TV Retrospective - The Sarah Jane Adventures Series 4 Part 1 - The Nightmare Man/The Vault of Secrets

It’s been a while but we’re back, and looking at the 4^th series of the Sarah Jane Adventures and the final full season of the show.  Series 5 was sadly cut short thanks to the passing of Elizabeth Sladen. And we’ll get to some ideas for the show that were ultimately cut later, but for now, let’s get straight in with The Nightmare Man

The Nightmare Man part 1

After the still forced opening that really isn’t that important. I suppose it gave you a preview of the series but isn’t that what the goddamn trailers are for?

So, rather than Sarah Jane, we get an opening from Luke about nightmares. He’s recording himself with a video camera saying something about someone coming for him and who may destroy the world, the Nightmare Man. The Nightmare man is voiced by Julian Bleach, which is a tad distracting since he plays Davros in the main show.

We flash back to a year earlier where Luke tells his mum that Mr Chandra thinks he can take his A-levels a year early and go to Oxford. As it happens they’re chained up to a Slitheen bomb. K-9 Rani and Clyde arrive and we get the first sliming of the season. Sarah Jane agrees with Luke, we flash forward to results day, it’s been a successful year for Luke; 4 A*s, if you’re surprised about this… you clearly haven’t been watching this show; also, welcome to your first Sarah Jane Retrospective, kinda odd to start at the 4^th series but what can you do?

With 4 days to go till his departure, Rani’s heading to school without him and Luke is packing, he’s wondering whether he made the right choice. Clyde is already missing Luke but of course he’s not gonna admit it. He claims he wants Luke to get used to him not being around and doesn’t text Luke back. But Sarah Jane has another surprise, she’s giving him his own car. Guess, we ignored the whole driving lessons section of the show. Guess he would’ve passed first time anyway, but insurance? That car is old, probably expensive to insure since it lacks the modern safety equipment.

Luke’s upset, thinking no-one really wants him to stay, and wondering why he shouldn’t just drive off. Sarah Jane gives her old spiel about how Luke has changed her and how she will miss him, of course. And we have Luke dreaming, Sarah Jane and K-9 are discussing how they wouldn’t miss Luke, it’s a dream and that’s never a good thing for Luke.

Luke tells Rani about the dream. You know the last time you had a nightmare, Mrs Wormwood showed up, so stop doubting the importance of your dreams, Luke. Rani confronts Clyde over his lack of visiting and it’s just as awkward as you’d expect from this pair. Luke dreams again, this time it’s Clyde and Rani goading him, with Sarah Jane joining in the fun. A red door opens as the Nightmare Man makes himself known, he feeds on nightmares and how does he make Luke have nightmare. The episode does have an answer for that, and here it is.

  

Finally he tells Sarah Jane about the nightmares and she asks Mr Smith to scan him, he says he’s fine and Luke dismisses it. Clyde invites Luke to the school where he’s arranged a party with all the people we don’t know, Clyde and Rani. How did this happen? Also, why is everyone in school uniform? Luke’s clearly picked up on the subtext and gets Clyde and Rani to adance as he falls asleep, how is the Nightmare man doing this. Here’s your answer

OK, enough jokes stolen from Mr Enter. In this dream we’re back to referencing IT. When woken up by Rani, Luke finds he can’t tell anyone of the Nightmare Man. He can’t even type it when he tries to tell Maria on Facebook. He falls asleep; this time Sarah Jane is bringing in a new kid into this world, Josh, who now takes preference over Luke, he then watches Clyde and Rani and Sarah Jane burn any memories of Luke to ash. This is probably the best character episode Luke has ever had and we’re not even half done. The Nightmare Man tells Luke for some reason with one Nightmare he can escape into the real world and feed off everyone.

It’s the final day before he leaves, and it’s more intimate gathering, with a tape recorder and small party. Clyde’s asleep, and Rani shortly follows. Luke is staying awake, he takes the camera and begins recording the monologue he was reciting earlier. It’s actually a clever way around the whole can’t tell anyone bit.

