The Sarah Jane Adventures
Encyclopedia
The Sarah Jane Adventures is a British science fiction television
series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC
, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen
. The programme is a spin-off of the long-running BBC
science fiction programme
Doctor Who
and focuses on the adventures of Sarah Jane Smith
, a middle-aged investigative journalist who, in her youth, had numerous adventures across time and space. The series debuted on BBC One
with a 60-minute special, entitled "Invasion of the Bane
", on 1 January 2007. A full series of ten 25-minute episodes followed, beginning on 24 September 2007. The first series consisted of five two-part stories, and a second series, comprising six two-part stories, began airing on 29 September 2008. A third series, once again comprising six two-part stories to make a total of twelve episodes, with Russell T Davies serving as executive producer, aired from 15 October 2009 to 20 November 2009.
The fourth series aired from 11 October 2010. Another spin-off series, Sarah Jane's Alien Files
, was shown concurrently with each of the first episodes of the stories. Filming for three of six two-part serials planned for the fifth series was completed prior to Elisabeth Sladen
's death on 19 April 2011. Although some UK media, including the Sun, reported in early May 2011 that production of the series was to continue, the BBC has stated explicitly that no further episodes will be filmed. The fifth series was broadcast starting 3 October 2011 on Mondays and Tuesdays. It finished just two weeks later on 18 October 2011.
The Sarah Jane Adventures was nominated for a British Academy Children's Award in 2008 in the Drama category, and once again in 2009 for a BAFTA Cymru
, in Children's Drama. The programme won a Royal Television Society
2010 award for Best Children's Drama.
, on Gallifrey
inventing sonic screwdriver
s, takes away from the mystery and intrigue of who he is and where he came from," said Davies. He suggested instead a series based on the Doctor's former companion
Sarah Jane Smith.
The character of Sarah Jane Smith, played by Sladen, appeared in Doctor Who from 1973 to 1976, alongside Jon Pertwee
as the Third Doctor
and later Tom Baker
as the Fourth Doctor
. A pilot episode for another Doctor Who spin-off series, K-9 and Company
, made in 1981, featured Sarah Jane and the robot dog K-9
; however, a full series was never commissioned. Sarah Jane and K-9 returned to Doctor Who in various media many times over the years, most notably in the 20th anniversary special The Five Doctors
(1983), and in episodes "School Reunion
" (2006), "The Stolen Earth
" (2008), "Journey's End
" (2008) and The End of Time
(2010).
Sarah Jane is frequently voted the most popular Doctor Who companion by both Doctor Who fans and members of the general public.
The prospect of a new television series focusing on Sarah Jane was first rumoured in The Sun
in March 2006, prior to the airing of "School Reunion"; the report at that time suggested that Sarah Jane and K-9 would both appear in the series. The fact that a Sarah Jane series was being developed was first confirmed in the BBC's in-house newsletter, Ariel, in early August 2006. These early rumours were associated with the working title Sarah Jane Investigates.
K-9's only appearances in the show's first two series were a cameo in the special and an appearance in the last episode of the first series. This was due to the concurrent development of the independently produced children's series, K-9, which features a remodelled version of K-9 with only indirect nods to Doctor Who. However, in 2009 the canine robot appeared with the Sarah Jane Adventures cast in a sketch for Comic Relief
, and K-9 appeared in 6 episodes of the third series.
and New Captain Scarlet
writer Phil Ford
wrote two stories and Phil Gladwin
wrote one. Creator and executive producer Russell T Davies was going to write one story but was forced to drop out due to other work commitments.
began broadcasting The Sarah Jane Adventures with "Invasion of the Bane
" on 13 January 2008, airing the rest of the series back-to-back on Sundays thereafter.
The South African channel SABC 2
started airing the series beginning on 9 February 2008. The Hong Kong channel ATV World
, which has also aired Doctor Who
and Torchwood
, aired this series starting 17 February 2008. The first series began airing on Sci Fi
in the USA beginning on 11 April 2008, but this is the only season broadcast on American television as of Summer 2010, though later seasons have continued to be released on DVD in America without a prior television broadcast. In Australia, The Sarah Jane Adventures started on 31 October 2008 on Nickelodeon Australia
. It also screens in New Zealand on Nickelodeon New Zealand and in Belgium on KETNET.
as Maria Jackson
, Sarah Jane's 13-year-old neighbour (in Ealing
, London) and Tommy Knight
as a boy named Luke, who is adopted by Sarah Jane at the conclusion of the introductory story. The third member of Sarah Jane's young entourage is 14-year-old called Clyde Langer
, played by Daniel Anthony
, who is introduced in the first episode of the proper series. Porsha Lawrence Mavour plays Maria's friend, Kelsey Harper, in the special. Maria and her family are written out of the series in the first story of the second series, The Last Sontaran
, but Maria and her father return briefly in the second part of The Mark of the Berserker
. In the second story of that series, The Day of the Clown
, several new regular cast members are introduced: Rani Chandra
and her parents, Haresh, and Gita (played by Anjli Mohindra
, Ace Bhatti
, and Mina Anwar
, respectively).
Joseph Millson
appears throughout the first series as Maria's recently separated father, Alan, with Chrissie Jackson, Maria's mother, played by Juliet Cowan
. One other regular is Alexander Armstrong
of comedy duo Armstrong and Miller
, who provides the voice of Mr Smith
, an extraterrestrial computer in Sarah Jane's attic.
The 2007 special featured Samantha Bond as the scheming villain Mrs Wormwood and Jamie Davis
as her PR agent Davey. The first series included among its guest cast Jane Asher
as Sarah Jane's childhood friend Andrea Yates, Floella Benjamin
as Professor Rivers, who returned in Series 2, Series 3 and Series 5, and Phyllida Law
as Bea Nelson-Stanley. The second series guest starred Bradley Walsh as an evil alien clown in the story The Day of the Clown
and Russ Abbot
as a sinister astrologer in Secrets of the Stars
. Also appearing in the second series were Gary Beadle
and Jocelyn Jee Esien
, who portrayed Clyde's parents Paul and Carla in The Mark of the Berserker
; Esien reprised her role briefly in Series 4 and more prominently in series 5. Nicholas Courtney
guest starred in Enemy of the Bane
as classic Doctor Who character Sir Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, and Samantha Bond also reprises her role as Wormwood for the episode.
The original executive producers for The Sarah Jane Adventures were Phil Collinson
, Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner
. Susie Liggat
produced the pilot, but Matthew Bouch worked as producer of the series. Co-writer Gareth Roberts
, writing in Doctor Who Magazine, said, "We're all determined that this will be a big, full-blooded drama; that nobody should ever think of it as 'just' a children's programme." Sue Nott was the executive producer of the second series for CBBC
.
In December 2007, the BBC released a statement that Julie Gardner
would be replaced by Piers Wenger
as Executive Producer for Doctor Who in January 2009, but that she would continue to executive-produce Torchwood
and The Sarah Jane Adventures through 2008.
The fourth series in 2010 was executive-produced by Russell T Davies and Nikki Wilson, and the producers were Brian Minchin and frequent writer Phil Ford. This team remained in place for the completed episodes of Series 5. The show's abbreviated fifth and final series features a new main character named Sky, played by Sinead Michael
.
Numerous others have been referenced in dialogue. Several former companions of the Doctor are referenced in the story Death of the Doctor.
", which was co-written by Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts. Though it may have appeared so to the viewing audience, "Bane" was not a pilot. Instead, it was a holiday special. Nevertheless, because of the atypical broadcast order – holiday specials in Britain typically air after the regular run of the series to which they're attached – the story had many conventional introductory elements common to pilots. Creator Russell T Davies has commented upon the exceptional broadcast situation, saying "Sarah Jane Adventures is slightly unusual in that it was commissioned before we'd written the script. If we'd written a load of rubbish, they'd still have had to make it." He refers to "Invasion of the Bane" simply as the "first episode". The story focused on Sarah Jane's investigation of a popular and addictive soft drink called Bubble Shock!.
