The Sarah Jane Adventures

Despite my own particular vice of being a massive Whovian, I've only ever dipped into it's spin off show, The Sarah Jane Adventures, on occasions. Obviously, this is largely down to it being a show aimed at a much younger audience, so my viewing experience has been limited to those episodes where the Doctor makes an appearance, or random episodes I've watched on Iplayer at three in the morning when I couldn't sleep. But following the untimely death of Elizabeth Sladen, I felt almost honour bound to watch the final episode of the show.

But of course, this was the finale that was never meant to be a finale. It was originally meant to be a mid series story, focusing on character development between Sarah Jane, her adopted son Luke and the newest addition to her family, Sky. As a result, the 'dark days ahead' promised in the series first episode never materialise, and you are left with the gnawing feeling of what might have been had the series been completed. The introduction of Sky was obviously an attempt to infuse the show with fresh blood, but her character is doomed to never have her story fully explored.

But 'The Man Who Never Was' is a suiting finale in many other ways. It serves as a showcase for the core theme of the show, the family Sarah Jane never thought she'd never have. Luke as the son she'd always wanted, who now has to adapt to having a younger sister equally as alien as he once was. And then there's Clyde and Rani, affectionately (and somewhat knowingly) titled 'Clani' by Luke, who have accompanied Sarah Jane on every adventure and been her most loyal supporters. They had begun to forge their own paths and identies within the series, and this episode was no different, tackling the menace from a seperate angle, with plenty of references to an ever growing romantic interest in each other that will also now never come to fruition.
    

    The menace was not aliens wanting to take over the world, but instead a money grabbing arch capitalist using alien slaves to operate a holographic hypno Bill Gates equivilent. A nice switch from the usual Sarah Jane and kids vs the universe angle. It results in a much more emotional and personal story, one that allows fledgling relationships to blossom and old relationships to strengthen. The special effects are impressive for a childrens show, again showing how the show has developed in terms of the funding and exposure it has recieved. What started as a spin off aimed at kids has very much become its own show, and the way audiences have recieved it is reflected within the show itself.

    Overall, it is a shame the show had to end so abruptly, just as it was gearing up for another busy series. But a moving montage at the end depicting all of Sarah Jane's achievements serves as a reminder that it is not an end in the strictest sense. Within the universe her adventures will continue, with her extended family in tow, and together they will continue to defend the Earth in the hearts of fans. Much like how Doctor Who was not forgotten by its tenacious fanbase when the show first ended, neither will they forget Sarah Janes Smith.