Sarah Jane Adventures 4.3 + 4.4
Oct. 23rd, 2010 04:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakIn which there is a mixture of good and infuriating. The infuriating part isn't on the level of The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith, but when I caught up with my tv from last week, it did make me grind my teeth in frustration. On the bright side, the returning guest character was handled really well and I did like the conclusion of that storyline.
Okay, first of all, given events in the Whoverse at large in the last five years, you just can't do alien denial stories anymore. Unless we're to assume the cracks from last seasons' DW somehow have eaten everyone's awareness of the multiple alien visitations, and somehow, Amy's wedding did not give me that impression. Secondly, while I can actually think of a good reason why Sarah Jane should keep her own and the kids' activities secret - for starters, most parents would not want their children to risk their lives on a weekly basis (oh, and Gita wanting to become famous with the whole enchilada at the end was a reason not to involve her in the world saving activities as well - pretending that aliens don't exist per se (different thing) was annoying when they did it in s1 with Chrissie, and it's downright insulting with Gita and Haresh, both of whom have seen them. Worst of all, though, is the attitude towards Ocean and Minty. At the end of the first part I thought, what a clever twist, we're first made to believe poor Ocean and her organization will just be the butt of a cheap joke but then she's revealed as a genuinenly traumatized person, a key to the puzzle, with Sarah Jane & friends shamed for their attitude. But no. While Ocean's trauma remained real, at the end of part II she and Minty were made into cheap jokes for the sake of a punchline again. I'm really angry about this, and it spoiled to some degree what was otherwise a good two parter for me.
Because there was a lot to enjoy as well. Androvax completely turning over a new leaf would not have been believable, nor would have been a situation where he gave up the chance to save his people to save humanity. What the show came up with - playing him as tragic and letting him die but given him a happy ending, letting him save his people while allowing Sarah Jane et al to save humanity at the same time - felt right, and was an emotionally satisfying solution. Androvax made it into Mrs. Wormwood territory among my favourite SJA guest characters. I also liked the Clyde and Rani interaction throughout. And the conversation with Ocean near the end of part I, as much as the follow-up on this was disappointing. Oh, and Luke's apearance via webcam at the start, much as I liked Maria's in s2 via the same means. I really would have liked to love the episode, but every time I think of Ocean and Gita, I feel more like raging.
Ah well. Next week: Joooooooooo! (Oh, and that Doctor fellow, too.)
Okay, first of all, given events in the Whoverse at large in the last five years, you just can't do alien denial stories anymore. Unless we're to assume the cracks from last seasons' DW somehow have eaten everyone's awareness of the multiple alien visitations, and somehow, Amy's wedding did not give me that impression. Secondly, while I can actually think of a good reason why Sarah Jane should keep her own and the kids' activities secret - for starters, most parents would not want their children to risk their lives on a weekly basis (oh, and Gita wanting to become famous with the whole enchilada at the end was a reason not to involve her in the world saving activities as well - pretending that aliens don't exist per se (different thing) was annoying when they did it in s1 with Chrissie, and it's downright insulting with Gita and Haresh, both of whom have seen them. Worst of all, though, is the attitude towards Ocean and Minty. At the end of the first part I thought, what a clever twist, we're first made to believe poor Ocean and her organization will just be the butt of a cheap joke but then she's revealed as a genuinenly traumatized person, a key to the puzzle, with Sarah Jane & friends shamed for their attitude. But no. While Ocean's trauma remained real, at the end of part II she and Minty were made into cheap jokes for the sake of a punchline again. I'm really angry about this, and it spoiled to some degree what was otherwise a good two parter for me.
Because there was a lot to enjoy as well. Androvax completely turning over a new leaf would not have been believable, nor would have been a situation where he gave up the chance to save his people to save humanity. What the show came up with - playing him as tragic and letting him die but given him a happy ending, letting him save his people while allowing Sarah Jane et al to save humanity at the same time - felt right, and was an emotionally satisfying solution. Androvax made it into Mrs. Wormwood territory among my favourite SJA guest characters. I also liked the Clyde and Rani interaction throughout. And the conversation with Ocean near the end of part I, as much as the follow-up on this was disappointing. Oh, and Luke's apearance via webcam at the start, much as I liked Maria's in s2 via the same means. I really would have liked to love the episode, but every time I think of Ocean and Gita, I feel more like raging.
Ah well. Next week: Joooooooooo! (Oh, and that Doctor fellow, too.)
no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 02:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-23 02:59 pm (UTC)Agreed on the general disappointment re Ocean and Minty.
Date: 2010-10-23 04:47 pm (UTC)Also, the whole BURPSS thing reminded me of Love and Monsters and anything reminding me of that is a very bad thing.