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In article <MPG.43a1e204cab71411989787@news.eternal-september.org>,
The True Melissa  <thetruemelissa@gmail.com> wrote:
>In article <xn0pebxyr1a985o002@post.eweka.nl>, 
>blueshirt@indigo.news says...
>> 
>> The Doctor wrote:
>> 
>> > In article <xn0peav98az2iu000@post.eweka.nl>,
>> > Blueshirt <blueshirt@indigo.news> wrote:
>> > > The Doctor wrote:
>> > > 
>> > >> In article <xn0pealtn2mt6qg004@post.eweka.nl>,
>> > >> Blueshirt <blueshirt@indigo.news> wrote:
>> > >> > 
>> > >> > I hate your ultra-long reviews, can you not just 
>> > >> > say  it's utter garbage in five paragraphs instead 
>> > >> > of twenty?
>> > >> 
>> > >> You prefer my stuff?
>> > > 
>> > > Steady on old chap... I never said THAT!!!
>> > 
>> > You have an adversity to the long reviews.
>> 
>> I prefer long reviews that I can read and understand to
>> incomprehensible gobbledygook though!
>
>I'd rather read a real person's thoughts than Gemini's 
>harvested take.
>
>
>Melissa

And now, after a multi-failure authentication incident yesterday, we get


AI/LLM assessment of the audience impressions 
of the War between the land and the sea ?

Google GEmini

The War Between the Land and the Sea: Audience and Critical Impressions

The miniseries, a Doctor Who spin-off focusing on the alien Sea Devils 
(renamed Homo Aqua/Amphibia) and the UNIT task force, has received
 a mixed-to-positive reception from critics and generally favourable 
 reactions from viewers.

Critical Reception (Mixed)

Critics generally praised the structure and performances but were divided 
on the execution and subtlety of the central theme.

Publication

Rating/Verdict

Key Observations

Radio Times

4/5 Stars

Praised the sharp writing compared to recent Doctor Who and the strong 
character development of the protagonist, Barclay (Russell Tovey). 
Found it emotive and funny.

The Guardian

3/5 Stars

Found the show entertaining but criticized the "zero subtlety" 
in its messaging and felt it was a "wasted opportunity" to make 
genuinely great television, also noting a "dubious approach to female roles."

The Independent

2/5 Stars

Described the series as "bland without the Time Lord," 
suggesting the spin-off does not stand strongly enough on its own.

The i Paper

Positive

Called it "the most grounded, mature storytelling that Doctor Who 
has seen in years," appreciating its divergence from standard Who finales.

Audience/Viewer Impressions (Generally Positive)

Social media and viewer commentary, particularly in the UK where the show 
premiered, indicate a strong initial engagement:

Hooked and Gripped: Many viewers reported being "hooked" and described 
the drama as "gripping" after the two-episode premiere.

Comparison to Torchwood: A significant number of fans compared the tone 
and themes favorably to the earlier, darker Doctor Who spin-off, Torchwood, 
especially the acclaimed miniseries Children of Earth. There is a clear 
appetite for the more serious, grounded nature of this story.

Performance: Russell Tovey's performance as the "everyman" ambassador 
Barclay was widely praised and is cited as a major strength that grounds 
the fantastical conflict.

Theme and Message: The show's intense focus on the climate crisis 
and humanity's mistreatment of the oceans was highly noticeable. 
While some viewers appreciated the urgent, "on the nose" ecological 
commentary, others found it heavy-handed or "didactic."

Ratings Success: Initial overnight figures suggested the show was 
one of the biggest new drama launches of the year for the BBC, 
indicating strong viewer turnout.

(The other day , GooGem was catatonic for a response
)

ChatGPT

Here’s a summary of **audience impressions** (and early public reception) 
of The War Between the Land and the Sea — based on what appears on its 
IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes pages, plus viewer-reaction articles 
and fan-forum commentary.

## What many viewers like

* On IMDb the show has a user rating of ~ **7.3/10**. ([IMDb][1])
* Some viewers say it "started off way better than expected" - praising 
its characters, "heart," and initial episodes. ([IMDb][2])
* A number of fans appreciate the acting and tone: for example, 
one review calls the first two episodes "good story and good special FX" 
and says the show has "its own vibe." ([IMDb][2])
* Some on social media and viewer-reaction articles report being "hooked," 
calling the series “gripping,” even among people who aren't hardcore 
sci-fi fans. ([HELLO!][3])
* Several enjoy the more mature, serious spin on the Doctor Who 
universe - seeing it as a "bold, atmospheric spin-off" with moral stakes, 
rather than a lighter or purely adventurous tone. ([IMDb][1])

So — for a section of the audience: good performances, decent visuals, 
a mature tone, and a premise that feels fresh compared with recent 
Whoniverse output.

