It’s
high time that I mentioned the second spin-off from the Who mother ship. Although not
as prominent as Torchwood, I really
love The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was a delightful series that frequently
delivered smart and imaginative writing without condescending to its younger
target audience, and the wonderfully likable characters played a big part of
that. More will follow in due time, but
we’ll start with our initial eyes into the series, those of Maria Jackson.
As far
as characterization is concerned, Maria isn’t as well-drawn as Luke, Clyde, or
Rani, but that’s largely due to the Everygirl factor. We don’t learn as much about Maria’s interests
or ambitions outside of alien-fighting.
Instead, she remains a less-defined presence, which better allows the
viewers at large to identify with her.
However, this really doesn’t detract from her appeal. She’s hardly the first
intentionally-generalized protagonist out there, and when done well, the device
can be effective.
And it’s
certainly effective here. What Maria’s
characterization lacks in specificity, it makes up in overall rootability. Her parents’ recent divorce adds some
familiar color to her home life, and many can relate to being new in town and
starting a new school year with trepidation.
While these normal adolescent concerns are present, she approaches both
well. Though she misses having her mom
as a constant in her life, she recognizes that the divorce is a better alternative
than endless fighting, and she has a lovely, warm relationship with her
dad. And she may be nervous about going
to a new school, but she begins her first day with a clear, optimistic head and
looks out for Luke, who’s much more out of place than she is.
But of
course, that’s the boring regular-life stuff – nice, but not what we’re in it
for. No, the real draw comes when Maria
wakes in the middle of the night and discovers the curt woman from next door
entertaining an alien in her backyard.
This is where we see the bulk of Maria’s qualities start to shine through. Like a companion in training, she comes alive
at the sight of real alien life. She’s
bewildered, naturally, in some denial about what she’s seen, but she can’t
shake the image or the wonder and excitement that came with it. The next day, she tries her hand at more
mundane activities – making a friend who likes watching TV, going into town,
and admiring good-looking boys – but it’s clear that her heart’s not really in
it until everything starts going all impossible and unhuman.
She
takes to the mystery with relish, and we immediately learn that she’s smart
(hiding in the ladies’ restroom because she knows the male guards won’t look for
her there,) compassionate (taking the obviously-abnormal Luke under her wing,)
and determined (resisting Sarah Jane’s initial attempts to keep her out of the
whole alien-hunting lifestyle.) She’s
brave and curious, she can think on her feet, and she absolutely adores seeing
everything the universe has to offer.
And while there’s no way she can just go back to ordinary life after
saving the world with Sarah Jane and co., she also doesn’t let the
extraordinary blind her to the trappings of home; she loves her parents to bits
and fights aliens in part to protect them, both from blatant extraterrestrial hostility
and the enormity of facing up to the truth about alien life. She’s a devoted friend who proves herself
time and again, even keeping up the good fight on her own when time goes screwy
and all of her friends, including Sarah Jane, are out of commission. Not bad at all for a 14-year-old.
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