Sladen Interview Shocker!

[SiHart]

Lis Sladen has been interviewed by The Daily Telegraph. Here's the interview:

Elisabeth Sladen talks to Simon Swift about returning to the role of Sarah Jane after more than 30 years.

The Sarah Jane Adventures, which starts on BBC1 a week on Monday, is the second spin-off from Doctor Who, after Torchwood. It’s a pre-teatime series aimed at younger Who fans. But older devotees are equally excited, not least because of the new show’s references to the Doctor, the return of familiar baddies and, most of all, the return of Sarah Jane Smith – the Doctor’s most popular companion from the Seventies.


Elisabeth Sladen in the new Doctor Who spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures
The show sees Smith, a journalist, who quit travelling in the Tardis more than 30 years ago, investigate alien activity in present-day west London. She’s assisted in her mission by three plucky teens – her adopted son Luke (Thomas Knight), neighbour Maria (Yasmin Paige) and their school friend Clyde (Daniel Anthony).

Smith is played by Elisabeth Sladen, who first starred alongside Jon Pertwee and then Tom Baker, battling enemies from the Daleks to the Loch Ness Monster. She landed her own show after making an emotional guest appearance last year in the revamped Doctor Who opposite David Tennant.

‘I did that episode, School Reunion, and I thought what a lovely end for my character,’ says Sladen. ‘Then, as Torchwood was coming out, I got a call saying Russell [T Davies – Doctor Who’s executive producer] would like to take me out for lunch to talk about something else. I thought, “I’m going to be in Torchwood.” And he said: “We want to do a series called The Sarah Jane Adventures.” I absolutely didn’t see it coming.’

The show got a dry run with an hour-long special on New Year’s Day. Co-written by Davies and Who writer Gareth Roberts, it maintained the flagship show’s wit and imagination, despite a CBBC budget..

In The Sarah Jane Adventures, Smith has become something of an earthbound Time Lord – albeit without the two hearts and a time machine. She does, however, get her own sonic screwdriver in the form of a lipstick, and an intergalactic computer called Mr Smith.

Sladen says she’d have been miffed if another of the Doctor’s human companions had been brought back for a spin-off series, instead of her character. ‘I would be p***** off to my socks. I would have said, “Well, they know what they’re doing,” but I would have secretly thought, “Oh, what a mistake they’ve made.”’

Older Doctor Who fans will recognise another classic character who makes a brief return in this series: K-9. Sladen filmed the very first Doctor Who spin-off in 1981 – an ill-fated pilot called K-9 and Company – with the Doctor’s robotic hound as the star.

‘K-9 is good when he’s used properly but it’s difficult to work with an inanimate object,’ says Sladen. ‘I know Tom [Baker] used to kick him across the studio. So to have the children instead, real flesh and blood, is better. I was worried because you look at the age group and they could have been spawn of the devil. But they are such lovely children.’

As is par for the course in Who and its spin-offs, the villains and aliens in Sarah Jane are as varied as they are grotesque. There’s a sinister posse of non-denominational nuns, a mythical gorgon and, in the first episode, some more familiar foes. The food keeps going off in the canteen at the local school, and there’s a strange smell coming from the new technology block. Sarah Jane and co discover some of the faculty have been replaced by Who villains the Slitheen – alien megalomaniacs with a flatulence problem.

While aliens strive to take over Sarah Jane’s world, it seems as if the Doctor Who franchise is taking over ours. Who will be back at Christmas, and there’s also a new series of Torchwood to look forward to. Indeed, for one week during the summer, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood and Doctor Who were all being filmed simultaneously in the same Cardiff studio.

‘The whole thing was like an express train,’ says Sladen. ‘I’m so happy to be along for the ride.’ Simon Swift

It's nice to see she's so gracious about the talents all the other actors and actresses who've played Doctor Who companions, and so totally convinced of her own self worth that it'd have been a mistake to use any of the others. I'm sure that'll endear her to everyone else. Have we finally had a glimpse of the real Lis Sladen?

Si xx

[Jon Masters]

and so totally convinced of her own self worth that it'd have been a mistake to use any of the others.
Si xx

Ah, but surely that's assuming that you think she's wrong ? Other than a UNIT spin-off (which would end up too much like Torchwood) I don't think there is another companion who could have been used in this way.

[Pip Madeley]

I wouldn't have minded The Zoe Heriot Adventures. 37 years ago, mind. She could've defend the Wheel from dangerous situations (like crashing into asteroids, and aggressive space pirates) with her fantastic intelligence, all whilst walking round in her sparkly catsuit.

Ratings winner, for sure.

[SiHart]

Ah, but surely that's assuming that you think she's wrong ? Other than a UNIT spin-off (which would end up too much like Torchwood) I don't think there is another companion who could have been used in this way.

I must admit I did read it from the point of view of the choice of actress rather than the choice of character. Looking at it form the other point of view, of course, it's probably far less controversial than I thought.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

Agreed, and to be fair she probably is right. Didn't RTD say (possibly in the season 2 DWM special) that really SJS was the only choice for a "School Reunion" episode - not just because generally speaking she's the most fondly-remembered, but because she's kind of 'normal'. Jo Grant arguably would be another option, although I don't think Katy Manning could ever hold a series (let the 'can she act' debate start now), and then you've got an alien savage living on Gallifrey; a genius computer-kid on a space wheel; a 17th century highlander; an air-hostess; an alien aristocrat helping out on a plague ship...

[SiHart]

Polly could have done it! Or Ian and Barbara. Admittedly, probbaly not now, but back in the day they'd have been OK choices I think.

Si xx

[Andrew Curnow]

Actually, Polly & Ben mght have been interesting, but Ian and Babs... I suppose they could have been the star teachers of a 60s Grange Hill or something. In general though, I think 'investigative reporter' is potentially more exciting than 'teacher' or 'temp'.

[WhiteCrow]

Well in terms of character, having someone based in contemporary society is cheaper, and journalists are a good choice of character as they're always investigating/getting into trouble.

The only other spin off I could think of involves Jo Grants sexual adventures as she joins a hippy commune with her hippy boyfriend, and is turned into a sex slave.

[SiHart]

Oh my!

Si xx

[Dirk Gently]

Is Mike going to pen a script & send it to R.T.D using that idea...and if so, can I read it first?

[Matthew T]

I can't imagine Katy Manning in Sladen's place in School Reunion! She looks rather odd these days!

[WhiteCrow]

Is Mike going to pen a script & send it to R.T.D using that idea...and if so, can I read it first?

"Oooh the Doctor gave this to me ... it's a Sonic Vibrator!".

Episode One she's captured by a Dalek, who shoots her with a defabricator, before subjecting her to sick Dalek sexual subjugation.

Channel 5 are already interested in buying the rights.

[Pip Madeley]

This thread might have to go in the Temple if that talk carries on

[Dirk Gently]

Jo Grant & the Phaleks?

[WhiteCrow]

This thread might have to go in the Temple if that talk carries on

I will make a "spin off" later.

Actually in a similar vein, shouldn't we limit Torchwood discussions to the Temple because it's so "adult and edgy".

[P-Bal]

The adventures of Josephine Grant would be an absolute scream! BIG HATS!

The Leela & K-9 Adventures would have been fab. As Dame Louise said at Bad Wolf "What's she doing with MY K-9?!"

Too right.