SJA #9 : Secrets of the Stars

"Some years ago, you travelled far and wide. And oh, the things you have seen! There was a man, a very special man. No, no, let me think. It wasn't a romance, no, it was something much, much more than that. He taught you so much. There was laughter and adventure, and you prayed that your time with him would never, ever end. But then suddenly he left you. The man was lonely. A scientist? No, a doctor. The Doctor. Am I right?"

Episode #9:         Secrets of the Stars.
Companions:       Sarah Jane Smith, Luke Smith, Rani Chandra, Clyde Langer, and Mr Smith.
Air Date:             20th to 27th October 2008.

Astrologer Martin Trueman causes a stir with his uncanny insights and predictions. Sarah Jane doesn't believe in astrology, but she does believe that all is not as it seems with Trueman. Around her, people are falling under Trueman's sinister spell and even Mr Smith doesn't understand what's going on.

After the last couple of decent SJA episodes the show falls back into the usual weird episodes that I expect from the show. Once again, I know it is purely a children's show but does it need to have these weak episodes that I would expect from a cheap low budget science fiction show? This is the Whoniverse so why does it have to have stories like this even for a kids show?

The story uses astrology as it's basis. We see that astrology isn't just something humans do but which exists on other planets in the universe as well. The problem is that it doesn't really work for me in the sense that it is being shown. Star signs allow Mr Trueman to control people of that star sign when it becomes aligned, much like the Sycorax used blood groups to control people when they invaded. That worked for me but I cannot fathom why astrology doesn't in this episode.

The episode feature Russ Abbott, a former household comedy name in the 1980's, in the role of the villainous Mr Trueman. I can only wonder whether he was desperate for money or something. In the story Mr Trueman is "possessed" by an ancient force of starlight that predated the Big Bang. How did it survive and is it somehow related to the Great Old Ones? Who knows?

I'm sure that this story could have been done better had some more thought gone into it. It isn't bad by any stretch but again, like a lot of SJA, but may have been more enjoyable if written for a more teen level audience.