Eye of the Gorgon

A pretty strong episode and a huge improvement to Revenge of the Slitheen and the Invasion of the Bane. The story feels like a pretty typical monster of the week type of affair, but there is just enough sense of atmosphere and pacing to keep you invested. I liked the general feel of the gang being up against a group of culty nuns. The connection to the Gorgon myth is a bit of a stretch, but I think that did work in bringing Maria's dad into the story a bit. It's all a little cheesy, sure, yet I can't help enjoying the Jackson family as the sort of everyday protagonists flung into the more fantastical life of Sarah Jane.

I also just got good vibes from the show from this point on, now that we've established our characters and status quo a bit. The slightly younger tone, the goofily long intro scene for Mr. Smith, Luke being a fish out of water, whatever Clyde has to say - this is a show that knows what it is, is a little weird, but just keeps going for it with so much pluck I can't help to adore it a bit. It's kind of funny but Torchwood burned me so thoroughly I never checked out the much more enjoyable spin-offs of Class and Sarah Jane. Yet it is the spin-offs I wrote off and never really checked out until getting more into Big Finish that have, so far, feel refreshingly watchable compared to the original run of Torchwood.

I have a huge respect for Phil Ford’s willingness to explore adult themes in this story, especially Maria’s experience of her dysfunctional mother. There’s a real humanity to the performances from Maria and her dad that folds in nicely to the alien threat of the week. There’s a Jonathan Creek vibe to this one, especially in the old people’s home with the wily old woman who could unlock the entire mystery if it wasn’t for her alzheimer's - I’m glad her illness isn’t cured by the amulet, an important lesson for the kids. Ford shows us how to write in a way which treats the young audience with respect.