One happy family (plus that Maria’s mom)
Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) is a loner. Even years after exploring time and space with the Doctor, Sarah Jane continues to trip the unknown armed with her sonic lipstick and with the help of her supercomputer Mr. Smith (voiced by Alexander Armstrong) and her sometimes present friend K-9 (voiced by John Leeson). When Sarah Jane gets new neighbors Maria Jackson (Yasmin Paige) and her father Alan (Joseph Millson), Sarah Jane finds her world starting to change. First, she meets a boy named Luke (Tommy Knight) created by a race called the Bane and adopts him as her own son. Sarah Jane, Luke, and Maria and their friend Clyde Langer (Daniel Anthony) are out to explore the wonders of the universe and save Earth in the process.
“Mr. Smith, I need you!”…worst…battle cry…ever!
A spin-off of the popular Doctor Who and created by the new Doctor Who’s creator Russell T. Davis, The Sarah Jane Adventures was created as a vehicle for one of the Doctor’s most popular companions Sarah Jane Smith who first appeared in Doctor Who: The Time Warrior (Story #70) in 1973. A previous attempt at a spin-off (K-9 and Company in 1981) failed to be picked up, but is considered in the Doctor Who canon. The Sarah Jane Adventures—Season 1 is composed of Story #1- 6 in ten episodes.
The Sarah Jane Adventures—Season 1 was primarily targeting children as kind of a gateway to the drug known as Doctor Who. Despite being aimed at kids, Whovians can enjoy the show and the adventures which do tie in with the Doctor’s past and present adventures. In this season, the fun Slitheen become a problem for Sarah Jane and her friends.
Hey, Guillermo del Toro called and wants you back on set now!
It feels a little weird that Sarah Jane is hanging out with a bunch of kids. That is the only part of the series that I can’t really buy. I’m kind of with Maria’s mother Chrissie (Juliet Cowan) that it is a bit odd and I’d be looking strangely at Sarah Jane if all the kids wanted to go over to a middle aged lady’s house to hang out. Sarah Jane is fun, but still it is strange.
The Sarah Jane Adventures are for kids and don’t seem as deep or dangerous and Doctor Who episodes. I still recommend watching them especially if you are a fan of the pre-2005 Doctor Who. Sarah Jane is still one of my favorite companions and that makes The Sarah Jane Adventures—Season 1 a must for me. Now if we can get a Leela and Her Deadly Assassins Kids, the Doctor Who universe would be complete.
The Sarah Jane Adventures—Season 1 Complete Episode Guide:
“The Invasion of the Bane”
1.0 Invasion of the Bane Airdate: 01/02/07
Maria (Yasmin Paige) moves into her new home and sees their new neighbor Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) communicating with an alien at night. When Sarah Jane learns that Maria and her new friend Kelsey (Porsha Lawrence Mavour) are going to the new, hip drink Bubble Shock factory, she decides to investigate. Sarah Jane is captured under the investigation and meets with the owner Mrs. Wormwood (Samantha Bond). When Kelsey’s phone triggers an alert, Sarah Jane and Maria become lost in the factory. Maria and Sarah Jane discover a boy called the Architype (Tommy Knight) and Wormwood orders them found. As Sarah Jane and Maria become targets of the aliens, Maria learns Sarah Jane has secrets of her own.
“Revenge of the Slitheen: Part 1”
1.1 Revenge of the Slitheen: Part 1 Airdate: 09/24/07
Maria and Luke have started school and the weirdness is continuing. Maria and Luke meet Clyde (Daniel Anthony ) and discover that their principal and other teachers are hiding things. As Sarah Jane, Maria, Luke, and Clyde investigate the sudden school set-ups all around the world, Clyde questions what Luke, Maria, and Sarah Jane are hiding. When Sarah Jane and her friends get too close to the problem, Slitheen are revealed to be attempting to rule the Earth again.
“Revenge of the Slitheen: Part 2”
1.2 Revenge of the Slitheen: Part 2 Airdate: 10/01/07
The Slitheen must be stopped, and Sarah Jane, Luke, Maria, and Clyde are out to do it. Clyde finds himself thrust into the world of aliens and finds he has to gain Sarah Jane’s trust. When the Slitheen’s weakness is discovered Sarah Jane must make a choice about how she intends to stop the family of the Slitheen.
