doctor’s absence, UNIT’s Commander-in-Chief Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) steps up to try to halt an impending attack from the Sea Devils in this five-part standalone story. Likened to Independence Day, The War Between the Land and the Sea explores a growing conflict between humanity and the ocean dwellers, who are enraged by the state of the sea due to the pollution and the climate crisis. To try and avert the looming international conflict, Lethbridge-Stewart and her team - in particular, low-level UNIT operative and unlikely ambassador Barclay Pierre-DuPont (Russell Tovey) - attempt to reason with the Classic era villains. But will everyone make it out alive? Star Jemma Redgrave isn’t so sure, as she exclusively told RadioTimes.com: “If she survives this series, I don't know where she can go next…” The Doctor Who star continued: “But I've had a most extraordinary time and journey with this character and through different series of Doctor Who and now through this series.” “And every time I get the call, it feels like another gift. Long may it last.” Writer Pete McTighe added: “The character of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart... I think if you're a huge fan of Doctor Who and you know that legacy character and you love that character like I do, I think you'll be very surprised about the journey that she goes on through the show. Her character arc, in particular for Doctor Who fans, is probably the most surprising.” The fan favourite character was first portrayed by Beverley Cressman back in 1995, before Jemma Redgrave debuted in the reintroduced role in the 2012 episode "The Power of Three". She’ll also be joined by fellow UNIT colleagues Colonel Christofer Ibrahim (Alexander Devrient) and Scientific Advisor Shirley Anne Bingham (Ruth Madeley), along with General Austin Pierce, with Colin McFarlane reprising his role from Torchwood: Children of Earth. We have no idea what the Doctor - and any of their many companions - would do without the help of the illustrious UNIT leader, (her double-bluff against the Zygons remains a real highlight) so we’ll be crossing our fingers that she makes it through the events of the upcoming miniseries! Stay tuned for more about The War Between the Land and the Sea, including news, interviews, features and more. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who boss reveals the huge impact of The Doctor's absence from new spin-off
The Time Lord will be nowhere to be seen in the upcoming series.
Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies has opened up about how the Doctor's absence will impact upcoming spin-off The War Between the Land and the Sea. UNIT and co will be forced to deal with a world-threatening crisis, with the Time Lord nowhere to be seen in the new five-part series, which will see classic Doctor Who monsters the Sea Devils emerge from the oceans and confront humanity. Teasing what's to come, Davies explained: "One of the most interesting things you can do with Doctor Who is to take the Doctor out. This is a world without the Doctor, and we’re seeing how we cope as the human race. There are monsters, there's romance, there are chases, there's gunfights." He added: "It’s little bit tougher than Doctor Who, it takes on tougher themes, and people have tougher reactions in it, again, because there's no Doctor. "Normally the Doctor has a magic blue doorway they can take everybody safely through, that safety net has gone. You very much find these characters up against the wall and pushed to the limit." The War Between the Land and the Sea will star Russell Tovey as "everyman" Barclay, who suddenly has to take on a crucial role as the Earth faces a major conflict. Over the course of the season, he'll form an unexpected bond with Gugu Mbatha-Raw's Salt. While the new series is separate to Doctor Who, writer Pete McTighe has promised there will be Easter eggs for Whovians. Speaking to RadioTimes.com, he said: "There are absolutely Easter eggs to be seen – if you get the pause button ready, you'll be seeing plenty of stuff.” “What's great about the Sea Devils as a civilisation is we didn't really know much about them before,” Davies explains. “Essentially, they were monsters on a beach in Portsmouth, or in Sea Base, we didn't really delve into their culture and their society, and that's what we're able to do a lot more of here.” And it looks like Whovians will finally get a glimpse at their home world. “We spend a lot more time with them, we actually go to their world in episode 3, which is incredible,” he continued. “You get to see how they live and their environment and all the different species, so that's been a huge amount of fun to expand the backstory.” Stay tuned for more about The War Between the Land and the Sea, including news, interviews, features, and more. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The War Between the Land and the Sea writer promises Easter Eggs for fans of classic Doctor Who
Fans of the Whoniverse will no doubt be keeping their eyes peeled for any familiar faces and nods to the wider Doctor Who franchise when spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea debuts on the BBC next week. The Earth-based drama explores an impending conflict between mankind and returning foes the Sea Devils, as the Unified Intelligence Taskforce (UNIT) are forced to step up in the Doctor’s absence. The series features the return of a whole host of characters, including Jemma Redgrave, Alexander Devrient and Ruth Madeley reprising their UNIT roles, along with Colin McFarlane returning as General Austin Pierce from Torchwood: Children of Earth. And with the focus on the Sea Devils - who were last seen clashing with Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor in the 2022 special Legend of the Sea Devils - fans are finally set to discover more about this formidable but somewhat mysterious foe. When asked about ties to the wider Doctor Who universe, writer Pete McTighe revealed: “There are absolutely Easter eggs to be seen – if you get the pause button ready, you'll be seeing plenty of stuff.” <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/541153-8570b41.jpg" width="5197" height="3465" alt="Russell Tovey as Barclay Pierre-Dupont and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt in The War Between the Land and the Sea. He is in front of an orange, firey background on the left and she is in front of a blue, sea background on the right. Their hands are touching in the middle." title="541153" /> “What's great about the Sea Devils as a civilisation is we didn't really know much about them before,” Davies explains. “Essentially, they were monsters on a beach in Portsmouth, or in Sea Base, we didn't really delve into their culture and their society, and that's what we're able to do a lot more of here.” And it looks like Whovians will finally get a glimpse at their home world. “We spend a lot more time with them, we actually go to their world in episode 3, which is incredible,” he continues. “You get to see how they live and their environment and all the different species, so that's been a huge amount of fun to expand the backstory.” First debuting in the 1972 serial The Sea Devils alongside Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor, the species has certainly had quite the makeover since its original appearance. They’ve dwelled in the Earth’s oceans for millions of years, but upon awakening to find that mankind has polluted the seas, they soon take action. Stay tuned for more about The War Between the Land and the Sea, including news, interviews, features, and more. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who favourite Mandip Gill teases "furthering" relationship between Thirteen and Yaz in new adventures
"I know a lot of people cared about and invested in [it]. I know I did."
