Sarah Jane Adventures: Series 4

[The Wormhole]

I don't usually watch SJA. I caught Tennant's episode last year, which was alright. However, I have just finished watching Death of the Doctor. I got to say, this was a really enjoyable and fun episode. I'm not exactly familiar with SJA, and my familiarty with classic Who is limited, but I found the episode to be very easy to follow, despite the extensive continuity nods. And since they did mention a few of the classic stories that I have seen, I got to take some part in the nostalgia. And I got to say the level of fun and adventure seen throughout is exactly what I've been looking for in sci-fi in recent years. Doctor Who delivers, sure, but sadly not a lot of other sci-fi programming does.

The writing is a bit simplistic at times, a by-product of being aimed at young children, I guess. The exterior of UNIT HQ looked very cartoony. I'm not trying to be critical of the visual effects, I mean the design itself was actually cartoony. And it is a bit weird to hear Matt Smith saying typical RTD type dialogue, like the bit where he referred the Shansheeth by their full grandiose title. I did like the description of where Amy and Rory were. A honeymoon. Literally a honey moon, it married an asteroid.

On the nitpick side, the Doctor says he looked in on Jo prior to his previous regeneration, adding he checked in on all his previous companions. First of all, The End of Time was already stretching credibility with him able to visit all the ones we saw in the time between his radiation poisoning and eventual regeneration. Now we're supposed to believe that in addition to all the RTD era companions, the Doctor visited another couple dozen or whatever people in the time between being exposed to lethal radiation and regeneration? And out of all the companions he's had, Rose is the one who has to get a special visit immediately before regeneration? Bit contrived, if you ask me.

Still, this is easily the best thing to have aired on television I watched since The Big Bang aired.

 

[The]

Having seen it all now, here's my quick summation:

THE GOOD: Matt Smith, Liz Sladen, Clyde, Rani, Santiago

THE BAD: Katy Manning, the plot, the dialogue, the incredibly empty and unsatisfying pseudo-nostalgia tour, the companion dialogue, and pretty much everything else.


I think I'm only really being harsh here because I felt last year's episode was not only much more respectful of The Doctor' screentime, but it didn't have a useless companion reminding the world she's still just as useless while eating up Matt Smith's screentime. And no one, not even Matt Smith, was served by the jarring discord of the dialogue.

This isn't the worst episode of Who-dom I've ever seen. But, it does remind me with very obvious and loud warnings that I am soooooo glad RTD's day with Doctor Who is done. I sincerely hope that's the last time he's allowed to touch the character.

4 out of 10. Very disappointing.

 

[OmahaStar]

a useless companion reminding the world she's still just as useless

Can't say I disagree with that at all.

 

[wamdue]

having seen the first episode, my comment is based on that alone.

I guess this is what watching Classic Doctor Who is like, ie the guest star / enemy first appearing at the end of the first episode, I think that would annony me if it happened alot on New Who.

Surprised they used the Doctors voice when he was inside Cylde, would have figured they would have used his.

Luke makes another apperance, its interesting that the show is keeping him in play, but not having him feature in the main plot of the episode, I figured he would just be gone now.

best on "next time" I assume the Sanseeth are trying to make a TARDIS key, and I hope they explain where Amy & Rory are.

A shame they used quite so many 10th Doctor clips, some more of the 3rd & 4th Doctors would be nice. Rani seemed to echo the line Martha does about how the whole world should know who he is.

 

[Samurai8472]

I didn't understand what The Doctor said when SJS asked about Ten.

Sarah Jane: Did it hurt? I mean regeneration. That last body of yours, was he okay in the end?

The Doctor: It always hurts.

 

[Jax]

Oh, and no one whinging about Eleven's oh-so-slightly different shirt yet? I'm astounded.

Am sure somewhere on the internet they are

 

[The]

I actually liked the white shirt in action. Made Smith look broader..

 

[WillsBabe]

I've just watched part one and I really enjoyed it. I like that Jo married Cliff Jones. The whole episode made me smile.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Dorothy (I assume she meant Dodo)

Naw, it was Ace. Her name's Dorothy McShane, but she went by Ace when she traveled with the Professor ... er, Doctor. As mentioned up-thread, the charity she started even has the initials A.C.E.

