Get Ready for Some Sea Devil Action!

Hey there, fellow Whovians! It looks like December is about to get a whole lot more exciting because guess what? The Sea Devils are making a splashy comeback! Not only are we finally getting the much-anticipated The War Between the Land and the Sea spinoff (at least in the U.K.), but the BBC is also churning out a special version of the classic episodes featuring our favorite amphibious troublemakers.

Back to the Future with the Sea Devils

Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we? The original adventure, “The Sea Devils,” first aired back in 1972. This was way before selfies and streaming were a thing! Our hero, the Third Doctor—played by the dashing Jon Pertwee—went on an adventure with his companion Jo Grant, portrayed by the ever-charming Katy Manning. And guess who else popped up? The Master! Yes, that smooth-talking villain who never seems to be behind bars for long.

A Plot That’s Classic Who

So, what’s the storyline? Picture this: the Doctor is hot on the trail of some mysteriously disappearing ships when—drumroll, please—he discovers that the Master has broken out of his max-security island prison! Shocking, right? But hold on tight, because he’s not just lounging about; he’s up to the classic villain shenanigans by controlling the Sea Devils with a device of his own making. What follows is an absolute whirlpool of chaos. The creatures turn on the Master, the Doctor flexes his cleverness muscle, and there’s a close call with a potential nuclear disaster (yikes!).

New Look, Same Old Trouble

Now, instead of the six-part serial we all know and love, the BBC has given it a shiny makeover into a feature-length installment. Whether we can still call these creatures Sea Devils is up for debate—maybe we should refer to them as ‘Amphibious Miscreants’? Who knows? The new version will jazz things up with an updated soundtrack, courtesy of Mark Ayres, while mixing in some quirky tunes from Malcolm Clarke’s original electronic score. So. Much. Nostalgia!

Tinkering with Classics

Now, the BBC has been dipping its toes into reworking classic episodes for a while, and it’s about time! Some of those “lost episodes” have been resurrected in animated form, either due to our never-ending nostalgia or to keep the audience awake with all the lost time drama! We’ve also seen the Tales of the TARDIS series where past Doctors and companions dish out the details on classic episodes. And let’s not forget before the 60th anniversary, the show treated us with an updated version of The Daleks. Talk about a nostalgic ride!

Sea Devil Night!

“Fifty-two years after they first rose from the depths, it’s Sea Devil night across the BBC!” exclaimed the showrunner Russell T. Davies when announcing the reboot. It’s a good reminder that great ideas never fade, and viewers young and old are warned—beware the depths of the sea!

Are Shortened Stories Good or Bad?

As with most things in life, your opinion may differ on whether boiling down multi-hour stories into around 90 minutes is a good move. Sure, some of the classic tales can meander a bit, leaving you wondering if you accidentally hit the snooze button. But cutting essential bits might make purists squirm in disapproval. Only time will tell if we love or loathe these revamped versions. With the Whoniverse brimming with updates, there’s still no word on wider release plans for this shiny new episode—Americans may have to resort to snail-mailing for the DVD. Isn’t that the worst?

Mark Your Calendars!

The special version of The Sea Devils is set to air on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer on December 7, and as a cherry on top, it’ll be followed by the exciting double episode premiere of The War Between the Land and the Sea on iPlayer and BBC One. Circle the date, set your reminders, and gear up for some epic rewatching!