Elisabeth Sladen is wonderful.

Honestly, that could be my entire review. But I’ve more thoughts on this episode so I will persist. Still, it should be reemphasized that Elisabeth Sladen is absolutely wonderful here as Sarah Jane Smith.

The Krillitanes are solid enough villains. The idea of an alien species that can change its form by adopting traits from species it has conquered is a fun one, and the creepy bat-like designs look pretty good. They’re not shown a great deal of focus in the story. However Anthony Head gives a delicious turn as Mr Finch. It feels a bit like the production knew the villains were a little thin here, but cast Anthony Head who is allowed to do his thing in the hopes that nobody notices. For me at least, this kind of works. Yes I can see there isn’t a lot of meat on the bones, but I enjoy Head’s performance enough that I can easily overlook this.

The plot involving the Skasis paradigm feels very thrown together in the last act. There is some setup to be fair, but the episode isn’t as  interested in what’s happening at the school, it is far more interested in the reunion of The Doctor and Sarah Jane(especially in the second act). This makes the final act feel pretty rushed as they have to actually establish what’s going on, resolve what’s going on, give are characters some resolution as well and setup the Sarah Jane Adventures spinoff. But at least they’re able to connect the Skasis paradigm to the emotional and thematic elements of the story. It’s not the greatest connection, but it’s better than nothing and I appreciated that it wasn’t just ‘the Doctor defeats the threat just because we need a threat for the Doctor to defeat’.

The main focus in this episode is the return of Sarah Jane Smith. The episode uses her return to examine what it means for the people the Doctor leaves behind. We’ve had episodes that explore what it means for the people Rose has left behind. But we’ve never really spent much time considering what it is like for a companion to see all the terror and wonder of the universe and go on all these brilliant adventures, only for it to one day stop and normal life has to resume. Sarah Jane might’ve spent a lot of her time post-TARDIS pining for the Doctor and their prior adventures, heartbroken that she was ‘dumped’ (literally an apt description of what happened to her, but the romantic connotations of the word are certainly not accidental) back on earth. Throughout the course of the episode she comes to terms with it. The plot involving the Skasis paradigm, is that the Krillitane are boosting the schoolkids intellect (with special school lunches) and using these genius children and their imagination to crack the paradigm, or as it’s also known the God Code. This would allow them to remake the universe how they see fit. Mr Finch tries to tempt the Doctor to their side, seeing the value in his Time Lord wisdom. He does this by saying the Doctor could remake the universe however he wanted, bringing back dead civilisations, including his own. Sarah Jane gives a speech about the power of sadness and loss. How they’re just as valuable as happiness or love and that everything has it’s time. No matter how wonderful a thing may be, it must someday end. The sadness it leaves behind can be a necessary by product of experiencing joy, love and wonder in the first place.

Unfortunately Sarah Jane’s return does lead to some catty quarrelling with Rose. Unless you count Jackie, this is the first time since its return that Doctor Who has had two women together on team TARDIS. So it’s not a great look that their initial reaction is to bicker and fight over the Doctor. There are some good things that come from this, such as Rose telling Sarah Jane that the Doctor never talks about her anymore. This was originally meant as a way to put Sarah Jane down, but later it becomes a terrifying glimpse into Rose’s potential future. If someone who used to mean this much to the Doctor is no longer worthy of mentioning, what does that mean for her place in his future? The episode also has the good sense for the two of them to make up on their own (without the Doctor’s intervention) and bond over their experiences with the Doctor. There aren’t many humans who have experienced anything like what these two have experienced on the TARDIS. So when they embrace at the end and Sarah Jane tells Rose she can always look her up if she needs her, it’s a nice moment that feels somewhat earned. However I’m not sure these good moments do enough to entirely redeem the earlier fighting. Especially for Rose, who also gives an awkwardly disapproving face when Mickey is allowed to join the team full-time at the end of the episode as a new companion. Rose spends too much of the episode seeming petty and jealous. It’s not a great look for her.

The Doctor fairs better here. This is probably the best showing for David Tennant so far in the show. He gets to be charming for much of it. His enthusiasm and delight when he first sets his eyes on Sarah Jane (and K-9) is rather infectious. We also learn that travelling with companions takes a toll on him as well. He has to watch the people he cares about age and possibly die. He’ll keep on going on adventures in his TARDIS, but he knows whenever he takes on a new companion, it’ll inevitably end in heartache as they can’t stay with him forever.

I haven’t mentioned K-9 much. I don’t have much to say. He’s a likable little robot and he gets a couple of hero moments. But for the most part he’s just a good boy.

The focus is not on K-9’s return, it’s on Sarah Jane Smith. As returns go, Elisabeth Sladen really is wonderful as Sarah Jane Smith.

Now that's more like it! Its a tricky thing bringing back long forgotten elements from a show's past, the 2005 series stripped everything back to basics with minimal references to the past. Its surprising then that in 2006 Russell decided it was time to bring back one of the classic series most beloved (and my favourite) companion Sarah-Jane Smith. Not only did they bring her back but they brought her back in an interesting way that both old school fans and those only familiar with the new series could appreciate - she's The Doctor's ex. Its a concept that works really well and gives Sarah-Jane, The Doctor, Rose and even Mickey Smith some serious character development. The Doctor's companions can stay with him for the rest of their life, but he can't stay with them for the rest of their lives - and it impacts everyone around them.