Yeah, I realized the initials after making that post and I have to say that the reference is Ace is disappointing for two reasons: 1) I'd like to think Ace is still out there fighting and saving the universe; and 2) No love for Dodo.

 

[N-121973]

I thought Dodo's name was Dorothea?

 

[Rarewolf]

It's a shame that your license fee doesn't give you enough say to get rid of that damned logo.

The BBC HD logo is hardly there, but they are only showing one episode a week.

 

[Bob The Skutter]

It's a shame that your license fee doesn't give you enough say to get rid of that damned logo.

The BBC HD logo is hardly there, but they are only showing one episode a week.

BBC One doesn't have a dog at all does it? And when BBC One HD starts that'll have a faded one like HD.

 

[Bones2]

Yet Bones watched RTD era, which makes his so called hatred either a lie or really sad. He hates RTD because he dare to change Doctor who from what it was in the 60's/70's and 80's. The fact that a whole new generation myself included took to new Who really rubs him up the wrong way. Critics and fans in mass have praised Doctor Who since its return, which am sure drives him crazy.

No, what rubs me up the wrong way is that it's complete fucking shit.

Chav...well we've all tried to explain what a Chav is because he doesn't understand, personally I blame the Daily Mail.

ZOMG!!!11! HE MUS REED THA DAILEY MAIL!!!

Oh you.

The whole Tate arguement is a joke, he believes because she did a sketch show she can't act. The fact that Tate won over most critics and the fanbase in general means little to him because well the masses are wrong of course.

It doesn't matter a jot to me whether other people love Donna. You really shouldn't let yourself be so swayed by other peoples' opinions. Or I could just show you a bunch of people who think Tate's character is a shallow embarrassment and you'll have to change your mind because other people think so.

teenage girls to wet themselves over Tennant comment, well it just shows Bones pays little attention to the show since Martha was not a teenager and pretty sure Rose was 20 at least by the time we saw the 10th Doctor.

I meant the viewers, sunshine. A good lot of GB are 14 year old girls who watched the show because David Tennant is a handsome man.

simple fact you find a few people like him on every SCI FI board or forum in general really.

No you don't and I don't care. Oh you. Will you never learn to argue the points instead of going "well evry1 else lieks him, so u must be rong LOL!" like a bit of an...oh you.

Christ alive. I'd say take it elsewhere, but the Bones-bashing is pretty much fucking everywhere nowadays, regardless of whether he ever says anything positive (which he does). You all know full well what he thinks of the last Doctors and companions, you haven't got to respond every single time he pulls one of his hyperbolic statements out about them.

Jesus fucking wept.

Cheers mate. I guess I just don't post here to be popular.

As for Bones, personally I'm trying not to rise to the hyperbole bait every time now and mostly I'm succeeding...just occasionally I can't resist the urge to bite, but I actually semi-agreed with him over in the sci-fi forum earlier. He reminds me of someone I used to work with who always went out of his way to be contentious just to get a rise out of people, but was actually an ok guy if you could get past the arseiness!

Oi sonny (or grandad, whatever), I nearly missed that. I'm not arsey, I just have opinions. You're right about Smith's shirt in it though.

What is up with Bones-bashing? I don't get it. Bones is a fan of Six, which makes him good people in my book. As Guinan would say (and we all remember Star Trek, right?) "He's ... my friend." Cut him some slack already. Sheesh.

Love you too





Anyway, enough personal correspondence.

Still, this is easily the best thing to have aired on television I watched since The Big Bang aired.

There're about 4 episodes of Eastenders a week that are better than The Big Bang. In my silly old view of course.

Right, so having seen both episodes of Death of the Doctor, I've concluded it's a load of complete stupid rubbish. But I can't say I hate it. Smith is always watchable at least, and as it's a kids show you can cut some slack on the stupidity (RTD should just write for children; I've heard his Chucklevision episodes in the 90s were good). But then, what children are going to understand that sheer volume of near-meaningless fan service? The bit at the end was stupid too. As if a whining selfish bitch like Tegan would do something selfless like whatever it was with the Aboriginals (and it has to be them, because she's Aussie y'know, Dawwwctaaa). And whatever rubbish Ace became in the NAs, I'm sure it was more plausible than ACE becoming a charity whoever.

Still, it was lovely to see Smith again. I think I'm a little bit in love with him.

