RIP - Elisabeth Sladen: Doctor Who is missing something today

The Doctor Who world, as well as British television, were rocked yesterday by the news that Elisabeth Sladen had passed away.

Sladen played Sarah Jane Smith, one of the most popular Doctor Who companions ever. She was loved by millions of Who fans around the world. For many of us, she was the first companion we were familiar with, much as Tom Baker was our first Doctor.

Sarah was my first companion, and yes, I admired her good looks (I was 12 when I first discovered the show, keep in mind). But I also admired the intelligence she was written with, for the most part. The role of the companion in the old Doctor Who series was mainly to look good and to be the Doctor's sounding board, taking the audience's place by asking "What is that, Doctor?" so he could explain what was going on. Somehow, Sarah rose above that. She had a mind of her own, and she very rarely screamed. When she did, you knew it was something scream-worthy, too. Towards the end of her tenure, the writers got away from this a bit, and I think that might be why she left.

Companions came and went, but very often I compared them to Sarah to see if they stacked up. While there were good companions after Sarah, none of them ultimately reached Sarah's high level.

I tried to find a couple of videos to post on here, but they were all too long or they were tribute videos and not actually videos of her on Doctor Who. But in that search, I saw the love that she engendered in fans. There are so many fan-made tributes, some of them put up yesterday after news of her death broke. Others have been made over the years. We Who fans have cherished her memory even as the Doctor moved on.

She was so popular that the producer of the new Doctor Who series, Russell T. Davies, decided to bring her back in a marvelous episode (at least as far as Sarah and the Doctor goes, as the story itself was a bit weak) called "School Reunion."

Just as beautiful now as she was back in the mid-70s, the Who fanbase loved it. They always say that you can't go home again. While that's true, that doesn't mean you can't revisit the past and take the best things about it, modify them slightly, and come up with something else wonderful.

Sarah's return was so popular that Davies decided to create another show for her, called The Sarah Jane Adventures. This was more of a children's show, but it definitely had plenty of older adults watching, those fans who just wanted to see more of Sarah Jane.

There was always some doubt about whether this show would return for a 5th season. Perhaps that was because of Sladen's health problems? I don't know.

I do know that it's fitting for the last episode ever to be named "Good-bye, Sarah Jane Smith".

I hope Ms. Sladen knew how much love we Who fans had for her. I like to think she did.

This is my favourite picture from the new Who series. I cried during this entire scene in "School Reunion."

At the end of her final episode back in 1976, she tells the Doctor "don't forget me."

Like we ever could.

Rest in peace, Sarah Jane.

Rest in peace, Elisabeth Sladen.

You will be missed.

Doctor Who - Vampires of Venice

So far, Matt Smith has had a very good season as the Eleventh Doctor in the 47-year history of the Doctor Who program. Of course, four of the five episodes had been written by Stephen Moffat and the one that wasn't was very sub-par, so there hasn't been a good track record for non-Moffat Who.

That was until "Vampires of Venice," written by Toby Whithouse. Whithouse also wrote the excellent "School Reunion" episode for David Tennant's Doctor, the episode that brought back Sarah Jane Smith and K-9. Whithouse provides some great stuff in this episode, good dialogue and an interesting story showing us that it is possible to write for Smith without your last name being "Moffat."

After the finale of "Flesh and Stone," the Doctor decides he needs to take Amy and Rory on a "date," and decides on 1580 Venice. While it's supposed to be a romantic getaway, it never is with the Doctor. Venice is being "protected" by the House of Calvierri, headed by a matriarch that seems to have more than protecting the city as her agenda. What sinister secret is hidden in the canals of Venice? What is causing the bodies on the street that are turning up totally sucked dry of all fluids. And why can't the Calvierri girls be seen in mirrors? My, what wicked teeth you have!

Yes, vampires are kind of cliche nowadays, but Whithouse provides "vampires" with a great pseudo-scientific explanation, including explanations for all of the lore (not that he's making the case that *all* vampires are like this, but it gives him an excuse to use the "vampire" characteristics in this story). The explanation for who they really are is actually pretty good, in a "Doctor Who Science" kind of way (I won't spoil it for you).

Whithouse provides a sparkling script too. Some of the best lines I can't tell you because it spoils the secret of the vampires, but stuff like this was just great:

"Anywhere you want, any time you want. One condition it has to be amazing. The Moulin Rouge in 1890, the first Olympic Games. Think of it as a wedding present because, frankly, it's either this or tokens."