Series one of the show aired in September of that year, consisting of five two-part half-hour stories. Individual half-hour episodes aired once a week on BBC One
, with episodes airing a week ahead on children's digital channel CBBC
. The final part aired in November 2007. The second season started in September 2008 using the same format, with six stories instead of five, ending the season in December. The third season started 15 October 2009, twice weekly (Thursdays and Fridays) on BBC One from 15 October to 20 November.
Due to the illness of Elisabeth Sladen, and her subsequent death on 19 April 2011, filming for the second half of the fifth series, which was due to air in the autumn of 2011, was postponed and later cancelled. Filming for three stories of the fifth season had been completed. The final series started to aired from 3 October to 18 October 2011 on CBBC and ended with a tribute to Elisabeth Sladen in the form of a video montage of scenes from SJA and Doctor Who.
wrote: "With the debate about the future of children’s TV still rumbling on, this is what the BBC does best, and despite lacking the production values of Doctor Who, it’s still top tea-time programming."
In 2008, The Sarah Jane Adventures was nominated for a British Academy Children's Award (Children's BAFTA) in the Drama category. In 2009, the series was nominated for a BAFTA Cymru
award in the Children's Drama category.
The 2009 Comic Relief special achieved a rating of 8.3 million.
s, and a 'Sonic Lipstick' toy. Four 2-figure sets have been released: Sarah Jane and Star Poet; Sarah Jane and General Kudlak; Sarah Jane and Child Slitheen and Sarah Jane and Graske. Also released are Sarah Jane's Sonic Lipstick with Watch Scanner and Alien Communicator. Character Options have now discontinued the range due to lack of customer interest.
, read by Anjli Mohindra
this episode was made especially for the Monster Hunt game on the Sarah Jane Adventures website. Both parts can only be downloaded by finding aliens around the Sarah Jane Adventures Website.
The November 2011 releases were read by Daniel Anthony and Anjili Mohindra after the death of Elisabeth Sladen. It is unclear if these will be the last stories, ending with the series, or if they will carry on after series 5 has ended.
British television science fiction
British television science fiction began when the broadcast medium was in its infancy. Despite an occasionally chequered history, popular programmes in the genre have been produced by both the BBC and the largest commercial channel, ITV...
series, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
, created by Russell T Davies and starring Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades, both on...
. The programme is a spin-off of the long-running BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
science fiction programme
Science fiction on television
Science fiction first appeared on a television program during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Special effects and other production techniques allow creators to present a living visual image of an imaginary world not limited by the constraints of reality; this makes television an excellent medium...
Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
and focuses on the adventures of Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah Jane Smith
Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running British BBC Television science-fiction series Doctor Who and its spin-offs K-9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures....
, a middle-aged investigative journalist who, in her youth, had numerous adventures across time and space. The series debuted on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
with a 60-minute special, entitled "Invasion of the Bane
Invasion of the Bane
-Sladen and Doctor Who:Elisabeth Sladen, who previously played Sarah Jane between 1973 and 1976. In 1981, she was offered the role again to ease the transition between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, which she declined, but agreed to star in the pilot for the spin-off series K-9 and Company, which...
", on 1 January 2007. A full series of ten 25-minute episodes followed, beginning on 24 September 2007. The first series consisted of five two-part stories, and a second series, comprising six two-part stories, began airing on 29 September 2008. A third series, once again comprising six two-part stories to make a total of twelve episodes, with Russell T Davies serving as executive producer, aired from 15 October 2009 to 20 November 2009.
The fourth series aired from 11 October 2010. Another spin-off series, Sarah Jane's Alien Files
Sarah Jane's Alien Files
Sarah Jane's Alien Files is a BBC series based on The Sarah Jane Adventures. It features Sarah Jane Smith, Luke Smith, Clyde Langer and Rani Chandra entering data on aliens they have encountered during their adventures, into Mr Smith, Sarah Jane's extraterrestrial computer, to benefit humanity in...
, was shown concurrently with each of the first episodes of the stories. Filming for three of six two-part serials planned for the fifth series was completed prior to Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Sladen
Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades, both on...
's death on 19 April 2011. Although some UK media, including the Sun, reported in early May 2011 that production of the series was to continue, the BBC has stated explicitly that no further episodes will be filmed. The fifth series was broadcast starting 3 October 2011 on Mondays and Tuesdays. It finished just two weeks later on 18 October 2011.
The Sarah Jane Adventures was nominated for a British Academy Children's Award in 2008 in the Drama category, and once again in 2009 for a BAFTA Cymru
BAFTA Cymru
BAFTA Cymru is the Welsh branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.Formed in 1991, they hold an annual awards ceremony to recognise achievement by performers and production staff in Welsh-made films and television programmes...
, in Children's Drama. The programme won a Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
2010 award for Best Children's Drama.
Background and development
In 2006, Children's BBC expressed an interest in producing a Doctor Who spin-off. Their initial idea was "a drama based on the idea of a young Doctor Who", but Russell T Davies vetoed this. "Somehow, the idea of a fourteen-year-old DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
, on Gallifrey
Gallifrey
Gallifrey is a fictional planet in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who and is the homeworld of the Doctor and the Time Lords...
inventing sonic screwdriver
Sonic screwdriver
The sonic screwdriver is a fictional tool in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spinoffs. It is a multifunctional tool used by The Doctor. Its most common function is that of a lockpick, but can be used to perform other operations such as performing medical scans,...
s, takes away from the mystery and intrigue of who he is and where he came from," said Davies. He suggested instead a series based on the Doctor's former companion
Companion (Doctor Who)
In the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, the term "companion" refers to a character who travels with, and shares the adventures of the Doctor. In most Doctor Who stories, the primary companion acts as both deuteragonist and audience surrogate...
Sarah Jane Smith.
The character of Sarah Jane Smith, played by Sladen, appeared in Doctor Who from 1973 to 1976, alongside Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
as the Third Doctor
Third Doctor
The Third Doctor is the third incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee....
and later Tom Baker
Tom Baker
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Baker is a British actor. He is best known for playing the fourth incarnation of the Doctor in the science fiction television series Doctor Who, a role he played from 1974 to 1981.-Early life:...
as the Fourth Doctor
Fourth Doctor
The Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
. A pilot episode for another Doctor Who spin-off series, K-9 and Company
K-9 and Company
K-9 and Company was a proposed television spin-off of the original programme run of Doctor Who . It was to feature former series regulars Sarah Jane Smith, an investigative journalist played by Elisabeth Sladen, and K-9, a robotic dog. Both characters had been companions of the Fourth Doctor, but...
, made in 1981, featured Sarah Jane and the robot dog K-9
K-9 (Doctor Who)
K-9, or K9, is the name of several fictional robotic canines in the long-running British science fiction television series, Doctor Who, first appearing in 1977...
; however, a full series was never commissioned. Sarah Jane and K-9 returned to Doctor Who in various media many times over the years, most notably in the 20th anniversary special The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors
The Five Doctors is a special feature-length episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, produced in celebration of the programme's twentieth anniversary. It had its world premiere in the United States, on the Chicago PBS station WTTW and various other PBS member stations...
(1983), and in episodes "School Reunion
School Reunion (Doctor Who)
"School Reunion" is the third episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It first aired on 29 April 2006. The episode's narrative takes place some time after the events of "The Christmas Invasion"...
" (2006), "The Stolen Earth
The Stolen Earth
"The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story; the concluding episode is...
" (2008), "Journey's End
Journey's End (Doctor Who)
"Journey's End" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who first broadcast on BBC One on 5 July 2008. It is the second episode of a two-part crossover story featuring the characters of spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane...
