Until Next Time…Miss Smith: There is a genuine feeling of
this being a fresh start for Sarah, Josh and Nat and everybody seems perked up by
the news that Miss Winters and Harris have been removed from their lives for
good. She wouldn’t wish death on anybody but she is relieved that the nightmare
is over. Ever since the news broke Sarah has been hounded by journalists of the
good (those that leave you alone) and bad (those that rummage through your
litter and hound you incessantly) variety. Elisabeth Sladen is playing the part
with much less anger this year, this is a Sarah Jane Smith more akin to that of
the TV series with a zest for life and a lust for adventure. She’s living out
of a caravan which she loves, Sarah can think of much better things to spend
her inheritance on than a fat mortgage. She’s spent too many years looking over
her shoulder and she doesn’t have to do that anymore and she also feels that
she has done her bit and now enjoys funding over peoples good work. It is easy
to see how Sarah moved from this series to the Sarah Jane Adventures now (if
you want to wrap this all up in the same continuing story). I couldn’t reconcile
the unlikable version of her character from season one with the Sarah Jane of
her own show but I would go as far as to say that as presented here she is less
prickly than she appeared in Invasion of the Bane. Perhaps something happened
between now and then to turn her into the lonely recluse she appears to be when
Maria moves onto Bannermen Road. I can’t wait to see what.
Jubilant Josh: Josh has quit another job (that’s six in two
years) because nothing quite lives up to his work with SJ. Now it’s Josh who is
paranoid and thinking that everybody has an ulterior motive. Sarah describes
him as a rough diamond that means well and you can tell she enjoys having him
watching over her even if she publicly states the contrary. Sarah knows he
misses the way things were but she insists that he has to find his own way of
making a difference. This is the second time Josh has taken a life to protect
Sarah and she thanks him for always having her back.
Natty: Nat is making a new life for herself, taking herself
back to school abroad and letting a man into her life. It is so nice to hear
Nat laughing and enjoying the company of her friends, it felt like she was
constantly in a bad mood all the time in the first year and there was very
little to actually like about her (beyond her resourcefulness). Discovering her
new fella has been using her the whole time to get to Sarah has got to stick in
the craw a bit, though.
Standout Performance: To match the new, confident tone of
the series John Ainsworth casts two terrific actors in the shape of Tom Chadbon
and Jacqueline Pearce in the roles of ally and enemy for Sarah. Chadbon quickly
develops a pleasant chemistry with Sladen and Pearce’s husky tones ensure that
she is still the perfect choice for an effective villainess. I can’t wait to
hear more from her.
Sparkling Dialogue: ‘He once told me that he liked to call
women “old girl” just to see their nostrils flare!’
Great Ideas: The worlds first space flight for tourists is
about to launch, the maiden voyage of the Dauntless has been pushed
forward. This gives you an idea of how far ahead David Bishop was thinking,
setting up his final story of the season before the first one is even underway.
The Medici project has already found evidence that challenges previously
accepted history of Renaissance Italy. Introducing Will Sullivan is a lovely
touch, Harry’s brother who he used to tell the most extraordinary stories to
when he came home from shore leave. Harry never mentioned Will but then he was
never big on revealing his feelings or much about his personal life. Will is
about to spend the summer working on the ice for a British research team (story
two sorted), one that Sarah just happens to be helping fund for the purposes of
limiting the damaging effects of global warming. Clearly Bishop was looking for
a new broom approach and so swiftly cuts Hilda Winters out of the series, a
news report discussing her death in the opening scenes. A shame that the series
should go to such lengths to build her up as a continuing threat in the first
series only to abandon that approach in the second but I do understand why the
writer would prefer to create his own original villain rather than continuing the
work of somebody else (I prefer originality over nostalgia for the most part).
