The Sarah Jane Adventures

Cafe Society
#1

Getting around to this, finally.

Well, I really wanted to like it. Sigh.

Is there some rule that kiddie shows cannot, under any circumstances, have good writing, and the dialogue must be as campy, leaden, and scenery-chewing as possible? Every time there’s an “I’ll get you, my pretty!”-style line, I can actually hear the thud as it lands. Gah.

As a side note, does anyone know if the BBC or BBC|America will be streaming the new series of Doctor Who online anywheres? I’m not keen on waiting for the DVD release.

#2

I’ve seen it.

Sad.

#3

Yeah, I wish I liked it more too. Mr. Smaje is a huge Who fan and insists on watching all the spin-offs, whether they deserve a viewing or not. I like some of characters (especially Clyde!) but the writing is pretty dumbed down, as you pointed out.

Are you in the US? BBC America is airing the new season of Doctor Who at the same time as it’s being aired in the UK – first time it’s ever happened! So we Yanks don’t have to wait!

http://doctorwho.bbcamerica.com/

#4

I’m in the US, I don’t have cable TV. I can’t afford $100 a month for something I’d watch maybe 5 hours a month. I can go out to the movies for less than that.

Are they streaming it online anywhere?

#5

I disagree - I like it as it’s a throwback in style to the original Doctor Who run. Plus, it’s had some enjoyable crossover episodes involving the Doctor as well as the last appearance of Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart.

#6

It’ll be on BBC iPlayer, but I imagine you don’t have access to that.

#7

I thought it wasn’t that bad when I watched it. Not great, but I was able to immerse myself in it for the most part. Some of the effects/costuming were a bit bad, but I just thought of it as a nod to the older Doctor Who shows and was able to get past it.

On edit: I wanted more K9

#8

There have been murmurs lately of selling iPlayer subscriptions in the US, but I don’t think it’s happened yet.

As for Sarah Jane, it’s a kids’ show. A young kids’ show. It’s pretty good for what it is.

#9

I dig K9 and I like him as a hat-tip to days gone by. It helps that he’s silly and (so far, at least) they don’t seem to be taking him that seriously, nor are they over-using him.

I never want to see another Slitheen again. They needed to be handled with a light touch in Doctor Who, and they mostly succeeded, but good gravy, fart jokes are funny maybe once. They are not good aliens to keep bringing back, over and over (and over) again. And their dialogue… oh, their dialogue…

In DW, Slitheen were actually scary, and at times poignant, and relatively complex. They relied more on some really excellent actors than on the rubber suit. These Slitheen are one-dimensional villains with bad planning skills, and watching the rubber suit run down a corridor just isn’t scary. If you don’t have the CGI budget (actually, even if you do), use the green monster shots judiciously.

“Hate” is too strong a word for SJA, but I’d enjoy it more if the writing weren’t so clunky and dumbed down. I’ll probably watch it through just to keep tabs on anything that might be referenced in the DW series, but I’m turning my brain all the way off to do so.

I want BBC America to have an iPlayer. grumble

#10

Article from Lifehacker on accessing the BBC iPlayer from outside the UK:

I haven’t tried it yet, so can make no recommendations.

#11

I caught a few episodes on SyFy & thought it was pretty good for what it was. Netflix Streaming has all the pre Matt Smith “new” Who & selections from the earlier Doctors. Hope they pick up Sarah Jane.

I know Doctor Who is a kid’s show. But it’s pretty darn scary. (“Don’t blink.”)

#12

Well, fingers crossed…

Well yes, but my question is, why slack on quality just because it’s a kids’ show? Are kids somehow less deserving of good writing?

Doctor Who is often described as a kids’ show by the producers. Their writing is still excellent.

#13

My kids like it, it reminds me of early Doctor Who when it was more of a kids show and less of a family show. The writing is weak but not terrible for the audience it is aimed at.

Doctor Who really is not a “Kids Show” at this point, it is a “Family Show” with an expected and reached adult audience.

I could ask the same thing about Torchwood. Why is this show for adults written so poorly, couldn’t they afford some good writers?

#14

I like SJA a lot more than Torchwood.

#15

FTR, I don’t consider Dr Who a kids’ show, if for no other reason than that I adore it, and I’m in my mid-thirties.

Oh, and Torchwood blew chunks. And no, Chunks was not a character that Cap’n Jack ran into in a bar.