# Doctor Who – 2022 Easter Special: “Legend of the Sea Devils”
First broadcast: 17 April 2022 · Written by Chris Chibnall and Ella Road · Directed by Haolu Wang
[Doctor Who – Legend of the Sea Devils: BBC One zeigt heute neues Special](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/3pGEMloGHylkYnWlF-0OiSbYgpoJPboXoje5PoJQ26db4mF5j2KXc2Sc7UWrhXpjJtf84iy3tUfThfFgXVQ4VLt1SXFx1h5-xFBcDjO59dPRfo699sLhkZR0SACAjKMedTTQZNe_XCk_CJr-RUrj_jcEv8ScQN3QWZrwjvQ39Uk?purpose=inline) [Madame Ching – The True Story of Doctor Who’s Latest Historical Celebrity – Blogtor Who](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/biiqtbkaDO03bYlJ_N8pjtDLurhP7rFOW2eKElxSeVfmsw2nTJQwD0U9Upi6qJcjxWVPLIeMjy2EM7vDGxJBalETFpYUUCGZM6Wr01aVYUkNcndoSZpLp1UAUPBGSacH_WEEfEhVLflTpmk7IScICYosH_4vnaE3SS8O-AjVzsk?purpose=inline) [The Sea Devils return this Spring! | Doctor Who](https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/sT1mstHw2vriuG8w1tztcnf7T-Vdu6kSrGht1O3dgtnXDcct2HOT-o29o2vW3aeOjK6JqW16k1mb8PLggOKm-DbFR4XJC_UVA0abSyS-Cm4bKJR4mjSs9zPTAOOeNvWosa465M8g1CtISs2xXecB9aGJQzvd62VMTDiSgh9dXis?purpose=inline)10
“Legend of the Sea Devils” is the second of Jodie Whittaker’s three final specials, and it has a promising recipe: the Doctor, Yaz and Dan travel to nineteenth-century China, encounter the legendary pirate queen Madam Ching, and find themselves facing one of the programme’s classic monsters.
It is an appealing change of scenery, and the return of the Sea Devils is an exciting prospect. The episode also gives the Doctor and Yaz’s relationship some significant attention as the Thirteenth Doctor’s time draws towards its conclusion.
Unfortunately, the finished adventure is less successful than its ingredients suggest. There are attractive sets, some enjoyable performances and flashes of swashbuckling fun, but the story feels rushed, the action is not always easy to follow, and the Sea Devils never become quite as frightening as they should. It is an episode with plenty of potential that struggles to make the most of it.
## Episode details
– Starring: Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor, Mandip Gill as Yasmin Khan and John Bishop as Dan Lewis.
– Guest cast: Crystal Yu as Madam Ching, Marlowe Chan-Reeves as Ying Ki, Arthur Lee as Ji-Hun, David K.S. Tse as Ying Wai and Craige Els as the Chief Sea Devil.
– Overnight audience: Approximately 2.21 million.
– Seven-day consolidated audience: Approximately 3.47 million.
– 28-day audience: Approximately 3.70 million.
– Appreciation Index: 76.
The special was broadcast on Easter Sunday, 17 April 2022. Its overnight audience was low, and although catch-up viewing increased the figure, it remained the lowest-rated episode of the revived series at that point. Its Appreciation Index of 76 was also below the scores achieved by many earlier Thirteenth Doctor episodes.
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## The story: pirates, treasure and an ancient enemy
The adventure takes place in 1807, where the pirate queen Madam Ching is searching for the lost treasure of the Flor de la Mar. Her quest brings her to a small coastal village in China, where a mysterious statue is connected to an ancient Sea Devil.
The Doctor, Yaz and Dan arrive in the middle of the trouble. They discover that the Sea Devils have returned and that their leader has plans extending far beyond the village. The creature has a connection to the lost treasure and to the legendary pirate Ji-Hun, while the Sea Devils’ wider scheme threatens the entire planet.
The Doctor must form an uneasy alliance with Madam Ching and the young Ying Ki to prevent disaster. It is a straightforward adventure framework, with a historical mystery, a monstrous enemy and a race to stop a global catastrophe.
The historical setting is one of the episode’s most appealing features. Madam Ching is based on the real pirate leader Zheng Yi Sao, an extraordinary historical figure whose life offers plenty of material for a Doctor Who adventure. The official episode publicity also highlighted the intention to build a pirate story around this remarkable character.