Anthony Head turns what could be a fairly meat and potatoes part into a shimmering role. Even as a kid I appreciated having some cast crossover with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Elisabeth Sladen though is clearly the star of the show. I miss her so dearly. She more than proves that the classic cast can hold their own in the new show.

Its a funny script - Kenny being celebrated by his classmates for blowing up the school and the scenes with the two "tin dogs" Mickey and K-9 stand out as particular highlights. Its no surprise that Toby Whithouse is brought in to write more scripts.

It is also the second story in a row setting up a new spin off, the series' third overall. We're firing on all cylinders now!

Like many, School Reunion was my introduction to the first true elements of the Classic Series. It's such a lovely affirmation of that content that there's not a lot to object to around this episode and what it's going for.

The special effects don't hold up very well at all, but with heavyweight performances from the likes of Tennant, Elisabeth Sladen, Anthony Head, and even the easy to overlook John Leeson, this is a pretty unforgettable, stand-out episode of Series 2 of the revived series. Very critical to the show's history and legacy, while also affirming so much potential content for the future, School Reunion is just a particularly special chapter of Doctor Who.

Taking all that larger metanarrative stuff aside, the Doctor posing as a teacher was pretty fun, and the story was engaging enough. It's not really the most important part of the story, but it does the job enough that School Reunion is an episode I simply never skip, even if it is flawed, especially around the whole theme of companions loving the Doctor, which is a bit dated like the effects. Still, there's so much to enjoy here. It's hard not to feel David Tennant's enthusiasm towards this type of content, and was really important in getting me to open up more to that older era of the Classic TV series, which I now love. So I will always appreciate School Reunion for that, too.

⬆️8/10 = ENJOYABLE!

Thworping through time and space, one adventure at a time!

“A CLASH OF COMPANIONS: A COMMENTARY”

New Who clashes with Classic Who in the third episode of Series 2 (what a wonderful rhyme that is!), which takes us back to the present day for a fun adventure featuring shapeshifting bat aliens in a secondary school environment.

• THE STORY

There’s something Seventh Doctorish about the Doctor going undercover as a teacher in this one (and letting Rose be a dinner lady). I quite like the setup, as Ten makes for a fun teacher, allowing David Tennant to further hone the quirky qualities of his incarnation.

The script is so preoccupied with the Doctor/Sarah Jane relationship (and setting up The Sarah Jane Adventures spinoff in the process) that the alien plot is sort of sidelined until a very busy third act. This also means that the otherwise very effective and creepy Anthony Stewart Head performance isn’t given full attention until the second half (he could have done much more if given the opportunity).

The biggest fun comes from the Doctor and Sarah both investigating the same strange events and crossing paths. It’s heartwarming to see them eventually catch up.

The alien plot to use modified school lunches to create superintelligent children to run a supercomputer that could dominate the universe is a bit silly.

• THE PEOPLE

Billie Piper is still unbearable, particularly when pining for the Doctor and trying to convince Mickey that the Doctor is unlike any other man. The look she gives when the Doctor accepts Mickey onboard the TARDIS always makes me cringe. He's your boyfriend, for God's sake; either accept that or dump him!

Tennant is clearly a fan of the show, and you can see the affection and giddiness he emits in every scene he shares with Elizabeth Sladen, who hasn’t lost any of her wits and charm as Sarah Jane Smith. This is the episode that warmed me to Tennant’s Doctor, as he is much less smug and more balanced here. He also takes great charge of the situation at hand.

The ice-cold atmosphere between Sasfrah Jane and Rose is fun to watch, and Rose is finally put in place by a far superior companion. Too bad that even this enjoyment is destroyed once they eventually get along and begin giggling about all the funny things the Doctor does.

Mickey is on fire in this episode and put to good use, especially towards the end. Ten also treats him much better than Nine ever did, even if he still occasionally sweeps the floors with the poor boy.

K9 is fun to see (even in his rusty form), even though he’s clearly just there to be replaced by a new mark in the end, to be used by Sarah Jane in her own show later on.

I quite like the Krillitanes; they look scary and are an effective take on shapeshifting, composite race bat aliens. Sadly, they remain very underused in this episode.

• THE ATMOSPHERE

The episode feels even more rushed than usual, as it focusses immediately on strange and alien things going on at the school.

I also like how the episode briefly explores the emotional aspects of the Doctor travelling with someone and eventually having to leave them behind.

The big action set piece in the classroom with all the Krillitanes is a pretty good moment.

• RANDOM OBSERVATIONS

Anthony Stewart Head, looking all scary and calling on his fellow Krillitanes, looks and sounds to me like Mr. Quill calling on the seaweed in Fury from the Deep.

Probably the first truly great Story in the Tennant Era for me.
Admittedly, the competitive nature with Rose and Sarah is a bit ridiculous, but besides that? Yeah, there is a lot to love seeing Lis Sladen in her iconic Role again is just absolutely lovely, she does give an amazing Performance, no wonder why we got SJA!
As somebody who really isn’t big on 10Rose, it’s great we explore some other sides about it, like in that scene where 10 says that humans die, he regenerates, great Scene!

In general this is such a comfort Story for me, it has definitely some major flaws (effects haven't aged so well, the competitive nature is getting a bit much after a certain point), but I really adore this one a lot!