goodbye, Sarah Jane Adventures

[dbskyler]

So, it's over. No more new SJA, and no more new Sarah Jane Smith on my television, ever, ever again. But at least we got a great episode to go out on.



First off, let me get out of the way the one thing that I didn't like so much: that "he's American" bit, followed by all those stupid American stereotypes that Luke and Sky threw into the hologram. Is that really how the UK sees us? Ugh. Well, at least I can be thankful that they didn't have the hologram pull out a gun and start shooting people, as that seems to be an even more prevalent American stereotype.

But other than that, I thought the episode was wonderful. Here are the things that I loved:

-- It turned out the aliens were slaves, and the real bad guy was the human. Also, you just know that Sarah is going to go after the alien slave trade now.

-- Great moments for everyone. Sarah being a journalist, and playing interview games with the hologram and the villain! Rani and Clyde investigating the laptop with safety goggles and sticks! Rani and Clyde to the rescue! Luke sending a message on the dog whistle in Morse code! Luke and Sky operating the hologram together!

-- That compilation of clips at the end. What a nice goodbye. Also, I am so happy that they included a clip of Sarah and the Doctor hugging, even though they had to go to Doctor Who to get it. I'm still upset at RTD for not showing us the Eleven/Sarah hug that obviously happened during "Death of the Doctor," but this made up for it.

Comments

[boro-girl.livejournal.com]

I don't think the stereotype was put in there for anything other than to make the kids laugh. Sky was the one doing the "voice" and she's still learning; all she knows of American culture she's learned from Toy Story and the stereotypical presentation of them. She was very early!Luke literal about toad in the hole, so why not about how Americans talk?

But yeah. Beautiful swan song.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Oh, the stereotypes were obviously to make kids laugh, but that almost made it more annoying. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying anything was inappropriate, not even for a kids' show; it was just, "Oh no, is this really the first thing they think of when they're told 'American'?" Besides being OTT (for laughs, I know), that whole "cowboy" thing is very, very regional-specific. It's like somebody saying, "He's from the UK, give him a kilt and bagpipes!" when that really only applies to Scotland, and even there it's not something you see people wearing as they're walking down the street.

[jjpor.livejournal.com]

Indeed - as sad as I am that that's it, at least it went out on a high note. I thought that was a great story in its own right, but the bit at the end - that was the kicker, that was.

To be fair regarding the American stereotypes, I think the joke there was that they were ridiculous, mainly because they were being put into his mouth by somebody whose main experience of Americans was watching Toy Story. ;)

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

It did go out on a high note, yes; that was a very good story in its own right, as was the previous episode, "Curse of Clyde Langer."

I guess part of my issue with the American stereotypes is I don't understand how you get there from "Toy Story." Woody's just one character, after all. I also hope that that isn't really the impression of Americans that British kids get from that movie.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I must remember to pick up the new DWM today since it features the Lis/SJS tribute.

And American shows aren't full of stereotypes about Brits or other cultures?

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

I'm sure they are, but that doesn't mean I can't complain when I come across it in a UK show. ;) Besides, it wasn't the presence of stereotypes that bothered me, but how embarrassing they were. My reaction isn't, "Wow, I'm so offended that there were stereotypes"-- I'm not trying to claim it was offensive -- but rather "Ugh, cringe, I really hope that's not how they see us."

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

I'm sure some British kids do see Americans that way, just as some Brits see Americans as trigger-happy gun-toting oddballs.

But those of us who know real life Americans don't.

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Well, I might have to confess to the "oddball" part . . . ; )

But nope, no guns, no cowboy boots, no cowboy hats, and good luck trying to find grits around here. Although grits and cowboys don't even go together anyway.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

:D All the best people are a bit odd...

I'm sure...

[thisbluespirit]

It was good, wasn't it? And the end bit v sad.

I think the American stereotypes were to be so bad that the kids would get the joke, if you follow me. It would be v unusual to see an American represented by a cowboy stereotype in any serious way these days. There's so much US TV/film, books & news around here, that the point is that even the youngest watchers are going to see how silly Sky's ideas are immediately. We're so aware of a lot of US stuff, that even though there (of course!) are stereotypes, there are at least a range of them about.

Having said that, there's an awful lot of UK Tv I don't watch, so maybe I'm wrong & they all have occasional visiting cowboys. But I doubt it. :-)

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely right, it was supposed to be bad and OTT. Looking at it the other way around -- "what stereotype can we use that even young viewers will get" -- I see why they went the way they did. And then the "Toy Story" bit probably came about because they needed something most kids are likely to have watched that has cowboys in it.

[thisbluespirit]

PS. I scanned this in from DWM for you, being as I remembered how much you liked having Sarah hugging Doctors:


(It was in the tribute edition that arrived yesterday; must be originally from some late 80s/early 90s comic strip. But anyway, Sarah hugs Seven for you!)

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank you!!!!!!!!

I'm trying to decide how much trouble I'm willing to go to in order to get a copy of that. Is it really, really good?

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

If you like, I'll buy you a copy and mail it - and you can reimburse me via Paypal?

(I've done this for other US friends in the past so it's no big deal.)

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

That's a very nice offer, thank you! I managed to snag the Nick Courtney tribute edition while I was in London in July, but this one I have to get from over here, and it's proving hard to get hold of.

[persiflage-1.livejournal.com]

Well, to be fair, it only came out yesterday (in the shops) so you'd have a hard time getting hold of it there right now! :D

[thisbluespirit]

It's hard to answer that. If (as I see below) you have the Nick Courtney one, it is in pretty much exactly the same format, only, of course, different people giving tributes & all about Lis Sladen, aside from a handful of regular features. So that's what to expect. And given how much you like Lis Sladen/Sarah Jane, well...

I don't know how long they take to get overseas. I'm a subscriber so I get mine a day early, so it is literally only just out here.

I thought you might like comic Seven and Sarah! :-)

[dbskyler.livejournal.com]

Yes, I did like the Nick Courtney edition overall, but it was very "blurby" (for lack of a better word). Kind of like a tabloid newspaper that happened to be all about Nicholas Courtney, with (presumably) more accurate information. It makes sense that the Lis Sladen one would be similar. I'll think about it, but I am very tempted, especially as Pers has kindly offered to acquire it for me. (I realize it's early to expect it to show up over here, but I haven't found where *any* of the DWMs are carried. Doctor Who Insider, yes; Doctor Who Magazine, no.)