Good-bye, Sarah Jane

[selenay]

I have to admit, when the news first broke I thought it had to be a hoax. Surely Lis Sladen is far too young to die?

Sadly, it quickly became apparent that it wasn't a joke and I still cannot quite believe that someone so young and filled with life is no more. She really never seemed to age and maybe that's why it's such a terrible shock.

My first clear memory of Doctor Who is begging my parents to take me down to my grandmother's so that I could watch The Five Doctors, which she had recorded because it aired during my birthday party and apparently the birthday girl has to attend her party even if Doctor Who is on.

I somewhat suspect that I may be refusing to take part in any birthday celebrations that prevent me seeing 50th anniversary things in 2013 :-)

Anyway, watching that episode is my first really clear memory of Doctor Who and, knowing my father, I was probably told who Sarah Jane Smith. Certainly I knew exactly who she was by the time of the 30th anniversary, when the BBC spent most of the year airing adventures from all the Doctors and they showed Genesis of the Daleks as the Tom Baker episode. I adored Sarah Jane in that one because she was such a strong, amazing companion. One of the first Target novelisations that I read was the Peledon one with the Third Doctor and Sarah Jane and I loved her feisty, women's lib moments.

Every time people complain about the Doctor's companions being scared, screaming women it's Sarah Jane Smith and Ace that I refer them to. They were scared, sometimes they might have screamed a tiny bit, but they were strong and they always did what needed to be done despite the fear.

Losing the Brig was hard, but Nicholas Courtney was at that stage of life where I knew that he wouldn't be around forever. I was sad, but not shocked.

Losing Sarah Jane Smith is a shock and somehow, much more terrible. Lis Sladen was older than I knew (63? really?), but she never aged so she seemed eternal. I really am going to miss her.

Comments

[wadjet-theperv.livejournal.com]

Beautifully said. I think I might be with you on the 2013 thing! 50 seems to be hurtling towards me. I don't feel it though, (except physically sometimes) I didn't think Lis Sladen was that age either, but when you consider that she became our age group's companion, she'd have to be. She certainly didn't look or seem it. So vital. Such a sad loss :o( Sarah Jane and Ace were brilliant, and I made sure I told my children about Ace when we saw Sophie Aldred on other children's TV shows! I did the same thing with Danny John-Jules and Red Dwarf, although when Rochel met him at a con, he was rather touched that she knew him more as Milton Wordsworth from Storymakers :o)