Sarah Jane: 'Mark Of The Berserker' Part One

The Whoniverse is littered with all kinds of aliens and planets, but often the most engrossing drama is very human in nature. 'Mark Of The Berserker's first part certainly epitomises this, foregrounding the raw emotions of a broken home and an abandoned child.

The ever-dependable Daniel Anthony dominates proceedings as Clyde, whose life transforms when his estranged father returns to the house. In rather moving scenes, the bitterness of a betrayed young man gives way to the eagerness of a child trying to seek approval from his daddy. This is cleverly tied in to the alien medallion plot, as Clyde tries to impress his father by showing off his extraterrestrial connections.

Jocelyn Jee Esien is superb fun as Clyde's mother, dishing up delightful banter with her son and Luke. Spare a thought for poor Mr Chandra though. Not only does his ghastly daughter Rani humiliate him by forcing him to impersonate Bianca from EastEnders, but he also has to contend with former Albert Square regular Gary Beadle barking out commands!

An understated blend of family conflict and mysterious sci-fi elements, this episode's quality even makes the absence of Sarah Jane herself barely noticeable.

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