" (2008) and The End of Time
The End of Time
The End of Time: The Next Revolution in Our Understanding of the Universe, also sold with the alternate subtitle The Next Revolution in Physics, is a 1999 science book in which the author Julian Barbour argues that time exists merely as an illusion.-Auto-biography:The book begins by describing how...
(2010).
Sarah Jane is frequently voted the most popular Doctor Who companion by both Doctor Who fans and members of the general public.
The prospect of a new television series focusing on Sarah Jane was first rumoured in The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
in March 2006, prior to the airing of "School Reunion"; the report at that time suggested that Sarah Jane and K-9 would both appear in the series. The fact that a Sarah Jane series was being developed was first confirmed in the BBC's in-house newsletter, Ariel, in early August 2006. These early rumours were associated with the working title Sarah Jane Investigates.
K-9's only appearances in the show's first two series were a cameo in the special and an appearance in the last episode of the first series. This was due to the concurrent development of the independently produced children's series, K-9, which features a remodelled version of K-9 with only indirect nods to Doctor Who. However, in 2009 the canine robot appeared with the Sarah Jane Adventures cast in a sketch for Comic Relief
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is an operating British charity, founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia. The highlight of Comic Relief's appeal is Red Nose Day, a biennial telethon held in March, alternating with sister project Sport Relief...
, and K-9 appeared in 6 episodes of the third series.
Production
Production on the full series began in April 2007. Two of the five two-part stories were scripted by the special's co-writer Gareth Roberts. Bad GirlsBad Girls (TV series)
Bad Girls is an award-winning British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1999 to 2006. It is produced by Shed Productions, the company which later produced Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road...
and New Captain Scarlet
Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet
Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet is a United Kingdom-produced computer-generated imagery action-adventure TV series which debuted in February 2005 as part of the Ministry of Mayhem on ITV....
writer Phil Ford
Phil Ford (writer)
Phil Ford is a British television writer. He was the head writer for the second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, broadcast in 2008, and wrote "The Waters of Mars", one of the 2009 special episodes of Doctor Who, with Russell T Davies.-Television:...
wrote two stories and Phil Gladwin
Phil Gladwin
Phil Gladwin is a television writer and script editor. He was born in Grimsby in 1963.- Written Work :* Grange Hill* The Bill** Soft Talking - 2000** Real Crime - 2001** Eye of the Lens - 2001** Liquid City - 2001** 006 - 2002** 057 - 2002...
wrote one. Creator and executive producer Russell T Davies was going to write one story but was forced to drop out due to other work commitments.
International broadcast
The BBC's children's channel CBBCCBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
began broadcasting The Sarah Jane Adventures with "Invasion of the Bane
Invasion of the Bane
-Sladen and Doctor Who:Elisabeth Sladen, who previously played Sarah Jane between 1973 and 1976. In 1981, she was offered the role again to ease the transition between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, which she declined, but agreed to star in the pilot for the spin-off series K-9 and Company, which...
" on 13 January 2008, airing the rest of the series back-to-back on Sundays thereafter.
The South African channel SABC 2
SABC 2
SABC 2 is a South African television channel owned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation . SABC 2 broadcasts programming in English, Afrikaans, Venda, and Tsonga.It was created in 1996, after the SABC restructured its television channels...
started airing the series beginning on 9 February 2008. The Hong Kong channel ATV World
ATV World
ATV World , is one of the free-to-air English language television channels in Hong Kong, the other being its arch-rival TVB Pearl. Its sister station, ATV Home, broadcasts in Cantonese language...
, which has also aired Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
and Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
, aired this series starting 17 February 2008. The first series began airing on Sci Fi
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
in the USA beginning on 11 April 2008, but this is the only season broadcast on American television as of Summer 2010, though later seasons have continued to be released on DVD in America without a prior television broadcast. In Australia, The Sarah Jane Adventures started on 31 October 2008 on Nickelodeon Australia
Nickelodeon Australia
Nickelodeon is the Australian counterpart of the Nickelodeon network in the United States. It is operated by a joint venture of XYZnetworks and MTV Networks Australia.-History:...
. It also screens in New Zealand on Nickelodeon New Zealand and in Belgium on KETNET.
Cast and crew
In addition to Sladen, the first series of the programme stars Yasmin PaigeYasmin Paige
Yasmin Paige is an English actress who is best known for her role as Maria in The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off from the BBC science fiction television programme Doctor Who. Having acted and modelled since the age of four, she made her screen debut in the 2003 film Wondrous Oblivion...
as Maria Jackson
Maria Jackson
Maria Jackson is a fictional character played by Yasmin Paige in the British children's science fiction television programme The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who. She is a 14-year-old girl who discovers that her new neighbour, Sarah Jane Smith, is aware of...
, Sarah Jane's 13-year-old neighbour (in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, London) and Tommy Knight
Tommy Knight
Thomas 'Tommy' Lawrence Knight is an English actor best known for playing Luke Smith in The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Personal life:...
as a boy named Luke, who is adopted by Sarah Jane at the conclusion of the introductory story. The third member of Sarah Jane's young entourage is 14-year-old called Clyde Langer
Clyde Langer
Clyde Langer is a fictional character played by Daniel Anthony in the British children's science fiction television programme The Sarah Jane Adventures...
, played by Daniel Anthony
Daniel Anthony (actor)
Daniel Jevoughn Anthony is a British television, musical theatre and voice actor. He has appeared in several television shows as minor recurring or regular roles and is known for his role as Clyde Langer in the Doctor Who spin-off programme The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Biography:Daniel Anthony was...
, who is introduced in the first episode of the proper series. Porsha Lawrence Mavour plays Maria's friend, Kelsey Harper, in the special. Maria and her family are written out of the series in the first story of the second series, The Last Sontaran
The Last Sontaran
The Last Sontaran is the first story of Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures and is a continuation of events from Doctor Who two-part story "The Sontaran Strategem" and "The Poison Sky"...
, but Maria and her father return briefly in the second part of The Mark of the Berserker
The Mark of the Berserker
The Mark of the Berserker is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 10 November 2008. It is the fourth serial of the second series...
. In the second story of that series, The Day of the Clown
The Day of the Clown
The Day of the Clown is the second story of Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures The two-part serial was broadcast on 6 October and 13 October 2008; "Part One" on the CBBC Channel at 5.15 p.m. on 6 October; "Part Two" on the CBBC Channel at 5.15 p.m. on 13 October...
, several new regular cast members are introduced: Rani Chandra
Rani Chandra (The Sarah Jane Adventures)
Rani Chandra is a fictional character played by Anjli Mohindra in the British children's science fiction television programme The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who...
and her parents, Haresh, and Gita (played by Anjli Mohindra
Anjli Mohindra
Anjli Mohindra is an English actress from West Bridgford, Nottingham, best known for her role in The Sarah Jane Adventures as Rani Chandra.-Biography:...
, Ace Bhatti
Ace Bhatti
Ahsen Rafiq "Ace" Bhatti is a British actor who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He has starred in numerous television series, including New Street Law, Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee, The Sarah Jane Adventures as Haresh Chandra and in EastEnders playing Yusef...
, and Mina Anwar
Mina Anwar
Mina Anwar is a British actress.-Early life:Anwar was educated at Accrington Moorhead Sports College, and gained an A level in Theatre in Performance at the Accrington and Rossendale College in 1988 before training at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London.-Acting career:She played Police...
, respectively).
Joseph Millson
Joseph Millson
Joseph Millson is an English actor and singer. He trained at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in Sidcup.-Theatre:* The Lifted Veil at the National * Pillars of the Community at the National...
appears throughout the first series as Maria's recently separated father, Alan, with Chrissie Jackson, Maria's mother, played by Juliet Cowan
Juliet Cowan
-Career:She may be recognizable to fans of ITV1 cop drama The Bill when she guest starred in over 20 episodes as Julie Saunders, the mother of the boy who accused PC Tony Stamp of sexual assault...