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The problem is that the story tries to do too much in a relatively short running time. The treasure hunt, the Sea Devils’ plans, the history of Ji-Hun, the threat to the oceans and the Doctor and Yaz’s relationship all need room to develop. Instead, several important developments happen very quickly.
The result is an adventure that often feels as though it is moving from one plot point to the next without allowing the audience enough time to enjoy the journey.
## The return of the Sea Devils
The Sea Devils are one of the programme’s classic monsters, first appearing in the 1972 story “The Sea Devils”. Their return for the Thirteenth Doctor’s era should have been a major event, particularly as they had not featured in a television story for many years.
Their design is suitably updated while retaining the familiar reptilian appearance. They look recognisably like Sea Devils, and the production makes a reasonable effort to give them a presence in the historical setting.
However, the monsters are not used as effectively as they might have been. Their dialogue and motivations are fairly basic, and the Chief Sea Devil never develops into a particularly memorable adversary. The story tells us that the threat is enormous, but it does not always make that threat feel immediate.
The action scenes are also rather uneven. There are moments of enjoyable swashbuckling excitement, but some of the choreography and editing make the encounters difficult to follow. The Sea Devils should feel formidable, especially when they are operating on their own territory, yet they sometimes seem more like obstacles for the heroes to get past than a genuinely terrifying enemy.
It is a shame, because the basic concept is excellent. The Sea Devils are an ideal opponent for a story involving pirates and the sea. A little more time spent establishing their culture, their intentions and the danger they pose could have made their return much more memorable.
## Madam Ching and the guest characters
Crystal Yu as Madam Ching is one of the episode’s strongest elements. She gives the pirate queen confidence and authority, and her character is immediately interesting. Madam Ching is not simply a historical figure inserted into a science-fiction story; she is a capable leader with her own objectives and reasons for pursuing the treasure.
Yu makes a good impression, although the script does not give her quite enough room to become the fully developed character the premise promises. Her uneasy partnership with the Doctor is enjoyable, and it would have been interesting to see more of the two women negotiating their competing priorities.
Marlowe Chan-Reeves as Ying Ki provides an important link between the village and the ancient threat. He brings sincerity to the role, although his character is sometimes left with little to do beyond explaining parts of the mystery.
Arthur Lee as Ji-Hun is connected to the story’s history and the lost treasure. His presence helps tie the pirate adventure to the Sea Devils’ plans, but the revelations surrounding him arrive rather quickly.
The guest cast is generally good, and the episode deserves credit for placing a number of Asian characters at the centre of its historical adventure. The setting and casting offer a welcome opportunity to explore a period and part of the world that Doctor Who has not often visited in this way.
## The Doctor, Yaz and Dan
The emotional centre of the special is the developing relationship between the Doctor and Yaz.
Mandip Gill has played Yaz’s growing feelings with increasing subtlety, and here the subject finally becomes more direct. Yaz is no longer simply hinting at her emotions; she is trying to understand what they mean and whether there is any possibility of a relationship with the Doctor.
Whittaker and Gill have a genuine connection on screen, and their quieter conversations are among the episode’s best scenes. The Doctor cares deeply about Yaz, but she is also aware of the complications involved in allowing that affection to become something more. The difference between what Yaz wants and what the Doctor believes she can offer gives their scenes a bittersweet quality.
The development is significant for both characters, especially with the Doctor’s regeneration approaching. It is also one of the few parts of the episode that feels as though it has been building naturally across several stories.
John Bishop’s Dan provides much of the lighter material. His involvement in the pirate adventure gives him opportunities for comedy, and his reactions to the historical surroundings are entertaining. However, Dan is not given as much to do as he might have been, and his own storyline feels rather separate from the central emotional development.
By the end, Dan makes a decision about his future with the Doctor. It is a reminder that travelling in the TARDIS is not necessarily a permanent commitment, and that companions can decide when it is time to return to their own lives.
## Direction and production
Haolu Wang’s direction has some attractive visual ideas. The coastal village, the ships and the historical costumes give the special a distinctive look, and the production design helps establish the period.
The scale of the ambition is clear. Chris Chibnall praised the production team’s work in creating the sets, ships, ocean sequences and visual effects, describing it as a substantial undertaking. That effort is visible on screen, even if the finished episode does not always bring all its elements together successfully.