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. What’s the view from your sofa? A massive pouffe to put my legs on and a lovely-sized TV. But what I really like to look at are memorabilia from shows that I’ve done, because when I think of the show, I think of the people. What kind of memorabilia? By the TV, there’s a gold frame from Can You Keep a Secret?, a sitcom that I filmed this year with Dawn French and Mark Heap [coming to BBC One in early 2026]. I’m really proud of it. I’ve seen bits of it five or six times and they still make me laugh. As a wrap gift, Dawn bought us each a lovely plate with Can You Keep a Secret? written around the rim, so I’ve got that out, too. Any other notable pieces? One of the presents that Jodie Whittaker bought me when we were doing Doctor Who [Gill played the Doctor’s companion Yasmin Khan] was this gorgeous lamp with a massive round bulb. The bulb has blown now and I can’t afford to replace it, but it’s not just an ornament because it wasn’t just a lamp. I look at it and I think of the show and of Jodie. In the kitchen, I’ve got a piece of fan art. Someone engraved Jodie and me in the last scene of Doctor Who onto a piece of cork, and it’s so beautiful. You reunited with Jodie to do Doctor Who audio dramas. How was that? So good. You’ve gone back to characters you adore, you’re working with these amazing people and also having such a laugh. They don’t need a budget for location so these stories can go anywhere – and you don’t need to learn your lines. And I get to spend 72 hours in a room with one of my best friends! We further that relationship between the Doctor and Yas that I know a lot of people cared about and invested in. I know I did. Your current TV drama series, Cooper & Fry, is adapted from the novels of Stephen Booth about an odd couple of Peak District detectives. Are you an avid reader? I started reading self-help books as an adult and everyone was like, “Are you OK?” Now I’m reading what I would call “warm books” – self-help, but much warmer. One of my favourites is The Comfort Book by Matt Haig. I read the little paragraph or chapter that’s in there for the day. And I adore a book where you believe the characters are real, like Chris Chibnall’s Death at the White Hart, which I’ve almost finished, and Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on the Train. There are 18 novels in Booth’s Cooper & Fry series. This could be a long job… We’ve adapted four of the early books so far and they’re each 120 minutes long, so essentially they’re little films. I play Diane Fry and Rob James-Collier plays Ben Cooper. The characters are quite different in the way they approach investigations, but they both have issues in their personal lives and neither of them wants to give anything away. They both care about people and their work. What makes it more than just another detective show? It explores the folklore and superstitions of these rural communities. And although we filmed in Ireland, the Peak District and the countryside play a big part in how murders are committed – the equipment and the animals they have to hand… Do you like the countryside? I was born and lived in Leeds until I was 12 or 13 when we moved to the outskirts, and I’ve lived in London for the past 10 years, with stints in Cardiff. I’m a city girl. I’m a people watcher, I’m nosy and I like life noisy. You’ve never played a villain. Why is that? It’s not how people see me, although I’d love to play a baddie. I absolutely have it in me to play someone evil. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Add Doctor Who to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Russell T Davies argues new Doctor Who spin-off tackling climate change is only political because it has "no choice"
Climate - Sustainable contributions within wider content
"I don't have to get on a high horse at all... I would be lying if I didn't mention these things."
