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Sarah Jane Smith #1.1
Sarah Jane Smith: Comeback
Sarah Jane Smith stars Elisabeth Sladen as the one-time companion of the time-travelling Doctor in a series of her own adventures. Six months after the last part of her undercover investigative TV series for Planet 3 Broadcasting went out, Sarah Jane Smith is running scared. Living under false names, her true identity compromised, she has few friends and fewer clues as to her pursuers. Enter three people who will change her life: the mysterious Mr Harris, old friend Ellie Martin and a guardian angel in the shape of the rougish Josh. Now, all roads lead to the village of Cloots Coombe in Wiltshire but will she find answers she needs there?
1 pages, Audio CD
First published May 1, 2002
65 people want to read
About the author
Terrance Dicks
328 books220 followersTerrance Dicks was an English author, screenwriter, script editor, and producer best known for his extensive contributions to Doctor Who. Serving as the show's script editor from 1968 to 1974, he helped shape many core elements of the series, including the concept of regeneration, the development of the Time Lords, and the naming of the Doctor’s home planet, Gallifrey. His tenure coincided with major thematic expansions, and he worked closely with producer Barry Letts to bring a socially aware tone to the show. Dicks later wrote several Doctor Who serials, including Robot, Horror of Fang Rock, and The Five Doctors, the 20th-anniversary special.
In parallel with his television work, Dicks became one of the most prolific writers of Doctor Who novelisations for Target Books, authoring over 60 titles and serving as the de facto editor of the range. These adaptations introduced a generation of young readers to the franchise. Beyond Doctor Who, he also wrote original novels, including children’s horror and adventure series such as The Baker Street Irregulars, Star Quest, and The Adventures of Goliath.
Dicks also worked on other television programmes including The Avengers, Moonbase 3, and various BBC literary adaptations. His later work included audio dramas and novels tied to Doctor Who. Widely respected for his clarity, imagination, and dedication to storytelling, he remained a central figure in Doctor Who fandom until his death in 2019, leaving behind a vast legacy in television and children's literature.
In parallel with his television work, Dicks became one of the most prolific writers of Doctor Who novelisations for Target Books, authoring over 60 titles and serving as the de facto editor of the range. These adaptations introduced a generation of young readers to the franchise. Beyond Doctor Who, he also wrote original novels, including children’s horror and adventure series such as The Baker Street Irregulars, Star Quest, and The Adventures of Goliath.
Dicks also worked on other television programmes including The Avengers, Moonbase 3, and various BBC literary adaptations. His later work included audio dramas and novels tied to Doctor Who. Widely respected for his clarity, imagination, and dedication to storytelling, he remained a central figure in Doctor Who fandom until his death in 2019, leaving behind a vast legacy in television and children's literature.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 5, 2023
Once upon a time … a young investigative journalist met The Doctor, and traveled with him over two different incarnations. Then he abruptly decided to leave her and go his merry way. But he never forgot about her. He even, inexplicably, sent her a robot dog to keep her company. Still, investigating curiosities on Earth didn’t hold a candle to the curiosities she had encountered in both time and place while traveling with The Doctor. She was fortunate to meet up with him against, but the circumstances resulted in her actually meeting several other of his incarnations. But after this encounter, sadly she was off on her own again. Now her robot dog companion, K-9, is no where to be found, but Sarah Jane perseveres. And while she would encounter The Doctor yet again in the future. This was a period when The Doctor was no where to be found.
This is a fun little tale that offers a glimpse at what Sarah Jane was up to during the period when there was no Doctor Who on the air. Nothing too spectacular, but a fun kick-off for her solo adventures.
This is a fun little tale that offers a glimpse at what Sarah Jane was up to during the period when there was no Doctor Who on the air. Nothing too spectacular, but a fun kick-off for her solo adventures.
February 9, 2020
Having finally gotten the digital copy of this particular story, I finally had a listen. Very interesting to see what Sarah Jane Smith was up to before moving to Bannerman Road.
