Who?

*sniffle* I don't think Doctor Who (the series) would have made it this far without Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane. At best, it would have devolved into something like "Baywatch in Space": a heroic Doctor and an eye-candy companion.

Im sad to say I have only seen her in that one episode in the new series of Doctor Who. Though I am well aware of who she is.

Dang it! It's to early for this.

He may have fallen in love a little, but Sara Jane made me want to be a companion, and I'm not even British. I was 14, but I would have gone in a heartbeat.

Fark...

/looks at the article

Hopes that the final scene will involve the Doctor paying his respects to her. I think I'd lose it right then and there.

Damn dusty in here...

weirdneighbour: Who?



Look at that Sarah. It's a Trollillbite...so rare to see them outside of captivity these days.

GrumpusMaximus: *sniffle* I don't think Doctor Who (the series) would have made it this far without Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane. At best, it would have devolved into something like "Baywatch in Space": a heroic Doctor and an eye-candy companion.

So you're saying it'd be a lot better?

Me and Sarah Jane, we had a special thing going.
Me and Sarah Jane

It was a time of joyful laughter, then became the pain.

As tragic her death is, I never understood the massive fandom she had during the 70s. She was just another "screamer" to me. No, worse than a "screamer" because the show initially pretended she was a feminist subversion of the typical DW companion. That's not Sladen's fault, but still.

inkblot: As tragic her death is, I never understood the massive fandom she had during the 70s. She was just another "screamer" to me. No, worse than a "screamer" because the show initially pretended she was a feminist subversion of the typical DW companion. That's not Sladen's fault, but still.

One of the problems with the classic series and one of the reasons that each Doctor seems to go through 4 or 5 female companions is that while the initial writing for a new companion was strong, ultimately the character would devolve into a typical screaming "damsel in distress". It's why Mary Tamm, Elizabeth Sladen and a host of other really good companions left.

The reason that SJS gets so much love is that she was probably the first truly "modern" female companion - smart, tough, strong-willed and not just a dumb audience surrogate. She opened the door for really good female companions that followed like Leela, Romana and Ace.

Well damn. I thought I was done getting teary-eyed over Elisabeth Sladen's death.

oh well..

Good grief its just a tv show

booger42: Me and Sarah Jane, we had a special thing going.
Me and Sarah Jane

It was a time of joyful laughter, then became the pain.


Man...that really gets me down!

Snapper Carr: inkblot: As tragic her death is, I never understood the massive fandom she had during the 70s. She was just another "screamer" to me. No, worse than a "screamer" because the show initially pretended she was a feminist subversion of the typical DW companion. That's not Sladen's fault, but still.

One of the problems with the classic series and one of the reasons that each Doctor seems to go through 4 or 5 female companions is that while the initial writing for a new companion was strong, ultimately the character would devolve into a typical screaming "damsel in distress". It's why Mary Tamm, Elizabeth Sladen and a host of other really good companions left.

The reason that SJS gets so much love is that she was probably the first truly "modern" female companion - smart, tough, strong-willed and not just a dumb audience surrogate. She opened the door for really good female companions that followed like Leela, Romana and Ace.

I had seen some classic Who before, but, like a lot of Americans, really got introduced in 2005 and beyond. After seeing Sarah Jane during David Tennant's run, I went back to see some of her earlier stuff. She is immensely likable, and as several people have pointed out, defied the "eye candy who only gets into trouble" stereotype. Even in the new Who, it seems every female companion (except for Donna Noble) needs rescuing for most of their run. Rose became an independent entity during The Idiot's Lantern and beyond, so she was only a true companion for about six episodes. Martha Jones spend her time lusting after the Doctor until the final episode, but her later appearances worked well. Hell, even Amy Pond spent the first several episodes of her run getting kidnapped in the first part of the episode.

The best companions are those who actively assist the Doctor, and sometimes even saves him from himself. Sarah Jane, Donna Noble, late Amy Pond, and Rory Williams are excellent in this role.

/poor Donna
//"you want to mate? I don't think so, sunshine!"

whizbangthedirtfarmer: The best companions are those who actively assist the Doctor, and sometimes even saves him from himself. Sarah Jane, Donna Noble, late Amy Pond, and Rory Williams are excellent in this role.