Proving that Bishop’s instincts are spot on, the scene where Sarah receives a
letter from Miss Winters from beyond the grave warning her about an imminent
threat gave me goosebumps. Sarah recognises her handwriting because Miss
Winters sent her regular letters from prison. The Exemplar Crass contains
several predictions which is why it is called The Book of Tomorrows, a very
specific forecast of the future. An apocalyptic event to take place in
contemporary times. I love the idea of as Doomsday Cult stretching across the
world and back through time, obsessing over the scribblings of a prophet. It’s
the sort of premise that the recent HBO series The Following is built upon, where
nobody can be trusted because anybody could be a member of the cult. The
amusing notion that mankind’s development has been aided by alien intervention
is mocked by Josh but as fans of the show it is something that we know to be
true, at least within Doctor Who continuity. Over the years two different
interpretations have emerged about what was written in the journal, one half
believes that aliens will taken them away to a better life (the White Chapter)
and the other half think the aliens are coming to wipe them out (the Crimson
Chapter). The Cult were the ones responsible for funding Miss Winters
activities in the previous season and who wiped out all evidence of her
machinations when she failed to destroy to Sarah’s life. This ties up the two
seasons whilst still letting Bishop do his own thing. Very clever. Pages of the
journal list the name Sarah, a woman who arrived in past and carrying with her
the wisdom of the future – a seer from the future. If you think about how many
times Sarah travelled backwards in time that far then the central villain of
the series can be determined. I love how this ties into her trip to San Martino
in The Masque of Mandragora, it is a very clever way of working in Doctor Who
continuity but allowing this series to stand independent and pick up the pieces
of Sarah’s travels in the TARDIS.
Audio Landscape: Radio broadcast, ringing telephone,
birdsong, traffic, taxi, walking on gravel, crackling electrics, a café
environment.
Musical Cues: I think I preferred the original theme tune
for the series because it suggested a much darker, sinister range but there is
nothing technically wrong with the new theme. In fact it sounds remarkably like
a slower version of the Jago & Litefoot title music. The atmosphere music
in the Italian restaurant feels authentic.
Isn’t it Odd: Harris is dead which is a shame because he was
a memorable nasty. I don’t think the twist that Luca is working for the
Doomsday Cult came as any great surprise to anyone. Who else could it be?
Standout Scene: Sarah’s anniversary dinner with Harry is
loaded with emotion because Sarah’s nostalgic discussion of her time travelling
with him and working with UNIT is merged with Sladen’s wistful reminiscence of
Ian Marter. Sarah and Harry used to meet in the same restaurant every year to
chew over old times and she still makes the rendezvous every year, hoping that
he will turn up full of bluff and bluster. She always thought of him as the big
brother she never had.
Result: Season two of Sarah Jane Smith immediately feels
more assured. With one writer and one director responsible for the entire set
of stories it feels like there is a clear vision for the range and this story
kicks off things in the style of a Russell T Davies season opener (before its
time); breezy, exciting, characterful and hugely entertaining. Buried Secrets
captures the tone and pace of The DaVinci Code long before it was
released, sending Sarah to Florence to uncover a mystery of the past that
threatens to have a profound effect on the present day. At the same time David
Bishop cleverly sets up all of the other stories in this sequence (mentions of
a research expedition to Antarctica, animal rights activists and the launch of
a space shuttle for tourists), merging the four individual stories into a
tetrology, with one set of villains watching over and manipulating Sarah’s
activities and waiting to make their move. Elisabeth Sladen pushes the
character away from the paranoid soul of the first series into somebody that it
is altogether much easier to take pleasure in spending time with and her
interaction with Josh and Nat has never been more enjoyable. With the
introduction of impressive performers like Tom Chadbon and Jacqueline Pearce
the series is really starting to make a name for itself. After listening to
Buried Secrets I have nothing but confidence for the rest of the second year.
Season one had great fun offering up a sequel (of sorts) to Robot but series
two is doing something much more interesting with Doctor Who continuity. This
is a remarkably easy adventure to enjoy and whilst I’m sure Bishop and
Ainsworth worked very hard to beat the series into shape, they make it look
effortless: 8/10
4 comments:
I gave this a re-listen over the weekend in anticipation for your review. Sarah's conversation with Harry is completely heartbreaking. Beautifully played by Elisabeth Sladen.
P.s. I might give 'The Following' a go, sounds right up my alley. Do you recommend it?
It is absolutely superb, Audrey. Anybody who enjoys a taut thriller serial where not a single word is wasted should find it a treat.
One day Joe will get to the rest of this series...
One day...
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