The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith kicks off, as usual, with a mystery but this time Luke, Clyde and Rani are investigating Sarah Jane herself. She’s been secretive about her activities and the gang are so suspicious that they employ K9 and Mr Smith (who turn out to be quite the comedy double act) to discover she’s seeing a bloke! Hilarity ensues as our favourite threesome take a peak into the adults’ date and witness, wait for it, a kiss! Clyde’s response is priceless. Peter Dalton, the bloke in question, is as suave as his Bond surname would suggest and is played pitch-perfect by the adorable Nigel “Nice Sermon Vicar” Havers. Not to mention he’s a thoroughly good egg to boot. So thoroughly good, it would appear, that Sarah Jane agrees to be his wife pretty sharpish. (Well, at her age, why not?) Here the sound of the TARDIS materialising becomes very sinister, as if it’s heralding a disaster (which, of course, it is). We hear the time machine’s noises a few times during the episode and this builds the tension alongside the ongoing proceedings and suspicions (from Clyde and Rani) of SJ’s new fella. The cast are wonderful and the ‘kids’ Anjili Mohindra, Daniel Anthony and Tommy Knight continue to impress with their magnificently rounded performances. Predictably, David Tennant make his entrance at the exact moment that I think we’re all expecting but it’s played out so damn perfectly that you’ll be too busy cheering with glee (or wiping away tears) to care. A truly amazing television event with a cliffhanger worthy of Who itself. And that’s the only flaw (and in no way did it impair my enjoyment) in this utter gem. So good actually that you’ll not even mind that The Doctor isn’t there for the majority of this installment. A more heartwarming and life-affirming small screen half hour (or so) you are not likely to find this year.