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. When Russell T Davies goes walking near his home in Swansea, he follows the same path: over the hill, down to Langland Bay and along the seafront, until he reaches a weathered bench looking straight out to the water. “They’ve just rebuilt the sea wall there,” he says, “but you watch them, thinking they’ll have to rebuild it again in a few years’ time because of rising sea levels. You can’t live next to the sea and not be aware of this stuff.” Of course, when Davies isn’t staring out to sea, he’s creating some of the most acclaimed television drama of our time – his credits include such landmark works as Queer as Folk, Years and Years and It’s a Sin, not to mention his time as executive producer on Doctor Who. It was perhaps inevitable, given where he lives, that Davies’s anxieties about the environment might inspire his work. But how? “The problem with climate change is that it’s very hard to write about,” he says. “No one has yet worked out how to write about the weather changing slowly while we ignore it.” It was one of Davies’s neighbours who unwittingly helped him crack the problem. “There’s a marvellous woman who lives three doors down from me who is 70 years old,” he says. “I once met her and she was dressed as a fish with her friends marching up and down the seafront – protesting about climate change and saying, ‘This sea front will be gone in 20 years and these houses will be gone.’ “So I started thinking about that and put that together with my Doctor Who mind, which is always looking for new ways to invade the Earth, and it all coalesced into this story.” Enter a whole load of men and women in much more impressive, screen-ready fish costumes. The War Between the Land and the Sea, Davies’s new five-part BBC drama, is about climate change, water pollution and the damage being done to the world’s oceans by mankind. But it’s also an enormously entertaining sci-fi series about an ancient species rising from the sea and threatening humanity with destruction. The series has its roots in an episode of Doctor Who broadcast in 1972, which Davies remembers watching as a young boy. “It’s a child of a Doctor Who story called The Sea Devils, which is well known as one of the most famous stories ever,” he says. “My generation thinks of it as ‘the one with the monsters coming out of the sea’. It’s an absolute classic.” In line with the new series, the BBC is also releasing a re-edited, 90-minute version of The Sea Devils, with new music. “The War Between the Land and the Sea is in many ways the 2025 version of that story,” adds Davies. Back to the present day, this more modern story about Homo aqua (as the original Doctor Who Sea Devils are now referred to) has a cast that includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw (see overleaf), Jemma Redgrave and Russell Tovey. This other Russell plays everyman hero Barclay, who, much to his and everyone else’s surprise, is chosen to be ambassador for all humanity. Tovey, who landed his breakout role as Rudge in Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys in 2004, was gripped by Davies’s script within a few pages. “Whenever I read scripts, dialogue is a thing that really makes me instantly connect to a character,” Tovey explains, “and after the first few lines I knew I wanted to play this guy. I just fell in love with him: he’s someone who has drifted into his late 30s and has no ambitions and desires – nothing but his pay packet and being a good dad to his child. And suddenly he’s thrust into this amazing position.” This is Tovey’s third collaboration with Davies. They first worked together when Davies cast him, aged 25, as Midshipman Alonso Frame in the 2007 Doctor Who Christmas special Voyage of the Damned. He returned to the role for a cameo in The End of Time (2010), and their creative partnership deepened a decade later with Tovey’s acclaimed performance as Daniel Lyons in Years and Years. It’s been a long road together, but it’s clear Tovey, now 44, still can’t believe his good fortune. “He’s my hero. I look up to Russell,” he says. “I remember watching Queer as Folk and in equal measures it terrified and exhilarated me. I felt like I was seeing myself on screen and that was so important to me and so many other queer people of my generation.” Tovey recently won Man of the Year at the Attitude Awards, and Davies presented him with the award. “If I could talk to myself when I was a little scared, lost, 14-year-old boy trying to find his safe space in the world and finding Russell’s work,” he says, “and tell him that Russell would be presenting me with an award, I wouldn’t have believed it.” I ask Davies how it feels to hear Tovey speak about him like this. “It’s funny – we don’t hang out inbetween shows with each other,” he says, “but we’ve got a lovely, great professional working relationship that goes back almost 18 years, to when we first worked together on Doctor Who, then Years and Years. I love him as an actor. I love him as a man.” Barclay, the character played by Tovey, is a reluctant hero, who would rather be with his family than saving the planet. “What I wanted with Barclay was someone who knows what it’s like to fail to pay the electricity bill,” says Davies, “who knows what it’s like to not afford Christmas – why can’t someone like that stand for Parliament and make our laws? That’s exactly what we need, and it’s exactly what we never get.” There are some scenes in The War Between the Land and the Sea that are pure, fantastical sci-fi, while others feel pulled from the headlines. With references to pollution in the Thames and the amount of plastic thrown into the oceans, it might be politically engaged – but this drama is by no means a piece of worthy-but-dull social realism. “It is enormously entertaining,” says Davies. “It is epic and scary and tough and romantic – you’ll be gobsmacked by it.” Tovey nods in agreement. “When people watch it, they’re going to be really taken aback that this is a show that’s on the BBC,” he adds. “Because of the gubbins that we’ve been able to play with.” Given the environmental themes, it wouldn’t be wholly surprising if some critics on the right of the political spectrum accuse Davies – and by extension the BBC – of trying to shove their green agenda down viewers’ throats. The irony is that while the idea of using Doctor Who to highlight social-justice talking points might feel like a very modern development, Davies’s new series is actually in the spirit of the original 1972 version. The Sea Devils was written by Malcolm Hulke, a former Communist Party member who used Doctor Who stories to smuggle progressive themes into mainstream drama, turning alien races into allegories for class, race and colonial oppression. “In drama, messages get out clearer than articles in newspapers or alerts on the news,” suggests Tovey. “You humanise the plight and see the empathy and the struggles through characters that you recognise as yourself. We’ve seen it so many times through Adolescence, Mr Bates vs the Post Office… people are held accountable and the drama has allowed you to see yourself in their position. That’s one of the greatest gifts that art has.” One of the challenges of stories about climate change, beyond how to depict it, is to persuade ordinary people they still have reasons to feel positive. “We need hope,” agrees Tovey, “that’s what’s missing – we are told the whole time there is no hope.” So how does Tovey “hope” viewers will leave the series feeling? “I would want them to feel activated and angry,” he says. “I hope that there will be a whole generation who will watch this and feel that this is going to inspire them to do something. I hope, through the humanising of what the hell is happening on our planet, it will do what David Attenborough does, but through drama, to compel people to wake up and recognise that we have to do something about this.” It might well inspire some to do something. But given how vulnerable the BBC is to criticism at the moment, I also wonder if Davies ever worried that he might be told that he should stick to entertaining and drop the preaching? “One of the most boring things you can ever say to a writer is, ‘Don’t be preachy,’” he replies. “Quite a few religions have been based for thousands of years upon preaching. It’s not bad as a system, it works. The truth is, I don’t have to get on a high horse at all. If I’m writing about the oceans in 2025, then they really are filthy and stinking and half-destroyed. I would be lying if I didn’t mention these things. It’s only politically engaged because it has no choice.” The latest issue of Radio Times is out this weekend – subscribe here. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who spin-off confirms alternative pop music icon for soundtrack as release date revealed
The soundtrack will feature a cover of David Bowie’s Heroes by Alison Goldfrapp and Lorne Balfe.
