Dec
30
2018
Let me tell you about 200 sit-ups, at least for me: It ain't easy, and it takes a solid half hour to get it done. Frankly it almost qualifies as a complete workout all on its own. Today was my second time reaching 200. I hope it gets easier over time, because right now it totally kicks my butt. As for The Sarah Jane Adventures, well, I wasn't emotionally prepared to cry today. I thought that wasn't going to happen until Wednesday.
Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith - Parts 1 & 2
(TARDIS Data Core recap)
This story was a cruel and unplanned case of life imitating art. The plot of the story is that Sarah Jane becomes very ill, with what seems to be Alzheimer's. She begins forgetting things, including the Doctor's name, and as her health deteriorates she concludes that she must leave Luke, Clyde, and Rani because she is no longer safe to be making life-and-death decisions.
This story is also the last one to be broadcast prior to Elisabeth Sladen's untimely passing on April 19, 2011 due to cancer. Half of the fifth season had already been filmed prior to her taking ill, and so I still have three more stories to watch, but I ain't gonna lie - this was a tough one to watch.
The story also features a kind-of alternate Sarah Jane, a woman named Ruby White who appears to be very much like Sarah Jane, but who turns out to be the evil mastermind behind the illness. Ruby is played by Julie Graham, who looked so familiar. I finally remembered that she played one of the leads in the very excellent Survivors revival that was airing right around the same time.
The story also brings back Luke for the second half, and also features the final televised appearance of K9 Mk IV, so it really does bring everyone together for the finale. Heck, even Rani's mother Gita is likable and compassionate in this one, and that is a rare feat indeed. In a lot of ways, this could have been a very effective series finale if it had to be, but I am glad they forged ahead and aired the three completed stories from the next season. The plot of this one was just a little too on-the-nose with reality, and it is just heartbreaking to watch Sarah Jane fading away and losing her intelligence and vitality due to the ravages of disease. I have no idea what is coming in the next three days, but I really hope it celebrates the vitality and optimism that Elisabeth Sladen brought to the character across four decades and an amazing nine different Doctors. That's what she deserved.
STATS:
Featuring: Sarah Jane Smith, Clyde Langer, Rani Chandra
Episode(s): Goodbye, Sarah Jane Smith - Parts 1 & 2
Steps Walked: 7,344 today, 4,201,482 total
Distance Walked: 3.75 miles today, 2,199.37 miles total
Push-ups Completed: 0 today, 9,400 total
Sit-ups Completed: 200 today, 2,665 total
Weight: 261.38 lbs (five day moving average), net change -45.92 lbs