The acting was quite good too, though Rory (Arthur Darvill) has the potential to get *really* annoying *really* quickly. So far, so good, though. And he has a wonderful speech (that Darvill hits out of the park) about how being around the Doctor is dangerous for his companions because it makes them want to impress him. They put themselves into potentially deadly situations because they're with him and he inspires them to do so. It's quite well done, and a nice summation of why these seemingly normal humans who are the Doctor's companions become a lot braver than you would think they were.

Smith and Gillan are once again great as the Doctor and Amy. Helen McCrory as Rosanna, the matriarch of the Calvierri House, is simply wonderful. Majestic, witty, and yet she makes you feel for her a little bit when she explains what they are doing. She has a wonderful scene with Smith where they meet as equals (a scene where Smith shines, indicating that despite his youthful looks, he has the gravitas to play the Doctor) and discuss things. It's all beautifully done.

The scenery and production is also quite good. Shot in Croatia, they do a good job of making it seem like 1580 Venice. The CGI for the monsters doesn't look dodgy, for a change. The set pieces are good (I loved Francesco, a native Venetian, wearing Rory's "Stag Party" t-shirt because Rory needed his clothes for their plan to work).

The only thing that mars the episode slightly is the build-up that it was given in "Flesh and Stone" and how it doesn't deliver on that. The ending indicated that the Doctor had to get Amy "sorted" and made it seem like she was the most important thing in the universe. Perhaps what the Doctor meant was that Rory and Amy getting married was the most important thing, and that's why he has to get Rory and Amy back together? I don't know. Whatever the deal is, the episode seemed quite sedate for what "Flesh and Stone" promised.

But that's not Whithouse's fault. He gives us a great story, kind of low-key (if you can call sinking Venice "low-key") that gives the actors a chance to shine and to say wonderful stuff.

"Vampires of Venice" is another great story in Smith's tenure, and I'm really looking forward to what Moffat has in mind for the rest of the season.

Doctor Who - Flesh and Stone

After last week's thrilling "The Time of Angels", could the second part of the story stand up to all of that? Thankfully, "Flesh and Stone" does that and more. Only an ending to the episode (as opposed to the ending of the story, which is great) that felt a little off mars this excellent episode.

WARNING: Spoilers for "The Time of Angels" below!

The Doctor's brilliant plan as the Weeping Angels are closing in on the group works to perfection, giving the entire party a chance to run into the bowels of the ship "Byzantium." However, the Angels are still on the move, as relentless as zombies and even more aggressive. They can only move when they're not being watched, but they can move lightning-quick when that does happen. What exactly do the Angels want? Why does the crack on Amy's wall (from "The Eleventh Hour") keep appearing, and what does it mean? And why doesn't Amy remember some very public occurrences like a full Dalek invasion of the Earth? Strap yourselves in, because it's going to be a wild ride!

Enough can't be said about the brilliance of Steven Moffat's writing, as this two-part episode attests to. Combine that with the great acting and spooky effects and you have a winner of a story.

When asked for favourite quotes from the episode, you could legitimately hand that person the script and say "here," but this one is my favourite:

Doctor: "I wish I had known you better."
Octavian: "I think, sir, you know me at my best."

Part of the power of that scene is what's happening around it, but the words themselves are wonderful too. I could go on, whether it's when the Doctor first hears again from "Angel Bob" (a dead cleric whose voice is being used by the Angels) and he says "Angel Bob! How's life? Ohhhh, sorry, bad subject" or when it's River Song foreshadowing her own death from last year when she says "Me. You. Handcuffs. Does it always have to end this way?"

Considering this was Smith's first story to shoot, he does a phenomenal job as the Doctor. He's got the almost manic energy of Tennant or Troughton as well the ability to show intensity when he's really angry. Occasionally he goes over the top, but not nearly as much as Tennant did. Karen Gillan is also very good as Amy. Alex Kingston as River Song and Iain Glen as Octavian are also phenomenal. While the quote above is great, it's Smith and Glen's performance of that whole scene that makes it riveting.

The Angels are still as creepy as ever, being so relentless and horrifying. They're still the creepiest monsters ever created, in my opinion. Director Adam Smith just adds to the intensity with the flickering lights, and a moody, dark atmosphere in the forest. I just can't say enough about the episode.

