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THE MAD WOMAN IN THE ATTIC 1`
Oh dear God. You know you're in trouble when the slit wrist writer Joseph Lidster is writing. He's responsible for the death of Peri's mother and friend, the cancer ridden Tegan, and one of the most disgusting Sapphire and Steel plays on audio I've ever heard. He's not a bad writer by any means, he's good, very good but his stuff is mind numbingly depressing and dark and pessemistic with little hope in any of his writings that he's so WRONG for DW and so very WRONG for Sarah Jane.
Added to all of that, is the fact that I"m sick of hearing about how Sarah Jane is mysterious (NO< she's really not) and moody (huh?) and how you don't want to get on her bad side (like calling her Sarah instead of Sarah Jane?). What a load of crap, an excuse of rubbish in exchange for what passes for characterization. But gosh, RTD can fill his shows with good looking males and Adam (another ADAM?!!!! can't they find a baby name book and find new names?) is very good looking. Andso is Sam. Oh and another used name. Are they going to use someone called Izzy or Charlotte next ep?
Oh and Lidster's plays are filled with jealousy between characters as this one is with Rani jealous of Maria. I hoped they'd avoid that cliche and they haven't here. I suppose it plays on human emotions but of course, the bad ones.
Having worked in an amusement park, I know that they are good places for all kinds of stories so that setting is rather good. The other locations are beautiful. Another car accident death and Sarah doesn't really seem sad about it, when she says, "Poor kid." And Rani SHOULD be scared of the aliens frm the ones she's met before. Sarah seems more interested in herself, "Rani's betrayed me." OH boo hoo!
With all of that said, ther'e's a bit more tension in this than in the first story and with Rani ending up like the lady in the attic, and it seems Rani and maybe Adam and maybe Sam in trouble, it does have that urgency missing from the other two eps so far this season.
The tone seems to change. Clyde is actually likable and funny in this and his relationship wiht Sarah is good. The red faced female alien is a nice touch, and for once it seems as if she's not a mean one. But then again maybe she/it is.
In any event, ths is better than the first two eps and a bit more interesting. I'd even give this part a 4/5.
The Snowmen
The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe
Part two:What? What? What? Yes the Tenth Doctor's stupidest lines, "WHAT?" for this. Well, who would have thought that you'd get a triple happy ending from....from Joseph Lidster? That was pretty good, too. Nothing new or different but okay. I'd give it a 4/5 for a fine ending and K9 is back! Again, the setting is well used, the park, the beach, the orphanage. And thanks be, Rani's parents are not involved at all. oh but the coming attractions make the Doctor look more retarded than usual.
Just realised this: LOST IN SPACE--episode SPACE CREATURE has Will saying, "I wish they'd all leave me alone" and later, "I didn't mean it" and everyone vanishing and AND supposedlly a 40 year old bitter Will ID monster! Not to mention a gas planet ID creature that tells the others it is a child. That's a lot of stuff that's so similar to MAD WOMAN IN THE ATTIC to be consequential! Of course it makes more sense on SJA but it has more atmosphere on the cramped up Jupiter 2 on LOST IN SPACE as they orbit a gas planet.