Sarah Jane Smith
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Sarah Jane Smith |
| Occupation: | journalist |
| Relationships: | Luke Smith (son), Sky Smith (daughter) |
| Fandom: | Doctor Who, The Sarah Jane Adventures |
| Other: | played by Elisabeth Sladen (IMDb), (Wikipedia) |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Sarah Jane Smith was a recurring character on Doctor Who and the title character on The Sarah Jane Adventures. She was a companion to the Third and Fourth Doctors in the 70s and 80s, and later returned for a few episodes with the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors in the 2000s. The spinoff The Sarah Jane Adventures ran from 2007 to 2011 and centered on her adoption of Luke Smith (and later Sky Smith) and his friends' adventures, with Sarah Jane serving a role similar to that of the Doctor in her time on Doctor Who. She also starred in the Big Finish Productions audio shows Sarah Jane Smith from 2002 to 2006 and The Sarah Jane Adventures from 2007 to 2011. She appeared in many Doctor Who novels, short stories, and comics. Her death was announced in the mini episode Farewell, Sarah Jane in 2020, with her passing being at an unclear point between 2013 and 2033.
Fandom
This article or section needs expansion. |
Pairings
Her most common pairing is with the Doctor. Four/Sarah Jane is the most popular Doctor pairing, but other Doctor/Sarah Jane pairings include Three/Sarah Jane and Ten/Sarah Jane.
Fan Comments
Sarah Jane was the first one to truly be a "companion." She was on the TARDIS because she wanted to be (even if she did grumble about it at times). She had several return trips to her native time and still chose to continue on with the Doctor. If the Doctor was not around, she would often come up with a plan herself rather than sit and wait. She would scream at the monsters sometimes, but she was just as willing to pick up a rifle and play back-up with cover fire. What's more, Sarah Jane had a natural chemistry with the Fourth Doctor in particular and they exchanged much banter. The Doctor may have been smarter, but Sarah was her equal in wit, persistence and strength of personality. [...] ~Kistler [1]
I was definitely at an age where I was ready for a role model, and Sarah fit the bill perfectly. I remember admiring her so much. She was independent. She was smart. She was curious. The Doctor respected her. She respected him but didn't idolize him. She teased him when he deserved it. She knew he had faults. And I know that many, many people have said this before, but there really was a very special chemistry between them. Just by watching, you knew how much they cared about each other. You knew they were best friends. And anyone who was a best friend of the Doctor was an important person indeed.
And I think one of the other reasons why this one character made such a strong impression on me back then, and therefore remains so important to me now, is that back then there really weren't other strong, independent, respected and yet utterly normal female characters on TV. She wasn't "Wonder Woman," or the "Bionic Woman," or "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl." She was Sarah Jane Smith from South Croydon, and I didn't know where that was but it sounded like the type of place that I could be from, too. And if Sarah could be smart and independent and respected . . . well, so could I. ~dbskyler[2]
Example Fanworks
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fanfiction
- Frame of Mind by Kathy Wesley (1990)
Fanart
- Finished Sarah Jane Smith for a Patreon reward., Archived version by raineszramski (2018)
Zines
Reclists
- Sarah Jane rec post complied by multiple fans at LJ comm sarahjane-fic (2011)
Example Art Gallery
Art from Zeta Minor #1 by Stefanie Hawks, with the fourth doctor (1981)
Art from The Faces of Time #2 by Mary D. Bloemker, with the fourth doctor (1982)
Cover art of Rassilon's Star #3 by Jane Fancher (1986)
Archives & Fannish Links
- Sarah Jane Smith on AO3
- Sarah Jane Smith on the TARDIS Wikia
- Sarah Jane Smith on the Sarah Jane Adventures Wikia
Resources
- Sarah Jane Smith on Wikipedia
References
- ^ a b My Best Friend (Classic Doctor Who, Four/Sarah Jane) a Ship Manifesto essay by erisinia, quotes several fans discussing their opinions of Sarah Jane and Four/Sarah Jane. (2007)
- ^ Comment by dbskyler, April 2011.