School Reunion

I'm glad the village/Army base locations were ditched in favour of a school setting. Not only was this reminiscent of the very first story, AN UNEARTHLY CHILD, it fed into the childhood memories of everyone who was at school during the 70s like myself when Sarah and later K9 were regulars.

It was straight into the story, with The Doctor & Rose already in place at the school where alien intelligence was afoot. In the old days, they'd have taken the whole of the first episode to get there. Sarah Jane's career as an investigative reporter enabled her to get straight to the action. Her cynicism with Finch reminded me of her trip to Thinktank with Jellicoe & Winters in "ROBOT", Tom Baker's first story. Interesting that Ms Sladen attended the first readthrough of the Tennant Doctor with this. I've listened to the commentary where Phil Collinson says he wanted Sarah's first scene to be voice only. Funnily enough, I thought I spotted the back of Sarah's head in one of the scenes where Mickey was at the internet cafe.

And then the scene where The Doctor and Sarah meet. Of course, he can recognise her, but she can't recognise him. The dropping of his alias enabled to reveal she hadn't forgotten her most "uncommon" friend, but she still doesn't know. The scene where she sees the TARDIS again and turns to see the Tennant Doctor, realising who he is, were poetic.

In fact, given this was one 45 minute episode, there was a lot of ground to cover. Sarah felt dumped, waiting out for a visit that hadn't come - at least until the circumstances they now found themselves in.

It's true Sarah did have contact with The Doctor between 1976 & now. In K9 & CO she unwrapped the metal mutt and answered her own hope - "Oh Doctor, you didn't forget". Sarah met The Doctor again in THE FIVE DOCTORS. But it was mostly Jon Pertwee, so she couldn't have her issues out with him because her sudden departure hadn't happened yet. Good job Tom Baker didn't appear then after all - there would've been continuity problems with SCHOOL REUNION, or RTD & Co wouldn't have been able to tell part of the story. However, Sarah did catch a glimpse of the 5th Doctor and seen he'd moved on already with Tegan & Turlough, although she might have been so chuffed seeing Jon Pertwee again, any angry thoughts went out the window. That still leaves 23 years to get used to feeling dumped.

The producers have used the character of Sarah to tell a story about what happens when The Doctor moves on and leaves a travelling companion behind. As such, it applies equally well to all the other assistants and companions who left, voluntarily or involuntarily. And with Sarah & K9 compartmentalised again, this could be it where returning companions are concerned.

The "ex" thing is a metaphor, in that it plays as serious drama that can be applied to all relationships. While confirming the belief of some fans who think The Doctor does sometimes get off with his companions.

In some ways it was a greater link with the old series to feature an actress & actor from the original series in the same roles than it was to bring back or redesign an existing monster. There seems to be a greater acknowledgement this series, now new WHO is an established hit, that it has a history.

Of course Sarah's appearance had implications for the current and future set-up. It's interesting that in the first episode Rose dumped Mickey to join The Doctor, thinking she was the one and only. Now she realises she's the "latest in a long line". One of her predecessors then encourages her ex to join Rose and The Doctor - whom Rose now must realise isn't going to be around forever.

I think the overall journey arc for Rose is going to be of her rediscovering what was at home all the time (especially if Jackie dies, as rumoured elsewhere). A kind of modern day Dorothy from WIZARD OF OZ. Mickey is coming closer to her again and I reckon she'll go back with him at the end of all this.

The trade-off between Sarah & Rose was funny and perfectly understandable and leaves you wondering why they didn't attempt it in the original series. When they share notes on The Doctor stroking the TARDIS, it had me in stitches. In fact the humour was spot-on - Mickey graduating from tin dog (or Tin Man) status by the conclusion.

There was a lot of speculation as to whether Anthony Head was going to play The Master. On the surface, he didn't - although I noticed a close-up where the letters "HEAD" were missing, just leaving "MASTER" in frame.

School dinners are topical. What happened to some of the children doesn't bear dwelling on for a family audience and they didn't - treating these scenes with a lightness of touch found in, for example, THE DEMON HEADMASTER.

The way it ended played like the final curtain for Sarah in DR WHO, which was touching but also sad. But this was always the intended power of the episode. More a case of Friends Reunited, But Then This Really Is It.

However, I hope both Sarah (investigative reporter with experience of alien phenomena) & K9 (alien artefact) make it to TORCHWOOD.