The release date for The War Between the Land and the Sea’s soundtrack has been confirmed, with the BBC revealing it will feature a cover track by pop icon Alison Goldfrapp. The soundtrack for the upcoming Doctor Who spin-off, which will feature an original score by Lorne Balfe, will be available on digital platforms on 5th December. The album will also feature a cover of David Bowie’s Heroes by Goldfrapp and Balfe, which is set to be released on 12th December. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the cover, composer Balfe recently said that he’s “working on a great song with Alison Goldfrapp which is going to be very special, story-wise, but also musically-wise… it’s a musical moment." Goldfrapp said in a statement: "Covering ‘Heroes’ felt deeply connected to the spirit of the series which is about resilience and unity in the face of overwhelming forces. Working with Lorne was a wonderful experience, his ability to weave emotion and cinematic vision into orchestral textures brought a new dimension to Heroes.” Balfe added: “Creating the score for The War Between Land and Sea felt like composing at the boundary of two worlds – where the modern day meets the ancient sea. I wanted to draw the audience into a journey of mystery, wonder, and conflict, and I hope every note echoes humanity’s struggle to find balance with forces beyond their understanding.” Russell T Davies added: “Lorne’s music soars from the land to the sea and then high into the skies, it’s so beautiful.” Set in the Whonuiverse, The War Between the Land and the Sea will revolve around the military organisation UNIT as they are forced to deal with the arrival of an ancient species, the Sea Devils. The series will star Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw alongside numerous recurring Doctor Who actors. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Why was Holly Wheeler recast in Stranger Things season 5? Nell Fisher character explained
The youngest member of the Wheeler family is finally getting her time to shine.
Following almost 10 years of D&D campaigns, duets and a discovery of Eggo’s, the final adventure in Hawkins is upon us – and fans have not been left disappointed by the showdown in Stranger Things season 5 volume 1. With the town under military quarantine, multiple rifts opening up and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) still looming large. the party members are going to need all the help they can get to defeat the big bad once and for all. Stranger Things has always been a close-knit family-and-friends affair, with the main party’s relatives all tangled up in the strange events. This time round, one of the youngest cast members has stepped up to the plate. Holly Wheeler, the younger sister of Mike and Nancy Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard and Natalia Dyer), has entered the fray – with a new actor being welcomed to Netflix's flagship sci-fi series in the role. Here's everything we know about Holly's recasting and what part she plays in the fifth instalment. Already raced through season 5 volume 1? Check out our ending explained, or delve into the soundtrack of season 5. Why was Holly Wheeler recast in Stranger Things season 5? With Holly now older and set to play more of a substantial role – promoted from supporting cast to the main party – the Duffer Brothers have opted to recast the role, bringing in an older and more experienced actor. Holly Wheeler has been there from the start, witnessing the very fabric of Joyce Byers's (Winona Ryder) walls shift from the inter-dimensional effects of a Demogorgon searching for Will (Noah Schnapp) back in season 1. Originally played by twins Anniston and Tinsley Price since 2016, the youngest of the Wheeler children has quite literally grown up over the course of the show’s four seasons. But with season 5 of Stranger Things set in the Autumn of 1987 - approximately a year after the heartbreaking events of season 4 (miss you, Eddie Munson!) – there’s another time jump to contend with. While this shift helps age up the main characters to match the actor’s real-life ages – as the delays in production has resulted in the cast visibly maturing between seasons – the same can’t be said for the twins. This isn’t the first time a recurring family member’s screen time has been upgraded. Priah Ferguson’s brilliantly sharp and sassy Erica Sinclair, sister of Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), played a major role in seasons 3 and 4, following her debut back in season 2. Actress Fisher opened up about her role, telling RadioTimes.com of her favourite moment: "I have this amazing sequence with Cara [Buono] who plays my mum where it's like quite a lot of action. "In the trailer we saw a little sneak peek of her and I hiding underwater and there's a whole lot to follow, which was a dream to film." How old is Holly Wheeler in Stranger Things season 5? Holly Wheeler is meant to be between 9 and 10 years old in Stranger Things season 5 – but there's been a lot of back and forth about the character's age over the course of the seasons. Actress Fisher is 14, although would have been 12 for most of season 5's production schedule. Who plays Holly Wheeler in Stranger Things season 5? With a more substantial arc in the fifth outing, the Duffer Brothers have turned to Evil Dead Rise’s Nell Fisher to take on the mantle of the youngest Wheeler sibling. Her experience in the fifth film in the classic horror franchise will no doubt have played a key role in the recasting – especially with the numerous Evil Dead references woven throughout Stranger Things's four seasons. Writer Matt Duffer exclusively told Radio Times: "We were very careful not to expand the cast too much, because the cast is already so large, but I think Nell Fisher is a really exciting new talent, and she's playing Holly Wheeler, and she's just absolutely phenomenal. So we're excited to introduce her to the world." Stranger Things 5 part 2 premieres on Netflix on Christmas Day. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
From season 4 gets major production update as fans eagerly await hit show's return
Filming for the new season began back in June.
