Almost Here!

It seems now, as the eighth month of 2007 ends, we're just a few weeks away from the launch of The Sarah Jane Adventures, as the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine confirms. The publication, which is out across newsagents today, confirms that the show will debut in an unconfirmed timeslot on CBBC on BBC One in late September. Other SJ themed factoids revealed this issue include:

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+ Russell T Davies talks about the series, and seems ever so slightly proud of it: "I'm getting more excited with every single edit, because I really think we're delivering a great show for Children's BBC. The sort of thing I loved watching when I was a kid, but with a modern sensibility!"

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+ Russell again, hinting at a possible return for one Doctor Who alien race, "[There's] some new faces, and some old villains too, although strangely, one of the returning monsters has never actually been seen on terrestrial television before!" Rumours start now about a possible return for the Graske (last seen in Gareth Robert's interactive "Attack of the Graske")

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+ Davies sums up the series, and really hopes you'll be watching, "We get to see Sarah Jane coping with being a mother for the first time, after being on her own for all those years, we see Maria putting up with her warring parents, Luke coping with the sheer newness of life, and Clyde being introduced to this mad, strange world. And all of them have to keep the secret of aliens in their midst! At the heart of it, this oddball bunch forms a makeshift family of their own - the best of friends, and the only people who know the truth about the world... We're grateful for the chance to create a proper, full blooded children's drama, in an age when children's drama seems to be under threat."

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+ Likewise, the SJA's head writer - Gareth Roberts - is equally proud of his baby. He says in his Production Notes column: "I know how Russell must have felt [about Doctor Who's launch] because I'm equally excited and proud of The Sarah Jane Adventures. The other day I saw a rough assembly of 'Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?' and let me tell you, Graeme Harper's done it again, Lis gives the performance of her life (so far), and - keeping up the cryptic nature of this column - there's a hideous mouth that quite gave me the shivers"

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+ Back to Sir Russell T again, and the writer drops further hints as to what expect from the series, "There are some heartbreaking moments in The Sarah Jane Adventures," he confirms, "At the same time, [Lis'] very brilliant at not sinking into the softness of a family show. It could be a very cute series, but she keeps that spikiness. There's always that journalist ticking away, and there's still that woman who's been alone for very many years. Especially in the last two episodes, we really play off that - what Sarah was like before she met Maria."

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+ Oh, and there's a reference to the Judoon within the SJA series, according to Russell.

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+ The magazine also confirms that Elisabeth Sladen will be voicing two audio adventures, "The Thirteenth Stone" (by Justin Richards) and "The Glittering Storm" (by Stephen Cole). They're due for release on November 5th, priced a very reasonable £5.99.

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+ On top of all that there's a preview of the forthcoming "Time Warrior" DVD. The adventure stars Jon Pertwee and sees the introduction of both Elisabeth Sladen's Sarah Jane Smith, and the Sontaran alien race. The DVD is released on September 3rd, and the DVD cover has now been posted online here, along with details of the special features.

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Away from The Sarah Jane Adventures, there's an interview with 'classic' series designer Barry Newbury, and his contemporary Edward Thomas too. "Terror of the Autons" is examined in the semi-regular Fact of Fiction? featurette, as editor Clayton Hickman says a fond farewell after 91 issues - and seven years - leading the team. I'll miss ya, fella.

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You can pick up DWM issue 386 now, priced £3.99.