Invasion Of The Bane

[Exterminate]

Just on a rewatch of SJA and this is the first time in ages that I have watched the first serial, and I have to say (with the exception of Kelsey) I like it a whole lot more than the first time I watched. When you think of it in a similar vein to Rose or the first episode of Torchwood and you think about how much has to be set up, its really quite great. I also love the alien link with TW.

I know this story probably gets the most stick of all the SJA episodes but I think its great. What do you all think?

[Oh-Wise-One]

Mrs Wormwood is brilliantly camp in this story, and Maria and Sarah Jane are both great but Kelsey is awful. Totally and utterly awful! Luke is tolerable, but his acting isnt great.

The story is ok, and as you said it does the trick for setting the show up, but I think every episode sinse has been better. But thats not hard when you consider that it just gets better and better as the show goes on

[Vampyros Adric]

As a relative newbie to SJA this seemed a logical jumping off point for me - I watched it and loved it. I can see why it got stick but actually I thought the story and the characters were pretty good I think it holds up rather well to TW as a spin off

[Aneurin]

I love it. Its not the best but its still a great story and as Chris said, its a great jumping on point

[Peri-Peri]

I didnt mind Kelsey so much. I'm glad she didnt stay and we got Clyde (mmm, Clyde ) but for that one story I think she was ok.

[Exterminate]

Seems so bittersweet now doing this rewatch, but I can't think of a better time or a more worthwhile reason to look back through all the old serials

[poprockgeek]

I finally saw this for the first time when it was on TV yesterday.

Let me get my gripe out of the way first - Kelsey! She reminded me so much of various girls I'm come across in real life & not in a good way. In a way though I guess that means she was a realistic character but not one I could warm to. Very glad that I know she didn't stick around.

That aside I thoroughly enjoyed it - it did it's job well & left me wanting to watch more (previously all I'd really seen were the 2 doctor eps). I'm now fully intending to rectify my lack of SJA knowledge sooner rather than later & I will be keeping an eagle eye on CBBC for full series repeats (although I have discovered the boxsets are quite cheap on Amazon!)

And Lis Sladen was fantastic - it makes me even more sad that she's gone. But she has left some great memories behind her