Sarah Jane: 'Mark Of The Berserker' Part Two

A rousing finale to the latest Sarah Jane again highlighted the show's brilliance at blending emotionally complex human relationships with an outlandish alien plot.

Perhaps the possession of Paul Langer, a self-confessed failure, was too similar to Martin Trueman's experience in the previous adventure, but this was redeemed by a confident performance by Gary Beedle and the fascinating father-son dynamic that emerged. Paul's increasing bond with his estranged son was packed full of heartwarming moments, while also being undercut by the impending sense of doom caused by the Beserker medallion's malevolent influence.

When the duo finally parted ways at the climax of the story, which featured some touching flashbacks to Paul's past, there was a real sense of character development in the young Clyde, as if the cheeky boy had become a mature adult through his experiences.

It was great to see Maria and Alan Jackson back - anything that takes away screen time from the Rani should be applauded. Sadly their involvement in the plot was minimal, but welcome all the same.

After some dodgy moments in recent weeks, Sarah Jane has hit its stride once again by probing the psyche of its characters and prioritising emotion over action.

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