Luke eventually succumbs and falls asleep in the attic, the Nightmare man manifests himself in the real world as Luke is trapped in his new nightmare, a vast black expanse.

It’s an interesting play on the insecurities one will face when leaving home for the first time, it’s got some issues but it’s still a strong episode

Rating 8.5/10

The Nightmare Man part 2

Sarah Jane enters the attic, so the Nightmare man disappears, she picks up the camera. Meanwhile the Nightmare Man decides to put Rani into a nightmare. Sarah Jane comes across the recorded monologue. Rani has a self-aware television, the news anchor drags her into the television. The Nightmare Man then turns his attention to Clyde, who’s working in a café. Could be worse, could be working at <Redacted>

Sarah Jane sees the Nightmare Man form and her panic alarm sets off. K-9 is unable to determine what’s wrong but Mr Smith says the Nightmare man is a thing from the thingy dimension. OK, he didn’t but I’m not spelling these complicated names. Sarah Jane has a stop thing to do things but soon realises Clyde and Rani may also be affected.

The News Anchor transforms Rani into her co-star and an elderly Sarah Jane berates him. Rani’s news broadcast is one to expose Sarah Jane. K-9 is able to talk to Luke using the stone if Mr Smith provides him with a power boost. Luke tries to confront the Nightmare man and because he’s strong-minded he can actually talk to him, not that it does much good.

K-9 manages to contact Luke but it’s not much help since he can’t get him out. But he is informed that Rani and Clyde may also be in the Nightmare world. I guess Rani fears being the stuck-up type of journalist and Clyde fears never being good enough, both rational and totally within their character, and importantly for this story, incredibly personal. The Nightmare Man begins expanding his power, connecting to houses across the street.

The broadcast for Rani begins, Luke considers the possibility that Luke and Rani may well be stuck in the same dream world. Rani is able to hear her, and Clyde eventually is as well, Luke manages to get them both out of their own nightmares and into his, despite some weird hesitation from each of them. This cuts off the Nightmare man’s power and begins to hurt him.

The Nightmare man appears in the attic and cuts K-9 off from the dream, confronting Sarah Jane. Apparently he has fed on a lot of her nightmares. She tries to goad him into sending him asleep but he sees through it and realises Luke needs to be alone. He appears in the nightmare realm and begins to use his power to send them back into their nightmares. Luke plucks up the courage to confront him, but goddamn it is this ending cheesy. Them holding hands weakens the Nightmare man enough to send him into Clyde’s dream, and trap him there, with an elderly Sarah Jane ready to tell him about Luke. That is poetic justice.

Luke manages to wake Clyde and Rani up, as Sarah Jane is able to wake K-9 up. Luke wakes up as well. She tells K-9 that he needs to go with Luke and possibly be the most awkward thing to explain. PARENTING! Luke asks Rani if she was jealous of him, like in the nightmares, she is but that doesn’t mean she’s not pleased for him. So, with K-9 in tow, and the series’ budget in check, it’s time for Luke to set off for Oxford. Tommy Knight, who played Luke had an episode of the Bill to star in, whilst making smaller appearances throughout the series.

It's another good episode, despite some of the cheesier moments near the end. A fitting sendoff to one of the series’ most original characters, even if he’s not fully gone

Rating 8.5/10

The Vault of Secrets Part 1

Meet Woman, she’s a woman, she runs into a place, tripping an alarm, thanks to a device that goes beep she finds what she’s looking for, a hidden door, but she needs a second thing that goes beep. But at the same time, 3 Men in Black are awoken, seriously, they have the shades and everything. They unveil cyborg hands and begin strolling as she runs after her. She injures herself making her escape and we soon realise it was and Androvax possessing her body. The Men in Black seem to be aware of it.

