The basic setup of the plot (for anyone who hasn’t been paying attention) is simple enough. The Doctor is dead, the Last of the Time Lords seemingly meeting his final end saving a gaggle of children out in deep space from certain doom. With his death verified by UNIT’s DNA checks, Sarah Jane and the gang decamp to UNIT’s giant base under Mount Snowdon where his body is being held in state by the mysterious intergalactic coffin bearers known as the Shansheeth. It’s a joy to see Jo back in the Doctor Who universe after so many years away and even more of a thrill to see Jo and Sarah Jane on screen together. However, an even bigger thrill is the inevitable hook-up between these two archetypal Who companions and the current owner of the TARDIS, the 11th Doctor himself, Matt Smith. The scenes between the 11th Doctor and Jo and Sarah are pure gold, with Smith totally getting the importance of the moments at hand and building upon the wonderful rapport that his immediate predecessor established with Sladen’s Sarah Jane. If any one (the fools!) still has any lingering doubts about Smith as the Doctor, this story should absolutely dispel them. Special mention should also go out to Daniel Anthony and Anjli Mohindra, as series stalwarts Clyde and Rani, who get a lot of the heavy lifting scenes to play in this story. However, thanks to a finely balanced script and some nicely judged performances, their scenes never feel like padding and the relationship they develop with Jo’s grandson Santiago (played by Finn Jones) is very effective. All in all, RTD’s return to the Whoniverse is a total triumph and Death Of The Doctor is another superb Sarah Jane story in a season that appears well on course to being the best so far. There’s a real joy, enthusiasm and confidence on display here that’s reminiscent of RTD’s Who during its third and fourth years. Here’s hoping this impressive standard is maintained for the remainder of its run. Read our review of episodes 3 and 4, The Vault Of Secrets, here. See Also:
Has Doctor Who just solved the regeneration problem?The Sarah Jane Adventures: Death Of The Doctor gallery