Spoilers?

/Donna's still my favorite companion.

I watched my early Who in the mid 80s, and I loved the Sarah Jane years. They were fun. When School Reunion rolled around, I was as overcome with nostalgia as I was supposed to be (for K9's appearance as much as SJS). I am very sad that we lost two of my favorite Doctor Who characters this year. I wonder if any of the Doctor's upcoming stories will acknowledge her passing the way they did with the Brigadier.

Surool: I watched my early Who in the mid 80s, and I loved the Sarah Jane years. They were fun. When School Reunion rolled around, I was as overcome with nostalgia as I was supposed to be (for K9's appearance as much as SJS). I am very sad that we lost two of my favorite Doctor Who characters this year. I wonder if any of the Doctor's upcoming stories will acknowledge her passing the way they did with the Brigadier.

I really hope so. That was my favorite part of the season 6 finale.

/Love the Brigadier with the Third Doctor.
//Really wish he could've showed up some in Modern Who.

howdyyall9999: weirdneighbour: Who?

[penguinsix.com image 400x300]

Look at that Sarah. It's a Trollillbite...so rare to see them outside of captivity these days.

Oh, for Heavens sake, even *I* got the joke.
/They cast the name Troll so often, it's lost all meaning at this point

I recall someone saying that the Doctor should have had an envelope for the Brigadier in the finale - I agree with this, but it would have been a nice touch if he meant tho give Sarah Jane an envelope as well.

"To days to come. All my love to long ago"

showed the new Who

The Who died when Keith Moon passed away, man !

HopScotchNSoda: Surool: I wonder if any of the Doctor's upcoming stories will acknowledge her passing the way they did with the Brigadier.

Unlike the Brigadier, she received an "in memory of" caption at the start of the season premier, and a half-hour tribute documentory right afterwards.

When "The Impossible Astronaut" aired, I was fine with him not getting the retrospective special, as she was a current star, whereas he was - to the kids, anyway - just that old man who guest-starred once on her series. But, I was seethingly angry that he did not get the "in memory of" caption. Of course, I should not have doubted Mr. Moffat. Leaving him seemingly forgotten made the Doctor's phone call so much more unexpected and powerful.

I wasn't talking about the production acknowledging her passing, they did that. I was thinking as something that impacts the character of the Doctor to hear that a loved companion had passed away. The phone call about the Brigadier was a nice thought (as brief as it was), but Sarah Jane and the Doctor acted like an old married couple by the time they parted company. I would think her passing would have a noticeable impact on the Doctor... for at least an episode.

...and FYI, the tribute didn't air in the US.

HopScotchNSoda: Surool: I wonder if any of the Doctor's upcoming stories will acknowledge her passing the way they did with the Brigadier.


Unlike the Brigadier, she received an "in memory of" caption at the start of the season premier, and a half-hour tribute documentory right afterwards.

When "The Impossible Astronaut" aired, I was fine with him not getting the retrospective special, as she was a current star, whereas he was - to the kids, anyway - just that old man who guest-starred once on her series. But, I was seethingly angry that he did not get the "in memory of" caption. Of course, I should not have doubted Mr. Moffat. Leaving him seemingly forgotten made the Doctor's phone call so much more unexpected and powerful.

The phone call was a nice moment.

She even made K-9 and Company tolerable, So long, Liz. You will be missed.

Zombie DJ
howdyyall9999: weirdneighbour: Who?

[penguinsix.com image 400x300]

Look at that Sarah. It's a Trollillbite...so rare to see them outside of captivity these days.

Oh, for Heavens sake, even *I* got the joke.
/They cast the name Troll so often, it's lost all meaning at this point

Ha, thanks, no troll, just too much wine before noon on a day off

Tom Baker was my first Doctor, and Sarah was my first companion. The PBS station, at the time, was showing all these big hits from the BBC (Doctor Who, Monty Python, Benny Hill, etc) and I just latched onto it.

Goodbye, Sarah Jane

She was one of my first crushes and is part of the reason that as an adult I have only always been attracted to brunettes.

