Overview
- The series premiered on BBC One and iPlayer on 7 December with a two-episode launch, continues with episodes three and four on 14 December, and concludes on 21 December, with an international Disney+ release slated for early 2026.
- The Whoniverse story unfolds without the Doctor as UNIT confronts a first-contact crisis after an ancient ocean species reveals itself, thrusting Russell Tovey’s Barclay into an unlikely ambassador role opposite Gugu Mbatha‑Raw’s Salt.
- Jemma Redgrave returns as UNIT leader Kate Lethbridge‑Stewart alongside Ruth Madeley and Alexander Devrient, with Colin McFarlane’s General Austin Pierce linking to Torchwood continuity.
- Critical and audience response is mixed, with write-ups ranging from The Guardian’s three-star “wasted opportunity” to The Times’ four-star “great fun,” and social media divided over tone and politics.
- Production combined large Cardiff studio builds such as the Empress Hall with on-location shoots in Cardiff, Bristol and Mallorca to deliver its large-scale look.