[image](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=https://www.doctorwho.tv\&sz=32)Doctor Who
The Sea Devils themselves benefit from their updated appearance, and the effects work is generally competent. The ocean sequences help convey the scale of the threat, although some of the action is less clear than it needs to be.
The editing is a particular weakness. Transitions between scenes can feel abrupt, and some action sequences lack the clarity and rhythm needed to make them exciting. The episode would have benefited from a little more space between its major events.
Segun Akinola’s music provides atmosphere and supports the adventure, although it rarely becomes as memorable as the episode’s pirate setting might suggest. Overall, the production looks ambitious, but the direction and editing do not always allow the strongest elements to shine.
## What works – and what doesn’t
The strengths
– Madam Ching is an excellent historical figure to bring into Doctor Who.
– Crystal Yu gives a strong performance and makes the pirate queen immediately interesting.
– The nineteenth-century Chinese setting provides a welcome change of scenery.
– The return of the Sea Devils is a good idea, and their updated design is effective.
– Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill give the Doctor and Yaz’s relationship some genuine emotional weight.
– The production design, costumes and ships create an appealing historical adventure atmosphere.
The weaknesses
– The plot is overcrowded and moves too quickly.
– The Sea Devils are not developed into especially memorable villains.
– Some action sequences are poorly paced or difficult to follow.
– Madam Ching and the other guest characters deserve more development.
– The treasure mystery and the Sea Devils’ wider plans are not always explained clearly.
– Dan’s contribution to the central story is limited.
– The episode’s emotional and adventure elements do not always fit together smoothly.
## Audience and critical response
The episode received a mixed response from critics. Rotten Tomatoes lists a 50% critics’ score from eight reviews, reflecting a divided reaction. Some reviewers enjoyed the colourful, light-hearted pirate adventure and praised the guest cast, while others felt that the story was muddled and that the Sea Devils were not particularly effective.
[image](https://www.google.com/s2/favicons?domain=https://www.rottentomatoes.com\&sz=32)Rotten Tomatoes
Audience reaction was also notably lukewarm. Doctor Who TV’s reader poll gave the episode an average of 4.25 out of 10, placing it among the lower-rated stories of the revived series in that site’s poll.
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That response is understandable. There is a good idea at the heart of “Legend of the Sea Devils”, and the Doctor and Yaz material gives it some emotional substance. But the adventure itself feels underdeveloped, particularly when compared with the potential of its historical setting and returning monsters.
## Final verdict
“Legend of the Sea Devils” is a disappointing adventure, but not an entirely unsuccessful one. Its historical setting is appealing, Madam Ching is a strong character, and the Doctor and Yaz’s relationship provides some of the most meaningful material in the episode.
The return of the Sea Devils should have been a major highlight, yet they are let down by a thin story and action that lacks impact. The episode also tries to fit too many ideas into its running time, leaving several characters and plot developments underexplored.
Jodie Whittaker and Mandip Gill remain excellent together, and their scenes give the special an emotional purpose beyond the monster adventure. Crystal Yu also makes a strong impression as Madam Ching, even if the script does not fully realise the character’s potential.
Ultimately, this is an episode that sounds better on paper than it works on screen. It has the ingredients for a terrific historical Doctor Who adventure, but the execution is uneven.
Final score: 5/10
A visually appealing but rushed special, with a fascinating historical setting and some strong performances undermined by an underwhelming monster story and uneven pacing.
## Next episode: “The Power of the Doctor”
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First broadcast: 23 October 2022 · Written by Chris Chibnall · Directed by Jamie Magnus Stone
The next episode is a particularly significant one: Jodie Whittaker’s final adventure as the Thirteenth Doctor, broadcast as part of the BBC’s centenary celebrations.
“The Power of the Doctor” brings together the Daleks, Cybermen and the Master in a story that also welcomes back two much-loved former companions: Ace, played by Sophie Aldred, and Tegan Jovanka, played by Janet Fielding. Sacha Dhawan returns as the Master, while Jemma Redgrave reprises her role as Kate Stewart.
The feature-length special promises a celebration of the programme’s history, with returning characters, familiar enemies and a major regeneration story. It will also bring the journeys of Yaz and Dan to a close.
After the mixed reception to “Legend of the Sea Devils”, Whittaker’s final story has a great deal to deliver.
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