 

[davejames]

Well it was definitely cool to see Smith again, and the little section on the planet with him, Sarah Jane, and Jo was nicely-written and a lot of fun... but the rest of it was pretty forgettable, I thought.

Story was about as generic and uninspired as you can get, the usual RTD witty dialogue was nowhere in sight, and the acting (from anyone who wasn't Matt Smith) was painful to watch.

Plus I couldn't help but be distracted the whole time by Jo's gigantic, freakishly wide mouth. lol

 

[Captain Crow]

A good lot of GB are 14 year old girls who watched the show because David Tennant is a handsome man.

And those at GB who aren't 14 year old girls are 20-50 year old men who watched the show because David Tennant is a handsome man.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Sorry to see the Colonel go. She was hot. ( but I guess she got hotter. )

 

[DAK]

The bad. Was it just me, or did Tennant get more screen time than Smith?

I think it's all relative - there's no such thing as too much screen time for Matt Smith, and seeing Tennant as the Doctor again is such a shock to the system that time seems to freeze and feel like forever.

Oh well. Enough about Ten. He's gone. Might as well just let it go and be happy Smith is around...

Word.

Oh, and no one whinging about Eleven's oh-so-slightly different shirt yet? I'm astounded.

Why? I think most of us have seen the pictures and knew it was coming. Besides, he looks good in anything.

So the tenth doctor visited everyone before "dying"

That was one heck of a drawn out regeneration! Thank goodness we didn't have to watch Ten moping over each and every one of them!

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the bit about the gay fathers trip to the North Pole, unless I misheard in which case RTD has obviously got to me cos I'm seeing gay references where there aren't any!

Wow, I missed that line!

ps. I hate the shirt, its far too clean and new looking

I can take care of that if they'll let me...

This isn't the worst episode of Who-dom I've ever seen. But, it does remind me with very obvious and loud warnings that I am soooooo glad RTD's day with Doctor Who is done. I sincerely hope that's the last time he's allowed to touch the character.

Word again. This is the first episode of SJA that I've watched since the premiere, and I only watched because Matt Smith was in it (didn't watch last year's with Tennant). I'm still not impressed, too silly and childish for my taste.

Oh, and since when does the Doctor leave the sonic screwdriver in the TARDIS? It's always in his jacket pocket. Lame.

I actually liked the white shirt in action. Made Smith look broader..

Oh stop, you're trying to get me all hot and bothered, aren't you.

It's a shame that your license fee doesn't give you enough say to get rid of that damned logo.

No kidding - that thing drove me nuts! Especially when it was covering Matt's lovely face.

Still, it was lovely to see Smith again. I think I'm a little bit in love with him.

Me too.

Well, OK, maybe more than just a little bit.

Plus I couldn't help but be distracted the whole time by Jo's gigantic, freakishly wide mouth. lol

Made me think of Terrance and Phillip from South Park.

 

[jbny67]

Christ alive. I'd say take it elsewhere, but the Bones-bashing is pretty much fucking everywhere nowadays, regardless of whether he ever says anything positive (which he does). You all know full well what he thinks of the last Doctors and companions, you haven't got to respond every single time he pulls one of his hyperbolic statements out about them.

I couldn't agree more. It's gotten tiresome to read over and over again.

When did Sarah meet Tegan?

The Five Doctors.
But, that's not what she's referencing in this episode.

What is up with Bones-bashing? I don't get it. Bones is a fan of Six, which makes him good people in my book. As Guinan would say (and we all remember Star Trek, right?) "He's ... my friend." Cut him some slack already. Sheesh.

Again, I agree. As a fellow 6 fan, I feel we must stick together.

Yeah, that and Jo's Political Agenda really stood out as the normal RTD tropes.

To me it was a natural path for her character to take after marrying an activist professor like Jones. An RTD agenda was the furthest thing from my mind when she mentioned her time spent protesting around the world.

 

[The]

Plus I couldn't help but be distracted the whole time by Jo's gigantic, freakishly wide mouth. lol

Made me think of Terrance and Phillip from South Park.

 

[Sci]

For one, the gay rights thing, this is a kid's show. Like, really a kid's show beyond Doctor Who. So, they shouldn't dare get into sexuality either way.

You know, I have two cousins. The older cousin, Donna, has two children: Jim (5) and Sue (3). My younger cousin, Donna's sister sister, is Sarah. Sarah is a lesbian and has been in a committed relationship with another woman named Alex for the entirety of Jim's and Sue's lives. (All the names are pseudonyms for privacy's sake.)