There's exciting news for From fans with the announcement that filming of the eagerly anticipated fourth season of the MGM+ horror show has officially wrapped. From has picked up quite a cult following among horror and sci-fi fans since its debut back in February 2022 and viewers have been desperate for new episodes. Shortly before the finale of season 3 had aired, showrunner Jeff Pinkner announced that the series would be back for a fourth season – production on which started earlier this year. The cast made up of Harold Perrineau, Catalina Sandino Moreno, David Alpay, Elizabeth Saunders, Scott McCord, Ricky He, Chloe Van Landschoot, Kaelen Ohm, Pegah Ghafoori, Corteon Moore, Hannah Cheramy, Simon Webster, Avery Konrad, Robert Joy, Samantha Brown, AJ Simmons, Nathan D Simmons and Douglas E Hughes have been filming in Nova Scotia, Canada since June. But now, the show's official social media accounts have confirmed that filming has ended, saying: "BRB decoding every frame of this video for clues on Season 4 #FROM has officially wrapped and is coming soon to @mgmplus!" It also shared a 30-second video of the cast messing around on the set celebrating that filming had wrapped, which got fans extremely excited with one responding: "ok, now start filming season 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10." View oEmbed on the source website An exact release date has yet to be confirmed but it has been reported that the new episodes will drop sometime in 2026 of which there will be 10, akin to the show's previous seasons. Season 3 ended on some characteristically bizarre cliffhangers which included the arrival of a mysterious new villain known as The Man in the Yellow Suit, and a time travel storyline involving the teenage Julie. Whilst we have no specifics, From's creator John Griffin did share some hints about upcoming storylines alongside the season 4 renewal. He said: "In season 4, a new journey begins. The question is whether it will lead our characters home, or deeper into this unrelenting nightmare." Star Perrineau also previously spoke to RadioTimes.com about his predictions for season 4, saying he expects a "rift" and "division" between the residents of From's nameless town. From is available on Sky Sci-Fi and NOW – sign up for Sky TV here. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Take a trip back through 62 years of Doctor Who in Radio Times covers
When it comes to the history of Doctor Who, Radio Times has got it covered. From the earliest days of the iconic sci-fi through to its cancellation in 1989 and revival in 2005, Radio Times has documented everything. Most recently Doctor Who has celebrated a massive 62 years on screen – so, to mark the milestone, we're looking back on our Doctor Who-themed Radio Times covers and the icons who featured. Check out the gallery below for some of our favourites: View Gallery on the source website It's a busy time for Doctor Who, with the upcoming spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, set to air this December. The BBC also recently confirmed the future of the main show, revealing that the deal with Disney is no longer in place. However, the Doctor and the TARDIS will be back in action next Christmas, with showrunner Russell T Davies set to pen a new festive special. Recently chatting exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Davies revealed the status of that special. Asked whether he's started writing the special, Davies told us: "Not at the moment because I'm busy on [The War Between the Land and the Sea]. I'm also shooting a show in Manchester, so next year my plate clears and we'll get to work on that." While he's keeping quiet on the details, Davies also confirmed he's got the plot all worked out, saying: "I know exactly what happens in it, don't worry about that." The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" class="x_OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who boss reveals how new spin-off is linked to Torchwood: Children of Earth
There's one big link between the two spin-offs.
