Doctor Who: Farewell, Sarah Jane is a beautiful goodbye to a much-loved companion
By James Aggas
Farewell, Sarah Jane – a short story written by Russell T Davies released online yesterday – is a beautiful tribute to one of Doctor Who’s most popular companions.
Yesterday marked nine years since the passing of Elisabeth Sladen. One of the only companions to feature in both the Classic and New Series eras of Doctor Who, she remains one of the show’s most popular companions to this day. In fact, while Sladen herself is gone, her legacy continues with her daughter, who will be playing Sarah Jane in next year’s audio Return of the Cybermen.
To remind us how greatly loved both Sarah Jane Smith and Elisabeth Sladen were, former showrunner Russell T Davies gave us something very special. A short but undoubtedly effective tribute that would truly celebrate the impact that Sarah Jane had on Doctor Who, and even beyond.
What he gave us was Farewell, Sarah Jane. Written by Russell T Davies and narrated by Jacob Dudman, the short tribute is a clear ending to the companion’s story. You can watch it for yourself below, but be warned – expect plenty of tears with this one.
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Many goodbyes
Many major characters feature in this story. Not just from Doctor Who, but also from spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures, as well. In fact, in many ways, Luke (Tommy Knight), Clyde (Daniel Anthony) and Rani (Anjli Mohindra) are almost central to Davies’s story. The appearances of Jo Jones (Katy Manning), Ace (Sophie Aldred) and Gita (Mina Anwar) are definitely more than welcome. But it’s from the perspective of the main team from The Sarah Jane Adventures that Farewell, Sarah Jane is told.
The story itself is undeniably beautiful and heartbreaking. Taking place on the day of Sarah Jane’s funeral, it’s very much a true goodbye to the much-loved companion. It’s taken a long time for this story to be finally told, but considering how much both Elisabeth Sladen and Sarah Jane meant to so many, I can imagine it was a difficult story for Russell T Davies to write, for many reasons.
But while it’s taken a long time to truly say goodbye to the character, it’s definitely been worth the wait. Farewell, Sarah Jane is an undoubtedly strong tribute, and a wonderful reminder of why so many of us loved the companion. It truly is a fitting goodbye story for her.
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What did you think of Farewell, Sarah Jane? Do you think it was a strong tribute for the Classic Series companion, as well as for Elisabeth Sladen? Let us know in the comments below.