September 8, 2023
The Sarah Jane Smith range is one I've been to get into for a very long time now, It's strange listening to this as it's very much a more mature Sarah Jane Adventures before the main show's eventual revival in 2005. I've been partially both dreading and looking forward to this, so I'm intrigued to see what I'll think of this series overall:
Sarah Jane Smith is back and she's in trouble, a powerful company has taken away her show, her finances, and most of all her life. Now she's on the run, trying to get her life back together and stop those who threaten the world. She has a couple of friends to help her, Natalie Redfern and Josh Townsend. Her first assignment leads her to the little village of Cloots Coombe where its squire is up to something terribly fiendish in the shadows.
Terrance Dick's script very well sets up the tone for this series and its subsequent characters. It's a really thrilling story that's definitely a much more mature take on the character of Sarah Jane Smith. It's a story that sets up an intriguing conspiracy, whilst also telling a small-town horror story in the second half of its duration that felt very Hinchcliffe in style.
Overall: A really fun way to start the range and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. 8/10
Sarah Jane Smith is back and she's in trouble, a powerful company has taken away her show, her finances, and most of all her life. Now she's on the run, trying to get her life back together and stop those who threaten the world. She has a couple of friends to help her, Natalie Redfern and Josh Townsend. Her first assignment leads her to the little village of Cloots Coombe where its squire is up to something terribly fiendish in the shadows.
Terrance Dick's script very well sets up the tone for this series and its subsequent characters. It's a really thrilling story that's definitely a much more mature take on the character of Sarah Jane Smith. It's a story that sets up an intriguing conspiracy, whilst also telling a small-town horror story in the second half of its duration that felt very Hinchcliffe in style.
Overall: A really fun way to start the range and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next. 8/10
June 14, 2023
Sarah Jane is back. Often rated as the most popular Dr. Who companion, Sarah Jane Smith was an unusually strong character made so by the excellent performance of Elisabeth Sladen. Sladen has returned to the character, making her quite as she was in Dr. Who and at the same time creating a mature and self-reliant Sarah Jane. The premise is that Sarah had enjoyed a stellar career as a journalist, only to have the career destroyed by forces unknown who planted a false story for her to find. Now those same unknown forces are out to destroy her completely. This premise provides a story arc for all 5 audio adventures, creating a kind of "first season." Fans of Dr. Who expecting more of the same will not find it here. The story and atmosphere, double-dealings in high places, paranormal science, and the like, are more akin to "The X-Files." And, Terrance Dicks shows here that he is still a better script writer than novelist (generally speaking).
February 1, 2021
At the time, it must've just been a delight for people to hear Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith again. Later on, fans would be spoiled with "Class Reunion" and The Sarah Jane Adventures. I thought that Comeback as a story felt pretty mundane compared to what I expected, and it was perhaps longer than it needed to be. The music is also kinda weird. Feels like it was an attempt to harken back to the 1970s, even though this takes place in 2002, from what I gather.
June 6, 2020
Anything with the late Elizabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith is excellent in my opinion. In this 72 minute audio adventure the investigative reporter is back after her travels with the Doctor and is embroiled in a mysterious frame up job. Excellent performances in a compelling tale.
July 29, 2023
Written by the late and great Terrance Dicks, the first episode of the new Sarah Jane Smith audio series is unfortunately rather mundane, pretty convoluted and very boring. The actors are doing their best and hearing Elizabeth Sladen is a treat, but I can hardly recommend it.
November 6, 2019
Solid opening story.
April 9, 2022
Fun little romp with one of my favorite companions. I enjoyed the quaint English village aspects of this story.
June 5, 2018
Comeback is an full-cast audio play in Big Finish's Sarah Jane Smith original audio adventures line. It is a single disc full play with music, sound effects, a full cast performing all the parts, and it is a play. It is not an audiobook, with someone reading the story, nor is it one of Big Finish's limited cast presentations. I quite enjoyed listening to a full-cast audio again, as it has been a while (I've been listening to and enjoying the limited-cast Companion Chronicles for a while now.)
