Sarah Jane Adventures, Episodes 5 & 6

For 3 seasons running, any episode featuring "Sarah Jane Smith" as part of its title, has The Trickster as the featured adversary. This will be a hell of a spoiler if they keep up that tactic.

This was also the famed David Tennant appearance, although he really only figured prominently in the 2^nd half. And it's also not really his show. Sure, he's there to provide deus ex Tardis, and to babble his timey-wimey bits, but his primary function is as Sarah Jane's great unrequited love.

And it's here that we learn something that I was beginning to suspect - that this whole "call me Sarah Jane" business is so that the name "Sarah" is something special, reserved only for the Doctor. Since in the classic series, the Doctor rarely-to-never opted for "Sarah Jane". She protects that name they way she protects those memories.

So on to the main plot - Sarah Jane meets a nice man, has a disturbingly quick courtship, and decides to get married. Problem is, the guy is in the clutches of the Trickster. The Trickster made a deal with him during a tragic accident, and uses him as a pawn to apparantly marry Sarah Jane off so she won't cause him so much trouble. Kind of silly, but also sad because her beau has to decide to die back in the accident to save the world. Of course, it's also a bit of a ripoff of S1's story "Whatever happened to Sarah Jane Smith" where SJS's childhood buddy had to choose the same fate.

But on the upside, the episode is rife with continuity tidbits from new and classic series alike, from offhand references to Metebelis 3, the Judoon, and the Brigadier, to K-9 making his first full appearance. John Leeson can put food on the table once again!

Tags: doctor who