Again, full disclosure time, readers: I've only seen a few episodes of the BBC's Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures.
Sigh. I know, I know.
Here's the thing, though, about it: I've no doubt that I'll eventual get to it. Shows come and go -- in fairness to myself -- and, at the time of its launch -- the review kinda/sorta made it seem that this particular incarnation was going to be a bit more kid-friendly than the main stories within the televised Who universe. Though I've no way of knowing if that indeed was the case, I have read some reviews and heard from some like-minded folks on the Information Superhighway that, yes, it was crafted to cater a bit more to the truly young-at-age and not so much the young-at-heart. I don't believe that's any reflection on the program's quality; I think it just sums up what the BBC's hope was in bringing the show to life.
In case you missed it, Sarah Jane Smith -- as played by the late and lovely Elisabeth Sladen who left us in 2011 -- was an established commodity in Who. Sladen's Sarah Jane enjoyed an incredible 81 episode run during Doctor Who's original airings from 1973 through 1983. She also revisited the character a few times before, ultimately, returning to the rebooted/relaunched Modern Era of Who, dusting off the companion for an additional four appearances. It was likely Sarah Jane's long-standing popularity with audiences that put her front-and-center for the spin-off bearing her name ... but -- in case you missed it -- there's even a bit more to the actress' tenure folks don't know about.
Back in 1981, the BBC also experimented with a spin-off for the companion. K-9 And Company: A Girl's Best Friend cast Sladen alongside one of Who's best remembered creations: the robotic K-9 dog sought his own fortune and glory on the small screen. It aired on December 28, 1991, and -- while its viewership was reported to be over 8 million (per IMDB.com) -- the BBC passed on it for undisclosed reasons. Whatever the truth in there may be, the experience certainly never impacted the actress' popularity with fandom, so perhaps she was the natural choice when the network decided a more kid-friendly incarnation was possible in the 2000's.
So -- as I said above -- this wasn't the lady's first rodeo.
The show lasted an incredible 55 episodes airing between 2007-2020. The series' regular run ended in 2011, but after Sladen's passing the producers wanted to honor her legacy in this universe. Consequently, they crafted a bit of a send-off installment that aired in 2020 to properly honor her contributions to Who.
-- EZ
Sigh. I know, I know.
Here's the thing, though, about it: I've no doubt that I'll eventual get to it. Shows come and go -- in fairness to myself -- and, at the time of its launch -- the review kinda/sorta made it seem that this particular incarnation was going to be a bit more kid-friendly than the main stories within the televised Who universe. Though I've no way of knowing if that indeed was the case, I have read some reviews and heard from some like-minded folks on the Information Superhighway that, yes, it was crafted to cater a bit more to the truly young-at-age and not so much the young-at-heart. I don't believe that's any reflection on the program's quality; I think it just sums up what the BBC's hope was in bringing the show to life.
In case you missed it, Sarah Jane Smith -- as played by the late and lovely Elisabeth Sladen who left us in 2011 -- was an established commodity in Who. Sladen's Sarah Jane enjoyed an incredible 81 episode run during Doctor Who's original airings from 1973 through 1983. She also revisited the character a few times before, ultimately, returning to the rebooted/relaunched Modern Era of Who, dusting off the companion for an additional four appearances. It was likely Sarah Jane's long-standing popularity with audiences that put her front-and-center for the spin-off bearing her name ... but -- in case you missed it -- there's even a bit more to the actress' tenure folks don't know about.
Back in 1981, the BBC also experimented with a spin-off for the companion. K-9 And Company: A Girl's Best Friend cast Sladen alongside one of Who's best remembered creations: the robotic K-9 dog sought his own fortune and glory on the small screen. It aired on December 28, 1991, and -- while its viewership was reported to be over 8 million (per IMDB.com) -- the BBC passed on it for undisclosed reasons. Whatever the truth in there may be, the experience certainly never impacted the actress' popularity with fandom, so perhaps she was the natural choice when the network decided a more kid-friendly incarnation was possible in the 2000's.
So -- as I said above -- this wasn't the lady's first rodeo.
The show lasted an incredible 55 episodes airing between 2007-2020. The series' regular run ended in 2011, but after Sladen's passing the producers wanted to honor her legacy in this universe. Consequently, they crafted a bit of a send-off installment that aired in 2020 to properly honor her contributions to Who.
-- EZ
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