Sonic Lipstick Awards 2008 - Results

Sorry about the delay! This was meant to go live February 5th. Erm... oops! Still, good things come to those that wait, and all.

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Gotta admit that when the SJ.tv reader awards launched back in December I was quitely optimistic that - like last year - they'd have a pretty good reply, possibly even beating the 150ish numbers that we got last year. Alas, it wasn't to be so - only a dozen or so votes were cast (and that's including votes from myself and other SJ.tv bloggers!) which is a mighty shame. Still, the votes have been counted, and the results are in.

Ladies and gents, I present the winners...

BEST EPISODE
1: "The Temptation of Sarah-Jane Smith" (8.44/10 average)
2: "The Stolen Earth"/"Journey's End" (8/10 average)
3: "The Mark of thr Berserker" (7.81/10 average)
4: "Day of the Clown" (7.25/10 average)
5: "Enemy of the Bane" (7.21/10 average)
6: "Secrets of the Stars" (6.56/10 average)
7: "The Last Sontaran" (6.06/10 average)

If we add this to the scores from last year's vote, the episodes so far rate as...

(Series 2 episodes represented in italics)

1: "Whatever Happened to Sarah-Jane?" (9.63/10 average)
2: "The Lost Boy" (9.12/10 average)
3: "Eye of the Gorgon" (8.77/10 average)
4: "Invasion of the Bane" (8.5/10 average)
5: "The Temptation of Sarah-Jane Smith" (8.44/10 average)
6: "Warriors of Kudlak" (7.81/10 average)
=: "The Mark of the Berserker" (7.81/10 average)
8: "Revenge of the Slitheen" (7.77/10 average)
9: "Day of the Clown" (7.25/10 average)
10: "Enemy of the Bane" (7.21/10 average)
11: "Secrets of the Stars" (6.56/10 average)
12: "The Last Sontaran" (6.06/10 average)

In short, no second series episode scaled the heights of the 2007 series - the top episode managing no more than an 8.5/10 average. This year (for the first time) we had episodes scoring an average less than 7, and in the case of "The Last Sontaran" barely even above the 6/10 mark.
This could be due to the smaller number of votes cast, or a reflection on the quality of the episodes themselves.

BEST AUDIO ADVENTURE
1: "The Glittering Storm" [Stephen Cole] (9.5/10 average)
2: "The Ghost House" [Stephen Cole] (8.5/10 average)
3: "The Time Capsule" [Peter Anghelides] (7/10 average)
4: "The Thirteenth Stone" [Justin Richards] (6/10 average)

BEST ACTOR/ACTRESS (excluding Elisabeth Sladen)
1: Daniel Anthony - "Clyde Langer" (66.6%)
2: Yasmin Paige - "Maria Jackson" (22.2%)
3: Thomas Knight - "Luke Smith" (11.1%)
4: Anjli Mohindra - "Rani Chandra" (0%)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR/ACTRESS
1: Joseph Millson - "Alan Jackson" (33.3%)
= Juliet Cowan - "Chrissie Jackson" (33.3%)
3: Ace Bhatti - "Haresh Chandra" (11.1%)
= Mina Anwar - "Gita Chandra" (11.1%)
= Alexander Armstrong - voice of "Mr. Smith" (11.1%)

BEST GUEST STAR
1: Samantha Bond - "Mrs. Wormwood" in 2.6 (44.4%)
2: Nicholas Courtney - "Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart" in 2.6 (22.2%)
= Rosanna Lavelle - "Barbara Smith" in 2.5 (22.2%)
4: Jocelyn Jee Esien - "Carla Langer" in 2.4 (11.1%)

BEST MONSTER/VILLAIN
1: Mrs. Wormwood (55.5%)
2: Odd Bob the Clown (22.2%)
3: Paul Langer [the Berserker] (11.1%)
= The Trickster (11.1%)

BEST WRITER
1: Joseph Lidster - "The Mark of the Berserker" (44.4%)
2: Gareth Roberts - "Secrets of the Stars", "The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith" (33.3%)
3: Phil Ford - "The Last Sontaran", "Day of the Clown", "Enemy of the Bane" (22.2%)

BEST DIRECTOR
1: Graeme Harper - "The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith", "Enemy of the Bane" (77.7%)
2: Joss Agnew - "The Last Sontaran", "The Mark of the Berserker" (22.2%)
3: Michael Kerrigan - "Day of the Clown", "Secrets of the Stars" (0%)

MERCHANDISE
Not enough data obtained to put together a worthwhile result.