. One other regular is Alexander Armstrong
Alexander Armstrong (comedian)
Alexander Henry Fenwick Armstrong is a British comedian, actor and television presenter.-Early life and career:Armstrong was born in Rothbury, Northumberland, the youngest of three children, to Henry Angus Armstrong and his wife Emma Virginia Peronnet Thompson-McCausland, daughter of Lucius...
of comedy duo Armstrong and Miller
Armstrong and Miller (comedians)
Armstrong and Miller are a British standup comedy double act consisting of the actor-comedians Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller. They have performed in two eponymous television sketch shows, the satirical Timeghost podcast, and many individual television appearances.-Radio show:Armstrong and...
, who provides the voice of Mr Smith
Mr Smith (The Sarah Jane Adventures)
Mr Smith is a fictional extraterrestrial computer voiced by Alexander Armstrong which appears in the British children's science fiction television series, The Sarah Jane Adventures, with further minor appearances in the final two episodes of the fourth series of Doctor Who...
, an extraterrestrial computer in Sarah Jane's attic.
The 2007 special featured Samantha Bond as the scheming villain Mrs Wormwood and Jamie Davis
Jamie Davis
For the American singer of the same name, see Jamie Davis .Jamie Davis is an English actor. He is known for playing Harley Lawson in Footballers' Wives and its spin-off, Footballers' Wives: Extra Time, Leon Taylor in Hex and Alex Partridge in "Candy Cabs".-Biography:Davis was born and brought up...
as her PR agent Davey. The first series included among its guest cast Jane Asher
Jane Asher
Jane Asher is an English actress. She has also developed a second career as a cake decorator and cake shop proprietor.-Early life:...
as Sarah Jane's childhood friend Andrea Yates, Floella Benjamin
Floella Benjamin
Floella Karen Yunies Benjamin, Baroness Benjamin OBE DL is a British actress, author, television presenter, businesswoman and politician...
as Professor Rivers, who returned in Series 2, Series 3 and Series 5, and Phyllida Law
Phyllida Law
-Personal life:Law was born in Glasgow, the daughter of William and Megsie Law, who divorced after World War II. She was married to Eric Thompson from 1957 until his death in 1982. Their two children Emma and Sophie Thompson are both actresses...
as Bea Nelson-Stanley. The second series guest starred Bradley Walsh as an evil alien clown in the story The Day of the Clown
The Day of the Clown
The Day of the Clown is the second story of Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures The two-part serial was broadcast on 6 October and 13 October 2008; "Part One" on the CBBC Channel at 5.15 p.m. on 6 October; "Part Two" on the CBBC Channel at 5.15 p.m. on 13 October...
and Russ Abbot
Russ Abbot
Russ Abbot is an English musician, comedian and actor who first came to public notice during the 1970s as the singer and drummer with British comedy showband the Black Abbots, later forging a prominent solo career as a television comedian with his own weekly show on British television.Continuing...
as a sinister astrologer in Secrets of the Stars
Secrets of the Stars
Secrets of the Stars is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 20 and 27 October 2008. It is the third serial of the second series.-Part 1:...
. Also appearing in the second series were Gary Beadle
Gary Beadle
Gary Beadle is an English actor, best known for playing Paul Trueman in EastEnders and Gary Barwick in Operation Good Guys....
and Jocelyn Jee Esien
Jocelyn Jee Esien
Jocelyn Jee Esien is a Black British comedian, of Nigerian origin, perhaps best known for her part in the hidden camera show 3 Non Blondes, and her own comedy sketch show, Little Miss Jocelyn.-Biography:...
, who portrayed Clyde's parents Paul and Carla in The Mark of the Berserker
The Mark of the Berserker
The Mark of the Berserker is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 10 November 2008. It is the fourth serial of the second series...
; Esien reprised her role briefly in Series 4 and more prominently in series 5. Nicholas Courtney
Nicholas Courtney
William Nicholas Stone Courtney was an English television actor, most famous for playing Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:...
guest starred in Enemy of the Bane
Enemy of the Bane
Enemy of the Bane is a two-part story from the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was broadcast on CBBC on 1 and 8 December 2008, and is the final serial of the second series...
as classic Doctor Who character Sir Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, and Samantha Bond also reprises her role as Wormwood for the episode.
The original executive producers for The Sarah Jane Adventures were Phil Collinson
Phil Collinson
Philip "Phil" Collinson is a British television producer. He was initially an actor, before switching to working behind the cameras in the industry as a script editor and writer on programmes such as Springhill and Emmerdale, later becoming the producer of Peak Practice, Doctor Who and Coronation...
, Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner
Julie Gardner
Julie Gardner is a Welsh television producer. Her most prominent work has been serving as executive producer on the 2005 revival of Doctor Who and its spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
. Susie Liggat
Susie Liggat
Susie Liggat is a British television producer. Her career had predominantly been as a first assistant director, in which capacity she worked on popular series such as Teachers, Black Books, and Casanova, until she became a producer in 2006...
produced the pilot, but Matthew Bouch worked as producer of the series. Co-writer Gareth Roberts
Gareth Roberts (writer)
Gareth John Pritchard Roberts is a British television screenwriter and novelist, best known for his work related to the science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
, writing in Doctor Who Magazine, said, "We're all determined that this will be a big, full-blooded drama; that nobody should ever think of it as 'just' a children's programme." Sue Nott was the executive producer of the second series for CBBC
CBBC
CBBC is one of two brand names used for the BBC's children's television strands. Between 1985 and 2002, CBBC was the name given to all the BBC's programmes on TV for children aged under 14...
.
In December 2007, the BBC released a statement that Julie Gardner
Julie Gardner
Julie Gardner is a Welsh television producer. Her most prominent work has been serving as executive producer on the 2005 revival of Doctor Who and its spin-off shows Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
would be replaced by Piers Wenger
Piers Wenger
Piers Wenger is a British television producer who has been Head of Drama at BBC Wales since January 2009. His work includes the BAFTA-winning Victoria Wood drama Housewife, 49 and the 2007 adaptation of Noel Streatfeild's novel Ballet Shoes....
as Executive Producer for Doctor Who in January 2009, but that she would continue to executive-produce Torchwood
Torchwood
Torchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
and The Sarah Jane Adventures through 2008.
The fourth series in 2010 was executive-produced by Russell T Davies and Nikki Wilson, and the producers were Brian Minchin and frequent writer Phil Ford. This team remained in place for the completed episodes of Series 5. The show's abbreviated fifth and final series features a new main character named Sky, played by Sinead Michael
Sinead Michael
Sinead Michael is an English actress best known for playing Sky Smith in The Sarah Jane Adventures. She was also one of the main characters in the mini-series 'The Childen' and the TV movie 'Enid'.- Television:-Film:...
.
