The Sarah Jane Adventures: Invasion Of The Bane

Since doing tours of duty with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker in the 1970s, Sarah Jane Smith (Elisabeth Sladen) has set up in suburbia and now fights aliens on the teatime slot. The feature-length pilot episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures, first broadcast in January this year, Invasion Of The Bane catches up with Sarah Jane following her appearance in a 2006 episode of Doctor Who.

Maria moves in across the road and is understandably intrigued with Sarah Jane’s ethereal alien visitor dancing around the garden in the middle of the night. The story and pace are cracking. Bubble Shock, a fizzy drink, is everywhere; it’s even endorsed by Blue Peter and is repeatedly described as ‘organic’, a claim that only Maria appears to question, showing herself already to be a fine heroine. Immediately suspicious of goings on in the factory, Maria and Sarah Jane soon discover what’s really going on, despite former-'Miss Moneypenny' Samantha Bond’s marvellously disguised alien.

Sophisticated ideas are bounced around as they save Luke, the 360-minute-old, belly-button-lacking boy, and the nation’s Bubble Shock brainwashed with mobile phone signals and a handy Sonic Lipstick. Throughout, terrifying aliens give chase and leave residual slime aplenty for analysis by Mr Smith, Sarah Jane’s information centre. A witty script (favourite line “your best friend is a metal dog with his bum stuck in a black hole”) is the final element that shows the creative team behind Doctor Who are on form for this spin off.

Released 29th October 2007 by BBC Worldwide.

Written by Eve Vamvas.