Sarah Jane and Clyde and watching the Mars probe, it’s heading toward a possibly Ice Warrior civilisation, given what happened in series 10 I assure you the ice warriors are long gone but whatever. Anyway, Gita’s dragged Haresh to an ‘I’ve seen aliens’ society called… are you kidding me? B.U.R.P.S.S.? Someone fire the anagram guy for that one. She’s remembering the Judoon episode from last series. Please stop! I’m just going to ignore this subplot unless it becomes important.

After a brief period of inhabiting Rani’s body, Androvax is quickly caught out. He reveals himself but is trapped in Mr Smith’s containment vortex. Sarah Jane won’t be played for a fool, despite saying that he needs Sarah Jane’s help. Rani felt that he was really ill, bitten by a swamp viper in a Judoon prison. How come he wasn’t executed? He’s destroyed 12 worlds and the Judoon don’t usually need much of an excuse to kill people.

Anyway, at his trial he was told a ship with 100 of his people was launched before his planet was destroyed, he’s seeking them out, it’s in a vault. So we return St Jude’s hospital, where we were earlier, they trip the alarm alerting the Men in Black. They find the Men in Black’s sleepy holes, the place is full of alien tech including a transmat device.

They’re attacked by the Men in Black, Mr Dread is the leader among them and demands their surrender, when they refuse and sonic lipstick doesn't work, it’s back to the old trick of running away

  

The Men in Black decide to not pursue as they’re irrelevant without the second thing that goes beep. So, who are these Men in Black? They’re part of the Alliance of Shades, which is almost as ridiculous sounding as B.U.R.P.S.S. but their purpose, especially as a fan of Doctor Who is more intriguing, they exist to wipe the memories of people to keep the existence of extra-terrestrials a secret (kinda like the Men in Black). Ocean Waters, one of the founders of B.U.R.P.S.S. was one of their victims, Androvax can re-access her memories but first they agree to have him travel in Clyde’s body. It turns out Ocean Waters has the second thing that goes beep. Androvax steals the devices and Mr Dread arrives ready to kill.

It’s an intriguing premise, isn’t it?

Rating 7.5/10

The Vault of Secrets part 2

Mr Dread reveals that if the Androvax ship is released, it’ll destroy the planet. Clyde was injured so the Androvax takes over the nearest body, who happens to be Gita. They head off in pursuit and sabotage Mr Dread’s car to slow him down, not for long though as he hijacks the car behind him, weirdly not wiping his memory but what can you do.

The trio agree to split up to look for Gita. Rani worries that maybe she should’ve told her mum about aliens. Time for another awkward scene as Mr Dread’s associate patrols the corridor. He sees Gita and begins his slow pursuit. They manage to save Gita whilst Sarah Jane finds the vault and encounters Mr Dread. She literally disarms him as Rani bargains her body for his, he releases Gita but Rani pins him against the wall, allowing her and the others to escape and leave Androvax weak and without a body. Rani tells Gita the truth to get her to move as other men in black associate finds them, Clyde acts as a decoy to lure him away.

Clyde gets two and gets the pair of them to shoot each other, so it’s just old Mr Dread now. Androvax and Sarah Jane encounter each other as Mr Dread’s hand makes its way back to its owner. Rani and Gita are captured by Mr Dread. Androvax pretends to perish but it’s a trick for him to inhabit her body. Clyde manages to place Mr Dread back in his box but Androvax tricks them to using the disks to open the vault.

Locked out of the vault and with Androvax preparing to activate the fleet, their only resource is Mr Dread. Sarah Jane has an idea, Mr Dread can use the transmat device to teleport the ship out of the vault, he’ll need to use his own power supply to activate it. Fortunately, the plan is successful and Earth is saved without sacrificing Androvax. With the second disk gone, Mr Dread sees his purpose as complete and decides to take a permanent retirement, but before he does so, he’s asked to calm an ecstatic Gita, by wiping her memory.

We get some closure to the B.U.R.P.S.S. subplot and some hope for the future, hopefully, the Veil won’t succumb to dodgy CGI.

Rating 7.5/10

It’s a decent episode, but the real fun is still to come, next time.