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Doctor
Sarah Jane Adventures the Complete Third Series
For those of you who are
unaware, Sarah Jane Adventures follow of course the adventures of Sarah
Jane who was the time travelling Dr. Who's companion for a long time.
Played by Elisabeth Sladen who has played the character since the early
1970s, this series was a bold move, in particular this season as
finances were not as abundant and there was waning interest in the
title. The task here was to take a series on the slump and make people
pay attention. Did it work? In my opinion yes it did.
The strength behind the Sarah Jane adventures are the stories. Fans of
Doctor Who can readily sink their teeth into the series with familiar
faces and nods to the past, whereas new viewers can get into it simply
based on the great story telling that pervades series 3.
Whilst at times the effects are hokey and a tad non believable, it is
all held together by Sladen and her enthusiasm for the series. Nice
touches include the inclusion of Sarah Jane's dog, the robotic K9, and
an appearance of course by Doctor Who himself adding to the authenticity
of the experience.
Just like Doctor Who, Sarah Jane Adventures mix science and magic, along
with a healthy dose of wonder. One of my favourite episodes took place
around a haunted house in this series. Titled "The Eternity Trap", it's
a genuinely creepy tale that borders on being almost perfect.
The quality of the video on this set is really nice and clear. It's all
easy to make out and highly enjoyable even when the video actually shows
up some of the hokey effects. Having said that, even growing up as a
child of the 70s, it was the makeshift appearance of many of the props
in Doctor Who that endeared me to it. Audio for the show was sufficient
and clearly recorded. Having been sent the promo disc for review
purposes, I can only say that at no stage did I hear surround sound kick
in. What we are presented with here is a very nice 2.1 mix.
In terms of extras here, there is an audiobook on the second DVD, it's a
story read to you by Elisabeth Sladen herself playing the role of Sarah
Jane. It's not much chop I am afraid and whilst a good enough tale, I
don't think an audiobook belongs on a visual product like a DVD and most
people will never listen to it. I hope that in the future there are more
interviews and behind the scenes content. Something else to note is that
the audiobook is only a clip which is a tad disappointing.
I look forward to Series 4. This is a very strong series and deserves to
continue.
Episode Titles:
1. Prisoner of the Judoon
2. The Mad Woman in the Attic
3. The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith
4. The Eternity Trap
5. Mona Lisa's Revenge
6. The Gift
Tory Favro
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