“Eye of the Gorgon: Part 1”
1.3 Eye of the Gorgon: Part 1 Airdate: 10/01/07
Sarah Jane investigates a home for the elderly being haunted by strange nuns. Maria’s mother Chrissie (Juliet Cowan) moves back home temporarily, and Maria feuds with her when she’s critical of Sarah Jane and Luke. When Luke is given a strange medallion from an old woman named Bea Nelson-Stanley (Phyllida Law) who reveals she knows about alien races, Sarah Jane and the kids must uncover what the medallion has to do with the legend of the Gorgons. Luke’s targeted by the nuns, and Sarah learns the purpose of the nuns.
“Eye of the Gorgon: Part 2”
1.4 Eye of the Gorgon: Part 2 Airdate: 10/08/07
The nuns have the medallion and are prepared to open the portal to the Gorgons’ world. Maria finds her father Alan (Joseph Millson) turned to stone and blames Sarah Jane for his condition. As Maria tries to free her father, Sarah Jane, Clyde, and Luke try to stop the Gorgon. When Sarah Jane is picked to be the Gorgon’s new host, time is running out.
“Warriors of Kudlak: Part 1”
1.5 Warriors of Kudlak: Part 1 Airdate: 10/15/07
Sarah Jane investigates the disappearance of Luke’s classmate, and Luke learns his attempt to make a joke may be responsible. An alien named Kudlak and Grantham (Chook Sibtain) work to get gamers for the Mistress at Combat 3000, and Luke and Clyde might be their next victim.
“Warriors of Kudlak: Part 2”
1.6 Warriors of Kudlak: Part 2 Airdate: 10/22/07
Luke and Clyde find themselves abducted for winning Combat 3000 and discover the other stolen children. Sarah Jane and Maria find that the abducted children are in space and try to find a way to get them back.
“Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?: Part 1”
1.7 Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?: Part 1 Airdate: 10/29/07
Sarah Jane senses something strange and gives a puzzle box to Maria that she received from an alien soothsayer. When Sarah Jane disappears overnight, Maria finds she’s the only one who remembers her. Maria discovers Andrea Yates (Jane Asher) who lives in Sarah Jane’s home might know more about Sarah Jane’s disappearance than she’s saying.
“Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane: Part 2”
1.8 Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?: Part 2 Airdate: 11/05/97
Maria finds herself in 1964 and tries to stop the accident that caused the shift in time. Alan discovers that he can remember Maria, but no one else can. Maria finds Sarah Jane in limbo and learns that Andrea Yates switched places with her. As Sarah Jane and Maria try to find a way home, a meteor heads toward Earth.
“The Lost Boy: Part 1”
1.9 The Lost Boy: Part 1 Airdate: 11/12/07
Maria’s father learns about Sarah Jane and Maria’s adventures with her and debates what to do about it. Sarah Jane and Luke question if the Bane really made Luke when Luke appears to be a missing boy named Ashley Stafford. When Luke is taken away from Sarah Jane, Maria and Clyde try to find a way to get back with Luke. Sarah Jane investigates a super-intelligent boy named Nathan Goss (Ryan Watson) at the Pharos Institute.
“The Lost Boy: Part 2”
1.10 The Lost Boy: Part 2 Airdate: 11/19/07
Clyde uncovers a secret about Mr. Smith (voiced by Alexander Armstrong) and is sucked inside of him when he learns he is a Xylock. Luke finds himself a prisoner of the Slitheen, and Maria and her father learn the truth about Mr. Smith from Clyde. Sarah Jane recounts how she discovered Mr. Smith and question what the Slitheen are planning for Luke as Luke plots his escape. When Sarah Jane and the Slitheen realize they are being used, Mr. Smith’s true intentions are revealed.
Related Links:
K-9 and Company: A Girl’s Best Friend
The Sarah Jane Adventures—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Sarah Jane Adventures—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Sarah Jane Adventures—Season 4 Review and Complete Episode Guide
The Sarah Jane Adventures—Season 5 Review and Complete Episode Guide
