Sarah Jane Adventures Discussion/Appreciation (Spoilers for all eps aired on BBC1)

[Easter Lily]

It was fun when it finally got going. My 5 year old was mesmerized but got a little nervy when "Mother" made her appearance.
At the end of it she says... "Let's watch it again!" Which is probably the whole point of it all.

Loved the gadgetry... alien detecting watch and the sonic lippie... I am such a sucker for gadgets. And Samantha Bond... liked her too... She's got a lovely slyness that doesn't make her feel OTT.

When is the Brigadier going to get his own show...

[ShadowMaat]

I loved it. So far I think it has the potential to be better than Torchwood (which wouldn't be hard). I didn't notice/mind the formulaic-ness because it IS a kids show and it's only the first ep. In fact, I think that SJA's being aimed at kids is part of what makes it so good- Who was originally a kids show and it's still more or less family safe (as long as there's a handy sofa to hide behind) and SJA is following in those footprints. It's only Torchwood which is trying (and mostly failing) to be more "adult" that- IMO, anyway- seems to keep stumbling.

I love Sarah Jane, herself, although I'm sad that K9 isn't going to be a part of things, at least not for a while. I like the girl and "new boy" Luke, although the black girl (whom I will not call Chloe Weber) grates on the nerves a bit. I think perhaps she's supposed to.

One thing I would dearly love for ONE of these shows to cover is why in hell humans keep pretending none of this stuff is happening. I mean, I can see it to a certain degree, but the whole "it was an hallucination/drug/publicity stunt/weather balloon" nonsense is starting to get on my nerves.

The sonic lipstick had me LMAO and the monsters... you don't get much more BEM than that! LOL! They looked like some Cthulhoid nightmare.

Can't wait to see more of the show. It has the markings of a winner... so far.

[TRexx]

The show is harmless enough, though Sarah Jane isn't exactly a good role model for kids. She lives such an alienated existence that she feels a need to spill her lonely heart out in a monologue to strange children. That's pathetic heading toward creepy.

An elf or a Wookie mightn't lead a "normal" life among humans on Earth, but even a duplicitous Sarah Jane could be shown enjoying a circle of regular friends and family.


Doctor Who - Complete 2nd Series DVD

[Easter Lily]

The show is harmless enough, though Sarah Jane isn't exactly a good role model for kids. She lives such an alienated existence that she feels a need to spill her lonely heart out in a monologue to strange children. That's pathetic heading toward creepy.

Hmmm... sounds like a certain lonely Gallifreyan that we all love and know so well.

[ShadowMaat]

Do you get money for spamming that Doctor Who DVD set or what?

I'm not ready to condemn Sarah Jane for being who and what she is, especially since she's a pretty good echo of the Doctor himself in some regards (as Easter Lily pointed out).

I love the new Who, but that doesn't mean I can't love other shows set in the same universe, too. And I would hope that they wouldn't be blind carbon copies of the original show, which would be kind of stupid, IMO. They're different flavors with different approaches to situations and they're aimed at different crowds.

And anyone that was expecting SJA to be Doctor Who without the Doctor? I laugh in your general direction.

[yaaayoubetcha]

I thought it was pretty good.

Not spectacular, but pretty good.

I don't know why everybody is ripping on Torchwood in comparing to SJA, but I like them both.

I had a huge crush on Elisabeth Sladen when I was a kid so it's cool to see her again.

Samantha Bond...mmm Moneypenny.

[Missster.Freeman]

I sat and watched this on New Year's day with a humongous hangover. All I can remember are: big squidgy green tentacled aliens, an annoying young girl who kept saying "muffin" (or summink like that), a brief appearance by K9 (I thought he was going to be a regular) and Sarah Jane's Sonic Lipstick!? Sorry, but I had to suspend my suspension of disbelief when she pulled it out.

I don't know. I'm not really into CBBC programmes. I might give it another chance now that my vision has returned to normal after the effects of New Year's eve Tequila shots. My niece might like it though as she's right into Dr Who now.

[Marcus117]

On quick reflection I think that most people are ripping Torchwood when compared to Sarah Jane mainly because one is widely believed to succeed at it's goals, while the other doesn't.

Sarah Jane is a good kids show from what we've seen.

Torchwood isn't a good adults show.

One has been a success, and one has failed at what they set out to achieve.

- Marcus.

[Pitry]

There could be another explanatino - The Sarah Jane Adventuers is exactly what you'd have expected it to be, once you hear the definition "DW spin off for kids". Torchwood is so very differnet from Doctor Who in spirit and feeling that it doesn't sit right in the "DW spin off" place.

[yaaayoubetcha]

There could be another explanatino - The Sarah Jane Adventuers is exactly what you'd have expected it to be, once you hear the definition "DW spin off for kids". Torchwood is so very differnet from Doctor Who in spirit and feeling that it doesn't sit right in the "DW spin off" place.

say it again, brother/sister!

[ShadowMaat]

I think Pitry's right. Torchwood doesn't feel like a spinoff whereas SJA does- at least to me. I like SJA's kiddie angle. It's hard to make a full determination after only one ep, but I don't feel that the show panders to its audience; it doesn't wallow in kiddish things. I think Torchwood could take a few pages from SJA's book to improve itself. Torchwood may be aimed at adults, not kids, but it also seems to go out of its way to try and prove its "adult" content whereas SJA simply is what it is. At least so far.

Is there a premiere date set yet? I think I read June/July somewhere, which is an annoyingly long time away. *grumble*

I also read that the premiere didn't do very well in the ratings, but that isn't likely to have a negative effect, is it? Unless the trend continues downward...

[Suzotchka]

I just wanted to pop in and say that I finally got a chance to see SJA and I really enjoyed it. It's good to have Lis Sladen back on the screen.

I haven't seen Torchwood yet, so I really can't make a fair comparison between the two.

[ShadowMaat]

I haven't seen Torchwood yet, so I really can't make a fair comparison between the two.

Well, considering that SJA and TW are aimed at vastly different audiences and serve different purposes, it's probably unfair to compare them, anyway. But strictly in terms of spinoffishness, I think SJA is shaping up to hang together better. I hope.

[knowles2]

Well I enjoy all three shows, more sci fi the better. I think sja did what was expected and I felt like I was watching a doctor who episode for large parts of it.

And that why I think I prefer tourchwood simply because it does what no scifi does on tv and did things outside of the box, yeah some of the acting was poor but their always room for knocking a few characters off and bring in replacements.

SJA probably had a big budget for this show and I doubt they get anything like that for the series, but be interesting to watch and see how it evolve.

[gravityisalie]

"""I think Torchwood could take a few pages from SJA's book to improve itself. Torchwood may be aimed at adults, not kids, but it also seems to go out of its way to try and prove its "adult" content whereas SJA simply is what it is. At least so far. """



shadowmaat you just summed up my feelings about torchwood that i couldnt put into words!
newbie goes back to lurking....