School Reunion

School Reunion marks a turning point in the revived Doctor Who series, which some had, up to this point, viewed as a reboot of the original series, rather than a straight continuation (despite sly allusions to past adventures and the Doctor's previous incarnations). As of this episode, the show is proud to acknowledge and pay tribute to its rich history, starting with a story that, in true DW fashion, deftly mixes warmth, excitement and silliness.

After the future (New Earth) and the past (Tooth and Claw), this time it's contemporary London that needs help, again: a race called the Krillitane, under the command of the enigmatic Mr. Finch (Anthony Head), has infiltrated a school, using children as tools to construct a powerful weapon. Also undercover in the same facility is the Doctor who, assisted by Rose and Mickey, poses as a teacher to find a solution to the planet's latest problem. Lucky for him, he can count on some extra help, in the unexpected shape of former companion Sarah Jane Smith (Elizabeth Sladen) and her mechanical pet K-9 (voiced by John Leeson).

While remaining a great adventure - save for some customary sub-par effects shots - in its own right, this spooky story written by Toby Whithouse works best as a treat for seasoned Who fans: the Doctor, now officially described as the tenth incarnation of the character, must deal with the sudden return of familiar faces. And what faces: Sladen, a favorite among past companions, is a joy to watch, especially when she compares experiences with Rose and brings up the inevitable question: how long before the Doctor moves on again? Leeson's K-9 is also one of those adorably silly ideas that work perfectly (and to increase the nostalgia effect, the original prop is used in the episode). As for the new characters, the Krillitane are an intriguing creation, and Head (at one point considered to play the Doctor in the ill-fated 1996 TV movie) has a lot of fun playing bad, complete with a clever in-joke at the expense of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans.

In short: the Doctor, Sarah Jane, K-9, aliens and the guy who used to play Giles (or, staying in BBC territory, the Prime Minister in Little Britain). What's not to love about that?

This could so easily have been a disaster. How many times have we heard the phrase, 'You can't go back'? When I heard that Sarah Jane and K9 were returning I couldn't see how they were going to fit in with the new series. They slotted in as if they'd never been away! The power of the emotional subtext and Sarah Jane's anger at having been left was quite breathtaking at times. Even better was the sparky relationship between Sarah Jane and Rose which was hilariously played out in a scene where the two were trying to outdo each other with the monsters they'd seen. It was telling that Rose had never thought about life after the Doctor. Sarah Jane was showing her the future and she was obviously concerned by it. The plot paled into insignificance with all the issues raised but Anthony Head was a great villain in his telling cameo. Taken with the following episode, 'The Girl in the Fireplace' this is the Doctor growing up and starting to acknowledge the real effect he has on his friends and companions.

A group of progressive teachers and dinner ladies take over a London school, but the Doctor and Rose embed themselves to make sure they're playing by the rules (obviously they are not!). Two old friends (past companions) from long ago are encountered on the way, the Doctor beams with pleasure and joy but Rose has nothing good to say (until later once they've bonded). When the Head is finally challenged he is defiant, they will remain, but the Time Lord is having none of it, and neither's Sarah Jane (or her dog).

I was worried about this episode. Sarah Jane Smith has always been my favorite Dr. Who assistant and didn't want the new producers to trample on my feelings about the character (the way 'Star Trek Voyager' did when they brought back the character of Kes for a one-off episode). I needn't have been concerned though, it was wonderful. That's the thing about this new Dr. Who incarnation, it's so much more emotional than the old version. Perhaps it's not surprising. The new producers grew up with the show like the rest of us. We're all older and we want something with a bit more depth than just the same old face-off between the Doctor and the Daleks, the Cybermen etc. (although we want that too). As a result, Elizabeth Sladen got to act in a way that she never did in the old series (and didn't she look GREAT). I loved that little scene in the café where Sarah Jane talked about how much traveling with the Doctor had meant to her and what it had been like to give it all up. I also loved the final scene where she got to go inside the Tardis again, and the moment when she thanked the Doctor for all her experiences with him. She might have been speaking for all of us.

Past incarnations of the DrWho story have featured returns of previous Doctors and also of previous companions, the best of these to date being the five doctors.

School Reunion, however is the first of these that really looks at the situation from the companions view point and what emerges is a story that tingled with emotion and the actual plot line of aliens taking over a school pales into the background as we watch Sarah-Jane and Rose's mixed emotions in what is essentially the traditional Girl meets Aien, loses Alien, meets Alien again but he's met someone else, loses Alien again ! A story I am sure we can all relate to in our daily lives.

Highlight has to be Elizabeth Sladen's magnificent return, A shame we don't see much of her these days as this episode clearly shows she really is a fantastic actress and I hope that, (if she wants) we see her in something new very soon.

A must see Episode !!