Main cast
| Actor | Character | Duration | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades, both on... |
Sarah Jane Smith Sarah Jane Smith Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running British BBC Television science-fiction series Doctor Who and its spin-offs K-9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures.... |
2007–11 | All episodes |
| Tommy Knight Tommy Knight Thomas 'Tommy' Lawrence Knight is an English actor best known for playing Luke Smith in The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Personal life:... |
Luke Smith | 2007-11 | "Invasion of the Bane Invasion of the Bane -Sladen and Doctor Who:Elisabeth Sladen, who previously played Sarah Jane between 1973 and 1976. In 1981, she was offered the role again to ease the transition between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, which she declined, but agreed to star in the pilot for the spin-off series K-9 and Company, which... " to Death of the Doctor Death of the Doctor Death of the Doctor is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 25 and 26 October 2010. It is the third story of the fourth series. This episode features the return of Katy Manning to the role of Jo Grant and a guest appearance by Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor... Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 15 and 16 November 2010. It is the sixth and final story of the fourth series.-Part One:... , Sky Sky (The Sarah Jane Adventures) Sky is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 4 October 2011. It is the first story of the fifth and last series.-Part One:... and The Man Who Never Was The Man Who Never Was (The Sarah Jane Adventures) The Man Who Never Was is a two-part series finale of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 17 and 18 October 2011. It is the third and final story of the fifth and final series.-Part One:... except The Eternity Trap The Eternity Trap The Eternity Trap is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 5 and 6 November 2009. It is the fourth serial of the third series. The story involves the scientific investigation of a haunted castle.-Part 1:... |
| Yasmin Paige Yasmin Paige Yasmin Paige is an English actress who is best known for her role as Maria in The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off from the BBC science fiction television programme Doctor Who. Having acted and modelled since the age of four, she made her screen debut in the 2003 film Wondrous Oblivion... |
Maria Jackson Maria Jackson Maria Jackson is a fictional character played by Yasmin Paige in the British children's science fiction television programme The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who. She is a 14-year-old girl who discovers that her new neighbour, Sarah Jane Smith, is aware of... |
2007–08 | "Invasion of the Bane" to The Last Sontaran The Last Sontaran The Last Sontaran is the first story of Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures and is a continuation of events from Doctor Who two-part story "The Sontaran Strategem" and "The Poison Sky"... and The Mark of the Berserker The Mark of the Berserker The Mark of the Berserker is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 10 November 2008. It is the fourth serial of the second series... |
| Daniel Anthony Daniel Anthony (actor) Daniel Jevoughn Anthony is a British television, musical theatre and voice actor. He has appeared in several television shows as minor recurring or regular roles and is known for his role as Clyde Langer in the Doctor Who spin-off programme The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Biography:Daniel Anthony was... |
Clyde Langer Clyde Langer Clyde Langer is a fictional character played by Daniel Anthony in the British children's science fiction television programme The Sarah Jane Adventures... |
2007–11 | Revenge of the Slitheen Revenge of the Slitheen Revenge of the Slitheen is the second story of the British science fiction television series The Sarah Jane Adventures. It comprises the first and second episodes of the show's first series, aired on BBC1, broadcast in two parts on September 24 and October 1, 2007, with the second being broadcast a... to The Man Who Never Was |
| Anjli Mohindra Anjli Mohindra Anjli Mohindra is an English actress from West Bridgford, Nottingham, best known for her role in The Sarah Jane Adventures as Rani Chandra.-Biography:... |
Rani Chandra Rani Chandra (The Sarah Jane Adventures) Rani Chandra is a fictional character played by Anjli Mohindra in the British children's science fiction television programme The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who... |
2008–11 | The Day of the Clown The Day of the Clown The Day of the Clown is the second story of Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures The two-part serial was broadcast on 6 October and 13 October 2008; "Part One" on the CBBC Channel at 5.15 p.m. on 6 October; "Part Two" on the CBBC Channel at 5.15 p.m. on 13 October... to The Man Who Never Was |
| Sinead Michael Sinead Michael Sinead Michael is an English actress best known for playing Sky Smith in The Sarah Jane Adventures. She was also one of the main characters in the mini-series 'The Childen' and the TV movie 'Enid'.- Television:-Film:... |
Sky Smith Sky Smith Sky Smith is a fictional character in the British children's science fiction television series The Sarah Jane Adventures, a spin-off of the long-running series Doctor Who, played by Sinead Michael. She appears as a regular in the show's final series, first appearing in Sky... |
2011 | Sky Sky (The Sarah Jane Adventures) Sky is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 4 October 2011. It is the first story of the fifth and last series.-Part One:... to The Man Who Never Was |
| Alexander Armstrong Alexander Armstrong (comedian) Alexander Henry Fenwick Armstrong is a British comedian, actor and television presenter.-Early life and career:Armstrong was born in Rothbury, Northumberland, the youngest of three children, to Henry Angus Armstrong and his wife Emma Virginia Peronnet Thompson-McCausland, daughter of Lucius... (voice) |
Mr Smith Mr Smith (The Sarah Jane Adventures) Mr Smith is a fictional extraterrestrial computer voiced by Alexander Armstrong which appears in the British children's science fiction television series, The Sarah Jane Adventures, with further minor appearances in the final two episodes of the fourth series of Doctor Who... |
2007–11 | All stories except The Eternity Trap and Lost in Time Lost in Time (The Sarah Jane Adventures) Lost in Time is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which has been broadcast on CBBC on 8 and 9 November 2010. It is the fifth story of the fourth series.-Part 1:... |
| John Leeson John Leeson John Leeson is a British actor who is best known for voicing K-9 on the television series Doctor Who from 1977 to 1979, and again in the 1980–1981 season. He was called back to do the voice of K-9 again for the 2006 episode "School Reunion" and again for the 2008 Doctor Who episode "Journey's End"... (voice) |
K-9 K-9 (Doctor Who) K-9, or K9, is the name of several fictional robotic canines in the long-running British science fiction television series, Doctor Who, first appearing in 1977... |
2007, 2009–10 | "Invasion of the Bane", The Lost Boy The Lost Boy (The Sarah Jane Adventures) The Lost Boy is the sixth story of the British science fiction television series The Sarah Jane Adventures. It forms the ninth and tenth episodes of the show's first series... , The Mad Woman in the Attic The Mad Woman in the Attic The Mad Woman in the Attic is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 22 and 23 October 2009. It is the second serial of the third series.-Part 1:... to The Nightmare Man The Nightmare Man (The Sarah Jane Adventures) The Nightmare Man is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which broadcast on CBBC on 11 and 12 October 2010. It is the first story of the fourth series.-Part 1:... and Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 15 and 16 November 2010. It is the sixth and final story of the fourth series.-Part One:... except The Eternity Trap The Eternity Trap The Eternity Trap is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 5 and 6 November 2009. It is the fourth serial of the third series. The story involves the scientific investigation of a haunted castle.-Part 1:... |
Recurring cast
| Actor | Character | Duration | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Millson Joseph Millson Joseph Millson is an English actor and singer. He trained at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in Sidcup.-Theatre:* The Lifted Veil at the National * Pillars of the Community at the National... |
Alan Jackson | 2007–08 | "Invasion of the Bane Invasion of the Bane -Sladen and Doctor Who:Elisabeth Sladen, who previously played Sarah Jane between 1973 and 1976. In 1981, she was offered the role again to ease the transition between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, which she declined, but agreed to star in the pilot for the spin-off series K-9 and Company, which... " to The Last Sontaran The Last Sontaran The Last Sontaran is the first story of Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures and is a continuation of events from Doctor Who two-part story "The Sontaran Strategem" and "The Poison Sky"... , and The Mark of the Berserker The Mark of the Berserker The Mark of the Berserker is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 10 November 2008. It is the fourth serial of the second series... except Warriors of Kudlak Warriors of Kudlak Warriors of Kudlak is the fourth story of the British science fiction television series The Sarah Jane Adventures. It forms the fifth and sixth episodes of the show's first series... |
| Juliet Cowan Juliet Cowan -Career:She may be recognizable to fans of ITV1 cop drama The Bill when she guest starred in over 20 episodes as Julie Saunders, the mother of the boy who accused PC Tony Stamp of sexual assault... |
Chrissie Jackson | 2007–08 | "Invasion of the Bane" to The Last Sontaran except Warriors of Kudlak |
| Floella Benjamin Floella Benjamin Floella Karen Yunies Benjamin, Baroness Benjamin OBE DL is a British actress, author, television presenter, businesswoman and politician... |
Professor Celeste Rivers | 2007-09, 2011 | The Lost Boy The Lost Boy The Lost Boy is the second installment of a trilogy of books which depict the life of Dave Pelzer, who as a young boy who was physically, emotionally, and psychologically abused by his obsessive mother.... , The Day of the Clown The Day of the Clown The Day of the Clown is the second story of Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures The two-part serial was broadcast on 6 October and 13 October 2008; "Part One" on the CBBC Channel at 5.15 p.m. on 6 October; "Part Two" on the CBBC Channel at 5.15 p.m. on 13 October... , The Eternity Trap The Eternity Trap The Eternity Trap is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 5 and 6 November 2009. It is the fourth serial of the third series. The story involves the scientific investigation of a haunted castle.-Part 1:... and Sky Sky (The Sarah Jane Adventures) Sky is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 3 and 4 October 2011. It is the first story of the fifth and last series.-Part One:... |
