Russell T. Davies has returned to the world of Doctor Who once again to bid farewell to Elisabeth Sladen, the actress who played companion Sarah Jane Smith. While in quarantine, Davies penned a 15-minute epilogue episode of the Doctor Who spinoff series The Sarah Jane Adventures. He then sent that script out to the stars of The Sarah Jane Adventures, as well as a couple of other former Doctor Who companions, to put together a video paying tribute to both the character and the actress. “Farewell, Sarah Jane” reveals that Sarah Jane Smith died along with Sladen, who died from cancer in 2011. This episode takes place at Sarah Jane’s funeral as the characters who knew Sarah Jane says their goodbyes to their friend.
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The episode is narrated by Jacob Dudman, who has voiced the Doctor in several Doctor Who audio dramas. It also features actors Mina Anwar, Daniel Anthony, Tommy Knight, and Anjli Mohindra reprising their roles from The Sarah Jane Aventures. You can watch “Farewell, Sarah Jane” above.
“Farewell, Sarah Jane” debuted as part of a Doctor Who re-watch event taking place on April 19th, the anniversary of Sladen’s death. The event sees Davies, David Tennant, Catherine Tate, and Graeme Harper live-tweeting while watching the Doctor Who crossover episodes “The Stolen Earth” and “Journey’s End,” which featured characters from The Sarah Jane Adventures and Torchwood.
Sladen debuted as Sarah Jane, a journalist, in the 1973 Doctor Who serial “The Time Warrior,” which featured Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. She stayed on as the Doctor’s companion until 1976, departing in the serial “The Hand of Fear.” After that, she made a couple of guest appearances in Doctor Who in the 1980s, then returned as a guest star after Davies relaunched the series in 2006.
“Farewell, Sarah Jane” and the Doctor Who rewatch are hitting Doctor Who fans hard. They’re heading to social media to share their feeling while remembering Elisabeth Sladen, which has #FarewellSarahJane trending on Twitter. Keep reading to see some of what they’ve had to say.
You’re Going to Cry
me: Iโm not gonna cry at the #FarewellSarahJane ep itโs been 9 whole years and Iโm an ADULT
โ ailsa๐ช (@spellmanstardis) April 19, 2020
me literally 42 seconds in: pic.twitter.com/t9USLmYn7L
It Hit
This was one of the first celebrity deaths in my life that HIT ME, the concept of there being no more new episodes to come home and watch after school was traumatic.
โ Mercury ยฒยนโด โซ๏ธ๐จ #GBTZ (@Mercuryinretro1) April 19, 2020
She was the best ๐ฅบ๐ฅบ#FarewellSarahJane
pic.twitter.com/VF2FEa9Pwg
Goodbye, my Sarah Jane
โGoodbye, my Sarah Janeโ a blonde woman whispered as a tear rolled down her cheek. #FarewellSarahJane pic.twitter.com/fmT0vAC0WA
โ lauren ๐ฆ #subwavenetwork ๐ (@robxkristen) April 19, 2020
Tweet and Sob
All the companions referring to the Doctor as ‘he’ suggesting they don’t know about Thirteen so wouldn’t recognise her sitting quietly at the back of the funeral service send tweet and sob #FarewellSarahJane ๐ข
โ Karlpaldi โจ (@CosmicWhoNerd) April 19, 2020
Two Hearts Breaking
โI know youโre all waiting for the doctor to turn up but come on, he couldnโt could he? I mean, heโs got two hearts. imagine them both breaking. I donโt think he could bear it.โ ๐ #FarewellSarahJane
โ ava โจ KE SPOILERS โจ (@kpondsong) April 19, 2020
Thank You
It’ll never be enough to for me. It never will be. But it was perfect in the way it happened, it was the best way that it could’ve ended. Thank you for making this happen, and thank you, Sarah Jane. #FarewellSarahJane and goodbye Mr. Smith. I’ll miss you all. โค๏ธโค๏ธ
โ Nightingaymer (@Nightingaymer) April 19, 2020
Crying
Watching #FarewellSarahJane and I’m crying ahaha help
โ G (@heyitsgs) April 19, 2020
Too Much
THIS IS TOO! FUCKING! MUCH! #FarewellSarahJane pic.twitter.com/3Do52XA7Bn
โ mat//rdc6 (@cannibussy) April 19, 2020
Best Companion
DOCTORโS BEST COMPANION
โ ็ฝๅ (@hamluo) April 19, 2020
#FarewellSarahJane
Breaking Hearts
Well this is breaking my heart #FarewellSarahJane
โ Greg ๐ (@gregwalkeh) April 19, 2020
