The Sea Devils

"Those reptiles, Doctor, were once the rulers of this Earth."

Writer: Malcolm Hulke

Format: TV (Omnibus)

Broadcast: 07 December 2025

Season: 9.03

Featuring: Third Doctor, Jo

Synopsis

A re-edited, feature-length version of the classic 1972 Doctor Who story that introduced audiences to the formidable aquatic species the Sea Devils. 

Verdict

The Sea Devils was an excellent feature-length special of the famed Season 9 classic adventure! Incredibly, the full onscreen version is one of the final televised serials I have yet to blog but rest assured it's a serial I know very well and one I have very fond memories of from collecting the DVDs in my younger days (back when everything wasn't on iPlayer!). I remember hearing about the return of the Silurians in The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood so buying the Beneath the Surface collection involving this story was a quick necessity to ensure I was caught up on everything Silurians and now Sea Devils. This is something of an instant classic with the Sea Devil design being rather iconic, even if it is a bit rubbish. But I say that out of love and credit must go to the redesign in Legend of the Sea Devils because that upgrade is magnificent. This special edit of the story comes about today ahead of the highly anticipated broadcast of new spinoff The War Between the Land and the Sea and that is something I'm very excited about! I feel like it has creeped up on me and it wasn't really until reading the previews in this month's Doctor Who Magazine that I got very excited about the new series. I'm all for anything new in the Whoniverse so a BBC1 spinoff special is right up my alley! I can't wait to see what is done with UNIT and the Sea Devils and it almost feels like putting a wrong right. It's baffling that with the political involvement in this story that UNIT aren't involve other than baring their name on the passes of the Doctor and Jo. I also love how this story is focused on the Master and from a personal perspective it's seemed an awfully long time since watching a Roger Delgado adventure! He absolutely shines in the facade of prison and after the events of The Daemons he's still very much in control. There was no way the Clangers scene was going to be cut because that's an absolute classic and it put a smile on my face once again here. I think the emergence of the Sea Devils from the sea is wonderful and I think part of why I love the design is the quality of the action figure that Character released. I'm almost certain I had it before actually watching the story so seeing them for the first time again here brought some nostalgia. I was a big fan of the pace in the edit and I think purely in terms of the cut this is the best of what Benjamin Cook has done since The Daleks in Colour. I mean I've loved them all but this feels like it actually improved the story rather than missing bits out. The blending and additional score music was impressive and really helped add to things. I also really appreciated the flashback to Doctor Who and the Silurians when the Doctor was describing his previous encounter with a similar race in the form of their Eocene cousins. It's amusing how the Sea Devil name sticks from the delirious mind of a ship crew member but I do hope that the modern era doesn't do away with it totally. I like how the Sea Devils initially seem willing to cooperate with mankind and take up the Doctor's offer of negotiation for them to inhabit the areas of the planet that humanity cannot, but a political decision often gets in the way and a bombardment of strikes meant there was indeed war between land and sea. I think the base blowing up is almost a shame of a resolution as the Doctor can't negotiate peace once again, but the Master pulling one over on him in escaping and causally waving as he departs in the helicopter is terrific. Where on Earth did he have that mask stashed? Overall, an impressive edit of what is already a stellar serial. A fine new take on the story that has almost certainly extended how long it will be now until I blog the full version! One day. But for now, a marvellous watch.

Rating: 9/10