HopScotchNSoda: Adric is dead

... mmmmmm maaybee.

wait a year.

Surool:
I wasn't talking about the production acknowledging her passing, they did that. I was thinking as something that impacts the character of the Doctor to hear that a loved companion had passed away. The phone call about the Brigadier was a nice thought (as brief as it was), but Sarah Jane and the Doctor acted like an old married couple by the time they parted company. I would think her passing would have a noticeable impact on the Doctor... for at least an episode.


Problem with a show about a time traveler is that he's had a hundred episodes where she has been dead for millions of years, and episodes where she won't be born for hundreds of years.

To me the Brigadier line was a nice touch by the producers but, in story, almost meaningless. The Doctor could step into the Tardis and go back a week and say goodbye to him. Likewise any time the Doctor was more than a hundred years into the future he would have known the Brig was dead.

/On topic, Liz Sladen was hot.

hot

HopScotchNSoda: Confabulat: Surool: I would think her passing would have a noticeable impact on the Doctor... for at least an episode.

The actress died. Sarah Jane may still be very alive in the Whoniverse.


True. Actress Jennie Linden is dead, but Barbara Chesterton (nèe Wright) is alive and supposedly hasn't aged since the 1960s. Meanwhile, actors Matthew Waterhouse and Carole Ann Ford are alive, but Adric is dead and Susan Foreman is at least presumed by the Doctor to be dead. The final episode ended with her closing monologue from last year's season finale and a nice parting caption about "the story continues ... forever." Luke is off to university, but who will rear Sky if Sarah Jane is dead? Send her off to Uncle Brendon, Sarah Jane's foster brother / foster cousin from K-9 and Company?

Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart and Dr Harry Sullivan, however, died with their actors.

Actually, no. She's 71 and still alive. She was, however, not the TV Barbara Wright but the movie version. On TV, Barbara was played by Jacqueline Hill, who is, sadly, no longer with us (since 1993). But your point remains. Plenty of characters die and the actors remain, less often the actors die and the characters remain.

I'd hoped a proper tribute to Sarah Jane could be worked into a full episode of Doctor Who, but since there's a year or more of lag between scripting and production and next year is a partial, that may not be possible. Also it would be a little self-indulgent, unlike the understated farewell to The Brigadier from the most recent episode. Besides, it would be cooler to have some temporal accident make Sarah Jane live forever.

Maybe a clever sequence of clips and body doubles along with some storyline involving temporal shenanigans and Luke could end up having to take care of a drastically youthened Sarah Jane who still remembers being fully grown but also being only a teen. I'd say she could then be played by Jessica Ashworth, the actress who played Sarah Jane as a 13-year-old, although she's really 24 and has a show she's already doing. Or maybe less youthened, she could be played as a 20-something by Sadie Miller, who is Liz's real daughter and only 26. Liz was 27 when she started on Doctor Who, so Sadie could play Sarah Jane from before she first started adventuring with The Doctor.

HopScotchNSoda: Flint Ironstag: To me the Brigadier line was a nice touch by the producers but, in story, almost meaningless. The Doctor could step into the Tardis and go back a week and say goodbye to him. Likewise any time the Doctor was more than a hundred years into the future he would have known the Brig was dead.


A point which the Doctor ironically made only an instant before learning of the Brigadier's death, when he opined that he could visit Rose Tyler (who was by 2011 reconning, off in another universe and effectively dead in this universe) in her youth, and that Elizabeth I (who was by 2011 reconning, long, long dead) was still waiting in a glen for him.

I suppose that Mr. Moffat could say (if pressed) that the Brigadier's older and younger selves touching each other in "Mawdryn Undead" made further timetravel for him impossible or deadly or something, and thus his death in early 2011 negated his ability to go to Utah. Didn't the Doctor stop Rose from touching her infant self in "Father's Day"? Sarah Jane declined her unsuspecting parents' offer to hold her infant self in "The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith". Ace held her infant mother, but that's not a problem.

Rose did hold her infant self but the time line was already farked up by her saving her father. Causing the creaters (I forgot their names) to come and start killing everyone. When she held herself, one of the beings materialized inside the church.