(Premise spoilers for this story, which necessarily spoils the story before it, “The Last Sontaran.”)
It seems weird to think about it now, but even though I technically “met” Rani before Maria (Matt Smith’s guest appearance in series 4 was my introduction to The Sarah Jane Adventures,) I wasn’t so sure going into this episode. Because, when I went back to start the series from the beginning, I fell in love with Maria and her friendship with Sarah Jane pretty quickly, and I was hesitant to see her “replaced.” Now I know, this is the Whoniverse, so I should’ve known better and been prepared to welcome changes in the cast, but that’s how it went. Having said goodbye to Maria, I didn’t know whether or not I was ready to say hello to Rani.
Sarah Jane and co. are reluctantly getting used to being without Maria, although everyone misses her. When a new family moves into Maria’s old house, Sarah Jane is determined to keep her secrets this time and not let the neighbors’ daughter Rani in on the alien action. But Rani is 1) curious, 2) clever, and 3) already unintentionally embroiled in an alien mystery. Kids around town have started to disappear and the only thing linking them is that they all saw a sinister clown before they vanished – a clown that Rani and Clyde have also been seeing. In taking on the creepy Odd Bob, our heroes have to face their fears in a big way.
Creepy clowns are a hallmark of pop culture, making Odd Bob a predictable but effective choice of baddie for this story. He is undeniably creepy, and kids seeing a clown that no one else can see right before they disappear is certainly shiver-inducing. I like the direction the story goes with him and how it ties him into some larger lore.
It’s a nice showing all around for the regular cast. Sarah Jane having a phobia of clowns works for me, and I like seeing her struggle through that in taking on Odd Bob. While all the characters miss Maria, Luke takes it the hardest because the whole concept of losing someone is entirely new to him. As a result, he’s reluctant to the thought of becoming friends with Rani, which is a believable response for someone who’s still experiencing a lot of things for the first time and can have difficulty understanding emotions. Meanwhile, Clyde has a pretty good plot. Having already less-than-endeared himself to the new headmaster, who’s written him off as a class clown (not to be confused with actual alien clowns who go around town being creepy and shadowy,) Clyde deals with the assumption that “goof-off = trouble-maker/up to no good.” He has a major role in the resolution of the story that, while a little hokey, is still a fun celebration of who Clyde is and what he brings to the table.
And of course, there’s Rani. Even if, my first time through the show, it took me a handful of stories to really get on the Rani train, there’s nothing wrong with how she’s portrayed here. She fills Maria’s space in the group without serving the same role. She’s driven and brainy in a way that doesn’t feel like an archetype, a wannabe journalist who sees something unexplainable and doesn’t try to rationalize it. I like the relish with which she takes to investigating Odd Bob and the disappearances, despite Luke and Clyde’s best efforts (at Sarah Jane’s urging) to keep her out of it. After all, Sarah Jane’s young friends are a lot like prospective companions: once they run across a mystery, there’s no stopping them from exploring it.
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