Lis Sladen

[timelord1010]

Very sad news. Elisabeth Sladen and Tom Baker were the first characters I watched on Dr. Who in the early 1980's on PBS. I was shocked when she left the show not knowing companions were always leaving the Doctor.
Then I was floored when Tom Baker's Doctor regenerated into Peter Davison's Doctor having never seen that. Then the happy surprise of Ms. Sladen returning for the Five Doctors and the rest is history.

R.I.P. Ms. Sladen, and thank you for the memories.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

Very sad news. Thanks for all the memories Ms Sladen.

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

She's not dead, she's merely fighting evil on a higher plane of existence.

And that's what I chose to believe.

read this elsewhere:

Elisabeth Sladen didn't die...she couldn't have. She's just traveling with The Doctor again. That's all.

It brought a tear to my eye.

This. All of it.

 

[Psion]

The loss is twice as painful when some of the whimsy and charm of Doctor Who doesn't rub off on the real world and spare one of the dearest of the most optimistic franchise in entertainment.

I sure hope she had fun and knew how much she was loved for all the good things she brought to the show. Well done, Ms. Sladen!

 

[Sindatur]

Wow, so shocking. I left work sick today, and just logged on to the computer. Saw the Lis Sladen thread and wondered, hm... what's this? Then I opened it and was shocked at what I was reading. She seemed so young and vibrant last time I saw an episode of Sarah Jane. Truly, terribly sad news

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^^ I don't know, I do have to agree that its probably best to let the show go after these last episodes are shown.

Doesn't mean I wouldn't love seeing Rani, Clyde and the others again someday. If only there were some mysterious traveller who could wisk them off to new adventures...

They could always join K9 on a new, live action K9 Adventures. Or even the animated one.

 

[Thestral]

Just heard about this. How awful. RIP Lis, you will be missed.

 

[Cutter John]

Right. These should get things flowing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thjWMWzUa30

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNrF9Lae2RY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL84E-w7ZSA

 

[RavenCWG]

I just learned of Elisabeth’s death a few minutes ago, and like all of you I am in complete shock. As someone else already commented, I don’t think I’ve ever been hit quite as hard by the news of an actor’s death as I am right now…partially because of who it is and partially because the news was so out of the blue. Her character of Sarah Jane has for the past 30+ years been one of my all-time favorite Doctor Who characters. I was so pleased and excited when RTD brought her back for "School Reunion" and subsequently gave her her own spin-off series. Unlike some, I have enjoyed “The Sarah Jane Adventures” almost as much as “Doctor Who” itself, and way more then “Torchwood.” Elisabeth was a great actress and a charming and beautiful woman both inside and out, without whom neither Doctor Who nor indeed the world will ever be quite the same again.

I want to extend my condolences to her husband, children and all of her friends and coworkers at the BBC who have known and worked with her for so many years. Farewell, Elisabeth, you will be sorely missed!

 

[Australis]

"Goodbye... my Sarah Jane".

 

[Turbo]

I...just...wow. Only 63. I don't think I can say anything which hasn't already been said.

Goodbye, Sarah Jane. One last time.

On second thought, I'd rather remember Sarah Jane with this (starting at 2:00).

 

[Harry Palmer]

Damn just damn.

 

[23skidoo]

^^ I don't know, I do have to agree that its probably best to let the show go after these last episodes are shown.

Doesn't mean I wouldn't love seeing Rani, Clyde and the others again someday. If only there were some mysterious traveller who could wisk them off to new adventures...

There are several ways the should could continue. Clyde and Rani have the charisma to carry a show on their own, carrying on from Sarah Jane. In retrospect, as it's apparently now known that Sladen's illness had been known by the powers that be for quite some time (listen to RTD's comments on the BBC report), that casts an entirely different light on the somewhat random - when you think about it - appearance by Katy Manning in Series 4.

Incidentally, aside from the six episodes of SJA to come, I just remembered there's also supposed to be a remastered/extended version of Downtime, the independent spin-off Lis appeared in back in 1995, coming out eventually. That's the one Sylvester McCoy reportedly filmed new scenes as the Doctor for a few months back. And I would imagine Big Finish will probably do something with their several seasons' worth of Sarah Jane audio dramas.

Alex

 

[TedShatner10]

Fucking hell, I want to throw up.

I was less shocked about Pete Postlethwaite dying after seeing him not looking too good in The Town, eighty somethings such as Leslie Nielsen and Nicholas Courtney passing away is sad but more expected, but a late middle aged Elizabeth Sladen who still seemed quite sprightly and not so old playing Sarah Jane Smith in recent years just passing away feels like it's in the same random, left-field WTF territory as Heath Ledger dying.

 

[Neroon]

I watched "School Reunion" today, just for her. Not that it means much ... but it was nice to see that glint in Lis' eye......

 

[Admiral_Young]

I watched "The Death of the Doctor" in tribute to her to see Lis one last time with the Doctor.

 

[Maestro]

May the Timelords lead her into paradise, and may the perpetual light of the TARDIS shine upon her.

 

[Mitty]

If it's true that 1-4 and 11-12 of the new series were already filmed, I wonder if they possibly knew this might happen and so were preparing for it?

 

[Samurai8472]

If it's true that 1-4 and 11-12 of the new series were already filmed, I wonder if they possibly knew this might happen and so were preparing for it?

No one expected her to die so suddenly. Only a few people probably knew she had cancer.


The best possible scenario would have been that she completed the season while privately battling cancer.

 

[cardinal biggles]

Wow. Just... wow. This was completely out of left field.