Your Verdict on Doctor Who Spin-Off The War Between the Land and the Sea
It is time to reveal the results of Doctor Who TV’s episodic polls for The War Between the Land and the Sea, the latest Doctor Who spin off. As with our main series polls, readers were asked to rate each episode on a scale from 1 to 10, with an average score calculated from the results.
Across the five episodes, we received around 5,000 votes, indicating stronger initial interest. Here is how the episodes ranked, from lowest rated to highest.
5. Episode Five
Average voter score: 5.08
The fifth episode sits firmly at the bottom of the table. The episode attracted the lowest average score of the run, with fewer high-end ratings to offset the large block of one out of ten scores. By this point, even some early supporters appeared to be disappointed by the finale, a common trend of the RTD2 era.
4. Episode Four
Average voter score: 5.70
Episode four marked the first notable downturn for the series. Although the score remains close to the mid point, it represents a clear drop from the opening trio. The distribution remained highly polarised, but the top end began to thin, suggesting growing disappointment among viewers who had previously been more forgiving.
3. Episode Two
Average voter score: 5.90
The second episode narrowly edges into third place. Despite strong engagement, the response mirrored the premiere’s divisive nature. A significant number of viewers awarded very low scores, while a dedicated group continued to rate the episode highly. Momentum neither improved nor collapsed, but the split was firmly entrenched.
2. Episode Three
Average voter score: 5.91
Just ahead of episode two, the third instalment achieved a marginally higher average, despite a noticeable drop in participation. Opinion remained stubbornly divided, with little movement in either direction. At this stage, the series appeared unable to win over sceptics, but was still holding onto its core audience.
1. Episode One
Average voter score: 5.93
The opening episode emerges as the highest rated of the run, albeit by a very slim margin. With the largest number of responses and the strongest top end support, it benefited from early goodwill and curiosity. That said, even at its peak, the premiere failed to break into genuinely strong territory.
Overall performance
Taking all five episodes together, The War Between the Land and the Sea currently holds an overall average of approximately 5.70. While this is not a collapse, it places the series firmly in the average to above-average territory.
What stands out most is not just the middling averages, but the persistent polarisation. Each episode attracted an unusually high proportion of one out of ten scores, alongside a consistent bloc of very positive ratings. This suggests a combination of entrenched opposition and genuine fan support, rather than simple indifference.
More telling is the gradual erosion at the top end. As the series progressed, fewer viewers were willing to award scores of eight or above, dragging the average down even as voting numbers remained healthy.
If there is a takeaway from these results, audiences were clearly willing to give the spin off a chance, but the show has struggled to convert that attention into sustained enthusiasm. On the evidence so far, The War Between the Land and the Sea, much like the rest of the RTD2 era, has struggled to make waves with the fanbase.
