Also kind of funny, looking back, that it was SJA which found a way around the ‘farting gas emissions’ thing and (from memory, correct me if I’m wrong) slowly did away with that aspect of them.
I wouldn’t be averse to a Slitheen return in the main show – I think it’d be fun to see them again at some point.
This story can be carried by the slitheen returning, so everything else here is a cherry on top
I’m not much of a fan of these particular antagonists but again, I enjoy this episode. We meet Clyde, the third member of the gang. Just like Luke and Maria, he’s new which is why he hangs around them at first. He’s a jokester who doesn’t seem to take much serious until he learns about aliens and the threat of drawing all power from the sun and Earth. Clyde is a great addition to the group, noticing things that others don’t typically notice.
The episode is really interesting to me. We see Sarah Jane learning how to be a mother to her new son. At first she seems to be jealous of Alan and Maria’s relationship but she and Luke begin to figure out their own relationship. She also is similar to the Doctor in some ways, not wanting to be responsible for random people, ignoring inputs of those that are not immediately helpful, and despite having none of her usual resources available still marching out to deal with the problem. But she is also very much own kind of hero.
We also have a very interesting dilemma for Sarah Jane. The Slitheen have a child with them, implying they actually killed a 12 year old boy to take his skin. Then she is faced with trying to save the child and she hesitates so long that the child Slitheen is killed, something that clearly upsets her.
The biggest highlights though seem to be the developing relationships. Clyde meeting the group, Sarah Jane’s connections to the Doctor that helped shape her and her new relationships with the kids and Alan.
Sorry for the long rant but I really love Sarah Jane.
2/10
I’ve been kind to this ghastly story by giving it a 2 rather than a 1 because the villains being so pantomimic is at least vaguely amusing.
I gave it a 5/10. It’s not the best of Sarah Jane Adventures, but we really seem to only go up from here.