As Doctor Who fans prepare to dive head-first into a brand new spin-off with the forthcoming five-part series The War Between the Land and the Sea, the show’s creator and franchise stalwart – has opened up about any further Whoniverse connections. The mini series features UNIT (Unified Intelligence Taskforce) commander-in-chief Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (Jemma Redgrave), Colonel Christofer Ibrahim (Alexander Devrient) and newcomer Barclay (Russell Tovey), as they attempt to halt the growing international crisis between mankind and the Doctor’s old enemy, The Sea Devils. Along with spotlighting the iconic ancient foes – who first faced off against Jon Pertwee’s Third Doctor back in 1972 – the new chapter has direct links to early noughties spin-off Torchwood, particularly its third season, Children of Earth, most prominently, the return of Colin McFarlane's General Austin Pierce. When asked about potential ties, showrunner and writer Russell T Davies exclusively told RadioTimes.com: “I think you’ll have fun if you watch this and Children of Earth together, because they’re both about alien species – or otherworldly species – encountering the human race in an ambassadorial context.” Eagle-eyed Torchwood fans will undoubtedly want to move this to the top of their watchlist, as Davies confirmed: “We use a lot of the same sets as we used in Children of Earth… you’ll see a lot of the same staircases appear, a lot of the same corridors… It’s in the same world.” In one of the spin-off show’s darkest arcs, the hugely popular third instalment saw the alien race known as 456 return to Earth, demanding the British government hand over 10 per cent of the world's children – or they would destroy the human race. As a result, the government ordered the assassination of all Torchwood members in an attempt to cover up their past involvement with the aliens dating back to 1965, with disastrous consequences for the covert team. The upcoming UNIT-centric spin-off features a similarly tense showdown between mankind and another species, with Davies noting: “It is how I think we would approach an alien species, as ambassadors, for formal talks, so [it’s a] very different show, very different things happening, but I hope someone splices together the scenes that take place in the same corridors.” We can’t wait to see the inevitable fan edit of the crossover when The War Between the Land and the Sea splash-lands on our screens this December! Stay tuned for more about The War Between the Land and the Sea, including news, interviews, features, and more. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The 5 films that influenced Vecna's chilling transformation in Stranger Things season 5 – revealed by star Jamie Campbell Bower
*Warning: Major spoilers for Stranger Things season 5 episodes 1-4 ahead.* With the arrival of Stranger Things season 5 comes the return of the villainous Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell Bower – only, this time, he's got a very different air about him. Now, Vecna is targeting the children of Hawkins, starting with Holly Wheeler (now played by new cast member Nell Fisher). It's giving major Child Catcher vibes, with Bower opening up about some of the major films that influenced him and the Duffer Brothers when creating the Vecna/Henry Creel of season 5. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Bower teased that Vecna has "unfinished business" with Noah Schnapp's Will Byers. He added: "For this season, I think it's important for me to remember and to talk about the idea that this is a presentation. This is not Henry in real life, because there is no Henry in real life now. So this is very much like, how much of myself can I show you, and be nice with you, in order to win? "[That] is a terrifying thing to be playing as an actor, because [usually] you want to be handing over that truth as much as possible, but obviously you have to be burying that, and hopefully the person opposite you doesn't see that you're burying that as well. "Matt and Ross [Duffer] have a a huge pool of reference to pull from, and I found myself pulling from that reference as well, and I had a great time doing it." So, if you want to fully understand Vecna's chilling transformation for the final season of Stranger Things, here's every film you need to watch. If you've already raced through the season, check out our ending explained, or relive the music of the season 5 soundtrack! 1. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) Bower explained that he used both the real version of Mister Rogers, and the film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, to as a reference for season 5's Henry Creel. 2019 movie A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is a biographical drama, which sees Hanks star as the iconic host of the preschool TV show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. It's not hard to see how Mister Rogers influenced the actor for the early episodes of season 5, with Henry becoming a trusted figure to various children in Hawkins. 2. The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957) Bower also revealed that he was influenced by the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, which is brought to life in the 1957 musical film – among other adaptations. The legend follows a piper who, after being hired to rid the town of Hamelin of a rat infestation, instead lures all of the children away. The parallels with Henry Creel in Stranger Things season 5 are clear, as he begins to target all of the children in Hawkins, branding them "weak of body and mind", and declaring them easy to control, after using Schnapp's Will Byers as a spy. 3. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) The figure of Willy Wonka, played by Gene Wilder in the 1971 musical film, and by Johnny Depp in the 2005 remake, also acted as the basis for Vecna's season 5 transformation. Again, the parallels between the maniac chocolatier and the Henry we see in season 5 are clear, with Henry luring young Holly Wheeler to his house which, at first glance, seems to be a paradise for girl of her age, full of music, new outfits, games, and presents. However, when you look beneath the surface, it soon becomes clear that it's all a facade – and there are more nefarious things really happening. 4. The Shining (1980) Bower also listed Jack Nicholson's Jack Torrance in The Shining as a big influence for Vecna/Henry in season 5. Considered one of the greatest film villains of all time, Jack slowly descends into madness thanks to the supernatural forces at play in the hotel, that take advantage of his vulnerabilities and past trauma – something that Vecna/Henry understands all too well. 5. Dark City (1998) View oEmbed on the source website The Duffer Brothers suggested Bower watch neo-noir science fiction Dark City in his preparation to return to Vecna/Henry for season 5. The film follows a man with amnesia, played by Rufus Sewell, who finds himself suspected of murder, and attempts to clear his name while on the run from the police and a mysterious group known as the Strangers. Along the way, it's revealed that the Strangers aren't quite what they seem, and are experimenting on humans – a clear parallel with Stranger Things and Vecna/Henry's backstory. Bonus influences from the Duffer Brothers The show's creators, the Duffer Brothers, also revealed to RadioTimes.com that they studied various successful TV finales to ensure theirs would hit the mark with fans. "We were looking mostly at the ones that were successful," Ross Duffer explained. "There are probably more whiffs and misses than there are people that have stuck the landing, because I think it's hard when you've been running for a long time – there are so many expectations. "But we looked at Six Feet Under, which is one of the great finales that I've ever seen. We looked at Breaking Bad, we looked at Friday Night Lights, so there was definitely a handful of them that we looked and studied. Not for the plot specifically, but just like, why did that work for us and other fans of those shows?" Matt Duffer added of the Stranger Things finale: "There's a sense of inevitability. When you're looking at shows that don't work, or the endings that don't work, it is when it feels like sometimes the shows are trying too hard to surprise fans or do something different. "So we want it to feel very much in line with the show and the endings for each of the characters to feel inevitable. That's what we're striving for." Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is available on Netflix now. Further episodes follow on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin TV. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who boss reveals future of new spin-off – and promises "powerful" credits scene
"Stay tuned for the very end, keep watching.”