I don't want Jim and Sue growing up in a world where nobody around them every acknowledges to them that Auntie Sarah and Auntie Alex are different from other people. I don't want Jim and Sue growing up getting the message that the fact that there are people like their aunts is something that's bad and should be avoided in the programs designed for them. I don't want them growing up thinking there's something weird or bad about Auntie Sarah and Auntie Alex. And I don't want stories that are designed for their ages groups to avoid acknowledging that LGBT people exist.

Because, hey, guess what? They're being raised with the help of their gay aunts. And that's as valid as any heterosexual relationship, it's as much a part of Jim's and Sue's lives as the heterosexual relationship that their mom and dad are in, and I don't think there's any good reason to say that children's media (such as The Sarah Jane Adventures) "shouldn't dare get into sexuality either way."

As for Jo and her protests, I have a feeling RTD will pump all of that up as "glorious", or that she "changed the world" nonsense. I'd be very surprised if he were to be like:

"Jo, what are you doing wasting your time, effort, and life on things that have no positive effect on anyone, anywhere? All you're doing is prancing around with a self-righteous arrogance that you know right in an effort to make you feel better about yourself. Why not follow Sarah's lead and actually do something to help the world? Idiot.....who was the bureaucrat that assigned you to UNIT in the first place?"
​

I'm really glad the Doctor isn't as malicious and mean-spirited of a bully as you seem to want him to be. That's not how you're supposed to talk to someone you love.

The listing of what companions were doing at the end was pretty silly. I mean, Ian and Barbara immortal? What the fuck kind of nonsense is that shit?

Considering that the Doctor freaked out when he met someone genuinely immortal (Jack in "The Parting of the Ways"), I think it's far safer to infer that Ian and Barbara are just aging much more slowly.

Ace running a charity? Tegan fighting for Aboriginal Rights? Are you kidding me? First of all, completely against their characters.

Isn't part of the recurring point of Doctor Who that being with the Doctor changes people?

Second of all, I'd hate to think that all of the Docs companions had such bland, "politically-correct" lives. How boring.

I know! It's just awful, imagining that the Doctor inspired people to dedicate their lives to making the world a better place. Just terrible and boring.

I'd much rather see Moffat flesh out some nostalgia than RTD's masturbation to The Doctor and modern socio-political issues that are important to him.

....

You're talking a part of the subtext of the story -- that Jo became an activist and so did some other companions, because being with the Doctor inspires people to change for the better -- and making it sound like it was the central premise of the episode. Have a sense of proportionality, man. The primary focus of the episode was on how nostalgia can be good or bad depending on how it's focused; the bit about activism was both secondary to the primary theme, and was not portrayed as a universally positive thing (Santiago rarely having his entire family together).

So the fact that you have a philosophical difference with a character is the same thing as that character being poorly written? Some people in this world have a different opinion of the usefulness of nonviolent activism. That doesn't make them less intelligent than you, and it doesn't make a fictional character who does that a poorly-written character.

Less intelligent? No. But, dumber character? Yes. It's what lazy writers fall back on when they want to make a character sound "deep" and "important" and "progressive", without taking the time to write them as such.

I'd say that a casual viewing of Death of the Doctor reveals that RTD's goal is not to make Jo seem particularly "deep." She's there because she's a good person who tries to make the world a better place and is brave, not because she's quoting Jean-Paul Sartre left and right. Clearly she's an activist -- and clearly that choice has had its costs, given Santiago's issues with his family. You're not responding to what RTD actually wrote, you're responding to your own assumptions about what the "activist trope" means.

Roll out a few lines about how they are "active" in whatever Liberal Extremist organizations, and suddenly they are "morally above" the rest of the cattle. Jo didn't accomplish anything with her life, other than to arrogantly attempt to push her socio-political agenda on others. And since that's RTD's bag of tricks, it's no surprise that he would attempt to paint such a lifestyle as "heroic"...

I'm sorry, but this isn't even addressing the actual content of the episode. You're just projecting your own issues and objections to non-violent activism onto these characters and reacting to your problems with real-life activists rather than to what these characters actually did.

(And anyone who tries to claim that non-violent activism doesn't accomplish anything can kiss Martin Luther King's ass.)