Comback opens at the funeral of Sarah Jane's Aunt Lavinia. After the funeral and celebration (Aunt Lavinia would never call it a wake) the story picks up with Sarah working as a cashier at a bank. She's trying to convince an older customer that she needs to see his ID to cash a check when the bank is robbed. The robbery is foiled, though a young man who foiled the crime is almost arrested because he is holding a gun (which he took off the robbers) when the police arrive. The young man is Josh, and Sarah takes him under her wing. It turns out that Sarah is in a bit of a jam. She was working for Planet 3 doing an investigative news series, but when the last piece in the series airs - Sarah is accused of making it up. Evidence is produced that counters her research, the people she interviewed disappear, Sarah loses her job, and her television network is sued by the corporation she "attacked". To make matters worse - Sarah becomes a target of identity not so much theft as identity assignation - her reputation is smeared and ruined, her bank account disappears, her passport is cancelled. Sarah is persona non grata - she has nothing. With only a few friends to help, she's trying to pull her life back together. Sarah had gotten the job at the bank to try and find out what happened to her bank account. But with the robbery, she's put out of a job again and needs to find a new house.
Josh joins Sarah, and after contact with her friend, Natalie, they decide to investigate the quaint village of Cloots Coombe. Natalie had said their mutual friend, Ellie Martin was there to organize a "protest" against some new company that was behaving suspiciously. When Sarah and Josh arrive they find out from Ellie that she's suspicious because the "new company" is producing no waste, at all. While Natalie investigates using her computer and contacts in London, Sarah and Josh investigate on the ground in the village. Ellie also mentioned that two people from her advance guard, Jenny, and a young man had left for the village and never returned.
Sarah and Josh go to the village - they run into the vicar, who refuses to answer questions. Sarah notices something odd about the village but Josh doesn't realise what's off. Natalie discovers that the village's promise to never have any "MOD land" (or land used by the Ministry of Defence) is a result of an experiment that went wrong some time ago. Sarah ends up getting the details - the Ministry had opened an experimental lab researching chemical warfare outside the village in the woods. Unfortunately, the chemicals leaked from the lab, into a tunnel, and from the tunnel to the local Wiccan Well (now a shrine named after a saint). The water from the well was used by the church and the entire village for ceremonial uses. However, even with limited exposure - the poisoned well caused everyone in the village to become sterile.
Meanwhile, a new squire has brought a new company to the village. The squire is promising the villagers something but we don't know what. When Sarah finds out about the village being sterile she also finds out what the company is researching: human cloning. Unfortunately, they haven't had much success - only breeding a monster in the tunnel that absorbs anything that gets too close. It was this monster that killed Jenny. The story ends in a bit of a stalemate - the company agrees to stop its experiments and destroy its monster - but Sarah can't go public with her compromised reputation. This makes the story feel more like a pilot - promising much more, later, than a completed story.
I did enjoy Comeback very much though. It was good to listen to a full-cast audio again, and I like the shorter (1-disc) format because it's easier to listen to in the car on my commute. I also found this to be an intriguing start. The story itself moves swiftly from Sarah's Aunt's funeral, to the bank, to the iconic mysterious English village with a secret. It's a good story and an excellent first volume.
Comback opens at the funeral of Sarah Jane's Aunt Lavinia. After the funeral and celebration (Aunt Lavinia would never call it a wake) the story picks up with Sarah working as a cashier at a bank. She's trying to convince an older customer that she needs to see his ID to cash a check when the bank is robbed. The robbery is foiled, though a young man who foiled the crime is almost arrested because he is holding a gun (which he took off the robbers) when the police arrive. The young man is Josh, and Sarah takes him under her wing. It turns out that Sarah is in a bit of a jam. She was working for Planet 3 doing an investigative news series, but when the last piece in the series airs - Sarah is accused of making it up. Evidence is produced that counters her research, the people she interviewed disappear, Sarah loses her job, and her television network is sued by the corporation she "attacked". To make matters worse - Sarah becomes a target of identity not so much theft as identity assignation - her reputation is smeared and ruined, her bank account disappears, her passport is cancelled. Sarah is persona non grata - she has nothing. With only a few friends to help, she's trying to pull her life back together. Sarah had gotten the job at the bank to try and find out what happened to her bank account. But with the robbery, she's put out of a job again and needs to find a new house.
