In a time of transition for Doctor Who, and as fans have a long wait on their hands until the 2026 Christmas special, brand-new spin-off series The War Between the Land and the Sea has now arrived to fill the void.

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The first two episodes of the series, which stars Russell Tovey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, have now aired, setting the stage for more intense drama to come in the battle between humanity and the Sea Devils (or, as they are now known, Homo Aqua).

But just how many episodes are there in this new series, when will the next instalment debut, and what is the full schedule for the rest of the run?

Read on for everything you need to know about the release schedule for The War Between the Land and the Sea.

When will The War Between the Land and the Sea episode 3 air on BBC One?

The War Between the Land and the Sea
Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt in The War Between the Land and the Sea. BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/James Pardon

The War Between the Land and the Sea kicked off with two episodes airing back-to-back, and will stick with that the release structure for its third and fourth episodes.

They will be airing exactly one week later, meaning episodes 3 and 4 will air on Sunday 14th December 2025 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

How many episodes will there be of The War Between the Land and the Sea?

Russell Tovey as Barclay, standing in a suit in a large courtroom in The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Russell Tovey as Barclay in The War Between the Land and the Sea. BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Alistair Heap

There will be five episodes of The War Between the Land and the Sea in total.

This makes the series shorter than most Whoniverse shows, although it does have the same number of episodes of the acclaimed third season of Torchwood, Children of Earth.

That isn't the only connection The War Between the Land and the Sea has with Children of Earth – the series also sees the return of Colin McFarlane as Austin Pierce, a character he previously played in that season of Torchwood alone.

The War Between the Land and the Sea release schedule

Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt in The War Between the Land and the Sea. She is a Sea Devil - blue, with fins on her head and a grey armour on her body
Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt in The War Between the Land and the Sea BBC Studios/Bad Wolf/Samuel Dore

New episodes of The War Between the Land and the Sea will air on Sundays on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, starting from 8:30pm.

You can find the full release schedule for The War Between the Land and the Sea below.

  • The War Between the Land and the Sea episode 1 – Sunday 7th December 2025, 8:30pm (out now)
  • The War Between the Land and the Sea episode 2 – Sunday 7th December 2025, 9:15pm (out now)
  • The War Between the Land and the Sea episode 3 – Sunday 14th December 2025, 8:30pm
  • The War Between the Land and the Sea episode 4 – Sunday 14th December 2025, 9:20pm
  • The War Between the Land and the Sea episode 5 – Sunday 21st December 2025

The War Between the Land and the Sea will continue on Sunday 14th December. Doctor Who is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

A headshot of RadioTimes.com drama writer James Hibbs. He has fair hair and stubble is smiling and standing outside in a garden
James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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