Revenge of the Slitheen

I understand this was geared towards a younger audience, but a lot of Doctor Who already is like that and doesn't have to be such a bother to revisit in adulthood. The Slitheen were never exactly well regarded monsters, but here, they are just worse, more obnoxious, and less threatening than their show counterparts. They kind of ruin what could otherwise be a strong start to the first season proper. It is the sort of thing that should work for something like a spin-off - bringing on a main series villain hardly feels unwelcome in principle. In practice, however, they picked such lousy monsters it feels like we're instead just watching Doctor Who leftovers, including the Slitheen costumes are looking awfully rough by this point.

I like Clyde and he feels like a better retool of Invasion of the Bane's Kelsey. The show is still very awkward here around stuff like Mr. Smith's overly long sequence that is both elaborate and thoroughly unimpressive, but to its credit, it is hardly unwatchable either. Sarah, Maria, Clyde, Luke, and Maria's family all make up for things in a lot of ways. It's very inconsistent though and definitely a story that can be skipped pretty easily on repeat viewings.

I know that this isn’t a particularly good story in anyone else’s estimation, and I understand why, but alas I have been in love with this show and these characters for perhaps longer than I have loved Doctor Who, and I remember being terrified of the Slitheen and that it was this episode specifically that sparked that fear. Disliking Sarah-Jane Adventures episodes where the main bad guy is the Slitheen is fundamentally impossible for me, for the simple fact that they transport me back to watching this show at 8 years old like nothing else does, so this review is about to be biased beyond belief, do not let it lead you to believe this episode is something I would strongly recommend unless you are already in love with the show. Although I do genuinely believe this and less mature episodes like this, are better than people give them credit for.

First of all, Clyde is here, my favourite SJA character, seeing him reluctantly befriend Maria and Luke makes this episode. He’s so desperate to make cool friends, which Maria and Luke are not but he cannot help but like them and get along with them before he even knows about their deal with aliens. And of course because he’s Clyde and he’s awesome he does end up popular in later episodes.

I also think this is a darker episode than people give it credit for. Yes the Slitheen look and act silly, but there is a reason they petrified me as a small child. Its not as up front with most of them, but with the science teacher they make it pretty clear he was a person who got murdered and now there’s this thing living inside his skin. And then of course there is the child Slitheen who ends the episode begging for his life. Absolutely wild.

Aside from that, it is one of those episodes of The Sarah-Jane Adventures that is very ‘children’s show’ for lack of a better term, but that doesn’t make it bad. It makes sense that it's a turn off for a lot of people, but I think at times really negative opinions of the episode forget that it isn’t for them, this is good kids TV, I know this because I loved (and was terrified by) it as a kid, just the kind with limited appeal for adults. Because the show has a lot of episodes with more mature themes in episodes that are easier to get behind as an adult, its easy to dismiss these simpler stories. Not every episode is, or even should be, Whatever Happened to Sarah-Jane?

The regulars continue shine in this, including the incoming Clyde who acts as a nice counterbalance to the rest of the team. Maria’s mum continues to be the star of the show. The lead teachers / Slitheen actors are unbearably hammy when in human form though - someone told them to really tilt into the fact their in a children’s TV show which is out of keeping with the rest of the show. Slitheen work particularly well in alien form though - a natural fit for SJA.