A Dream Within A Dream...

Series five was some of the hardest things on television I've ever had to sit through, seeing Elisabeth Sladen so full of life and more beautiful than ever, knowing that this would be it, that Sarah Jane would be around no more. It was all leading up to the end of an iconic companion, and I almost didn't watch. It was still too raw, but I did it. I made the effort, and I'm so glad I did. Once again, the stories were top notch, and everyone was still as fantastic as normal. Mina Anwar, Ace Bhatti, Jocelyn Jee Esien, Floella Benjamin... the unsung heroes of The Sarah Jane Adventures who could hold their own up against Lis Sladen. I'm glad we had five extra series featuring Sarah Jane. As Katy Manning so rightly said, she was the quintessential Who girl, and I'm so grateful for RTD and BBC Wales for allowing a new generation to fall in love.

	PREVIEW

( forever... )

I would like to welcome Jenna-Louise Coleman to the Doctor Who family. I'm very open minded about how her character will turn out, and it is Steven Moffat, I have the utmost faith in him. He did create the rather awesome Lynda Day, after all.

It's no secret to anybody that I found The Sarah Jane Adventures the far superior spin-off of Doctor Who, in part due to it's almost Classic-Who feel, and in part to the outstanding performances given by everybody in the cast (especially Elisabeth Sladen, but that goes without saying...). Here is my tribute to that little series that managed to enthrall a generation, and gave them - and us - the gift of Elisabeth Sladen and Sarah Jane Smith...

I'm still in shock. Elisabeth Sladen... gone? How can this be? She was so young. A few days before her death I was watching Death of the Doctor and Tweeted that she should be awarded every award under the sun, and then be made a Dame. I feel so sad that that will never happen now. Lis is irreplaceable. I never met her. I wish I did. She seemed like such a lovely woman. Now, Sarah isn't my companion (and Tom isn't my Doctor - Peri and Six have those spots), but I understand the major contribution Lis made to the role of the companion. She was THE companion. She shaped the role for all those who followed, and for that I think we all, as Doctor Who fans, should be grateful.

I remember first watching Doctor Who when I was about four or five. My uncle had the videos. Tom and Lis were his Doctor and companion and he made me watch it. I didn't understand what was happening, and I didn't really pay attention. Fast forward to School Reunion. Sarah Jane struck me. I knew her. Where had I seen her before? YES! All those years ago. I still had some memory of Lis and Sarah. I don't know why, but I did. And then came Invasion of the Bane. I adored it. Elisabeth was fantastic in it. And then I googled her and couldn't believe how old she was. She looked so young. So beautiful. And now, for her fans, she will remain that beautiful forever.

I sat down yesterday by myself and cried. I don't cry over 'celebrity' deaths. But Lis, for some reason was different. And then I read the Newsround story and some of the comments left by children, who were holding together better than I was. She meant so much to so many people. She affected so many lives, she was loved by so many. To be working right up until the end makes me admire her even more. She'd even signed on to do six Big Finish audios with Tom. She was so committed.

My thoughts are still so, so jumbled. It's still so raw. I really shouldn't be feeling so sad about someone I have never met, but I cannot help it. Elisabeth, both on screen and in commentaries struck me as such a warm, open, intelligent human being, and that is what I will miss most.

As Russell T. Davies said yesterday, the universe was lucky to have Sarah Jane Smith; the world was lucky to have Lis. And he was right.