The War Between the Land and the Sea

Salt changes into a more masculine-looking form during a confrontation with male leaders. Salt and Barclay's cross-species romance grows into a kiss and a final choice to live together under the sea. Barclay's child Kirby uses they and them pronouns, and the family treats this as normal. Pollution and diplomacy remain the main story, so identity is important but not dominant.

UNIT and world governments struggle to act while pollution and private water interests worsen the crisis. Prime ministers, generals, and a water businessman secretly plan Severance, a virus attack that kills 90 percent of Homo Aqua. Kate and UNIT defy Downing Street to stop the plan. The story presents government delay, military power, and private profit as major causes of harm.

The show replaces the classic Doctor Who name Sea Devils with Homo Aqua. The series also introduces Salt as Homo Amphibia, a more human-looking branch of the sea people. The creatures are framed as an ancient people harmed by human pollution instead of simple monsters. Davies publicly described the old name as racist, making the rename an audience-visible identity change.

GB News reported viewers calling the show woke, virtue-signalling, box-ticking, and environmental propaganda. The separate X research found complaints about the Homo Aqua rename, women leading the story, mixed-race families, disability casting, gender-fluid sea creatures, and the Albion Party villain. The complaints came from scattered accounts, with some real reach but no clear boycott or organized campaign.

Russell T Davies has a strong record of LGBTQ+ stories, including Queer as Folk and It's a Sin. His work often joins personal stories to public issues and identity. Interviews about this show connect it directly to climate change, rising seas, pollution, and a wish to make viewers act. The other listed writers, directors, and producers have less clear activist records.