| Ace Bhatti Ace Bhatti Ahsen Rafiq "Ace" Bhatti is a British actor who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He has starred in numerous television series, including New Street Law, Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee, The Sarah Jane Adventures as Haresh Chandra and in EastEnders playing Yusef... |
Haresh Chandra | 2008–11 | The Day of the Clown to The Curse of Clyde Langer The Curse of Clyde Langer The Curse of Clyde Langer is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which will broadcast on CBBC on 10 and 11 October 2011. It is the second story of the fifth and last series.-Part One:... , except The Mad Woman in the Attic The Mad Woman in the Attic The Mad Woman in the Attic is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 22 and 23 October 2009. It is the second serial of the third series.-Part 1:... , The Eternity Trap The Eternity Trap The Eternity Trap is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 5 and 6 November 2009. It is the fourth serial of the third series. The story involves the scientific investigation of a haunted castle.-Part 1:... , The Gift The Gift (The Sarah Jane Adventures) The Gift is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which broadcast on CBBC on 19 and 20 November 2009. It is the sixth and last serial of the third series. This story features "the Blathereen", a family of Raxacoricofallapatorians distinct from the previously seen Slitheen.-Part 1:The story... , The Nightmare Man The Nightmare Man (The Sarah Jane Adventures) The Nightmare Man is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which broadcast on CBBC on 11 and 12 October 2010. It is the first story of the fourth series.-Part 1:... and Lost in Time Lost in Time Doctor Who - Lost in Time is a BBC three-disc boxset DVD released in 2004. It is a collection of restored Doctor Who episodes and clips from stories that are incomplete or otherwise missing from the Corporation's archives... |
| Mina Anwar Mina Anwar Mina Anwar is a British actress.-Early life:Anwar was educated at Accrington Moorhead Sports College, and gained an A level in Theatre in Performance at the Accrington and Rossendale College in 1988 before training at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London.-Acting career:She played Police... |
Gita Chandra | 2008–11 | The Day of the Clown to Sky, except The Mark of the Berserker, The Mad Woman in the Attic, The Eternity Trap, Mona Lisa's Revenge Mona Lisa's Revenge Mona Lisa's Revenge is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 12 and 13 November 2009. It is the fifth serial of the third series.-Part 1:Luke enters Clyde's painting for a competition and Clyde wins first prize... , The Gift, The Nightmare Man, Death of the Doctor Death of the Doctor Death of the Doctor is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 25 and 26 October 2010. It is the third story of the fourth series. This episode features the return of Katy Manning to the role of Jo Grant and a guest appearance by Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor... , The Empty Planet The Empty Planet The Empty Planet is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which has been broadcast on CBBC on 1 and 2 November 2010. It is the fourth story of the fourth series.-Part 1:Sarah Jane tells Mr Smith to do a maximum scan... and Lost in Time |
| Jocelyn Jee Esien Jocelyn Jee Esien Jocelyn Jee Esien is a Black British comedian, of Nigerian origin, perhaps best known for her part in the hidden camera show 3 Non Blondes, and her own comedy sketch show, Little Miss Jocelyn.-Biography:... |
Carla Langer | 2008, 2010-11 | The Mark of the Berserker, The Empty Planet and The Curse of Clyde Langer |
| Paul Marc Davis Paul Marc Davis Paul Marc Davis is a British actor who has appeared on Doctor Who and two of its spin-off series, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures .-Biography:... |
The Trickster | 2007-09 | Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? is the fifth story of the British science fiction television series The Sarah Jane Adventures. It forms the seventh and eighth episodes of the show's first series... , The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 17 and 24 November 2008. It is the fifth serial of the second series.-Part 1:... and The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 29 and 30 October 2009. It is the third serial of the third series. It guest stars David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, marking the first appearance of parent programme Doctor Whos... |
| Samantha Bond | Mrs Wormwood | 2007-08 | "Invasion of the Bane" and Enemy of the Bane Enemy of the Bane Enemy of the Bane is a two-part story from the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was broadcast on CBBC on 1 and 8 December 2008, and is the final serial of the second series... |
| Jimmy Vee Jimmy Vee Jimmy Vee is a British actor and stunt performer, who has played a number of Doctor Who monsters and aliens. He is a dwarf, standing 3' 8" tall.He has appeared in the following episodes of Doctor Who:... |
Krizlok the Graske | 2007-08 | Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? and The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith |
| Anthony O'Donnell Anthony O'Donnell Anthony O'Donnell is a Welsh actor. In 1982, he was awarded the London Critic's Circle Theatre Award for Most Promising Newcomer in the Stratford Season.-Filmography:*Knock for Knock *Nuts in May *The Sweeney... |
Commander Kaagh | 2008 | The Last Sontaran and Enemy of the Bane |
| Huw Higginson Huw Higginson Huw Higginson is an English actor. He is most famous for playing PC George Garfield in The Bill from 1989 to 1999. He has appeared in Heartbeat, EastEnders, Casualty and Jessica... |
Mr Cunningham | 2008 | The Day of the Clown and The Mark of the Berserker |
| Elijah Baker | Steve Wallace | 2008, 2011 | The Day of the Clown, The Mark of the Berserker and The Curse of Clyde Langer |
| Mark Goldthorp | Androvax | 2009-10 | Prisoner of the Judoon Prisoner of the Judoon Prisoner of the Judoon is the first serial of the third series of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was first broadcast on the 15 and 16 of October 2009. It features the Judoon, the intergalactic police introduced in the 2007 Doctor Who episode "Smith and Jones".-Part 1:Sarah Jane Smith continues to... and The Vault of Secrets The Vault of Secrets The Vault of Secrets is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which broadcast on CBBC on 18 and 19 October 2010. It is the second story of the fourth series... |
| Cyril Nri Cyril Nri Cyril Nri is a British actor, writer and director. He attended the Young Vic Youth Theatre in Waterloo, London. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, and is probably best known for playing the role of Superintendent Adam Okaro, now Chief Superintendent, in the long-running ITV police... |
Shopkeeper | 2010-11 | Lost in Time and Sky |
Doctor Who characters
Including K-9 and Sarah Jane, some characters from the past or current run of Doctor Who have appeared in The Sarah Jane Adventures.| Actor | Character | Duration | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lachele Carl Lachele Carl Lachele Carl is an American actress based in England.She has appeared in Grange Hill, Batman and Alien Autopsy.She also plays the recurring character of American news anchor Trinity Wells in Doctor Who, appearing in the episodes "Aliens of London", "World War Three", "The Christmas Invasion", "The... |
Trinity Wells Trinity Wells Trinity Wells is a fictional character played by Lachele Carl in the long-running British BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who and it's spin-offs The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood... |
2007-08 | Revenge of the Slitheen Revenge of the Slitheen Revenge of the Slitheen is the second story of the British science fiction television series The Sarah Jane Adventures. It comprises the first and second episodes of the show's first series, aired on BBC1, broadcast in two parts on September 24 and October 1, 2007, with the second being broadcast a... and Secrets of the Stars Secrets of the Stars Secrets of the Stars is a story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 20 and 27 October 2008. It is the third serial of the second series.-Part 1:... |
| Nicholas Courtney Nicholas Courtney William Nicholas Stone Courtney was an English television actor, most famous for playing Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who.-Early life:... |
Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart | 2008 | Enemy of the Bane Enemy of the Bane Enemy of the Bane is a two-part story from the Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was broadcast on CBBC on 1 and 8 December 2008, and is the final serial of the second series... |
| David Tennant David Tennant David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr... |
The Tenth Doctor Tenth Doctor The Tenth Doctor is the tenth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He is played by David Tennant, who appears in three series, as well as eight specials... |
2009 | The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 29 and 30 October 2009. It is the third serial of the third series. It guest stars David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, marking the first appearance of parent programme Doctor Whos... |
| Katy Manning Katy Manning Katy Manning is an English actress best known for her part as the companion Jo Grant in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who. She has also made many theatre appearances, and is now a citizen of Australia. She is myopic... |
Jo Jones Jo Grant Josephine "Jo" Grant is a fictional character played by Katy Manning in the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who... (aka Jo Grant) |
2010 | Death of the Doctor Death of the Doctor Death of the Doctor is a two-part story of The Sarah Jane Adventures which was broadcast on CBBC on 25 and 26 October 2010. It is the third story of the fourth series. This episode features the return of Katy Manning to the role of Jo Grant and a guest appearance by Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor... |
| Matt Smith | The Eleventh Doctor Eleventh Doctor The Eleventh Doctor is the eleventh incarnation of the protagonist of the BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. Matt Smith plays this incarnation, replacing David Tennant's Tenth Doctor in the 2010 episode "The End of Time, Part Two"... |
2010 | Death of the Doctor |
Numerous others have been referenced in dialogue. Several former companions of the Doctor are referenced in the story Death of the Doctor.
