THE ADVENTURES SERIES 1

The show’s latest spin-off applied key aspects of Doctor Who’s dramatic structure to a highly unusual premise for children.

By E MMA REEVES

A publicity shot for Series 1 of The Sarah Jane Adventures featuring Yasmin Page (as Maria Jackson), Tommy Knight (Luke Smith), Elisabeth Sladen (Sarah Jane Smith) and Daniel Anthony (Clyde Langer).

Sarah Jane investigates in Eye of the Gorgon.

Less than two years after Doctor Who’s revival, the show had already spawned several successful spin-offs, among them the adult-oriented drama Torchwood, behind-the scenes documentary series Doctor Who Confidential and children’s magazine show Totally Doctor Who. There was a strong appetite for Doctor Who among younger viewers, but showrunner Russell T Davies rejected CBBC’s request for a series about the young Doctor’s upbringing on Gallifrey. Instead, he proposed The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Looking back on this beloved series, it’s easy to forget just how radical a proposal it was for CBBC. It not only broke the existing mould but also CBBC commissioning guidelines, which stated that shows should be child-centred and realistic in nature. Aliens, and female leads in their 60s, would probably not have been contemplated without the star power of the Doctor Who connection – and the brilliance of Russell T Davies himself.

The Sarah Jane Adventures presented Elisabeth Sladen’s Sarah Jane Smith as a Doctor-like figure – initially wary, but reluctantly accepting younger companions in order to form a world-saving team. A decade before the first female Doctor was announced, Sarah became a hero to a generation of children, justifying Davies’ belief in the fanfavourite character and in Sladen as a leading lady. The programme was a quiet revolution, defying the notorious gendered ageism often ascribed to television in general and science fiction in particular.