DVD POLL
The story you'd most like to see released on DVD is... "Terror of the Zygons"!!

"Death to the Daleks", "Planet of the Spiders" and "Masque of Mandragora" also recieved votes.

THE YES/NO GAME
1: Do you buy the SJA novelisations? (Yes - 33% No - 66%)
2: Would you buy a Sarah Jane Adventures official magazine? (Yes - 77% No 22%)
3: Should Character Options release more SJA toys (Yes - 88% No - 11%)
4: Do you want the Doctor to make a full blown cameo appearance? (Yes - 77% No - 22%)
5a: Was the characterisation of the Brigadier faithful to the classic series? (Yes - 100%)
5b: Do you feel the Brigadier was well served by the plot of the finale? (Yes - 33% No - 66%)
6a: In your opinion could the show survive if Rani or Clyde departed? (Yes - 33% No - 66%)
6b: Could the show survive losing Luke Smith? (No - 100%)
7a: Should the show end after series 3? (Yes - 11% No - 88%)
7b: Do you think the show will end after series 3? (Yes - 77% No - 22%)
8: Do you read SARAH-JANE.tv everyday? (Yes - 55% No - 44%)

2 OF A KIND
1: Series One or Series Two? (winner: Series One - 55%)
2: Maria Jackson or Rani Chandra? (winner: Maria - 75%)
3: Maria's parents or Rani's parents? (winner: Maria's - 100%)
4: BBC One @ 4:35pm or CBBC Channel @ 5:15pm? (winner: CBBC - 66.6%)
5: "Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?" or "The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith"? (winner: "Whatever..." - 71.4%)
6: SARAH-JANE.tv or TORCHWOOD.tv? (winner: SJ.tv - 77%)

SERIES SHOWDOWN
1: Doctor Who (1963 onwards) - 62.5%
2: The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007 onwards) - 37.5%
3: Torchwood (2006 onwards) - 0%

THE AVERAGE FAN
Not enough data collected for the results of this to be worthwhile, sorry. Might run it again as a seperate post later in the year - but people need to actually respond this time!!

FINALLY...
5 words to sum up the second series. My favourite responces:
Ella - "Made of awesome"
Linda - "Better and better and better"
Chris - "Five words? Sarah Jane? Impossible!"
Nabu - "Could have been better :P"
Brandon - "It gets better with age!"

My own opinion? I wrote "Underwhelming/directionless set of adventures."

And that folks, at last, is a wrap!

Thanks to everybody that *did* vote, and congratulations to all of the winners.

All that's left for me to say is this - bring on the 2009 series, and I'll see you same time, same place for more voting (hopefully!) next year.

I'd Like to Think We Got Ya the Job!

Well over a year ago I reported a story sent to me by a reliable source, that Clayton Hickman (former editor of Doctor Who Magazine) would be writing a script for the SJA's second series. Alas, it never came to pass - but I always believed there was a bit of truth in the rumours. Today, the official BBC Doctor Who site confirms the Red Nose Day mini episode, and comments that it'll be co-written by regular scribe Gareth Roberts and... what'd ya know? Clayton Hickman!

Whether this is a case of serendipity on our behalf, or whether the rumours of his involvement really were true (and he was lined up either to write this way back, or was supposed to write for the series proper and had to pull out at the last minute, getting this instead) remains to be seen.

It could even be possible that us linking his name with the series got the attention of producers! Haha, I wish we had that much influence in the SJA camp! More than likely given his past writing experience at DWM, for Big Finish audio productions and Doctor Who comic strips, old Rusty saw his potential and decided to tap it!

Anyhoo, spoilerific details of the mini adventure have been leaked. The story contains an "old enemy" (so help me God if it's the Graske! I mean... yawn!) and the return of much missed K9!

Beloved Ronnie Corbett guest stars in the episode, due to be screened as part of Comic Relief night on March 13th.

One month to go people!

Got Your Nose

Been sitting on this for aboot a fortnight, but seeing as Tommy Knight's website has chosen to make it public - I think it's time the rest of the SJA fan community heard the squee-worthy news!

