The Sarah Jane Adventures - Eye of the Gorgon

STORY PLACEMENT

THIS STORY TAKES

PLACE BETWEEN THE

TV STORIES "REVENGE

OF THE SLITHEEN" AND

"WARRIORS OF KUDLAK."

WRITTEN BY

PHIL FORD

DIRECTED BY

ALICE TROUGHTON

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1.05 MILLION

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BLURB

Sarah Jane and

Company investigate

the mysterious

haunting of Lavender

Lawns. A nun is

stalking the tenants,

but is it really some-

thing supernatural,

or is there something

else going on?

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1ST OCTOBER 2007 - 8TH OCTOBER 2007

(2 EPISODES)

Eye of the Gorgon builds upon the strengths of Revenge of the Slitheen, whilst taking the series off in a different direction altogether. Whereas Gareth Roberts’ preceding two-parter was a riotous monster mash, Phil Ford’s script for this story is more controlled, and altogether creepier for it.

The Gorgons are a superb menace; a race that would find themselves very much at home

in a Doctor Who story. Taking actual mythology and putting a science-fiction spin on it has always served Doctor Who well, and it looks like the same is true of its sister series. The legend of Medusa, who turns people to stone with her gaze, was something that disturbed me as a child, and thanks to this story that fear can be enjoyed by a whole new generation. And what better way to make the audience fear the Gorgon then to have it turn Maria’s long suffering father to stone? Brilliant.

E.G. Wolverson has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

The Eye of the Gorgon is another highly enjoyable Sarah Jane Adventure. Writer Phil Ford uses the setting of a retirement home to great effect, and also introduces us to the wonderful character of Bea, beautifully played by Phillida Law. Widow of an explorer who seems to have had a number of run-ins with iconic Whoniverse aliens, she is now senile

and struggles to get anyone to believe anything she says. She is also in possession of a talisman that acts as the MacGuffin for this tale.

The heart-wrenching moments when we see Maria struggling to talk to Bea in times of crisis, watching her friend slip away, are the very heart of this episode. The rest, with the evil nuns who worship the Gorgon attempting to form a bridge to the Gorgon’s homeworld, are creepy but are essentially window dressing to this central story. The Gorgon herself, parasitically infecting the body of the Abbess of the order, is also the first, and only, disappointing monster of the series.

Daniel Tessier has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

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