As Doctor Who fans count down the days to spin-off series The War Between the Land and the Sea, the show’s creator and stars have shared an intriguing new teaser about the five-part BBC drama. Billed as a miniseries launching on BBC One and iPlayer, the upcoming UNIT-centric (Unified Intelligence Taskforce) show – starring Russell Tovey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Jemma Redgrave – will feature a “powerful” end-credits scene that is sure to excite Whovians. Asked whether The War Between the Land and the Sea is strictly a standalone series, showrunner and writer Russell T Davies exclusively told RadioTimes.com: "It's a complete story – it absolutely ends... and I will say, stay tuned for the very end, keep watching.” While the Doctor Who stalwart is keeping quiet on the exact specifics, he confirmed that fans should temper their expectations regarding a potential cameo from the Time Lord, clarifying: “That doesn't mean... that sounds like the Doctor appears – that's not what happens! But within the story, the credits start to roll... keep watching!” As we await the next slice of timey-wimey adventure following that huge Billie Piper-shaped cliffhanger ahead of the 2026 Christmas special, it’s encouraging to see the BBC continue to expand the franchise with another spin-off, joining beloved shows Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Class. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/541153-8570b41.jpg" width="5197" height="3465" alt="Russell Tovey as Barclay Pierre-Dupont and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt in The War Between the Land and the Sea. He is in front of an orange, firey background on the left and she is in front of a blue, sea background on the right. Their hands are touching in the middle." title="541153" /> With a powerful geopolitical eco-thriller plot spotlighting the effects of pollution and the climate crisis within the iconic Sea Devils’ (aka Homo Aqua) realm, fans can look forward to a compelling drama set within the beloved universe and driven by a star-studded cast. The relationship between Tovey’s UNIT worker Barclay and Mbatha-Raw’s Sea Devil, Salt, is set to form the emotional core of the series – with the pair “changing each other forever”. And Davies is certainly full of praise for the performances, teasing: “It's one of the most powerful endings within the most amazing performance from one of this cast you'll ever see.” We’re sold! Star Mbatha-Raw also opened up about her experience on the show, telling RadioTimes.com “it's been an amazing journey”. When asked about the future of the spin-off, the Loki star added: “I think this particular chapter of the story feels fully-formed as its own thing, but there's a whole world out there under the sea, so who knows what Russell has in mind?” Stay tuned for more about The War Between the Land and the Sea, including news, interviews, features and more. The War Between the Land and the Sea is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7th December. Add The War Between the Land and the Sea to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who is Kali AKA Eight in Stranger Things season 5?
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 5 episode 4. After three years of waiting, Stranger Things season 5 is officially here, with the end of episode 4 giving us a return no one expected. The final season of the Netflix hit catches up with our heroes, including Noah Schnapp's Will Byers and Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven, and sees a time jump at the beginning of the season, with Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) having been missing for months as he plots in secret. With Eleven and adoptive father Jim Hopper (David Harbour) searching for Vecna in the Upside Down, they stumble across someone unexpected – but very familiar indeed. Here's everything you need to know about the return of Kali AKA Eight, played by Linnea Berthelsen. Alternatively, if you want more Stranger Things, check out our review of season 5 or delve into the stellar soundtrack. Who is Kali AKA Eight in Stranger Things season 5? Kali AKA Eight is another of the children experimented on in Hawkins Lab, and is like a sister to Eleven. She has psychic abilities, although never developed telekinetic powers like Eleven did. Since her escape from Hawkins Lab, she has sought vengeance on those who wronged her. Eleven and Kali would play together in the Rainbow Room at Hawkins Lab as children. Ultimately, Kali escaped, using her powers, and Eleven lost her memories of her sister when she banished One AKA Henry Creel/Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) to the Upside Down. Years later, Eleven learned about Kali and tracked her down, and found that Kali was operating as part of a gang who punished those who had wronged them in the past. Kali was thrilled by Eleven's arrival, saying she felt complete now her sister had found her. However, during a mission to hunt down Ray Carroll (one of the workers at Hawkins Lab who had tortured Kali and Eleven), the pair had a major disagreement, with Eleven stopping Kali from killing him after seeing a photo of him with his family. Despite Kali's encouragements to stay, Eleven would then flee to find her friends, leaving Kali behind. Kali was devastated at her sister's departure, and it was safe to assume that the pair may never see each other again. However, season 5 reveals that Dr Kay (Linda Hamilton) has been holding Kali prisoner in the Upside Down and experimenting on her, seemingly to extract her powers and transform them into technology used to inhibit Eleven's powers. The pair see each other at the end of season 5 episode 4 and, with any luck, they'll find a way out of there together. View Green Video on the source website Ross Duffer told Deadline of Kali's return: "We’ve always wanted to bring her back because Linnea’s an incredible performer. We wanted to give her another chance to shine, but we talk about it every year, every season. "We didn’t want to just put her in, to put her in. We wanted her to have a real impact on the narrative and on Eleven’s journey. As we hit this final season, it felt wrong to not bring her back." The writer has also promised that Kali will fit neatly into the narrative of the upcoming episodes, adding: "As you get into the second volume, you really see how she fits into the narrative and Eleven’s journey, and she plays a really important role moving forward." Who plays Kali AKA Eight in Stranger Things season 5? Kali is played by actress Linnea Berthelsen. Outside of Stranger Things, Berthelsen has appeared in various short films and TV series, including Teenland, What Tyler Did and Devs. During an interview with Coveteur in 2017, Berthelsen opened up about that final moment between Eleven and Kali in season 2, which saw Kali gazing sadly out of a car window, left heartbroken by her sister's departure. She said at the time: "It’s really interesting because people get different things from that moment. It’s very challenging – this is something [Kali’s] never seen before. She’s never tried to feel this way. "I would guess she’s just lost and very confused. I feel like I shouldn’t explain that moment, because it’s very unique that everybody has their own interpretation." Who could have predicted she'd be back for one last adventure? Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is available on Netflix now. Further episodes follow on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin TV. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stranger Things season 5 review: Is the final battle for Hawkins worth the wait?