Seems David Tennant won't be the only Who-star to be making an appearance on Comic Relief next month. Elisabeth Sladen, Tommy Knight, Anjli Mohindra and Daniel Anthony will be reunited next Thursday when they film a special SJA spot for the big Comic Relief broadcast on March 13th!

Details regarding the plot are rather sketchy. However, SARAH-JANE.tv can exclusively reveal that the short will feature a well-known comedian and an attack by Rednosicles(!) Yeah, I know... I can see you rolling your eyes! But give it a chance, it'll be aweshum. Plus it's a good opportunity for the cast to get back into the SJA groove prior to filming the third series, and have a little fun with their characters while they're at it! Cannae wait!

In other news, an autobiography by our very own Lis Sladen was listed on Amazon.co.uk recently! Due to be released next March and published by Aurum Press Ltd, the 320 page tome of Sladenosity claims to "tell the story of her remarkable career." The publication will come hot on the heels of SJA concluding its third, and possibly final, series - so Lis couldn't have found a more perfect time to ride the wave of the show's popularity.

No doubt the release will warrant a lavish book signing; and SARAH-JANE.tv will, as ever, endeavour to attend to report back to our readers.

On a minor note, actress Anjli Mohindra [Rani] has taken to answering all your burning questions on Doctor Who Online! Get in there while you can!

UPDATED 13/02/2009:
The BBC have now revealed that the well-known comedian taking part in the special SJA short for Comic Relief will be none other than Ronnie Corbett!

Taking On Europe

Przygody Sary Jane [The Sarah Jane Adventures] debuted on Cartoon Network Poland at the end of last year. The show, which was dubbed into the local lingo, completed its first series run with The Lost Boy last week, and the channel's looking to invest in the second series! Huzzah! SJA's already managed to invade Italy, wonder which country'll be next?! In other news...

Seems our humble blog's been nominated for being the Favourite Community/Site to offer behind the scenes info on all things SJA!

If you support the nomination, feel free to head over to the Children of Time Awards website to cast your vote. We're listed in the SJA category right at the bottom, facing off stiff competition from the likes of Girl Reporter and the Field Reports from Sarah Jane Smith! Voting ends March 5th.

Speaking of awards, jack's got a rather insightful entry planned soon.

So watch this space.

The Return... of K9!!

Seems like only yesterday I was writing about K9's imminent return in his own show on Jetix, a children's platform on digital television here in the UK. Today the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine (officially released tomorrow) brings even better news regarding the metal mutt - first seen in Doctor Who's 1977 adventure "The Invisible Enemy" - he's returning to The Sarah Jane Adventures, and not just in a small cameo appearence!

K9 RETURNS TO THE SJA IN 2009

Oh no, his return is full time. Well, not quite... Over to you, producer Nikki Smith: "We've already got 10 scripts at first draft stage, and I can now announce that K9 is going to make a return to Sarah Jane's attic! He's been locked away in that safe, saving the world from a Black Hole, for far too long now. And he's so loved, especially by children, that we wanted him back. Many thanks to his co-creator, Bob Baker, and the estate of the late Dave Martin, for allowing this to happen."

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She continues, "K9 won't be in every single episode - right now, we estimate he'll appear in approximately six of the 12 episodes. And I can promise that the fun is only just beginning - just wait 'til he gets to meet Mr. Smith properly!"
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The production team are supposedly awaiting to hear from Nicholas Courtney with the intention of his Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart character returning. Also slated for guest spots, but still unconfirmed, are Yasmin Paige, Joseph Millson and Juliet Cowan - aka the Jackson family, in a storyline that wraps up their current character arcs, possibly at the wedding of Chrissie Jackson to current bit on the side Ivan...

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(That news comes direct from a trusted source, and not DWM)
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Doctor Who Magazine issue 405 also reveals news on the Gareth Roberts/Russell T Davies scribed Doctor Who easter special, "Planet of the Dead" which guest stars Michelle Ryan (of The Bionic Woman, Jekyll and Merlin fame) and comedian Lee Evans. The episode marks the first time that Doctor Who will have been filmed in High-Definition.