Josh joins Sarah, and after contact with her friend, Natalie, they decide to investigate the quaint village of Cloots Coombe. Natalie had said their mutual friend, Ellie Martin was there to organize a "protest" against some new company that was behaving suspiciously. When Sarah and Josh arrive they find out from Ellie that she's suspicious because the "new company" is producing no waste, at all. While Natalie investigates using her computer and contacts in London, Sarah and Josh investigate on the ground in the village. Ellie also mentioned that two people from her advance guard, Jenny, and a young man had left for the village and never returned.
Sarah and Josh go to the village - they run into the vicar, who refuses to answer questions. Sarah notices something odd about the village but Josh doesn't realise what's off. Natalie discovers that the village's promise to never have any "MOD land" (or land used by the Ministry of Defence) is a result of an experiment that went wrong some time ago. Sarah ends up getting the details - the Ministry had opened an experimental lab researching chemical warfare outside the village in the woods. Unfortunately, the chemicals leaked from the lab, into a tunnel, and from the tunnel to the local Wiccan Well (now a shrine named after a saint). The water from the well was used by the church and the entire village for ceremonial uses. However, even with limited exposure - the poisoned well caused everyone in the village to become sterile.
Meanwhile, a new squire has brought a new company to the village. The squire is promising the villagers something but we don't know what. When Sarah finds out about the village being sterile she also finds out what the company is researching: human cloning. Unfortunately, they haven't had much success - only breeding a monster in the tunnel that absorbs anything that gets too close. It was this monster that killed Jenny. The story ends in a bit of a stalemate - the company agrees to stop its experiments and destroy its monster - but Sarah can't go public with her compromised reputation. This makes the story feel more like a pilot - promising much more, later, than a completed story.
I did enjoy Comeback very much though. It was good to listen to a full-cast audio again, and I like the shorter (1-disc) format because it's easier to listen to in the car on my commute. I also found this to be an intriguing start. The story itself moves swiftly from Sarah's Aunt's funeral, to the bank, to the iconic mysterious English village with a secret. It's a good story and an excellent first volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2016
This is actually a re-listen. I realized that I never did a review on this series, and I should. 'Comeback' was wonderful. A great re-introduction to Sarah Jane Smith, and more adult in tone than either Doctor Who or Sarah Jane Adventures. The Sarah Jane in 'Comeback' is older, wiser, and has a harder edge to her personality, due to everything she's seen and done. Yet, the characterization fits, and it's great to see SJS actually investigating, and with companions of her own.
July 26, 2013
Loved and can't wait to see where the rest of the series goes. Good to see Sarah Jane in action again and loved the banter between her, Josh, and Nat. Interesting plot with an obvious arc that will continue onto the other stories. Was amused by the references to 'End Blyton' and 'Coronation Street'.
January 24, 2018
As far as comebacks go, this is about as kickass as they get. Sarah Jane is back and the action is on! It was great seeing Sarah Jane post Classic Who, but before New Who. She's a bit harder than she was when we last saw her saying goodbye to the Fourth Doctor, but in essence she is still our Sarah Jane. This makes me miss Elisabeth Sladen even more than I already do!
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April 8, 2009http://nhw.livejournal.com/881502.html[return][return]Sarah unmasks sinister consequences of biochemical research in an isolated West Country village.
June 9, 2015
Sarah on the run ... and the introduction of Josh.
April 5, 2020
Not a bad adventure. I'll try another next month.
April 30, 2014
loved it!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews