Sarah Jane Smith from Sarah Jane Adventures and Doctor Who
Geeky confession: for the longest time, I could not get into Doctor Who. Both my friends Pearl and Katelyn tried to get me to watch the new series every time a new episode aired, but I just couldn’t latch onto the story. (Apparently, I just really did not like Rose Tyler.) Until Sarah Jane Smith came along…
I read a review of the first Sarah Jane Adventures episode, and it said that while the show was marked toward children, the writing was incredibly smart and the child actors not annoying. So I gave it a go, and I fell in love with Sarah Jane Smith and her robot dog K9.
Sarah Jane starts her story as a companion for the Third and Fourth Doctors. Under the Doctor’s tutelage, she learns how to save the world, appreciate the beauty of the galaxy, and realize that things are not always as they seem. I love that Sarah Jane continues her life post-the Doctor. That she still wants to save the planet and help people and aliens. That she was lonely in life as an investigative journalist/world saver, but Sarah Jane had enough hope in her heart to open it to others again.
I appreciate that the childless Sarah Jane did not become a mindless puffball when she adopted Luke, the genetically engineered boy with no belly button. And how she approaches raising a child with the wisdom of her experiences and can still love Luke very much without him being her entire life.
I also adore Sarah Jane’s mentorships with Maria, Rani, and Clyde. She lets them grow and fight the bad guys, while tempering them when they go too far. Of course, they also worry and hold her back when things get too overwhelming for her too.
Oh, Sarah Jane, you’re awesome. See for yourself, buy The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete First Season