##  What critics and some viewers dislike (or find lacking)

* On Rotten Tomatoes the "Audience" (Popcorn) score is weak - the page 
shows **Fewer than 50 ratings**, and the visible “Audience Reviews” 
include complaints. ([Rotten Tomatoes][4])
* Several IMDb users report disappointment: complaints include "lack 
of subtlety," heavy-handed messaging, uneven tone, and a storyline 
that "gets lost" despite some nice visuals. ([IMDb][2])
* Some found the pacing slow or the drama unconvincing: 
for instance one user wrote the show "felt like a bad Doctor Who episode", 
criticised the dialogue 
and said they "turned off after 15 minutes." ([IMDb][2])
* Others criticised the "politically charged scenes with a box-ticking 
agenda," suggesting the show is too overt or preachy with its themes 
rather than letting the story speak for itself. ([Rotten Tomatoes][4])
* A few viewers seem especially dissatisfied - labeling the direction, 
acting or writing as "atrocious," "horrible," or "bad" in reviews. ([IMDb][2])

In short: for some the ambition and subject matter don't pay off - it's viewed
as uneven, heavy-handed, or even boring.

## General Tone of Reception So Far — Mixed & Polarising

By combining the positive and negative feedback:

* The response is **quite mixed**, with **polarised opinions**: some fans feel
it's a refreshing new direction for the Whoniverse and enjoy the drama; others
feel let down, especially if they were expecting something subtler or more 
in line with classic sci-fi.

* There seems to be a **split along expectations**: people who come with 
low expectations (or are more open to the environmental / political tone) 
tend to enjoy it; those hoping for a "classic" or more neutral 
sci-fi/alien-invasion show often find it disappointing or unbalanced.
* Early enthusiasm exists among parts of the audience - but many 
are skeptical, reserved, or actively critical, especially 
after the first couple of episodes.

## ‍What Fans on Forums Are Saying

On a fan forum thread discussing the show:

-> "I went in with no expectations and I enjoyed both episodes." ([Reddit][5])
-> “It was actually refreshing for the humans to be dealing with the issue, 
rather than relying on the Doctor…" ([Reddit][5])

But some are more cautious:

-> "It's fairly ham-fisted politically… some of the lines felt like classic 
RTD-isms… not in the best way." ([Reddit][5])

So among dedicated fans there's a guarded optimism mixed with criticism about 
tone, political messaging, and execution.

---

## 🧩 My Take: Why the Mixed Reception?

I think the mixed audience impressions stem from these factors:

* The show tries to blend **sci-fi, political allegory, environmental 
messaging, and the Whoniverse legacy** - that's ambitious, but it risks 
alienating viewers who prefer escapist sci-fi.
* It seems to **choose a heavier tone** (less whimsical/fantastical, 
more moral/political) — that works for some, but comes off as preachy 
or clunky for others.
* As with many spin-offs or reboots, **expectations differ widely**: 
some value the new direction; others want something more traditional.
* Finally, because the show is new and not all episodes out yet, 
early reactions may still evolve - first impressions matter a lot, 
but things could improve (or worsen) depending on where the narrative goes.

---

If you like - I can pull up **a breakdown of how different fan-communities 
(casual viewers, longtime Doctor Who fans, critics)** are reacting to 
the show so far - that tends to show some interesting divides in perception.

* [ft.com](https://www.ft.com/content/8997a224-aec9-479d-b245-2c466a430d04
?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/dec/07/
the-war-between-the-land-and-the-sea-review-prepare-to-roll-your-eyes
-a-lot-at-this-fishy-doctor-who-spinoff?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
* [thetimes.com](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article
/the-war-between-the-land-and-the-sea-review-hhckkm9kq?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

[1]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30645193/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 
"The War Between the Land and the Sea (TV Series - ) - IMDb"
[2]: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt30645193/reviews/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 
"The War Between the Land and the Sea (TV Series 2025- ) - User reviews - IMDb"
[3]: https://www.hellomagazine.com/film/871622
/viewers-hooked-brilliant-5-part-drama-war-between-land-and-sea
/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Viewers 'hooked' on brilliant 5-part 
BBC drama The War Between the Land and the Sea after long-awaited release 
| HELLO!"
[4]: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/the_war_between_the_land_and_the_sea
/s01 "The War Between the Land and the Sea: Season 1 | Rotten Tomatoes"
[5]: https://www.reddit.com//r/gallifrey/comments/1ph6aka
/the_war_between_the_land_and_the_sea_review/?utm_source=chatgpt.com 
"The War Between the Land and the Sea review - prepare to roll your eyes 
a lot at this fishy Doctor Who spinoff | Television | The Guardian"
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