School Reunion

A group of progressive teachers and dinner ladies take over a London school, but the Doctor and Rose embed themselves to make sure they're playing by the rules (obviously they are not!). Two old friends (past companions) from long ago are encountered on the way, the Doctor beams with pleasure and joy but Rose has nothing good to say (until later once they've bonded). When the Head is finally challenged he is defiant, they will remain, but the Time Lord is having none of it, and neither's Sarah Jane (or her dog).

Is DOCTOR WHO a show for children ? Oh that's a tricky question . Die-hard fans like myself will point to stories like The Seeds Of Doom that are so shockingly scary that there's no way it can be described as a children's programme . That's the problem with TORCHWOOD which is indeed a silly unsophisticated show whose idea of " adult drama " seems to be composed saying the f word a couple of times whilst shoehorning some lesbian snogging in to an underdeveloped storyline . At least DOCTOR WHO knows its target audience which is something the whole family can enjoy

School Reunion is a story the whole family can enjoy . An alien race called Krillitanes have infiltrated a comprehensive school and are using it as a bridgehead to take over the world . We've all been to school and some of us hated it more than others . This is the beauty of DOCTOR WHO because after seeing this episode you'll be reminded of how some teachers you remembered came across as being inhuman monsters . If you're still young enough to go to school Monday mornings will never be the same again and you'll be hoping for a blue police box to materalise in the playground

It's also an episode that works on more than one level . Children will enjoy the setting while adults who watched the show in the mid 1970s will remember Sarah Jane Smith . She breaks in to the school at night and meets the Doctor , a scene that is strangely haunting and powerful . I was never all that keen on Sarah Jane from the classic series but Elizabeth Sladen can certainly act and she shows her acting skills when lamenting that the Doctor had forgotten her . There's also some amusing bitching between Rose and Sarah Jane . Add to this some scary imagery of the Krillinates and you've got one of the best episodes of the resurrected DOCTOR WHO . Even Noel Clarke as Mickey is good and how many times has someone said that ?

School Reunion marks a turning point in the revived Doctor Who series, which some had, up to this point, viewed as a reboot of the original series, rather than a straight continuation (despite sly allusions to past adventures and the Doctor's previous incarnations). As of this episode, the show is proud to acknowledge and pay tribute to its rich history, starting with a story that, in true DW fashion, deftly mixes warmth, excitement and silliness.

After the future (New Earth) and the past (Tooth and Claw), this time it's contemporary London that needs help, again: a race called the Krillitane, under the command of the enigmatic Mr. Finch (Anthony Head), has infiltrated a school, using children as tools to construct a powerful weapon. Also undercover in the same facility is the Doctor who, assisted by Rose and Mickey, poses as a teacher to find a solution to the planet's latest problem. Lucky for him, he can count on some extra help, in the unexpected shape of former companion Sarah Jane Smith (Elizabeth Sladen) and her mechanical pet K-9 (voiced by John Leeson).

While remaining a great adventure - save for some customary sub-par effects shots - in its own right, this spooky story written by Toby Whithouse works best as a treat for seasoned Who fans: the Doctor, now officially described as the tenth incarnation of the character, must deal with the sudden return of familiar faces. And what faces: Sladen, a favorite among past companions, is a joy to watch, especially when she compares experiences with Rose and brings up the inevitable question: how long before the Doctor moves on again? Leeson's K-9 is also one of those adorably silly ideas that work perfectly (and to increase the nostalgia effect, the original prop is used in the episode). As for the new characters, the Krillitane are an intriguing creation, and Head (at one point considered to play the Doctor in the ill-fated 1996 TV movie) has a lot of fun playing bad, complete with a clever in-joke at the expense of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans.

In short: the Doctor, Sarah Jane, K-9, aliens and the guy who used to play Giles (or, staying in BBC territory, the Prime Minister in Little Britain). What's not to love about that?

The good Doctor and Rose go undercover at a modern-day private school, (Who as a teacher, Rose as a cafeteria server) at the behest of Rose's boyfriend, Mickey, who tips them off that something is not quite right there. To divulge any more of the plot would be robbing you of some of the brilliance of this episode, which as I wrote in my comment for last weeks episode, features the return of old companions Sarah Jane and K-9. That reason alone made me anticipate this particular episode for a good while before it actually aired. And it does NOT disappoint in the least and although I liked the previous two episodes of this series quite a bit indeed, this one just one-uped both of them by far. At turns, thrilling, humorous, and yes even touching, this is Doctor Who at it's best. On a side-note it's rumored that K-9 might get his own series sometime in the future, but I can't vouch for if it will be good or rubbish.

My Grade: A+

Quite easily one of my top five favorite episodes (if not #1). A good story. Poignant moments, cheeky moments, this episode has it. A satisfying tribute to the Classic DW with one of the most popular companions from the classic era. You can see from the moment that the Doctor first sees Sarah, that this is going to be something special. And it delivers. The initial byplay, the scene in the café where Sarah believes she did something wrong, to complaining about the navigation of the TARDIS (You'd think that with all the time The Doctor spends in England, he and the TARDIS would know the difference between Aberdeen and Croydon). But the big highlight for me was the "discussion" between Rose and Sarah in the classroom. What starts out as open antagonism becomes a funny, wonderful scene where the 'old' generation eventually bonds with the new. And I can't help but smile at the fact that Sarah Jane gets the last word in ("The. Lock. Ness. Monster!") This episode also provided the inspiration and impetus for "The Sarah Jane Adventures".