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There's also a neat article on why the general public never seem to remember the many invasion attempts made by alien menaces over the years (including a look back at many classic era Sarah Jane stories, featuring Zygons, Dinosaurs and Loch Ness Monsters!).
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Part time producer Susie Liggat also talks exclusively to Dan Berry about her Doctor Who experiences - but us Smithies will also remember her involvement with the "Invasion of the Bane" pilot episode that helped to launch the SJA back in 2007. Sadly Liggat doesn't discuss the SJA in her interview, which also covers Russell T Davies' 2005 Casanova remount.

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This month's The Fact of Fiction feature investigates 1975's "Planet of Evil", starring Elisabeth Sladen and Tom Baker - in an adventure recently released onto DVD.
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And finally, Dave Owen reviews the entire second series in a page, calling the Brigadier's return a triumph, and the arrival of the Chandra family as something that needs "a bit of work" in order to perfect the formula.

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DWM issue 405 is out tomorrow priced a very reasonable £3.99.
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Apparerently there's somebody called Matt Smith on the cover, and interviewed inside...

Can't Put a Good Dog Down

Blimey! I'm away for a couple of months, and by the time I come back the lovely folks behind the K9 series have filmed four complete blocks of the show (which, aside from a remodeled K9 bares no relation to the Whoniverse - ergo, it's no spin-off series).

Look, a press release! It ran on the Doctor Who News Page last week...

Production on spin-off series [sic] K9 is well under way in Brisbane, with the fourth block of filming due to complete at the end of next week.

Paul Tams, who along with Bob Baker is the show's co-creator and co-associate producer, revealed that there would be 13 blocks, each comprising two half-hour episodes, with principal photography set to end on May 7.

Taking the opportunity to put the record straight on various matters regarding the show, he confirmed that the series would be known purely as K9, adding: "Bob and I are pleased with the interest shown and hope K9 will be viewed as a series that Who fans old and new will all find something enjoyable from."

And as a teaser, he said: "I've made sure that hidden in most episodes fans will spot some nod to the past - either a mention or a visual treat."

Regarding the electronic dog itself, he said: "K9 will be seen on screen as both an animatronic prop and in CGI form. The latest design I have done that is being used in the show is sleek and different from any previous images seen on the net, etc. K9 will, however, be recognisable to fans new and old as the K9. And to clear up the identity of which mark K9 this is, to quote Doctor Who itself he is the original you might say!"

Most information - including cast and characters - was being kept under wraps but Tams added: "The show will feature several new races of monsters created by Bob and myself, alongside the Jixen Warriors as reported previously.

"We first planned and created the show back in 1998, so it has taken 11 years to get to the production stage. It has been a long and rocky road and we are working with some very talented people here: actors, artists, sculptors, costume-makers. The schedule is very hectic and full on.

"I have to tip my hat - if I wore one - to the creative teams in the '60s who worked under such pressure to turn monsters, costumes and sets around at such a fast pace on Doctor Who. I now know how they must have felt - exhausted!"

A new logo has been created, which will be revealed in due course, and Tams said that the show would be airing later this year, with Australian broadcaster Network Ten currently lined up to carry it.

The Doctor Who Forum already has a dedicated K9 thread (members only, sorry).

Althought strictly speaking a fansite aimed at the CBBC Sarah Jane series, SJ.tv will continue to monitor the development of K9 throughout the next few months, and leading up to broadcast.

Honestly, I never thought it'd happen. Then they went and proved me wrong.

One For the Kids

Nabu's ebay auction of a signed edition Sarah Jane Adventures series one DVD boxset ended yesterday, and managed to raise £132.01 for Tommy Knight's supported charity, Demzela House Children's Hospice. The auction was in celebration of Knight's 16th birthday - so happy birthday Tom, thanks to everybody who put a bid in, and of course congratulations to the winning bidder!

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In other news this weekend saw Daniel Anthony guest starring in ITV's (lackluster) fantasy series, Demons. The series, by the same company behind Sky's Hex and BBC One's Merlin, tells the story of the last descendant of the Van Helsing family line. Throw in a mixture of demons, priests and dodgy American accents, and you've pretty much got the series pictured in your head.

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Don't forget to pick up the latest issues of the Battles in Time magazine which - during Doctor Who's holiday year - has taken to covering all aspects of the SJA, which includes monsters on the front covers, and free SJA related playing cards!

Battles in Time is a fortnightly publication, that costs around £2.50.