Something extremely obvious has only recently occurred to me ['me' as in JE]. When the Sarah Jane Adventures were announced, we were all wondering about K9 and if the SJA would just become the next iteration of K9 and Company (dee dee dede dee dee dede K9!). Certainly School Reunion enforced the expectation that K9 was with Sarah Jane and back better than ever! (Despite being the older model version with several problems.)

Then came Invasion of the Bane, and K9 merely got a token scene where we found out that he was dealing with a black hole. Wow! Talk about your powerful super-dog! Able to collapse a black hole! Now that’s the stuff of K9 Adventures! But this did mean that there’d be no John Leeson crawling about the set during the series. Oh woe is us, said the fans. We wants our K9!

Actually, we do have him. He’d just be “re-invisioned” for the new century and for NuWho (NuSarah?). Features retained: awkward with social situations, doesn’t understand the more subtle points of speech, can interface with new tech with the easiest of ease, can perform complex computations in his head. Features revised: can move about a lot easier, doesn’t have a nose blaster, doesn’t have access to encyclopaedic knowledge for every plot point, can be identified with by the viewing audience.

No, not Mr. Smith. That would be silly. I’m talking about Luke, of course! (As if the picture didn’t give that away.) Luke is Sarah’s new pet, has many of K9’s qualities (see above), but is now a little boy so that the children can either go “he’s silly” or “I feel just as socially isolated as the representation of myself as presented in this children’s programmed aimed at children just like me” (which you hear kids doing all the time, these days). 

So don’t despair K9 fans, K9 is back and is cuter than a button! But something will have to be done about the lack of a nose blaster…

So, last week I bought Timelash. I know what you’re thinking. Some of you think me mad, others are perhaps rolling their eyes. You knew it was coming. But I’m not here to defend my purchase or try to change anyone’s minds over the quality of the story – I did that back in TSV 56. And on the subject of back issues, I would like to address my very first comments for Zeus Plug; the editorial for issue 1, called ‘Let Go’.

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There’s an awful lot of nonsense sprayed out there in the interwebs. And sometimes there’s the slenderest wafer of truth. Let’s face it – sometimes you NEED a sensible figure to lead you through the minefield of red herrings and fan meanderings, and past the groans, the OMGs and squees of the modern message board. The Fact Controller can do that; he just might take a while longer catching his breath afterwards.

Caution: After the Fold be spoilers. Or not.  

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[Since this will probably be the last time I post to Zeus Blog... ever... JE]

There have been many arcs in the new series, such as “Bad Wolf” and “Gallifrey”, but these are obvious. Some of the more subtle ones may havce escaped your notice, but not mine.

1. Key as badge of honour. Only two people other than the Doctor end up with a TARDIS key, so this is clearly a mark of the special people in the show. Not even Jack got one. And I didn’t see Rose or Martha give them back, so if they ever meet they can show each other they’re in the “Key Club”.
2. Bananas. High in potassium and good for you. A point well made, and made often.
3. Ordinary people are special. It’s all about the little people and their little lives. And about how they are the ones that make the Doctor do what he does. ‘Cos they’re special.
4. Outer Space doesn’t exist. Nope, it doesn’t. Earth is all there is and all there ever will be. If it ain’t Earth, it ain’t it.
5. Survivor’s guilt. Lots of it, held by the Doctor. He’s the “Last of the Time Lords”, which he lets define him.
6. Don’t make the Doctor angry. You wouldn’t like him when he’s angry. Yeah, he’s going to win anyway, but when he’s angry, he really wins!
7. Redemption is everything. Especially if you’re human. There’s always a chance to suddenly say “whoops!”…and then die.
8. Martha’s a doctor. No, really. I know, I know, it’s a “blink and you’ll miss it” moment, but it’s there. I think.
9. The Doctor’s sorry. He doesn’t like doing the things he has to do, he doesn’t like it other people have to pay the price. But that doesn’t stop him.
10. Rose is the bestest companionest of them all! It’s a subtle one, easily overlooked, but if you read between the lines carefully, it’s there. Usually one reference per episode, especially after she left.