Episodes
The Sarah Jane Adventures was first seen by its original British audience in the form of a 60-minute New Year's Day special in 2007, titled "Invasion of the BaneInvasion of the Bane
-Sladen and Doctor Who:Elisabeth Sladen, who previously played Sarah Jane between 1973 and 1976. In 1981, she was offered the role again to ease the transition between the Fourth and Fifth Doctors, which she declined, but agreed to star in the pilot for the spin-off series K-9 and Company, which...
", which was co-written by Russell T Davies and Gareth Roberts. Though it may have appeared so to the viewing audience, "Bane" was not a pilot. Instead, it was a holiday special. Nevertheless, because of the atypical broadcast order – holiday specials in Britain typically air after the regular run of the series to which they're attached – the story had many conventional introductory elements common to pilots. Creator Russell T Davies has commented upon the exceptional broadcast situation, saying "Sarah Jane Adventures is slightly unusual in that it was commissioned before we'd written the script. If we'd written a load of rubbish, they'd still have had to make it." He refers to "Invasion of the Bane" simply as the "first episode". The story focused on Sarah Jane's investigation of a popular and addictive soft drink called Bubble Shock!.
Series one of the show aired in September of that year, consisting of five two-part half-hour stories. Individual half-hour episodes aired once a week on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, with episodes airing a week ahead on children's digital channel CBBC
CBBC Channel
CBBC is a BBC television channel aimed at 6 to 12 year olds. It complements the CBBC programming that continues to air on BBC One and BBC Two. Launched on 11 February 2002, it broadcasts from 7am to 7pm on Freeview, cable, IPTV and digital satellite, occupying the same bandwidth as, but a different...
. The final part aired in November 2007. The second season started in September 2008 using the same format, with six stories instead of five, ending the season in December. The third season started 15 October 2009, twice weekly (Thursdays and Fridays) on BBC One from 15 October to 20 November.
Due to the illness of Elisabeth Sladen, and her subsequent death on 19 April 2011, filming for the second half of the fifth series, which was due to air in the autumn of 2011, was postponed and later cancelled. Filming for three stories of the fifth season had been completed. The final series started to aired from 3 October to 18 October 2011 on CBBC and ended with a tribute to Elisabeth Sladen in the form of a video montage of scenes from SJA and Doctor Who.
Alien Files
Sarah Jane's Alien Files is a set of 25-minute episodes in which a member of the cast updates Mr. Smith's database about certain aliens. It accompanied series 4 of the programme.Critical response
The Sarah Jane Adventures has been generally well received by critics and the viewing public. At the end of the first series, a reviewer for The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
wrote: "With the debate about the future of children’s TV still rumbling on, this is what the BBC does best, and despite lacking the production values of Doctor Who, it’s still top tea-time programming."
In 2008, The Sarah Jane Adventures was nominated for a British Academy Children's Award (Children's BAFTA) in the Drama category. In 2009, the series was nominated for a BAFTA Cymru
BAFTA Cymru
BAFTA Cymru is the Welsh branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.Formed in 1991, they hold an annual awards ceremony to recognise achievement by performers and production staff in Welsh-made films and television programmes...
award in the Children's Drama category.
The 2009 Comic Relief special achieved a rating of 8.3 million.
Merchandising
Character Options have been awarded a licence to produce Sarah Jane Adventure play sets, action figureAction figure
An action figure is a posable character figurine, made of plastic or other materials, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, video game, or television program. These action figures are usually marketed towards boys and male collectors...
s, and a 'Sonic Lipstick' toy. Four 2-figure sets have been released: Sarah Jane and Star Poet; Sarah Jane and General Kudlak; Sarah Jane and Child Slitheen and Sarah Jane and Graske. Also released are Sarah Jane's Sonic Lipstick with Watch Scanner and Alien Communicator. Character Options have now discontinued the range due to lack of customer interest.
Audio adventures
Eight audiobook have been released on CD, all read by series star Elisabeth Sladen. The first two were the first time that BBC Audiobooks had commissioned new content for exclusive release on audio. All stories are read by Elisabeth Sladen in a first person perspective with Elisabeth reading in character as Sarah Jane Smith except for the last two, recorded after Sladen's death. A 20 Minute mini episode in two parts called "The Monster Hunt" written by Trevor BaxendaleTrevor Baxendale
Trevor Baxendale is a novelist who has penned several Doctor Who tie-in novels and audio dramas.*The Janus Conjunction *Out of the Darkness *Coldheart *Eater of Wasps *Fear of the Dark...
, read by Anjli Mohindra
Anjli Mohindra
Anjli Mohindra is an English actress from West Bridgford, Nottingham, best known for her role in The Sarah Jane Adventures as Rani Chandra.-Biography:...
this episode was made especially for the Monster Hunt game on the Sarah Jane Adventures website. Both parts can only be downloaded by finding aliens around the Sarah Jane Adventures Website.
The November 2011 releases were read by Daniel Anthony and Anjili Mohindra after the death of Elisabeth Sladen. It is unclear if these will be the last stories, ending with the series, or if they will carry on after series 5 has ended.
