Sarah Jane Is Back!
Sep. 24th, 2007 11:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snorkackcatcherOn first glance, The Sarah Jane Adventures look like they could be fun. Although there was a distinct shortage of Sarah Jane herself -- the producers may possibly have reasoned that to the intended younger audience, Ms Smith is just some character who appeared in an episode of Doctor Who arguing with Rose, although their parents and/or grandparents say they remember her fondly ... Hence Luke, Maria, and a new kid called Clyde got most of the screentime; they all start at their new school on the same day, and there just happens to be a recent addition to it:
The character-focused moments were well done, but obviously there wasn't too much scope for exploration of interesting aspects like how Luke handles social interactions when he's never had the chance to learn any, and how Sarah Jane handles raising a child, albeit an unusual one. I'm sure we'll get more, but it's bound to play a secondary role to the individual episode plots. But hey, that's what fanfic is for, right? (Although I do hope fans don't go overboard shipping the kids. They're only supposed to be aged thirteen -- that'll be days, in Luke's case.)
(Incidentally, I caught the last ten minutes or so of the previous programme, called Lizzie McGuire, which seemed to be a US teen show in which the Moral was not so much laid on with a trowel as with a JCB. But never mind that -- if anyone remembers it, what was the schtick with the frequent cutting to an animated Lizzie?)
Maria: (roughly) Oh, is that the new super-high-tech science block? What's that all about then?On the whole, the writers managed to get quite a lot into the 25-minute running time -- setting up the plot (typically Whovian, don't ask silly questions about how the gizmos work) and introducing the characters to each other and to us (especially if, like me, you managed to miss the pilot -- sorry, 'holiday special' -- on New Year's Day and have only seen the plot summary). Luke is apparently being set up as the resident genius -- not quite a Doctor role, but an Adric role maybe? -- with Maria and Clyde as the action-oriented Everygirl and Everyboy. Sarah Jane is off investigating and getting into trouble the way she always did back in her TARDIS-travelling days, and we haven't yet seen Mr Smith the computer except in a preview for episode 2. (Yeah, I know you can see that on CBBC immediately afterwards, but I don't have satellite. :( I'll have to get a set-top box at some point, although I've a nasty feeling the reception isn't very good here.) The aliens seemed both comic and dangerous, which is quite a good trick to bring off. The kids' acting was impressive, and Elisabeth Sladen is looking darn good for nearly sixty. :)
Me: Just assume it's something to do with a world-threatening alien plot, dear. It'll save time.
The character-focused moments were well done, but obviously there wasn't too much scope for exploration of interesting aspects like how Luke handles social interactions when he's never had the chance to learn any, and how Sarah Jane handles raising a child, albeit an unusual one. I'm sure we'll get more, but it's bound to play a secondary role to the individual episode plots. But hey, that's what fanfic is for, right? (Although I do hope fans don't go overboard shipping the kids. They're only supposed to be aged thirteen -- that'll be days, in Luke's case.)
(Incidentally, I caught the last ten minutes or so of the previous programme, called Lizzie McGuire, which seemed to be a US teen show in which the Moral was not so much laid on with a trowel as with a JCB. But never mind that -- if anyone remembers it, what was the schtick with the frequent cutting to an animated Lizzie?)
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Date: 2007-09-25 10:42 pm (UTC)