It's the one we've all been waiting for.
This review is based on Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 (episodes 1-4). Hawkins is under military quarantine. Vecna has been missing for months. A child by the name of Jane Hopper is wanted by the powers-that-be. And, now, the final battle approaches. It's been nine years since our first visit to the Upside Down and, since then, Stranger Things has gathered a worldwide audience, becoming one of Netflix's flagship series and making superstars of every single one of its young talent. Not just that, it's also paved the way for the streaming revolution and exemplified the monumental shift in the TV landscape over the past decade. Now we've come full circle, in a season 5 that fans have been not so patiently anticipating for an entire three years. The real question is, was it worth the wait? The short answer is a resounding yes. The first episode of season 5 wisely takes the time to reacquaint us with our heroes – after all, there has been an 18-month time jump, and some things are very different. The gang of four are back together, with Noah Schnapp's Will Byers starting to have strange symptoms for the first time in months. However, something about it feels different this time. After years of having his mind invaded, he's learnt a little about what's happening to him. Now, he's on the front foot and he might just have the knowledge needed to fight back. The first five minutes of the new season, made available by Netflix before release date, prove many of us have been underestimating Will. Now it's time for him to show what he can do. After all, season 5 will see him not only facing his worst nightmares quite literally, but also coming to terms with who he is. Schnapp and the Duffer Brothers have indicated that this season will finally tackle topics including Will's sexuality, and the first episodes, at least, give the underdog of the group his time to shine in a very welcome switch-up from previous seasons. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/07/StrangerThingsS50011-4747587-e1763381660267.jpg" width="4480" height="2990" alt="Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things season 5" title="Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson in Stranger Things season 5" /> Despite her strengthening powers, Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven is far from OK too. With the military searching for her, she's pushing herself to be superhuman – and seems on the edge of pushing it too far at all times, something adoptive father Jim Hopper (David Harbour) is desperately trying to prevent. While it's clear that their differing attitudes are causing tension between them, fans of the father-daughter duo will not be disappointed, as the pair face up to the end of the world together. As for the long-absent villain? While our heroes methodically search Hawkins inch by inch for Jamie Campbell Bower's Vecna, we get a glimpse of what he's been up to all this time. While there's only so much we can say, it soon becomes clear that Vecna hasn't just been lying in wait. He's been plotting, and his masterplan is about to come to fruition. But, if you're expecting all-out action from the very beginning, you might be a little disappointed. It takes a while for the real action to start building as, naturally, the main course is still being saved for volume 2 and the finale, which will be released on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve respectively. By the end of volume 1, we're certainly getting there – but fans are going to have to be patient. That can make the enormous first episodes feel slow. Episode 1, for instance, clocks in at a whopping 74 minutes and, by the end of it, we've only progressed fractionally in terms of plot, which can be frustrating. When the action comes, though, it's impossible to look away. We absolutely cannot give anything away about the 84-minute fourth episode (lest the Netflix snipers come for us!), but it's Stranger Things at its best, with a jaw-dropping final scene that will make the wait for Christmas Day feel like a year. Beyond the action, though, what Stranger Things still excels at is the character development, with the complex dynamics between the characters still proving just as gripping as the final battle. There's a huge ensemble here to deal with, but the Duffers handle each character with care, giving us interactions and pairings we've not yet seen in the five seasons, while still doing the long-loved relationships justice. The complications the characters face this season only serve to make those dynamics all the more interesting, whether it's parents and children struggling to understand each other's points of view, couples failing to communicate when they need it most, or friends trying to grapple with what's going on in each other's heads. Yes, the visuals are glorious (you'd hope they would be, with each episode reportedly costing between $50 million and $60 million). The storytelling is still wonderfully crafted (albeit with a touch too much self-indulgence from the Duffers when it comes to those lengthy runtimes). The soundtrack is still a blitz of '80s bangers that complement the emotional journeys of each character (as for whether Kate Bush makes her return, we'll keep you guessing). Ultimately, though, the depth of these relationships is what holds the show together and what will ground this season as the scale of the action reaches presumably spectacular new heights in the episodes to come. The Duffer Brothers have had a monumental task in wrapping up this beast of a show and giving each and every character an ending that not only makes sense, but proves satisfactory after nine years. Many showrunners have tried to wrap up stories of this scale in style, and many have failed, and which camp the Duffers ultimately fall into remains to be seen. But, if these first few episodes are anything to go by, we could be looking at a finale for the ages. It might be a bit too soon to tell for sure, but, as we've seen over the past decade, when it comes to this TV phenomenon, stranger things have happened. Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 is available on Netflix now. Further episodes follow on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin TV. Add Stranger Things to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. 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