The only thing that's mildly annoying about the episode is something I can't get into, which is the very end of it. Amy's acting in a very strange way, and I know that it will be explained at some point. Thus, I'm not complaining that Amy acts out of character. However, it was kind of jarring and wasn't as funny as I'm sure Moffat intended (then again, maybe I was just in shock, maybe I should watch it again).

"The Time of Angels" and "Flesh and Stone" make up a great story, once again told by the master of all Who. I can't wait for next week.

Doctor Who - Time of the Angels

"You lot, you're like rabbits! I'll never be done saving you." - The Doctor

Now that's more like it! After the really poor (and falling even more in my graces as I think about it) "Victory of the Daleks," producer Stephen Moffat brings us a brilliant story (at least so far) to make up for it. "Time of the Angels" has it all: awesome dialogue, great acting, creepy thrills, and a cliffhanger that doesn't feel forced. If Part 2 is anything like Part 1, this one is going to be considered one of the greats.

Professor River Song (Alex Kingston) is back! After an impromptu rescue by the Doctor (Matt Smith) and Amy (Karen Gillan), the TARDIS lands on a planet, the site of a ship crash that River Song and the Church soldiers are investigating. The cargo of the ship was apparently a Weeping Angel, stone statue-like beings full of malevolence, who can only move when you're not looking at them. If you do look, they appear like statutes. They are looking for the Angel, but they stumble upon more than they bargained for. The Catacombs of Death may be very well-named, as the Doctor realizes why the Byzantium really crashed, and what it could mean for him and his companions.

Moffat introduced River Song during David Tennant's era, in "The Silence in the Library", and she is truly an interesting character. She and the Doctor keep meeting but in different sections of their timeline. We've already seen River Song's fate in "Library," but it's now later in the Doctor's life and earlier in hers. It can all be very confusing, but Moffat makes the most of the confusion with some wonderfully classic dialogue as Amy tries to figure out just how River Song knows the Doctor, and just who she is.

Kingston gives a great performance, too, though the opening sequence left a little to be desired. I was hoping that it would improve, and thankfully it did.

Moffat once again shows he's the master of dialogue, as there are some brilliant lines in the episode. The quote at the beginning of this post is when the Doctor finds out just how many humans are out their in the universe, colonizing worlds and basically making pests of themselves.  There's also his pouting when River Song ends up flying the TARDIS better than he can. Amy's reaction to all of this is wonderful, also putting to rest my worries from the "Victory of the Daleks" review about the "unrequited love" that episode hinted at Amy having for the Doctor. In this episode, she has a lot of fun with the guessing games. "Is she Mrs. Doctor?" or " Aw, you're all Mr. Grumpy Face today." She doesn't act jealous in the slightest, which was a breath of fresh air.

While I'm going on about the acting, Smith and Gillan are phenomenal in this one, ironic since this is the first episode they filmed. There was not an off-note this week, unlike last week where the characters were almost ciphers. They did a great job with the light-hearted scenes, but when the terror starts, they do that well too. Amy being trapped in a ship with the Angel, fear pouring out of her eyes as the Doctor tries desperately to save her? The Doctor getting on the High Priest's nerves, stealing his radio to talk to one of the Priest's men? Wonderfully Doctorish.

Which brings me to the really scary stuff. "Blink," (the Moffat episode that introduced the Angels) was a totally claustrophobic scare-fest, all taking place in one house. This time, Moffat brings them back and makes the claustrophobia bigger by setting it all in a massive stone catacomb. In the dark, with flashlights flickering.

It's a wonderful atmosphere, and when things start going wrong, Moffat turns up the chills!  While Doctor Who has often scared the kiddies and made them run behind the couch, I've never really found it that nerve-wracking.  I guess it helps that I'm an adult, and I came to the show when I was in junior high school.  Yet the Angels, and the way they present them, just spook the shit out of me.

Finally, it was nice to see a cliffhanger that didn't seem forced.  Too many times during Russell T. Davies' era of the show, there were multiple cliffhangers involving all of the characters.  Granted, this time all of the characters are in the same place, but it still could have seemed contrived, and it didn't.  Instead of seeing the looming danger coming right before the credits roll, we see the Doctor beginning to execute his plan to escape and then it cuts to the credits without revealing what that plan does.

This is only Part 1, so the story could certainly go downhill from here.  But just like the High Priest says, I have faith in the Doctor.  And I have faith in Moffat.

More like this, please. I can't wait for Part 2!