The Sarah Jane Adventures: The Complete Second Season

Genre : DVD ( DVD )
Release : 2009/11/10
Price : $30.99

Buy

The charming Sarah Jane Adventures continues to provide fun and entertaining children's television while remaining true to its roots in the venerable British science-fiction series Doctor Who. Elisabeth Sladen, who remains among the Doctor's best-loved companions (she accompanied Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker on their interstellar jaunts from 1973 to 1976), is again front and center for this program, which takes place entirely on Earth. That doesn't mean it's safe from alien invasions, as the 2008 second season illustrates: menaces from Sarah Jane's past (a warlike Sontaran, whom she first encountered in the 1973 Doctor Who serial "The Time Warrior," is on the loose in "The Last Sontaran") as well as newer foes (the Lovecraftian Bane return in "Enemy of the Bane," along with a nice supporting turn by Nicholas Courtney, who reprises his Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) present challenges to the intrepid journalist and her teenage companions. The six two-part episodes that comprise season 2 deliver both the breezy cheek and the imaginative sci-fi that producer Russell T. Davies has brought to the revamped Doctor and its more grownup spinoff, Torchwood, and if the plots and action here are somewhat milder than those of the Doctor or Captain Jack Harkness, fans of both should be pleased that they can get an equal level of enjoyment from a show that they can also watch with younger viewers.

The three-disc set has an agreeable amount of extras, though many, like episode synopses for both seasons and character profiles, are text-based and therefore a bit underwhelming. More interesting are interviews with the cast and behind-the-scenes footage, most taken from UK kids' series like Blue Peter. There's also an enjoyable quiz section that yields an amusing comic clip. --Paul Gaita

I don't mean that this is just a show for the family, which it is. What I mean is, behind that flashing energy weapons, the aliens, the time rips, are family values about love, bravery, responsibility, and never giving up. Sure, we have a Sontaran and the Bane and time travel. But it is the message and the humanity of the story that counts. Well, I would have liked some Daleks and maybe the appearance of the Doctor, but we can't have it all.

Classic Sarah Jane, not just for kids, but anyone who enjoys SciFi and Dr. Who.

I love the stories but this time I got a whole set of DVD's that skip, even tried another machine thinking it was me, but No .. Can't always get what you want.

Very good show, and it came in very good time. Packaging was done very well, no dents or bumps or anything.

I have always been a big Dr. Who fan and couldn't have more pleased with Sarah Jane getting her own series.

The series follows Sarah Jane and of course the complement of companions. The stories are set more for the younger (age 8-16)generation, and the adventures are true to the Dr. Who style. I have enjoyed every episode and will at some time watch them again.

The only thing I am a bit disappointed about is the series only has 6 episodes (12 half hour shows). This in and of itself does not detract from the quality or the production value. I am sure the BBC has its reasons for this.

To anyone who loves Dr. Who and perhaps has children in the referenced age group, or you are children at heart, or are kids yourselves, I would very much recommend this season and the first. However, watch them in order as the story line sometimes digresses.

I hope this helps with your decission making.

Eb