R.I.P. Elisabeth Sladen (1948-2011)
"The universe has to move forward. Pain and loss, they define us as much as happiness or love. Whether it’s a world, or a relationship… Everything has its time. And everything ends." ~ Sarah Jane Smith (Doctor Who - "School Reunion")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVgameCP9IQ&feature=feedu
What an untimely turn of events. First Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart), now this.
What an unfortumate year it's turned out for Doctor Who actors. She was still so young (63!), but she was a wonderful and talented actress, mother and woman. I feel a bit jealous to any Whovian who got the chance to meet her over the years at gatherings/conventions. She must have been a wonderful woman to meet and talk to.
Despite all of the veteran Whovians who grew up with Sarah Jane in the 70's and early 80's, I think the younger generation is going to be taking this pretty hard since The Sarah Jane Adventures introduced them to Elizabeth's wonderful character in her spin-off show, along with the occasional episode of Doctor Who or DW related crossovers, and is still currently running on television. (Plus, from what I heard, Season 5 was already in filming last year, so I'd like to wonder how they'll be able to continue the show without Sarah Jane.) It's a dark day for a child when you find out one of your childhood heroes has passed on. (Kind of what happened to Mr. Dressup for me when I was 10 years old...and that his death was one week after the 9/11 attack.)
On a personal note with the character, my first Sarah Jane-related episode I ever watched was actually "Robot", Tom Baker's first serial as the Fourth Doctor. I was just starting to get into Doctor Who and wanted to give the Classic series a shot (I was also starting New!Who, but I hadn't made it to Series 2 at the time when I watched this particular episode). Possibly my favorite scene was near the end when Four sulkingly invites Sarah Jane to travel with him in the TARDIS by holding out a bag of jelly babies.
"Coming?" He says.
It's so sweet and adorable, and there are no words between the characters for a short minute. You just look at Sarah Jane popping a jelly baby into her mouth happily and Four just happily smiles, knowing that his Sarah Jane will be with him on his travels across time and space.
(This is a fan re-scored version with New!Who's music, but I think it sets the tone a little better.) :)
And then I later watched "School Reunion", and I REALLY wanted to watch more Classic!Who since I wanted to find out about Sarah's departure from the Doctor. Plus, I absloutely LOVED the meeting between her and Ten. (A really haunting scene.)
THE DOCTOR: (quietly) Hello, Sarah Jane.
SARAH JANE: (whispers) It's you. Oh... Doctor... (A smile starts to spread across her face as she edges towards him.) Oh, my God, it's you, it's... it's... you've regenerated.
THE DOCTOR: Half a dozen times since we last met.
SARAH JANE: You look... incredible.
THE DOCTOR: So do you.
SARAH JANE: I got old. What're you doing here?
THE DOCTOR: Well... UFO sightings, school gets record results -- I couldn't resist. What about you?
SARAH JANE: Same. (They laugh. But Sarah Jane's smile falters and she sounds close to tears when she speaks again.)
I thought you'd died. I waited for you and you didn't come back, and I thought you must've died!
THE DOCTOR: I lived. Everyone else died.
SARAH JANE: What do you mean?
THE DOCTOR: Everyone died, Sarah.
SARAH JANE: (whispering in her disbelief) I can't believe it's you.
(The moment is broken by the sound of Mickey wailing.)
Okay! Now I can!
And then the departure scene...I was sad, but it ended on a not-as-bittersweet note, leading off to The Sarah Jane Adventures.
(At the current time of this post, I still have to watch the rest of her episodes, both Classic!Who and New!Who - i.e. Series 4).
Well, no longer. Starting tonight, I'm going back and watching her first story with the Third Doctor: "The Time Warrior" (along with her departure story: "The Hand of Fear" and return story: "School Reunion", if I have enough time). I have a bag of jelly babies and a freshly brewed cup of green tea just waiting on my desk as a small offering of rememberance.
They will be eaten and drunk VERY slowly.
R.I.P. Elisabeth Sladen (1st February 1948 - 19th April 2011)