| Title | Author | Release Date | Reader |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Glittering Storm The Glittering Storm The Glittering Storm is the first audio story of ten stories. Sarah Jane Smith investigates a number of burglaries that lead to a alien plot to take over the earth.... |
Stephen Cole Stephen Cole Stephen Cole is a presenter for Al Jazeera English. Previously, he worked for the BBC.-Broadcasting career:... |
5 November 2007 | Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades, both on... |
| The Thirteenth Stone The Thirteenth Stone The Thirteenth Stone is the second audio story of ten stories. Sarah Jane Smith is out on a school trip with Luke, Maria, and Clyde's class. on there way home stop at a stone and the stone begins to whisper.... |
Justin Richards Justin Richards Justin Richards is a British writer. He has written science fiction and fantasy novels, including series set in Victorian or early-20th-century London, and also adventure stories set in the present day... |
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| The Time Capsule | Peter Anghelides Peter Anghelides Peter Anghelides is an English author and dramatist best known for his work on various spin-offs related to the BBC television series Doctor Who.-Work:... |
13 November 2008 | |
| The Ghost House' | Stephen Cole Stephen Cole Stephen Cole is a presenter for Al Jazeera English. Previously, he worked for the BBC.-Broadcasting career:... |
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| The White Wolf | Gary Russell Gary Russell Gary James Russell is a freelance writer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs in other media... |
3 September 2009 | |
| The Shadow People | Scott Handcock Scott Handcock Scott Handcock is an English writer, director and producer from Birmingham who has involved in a number of audio plays for Big Finish Productions, the audio production company perhaps best associated with the Doctor Who franchise.... |
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| Wraith World | Cavan Scott Cavan Scott Cavan Scott is a freelance author, journalist and editor best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who... & Mark Wright |
7 October 2010 | |
| Deadly Download | Jason Arnopp Jason Arnopp Jason Arnopp wrote the 2011 horror feature Stormhouse. directed by Dan Turner. He has scripted Doctor Who audiobooks and plays for the BBC and Big Finish ranges. He is also a novelist and journalist who has regularly written for Heat and Doctor Who Magazine... |
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| Children of Steel Children of Steel Children of Steel is the ninth audio story of ten stories of The Sarah Jane Adventures.... |
Martin Day Martin Day Martin Day is a screenwriter and novelist best known for his work on various spin-offs related to the BBC Television series Doctor Who, and many episodes of the daytime soaps Doctors and Family Affairs.-Work:... |
10 November 2011 | Daniel Anthony Daniel Anthony (actor) Daniel Jevoughn Anthony is a British television, musical theatre and voice actor. He has appeared in several television shows as minor recurring or regular roles and is known for his role as Clyde Langer in the Doctor Who spin-off programme The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Biography:Daniel Anthony was... |
| Judgement Day Judgement Day (The Sarah Jane Adventures) "Judgement Day" is the tenth and final in the The Sarah Jane Adventures audio story series. To be announced on release.... |
Scott Gray | Anjili Mohindra | |
| Complete Audio Collection | Stephen Cole Stephen Cole Stephen Cole is a presenter for Al Jazeera English. Previously, he worked for the BBC.-Broadcasting career:... Justin Richards Justin Richards Justin Richards is a British writer. He has written science fiction and fantasy novels, including series set in Victorian or early-20th-century London, and also adventure stories set in the present day... Gary Russell Gary Russell Gary James Russell is a freelance writer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs in other media... Cavan Scott Cavan Scott Cavan Scott is a freelance author, journalist and editor best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from the BBC Television series Doctor Who... Mark Wright Peter Anghelides Peter Anghelides Peter Anghelides is an English author and dramatist best known for his work on various spin-offs related to the BBC television series Doctor Who.-Work:... Jason Arnopp Jason Arnopp Jason Arnopp wrote the 2011 horror feature Stormhouse. directed by Dan Turner. He has scripted Doctor Who audiobooks and plays for the BBC and Big Finish ranges. He is also a novelist and journalist who has regularly written for Heat and Doctor Who Magazine... Martin Day Martin Day Martin Day is a screenwriter and novelist best known for his work on various spin-offs related to the BBC Television series Doctor Who, and many episodes of the daytime soaps Doctors and Family Affairs.-Work:... Scott Gray |
24 November 2011 | Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Sladen Elisabeth Clara Heath-Sladen was an English actress best known for her role as Sarah Jane Smith in the British television series Doctor Who. She was a regular cast member from 1973 to 1976, alongside both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker, and reprised the role many times in subsequent decades, both on... Daniel Anthony Daniel Anthony (actor) Daniel Jevoughn Anthony is a British television, musical theatre and voice actor. He has appeared in several television shows as minor recurring or regular roles and is known for his role as Clyde Langer in the Doctor Who spin-off programme The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Biography:Daniel Anthony was... Anjili Mohindra |
Novelisations
The Sarah Jane Adventures merchandising revived the concept of the episode novelisation, which had been part of the Doctor Who franchise from the 1970s to the 1990s. The first season and most of the second were adapted in this way, but later seasons saw only a few releases and a transition from print to e-books.| Title | Author | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Invasion of the Bane | Terrance Dicks Terrance Dicks Terrance Dicks is an English writer, best known for his work in television and for writing a large number of popular children's books during the 1970s and 80s.- Early career :... |
1 November 2007 |
| Revenge of the Slitheen | Rupert Laight | 1 November 2007 |
| Eye of the Gorgon | Phil Ford Phil Ford (writer) Phil Ford is a British television writer. He was the head writer for the second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, broadcast in 2008, and wrote "The Waters of Mars", one of the 2009 special episodes of Doctor Who, with Russell T Davies.-Television:... |
1 November 2007 |
| Warriors of Kudlak | Gary Russell Gary Russell Gary James Russell is a freelance writer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs in other media... |
1 November 2007 |
| Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? | Rupert Laight | 6 November 2008 |
| The Lost Boy | Gary Russell Gary Russell Gary James Russell is a freelance writer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs in other media... |
6 November 2008 |
| The Last Sontaran | Phil Ford Phil Ford (writer) Phil Ford is a British television writer. He was the head writer for the second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, broadcast in 2008, and wrote "The Waters of Mars", one of the 2009 special episodes of Doctor Who, with Russell T Davies.-Television:... |
6 November 2008 |
| The Day of the Clown | Phil Ford Phil Ford (writer) Phil Ford is a British television writer. He was the head writer for the second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, broadcast in 2008, and wrote "The Waters of Mars", one of the 2009 special episodes of Doctor Who, with Russell T Davies.-Television:... |
6 November 2008 |
| The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith | Gareth Roberts Gareth Roberts (writer) Gareth John Pritchard Roberts is a British television screenwriter and novelist, best known for his work related to the science-fiction television series Doctor Who... |
5 November 2009 |
| The Nightmare Man (Ebook only) | Joseph Lidster Joseph Lidster Joseph Lidster is an English television writer best known for his work on the Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures.-Biography:His debut work was the audio play The Rapture for Big Finish Productions in 2002... |
25 November 2010 |
| Death of the Doctor (Ebook only) | Gary Russell Gary Russell Gary James Russell is a freelance writer and former child actor. As a writer, he is best known for his work in connection with the television series Doctor Who and its spin-offs in other media... |
25 November 2010 |
DVD releases
| Release name | UK release date (region 2) |
Australian release date (region 4) |
North American release date (region 1) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Invasion of the Bane | 29 October 2007 | 12 January 2009 Re-released 2 March 2010 |
Released with Series 1 not released separately |
N/A |
| The Complete First Series Also includes "Invasion of the Bane" |
10 November 2008 | 4 June 2009 Re-released 5 January 2010 |
7 October 2008 | N/A |
| The Complete Second Series | 9 November 2009 | 3 June 2010 Re-released 2 March 2011 |
10 November 2009 | N/A |
| The Complete Third Series | 1 November 2010 | 2 March 2011 Re-released 2 June 2011 |
4 January 2011 | Despite being filmed in HD no blu-ray release |
| The Complete Fourth Series | 31 October 2011 | TBA | 6 December 2011 | UK release includes Pyramids of Mars Pyramids of Mars Pyramids of Mars is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 25 October to 15 November 1975.-Synopsis:... as a bonus feature as a tribute to Elisabeth Sladen. |
| The Complete Fifth Series | TBC | TBC | TBC | N/A |
Blu-ray
| Release name | UK release date (region B) |
North American release date (region A) |
Australian Release Date (region B) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Complete Fourth Series | 31 October 2011 | N/A | N/A | First Blu-ray release. UK release includes Pyramids of Mars Pyramids of Mars Pyramids of Mars is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 25 October to 15 November 1975.-Synopsis:... as a bonus feature as a tribute to Elisabeth Sladen. |
| The Complete Fifth Series | TBC | TBC | TBC | N/A |