History Recap / TheSarahJaneAdventuresS5E5E6TheManWhoNeverWas

Team Sarah Jane investigates the owner of a computer company. This two-part story brought ''TheSarahJaneAdventures'' to a premature end after five seasons, due to the death of Creator/ElisabethSladen prior to any further episodes being shot. It is sometimes erroneously stated that this story was filmed as the intended finale of Series 5 (with earlier episodes to be filmed later), but this wasn't the case.

* FantasticSlur: Harrison refers to the Skultians as "Scullions", an archaic and quite demeaning British English word for menial kitchen workers.
* FiveManBand: First (and last) time the SJ team has five humans in it (not counting SixthRanger Alan Jackson).
* ForgotAboutHisPowers: with a bunch of aliens in danger from shock collars, wouldn't it be great if there was someone around with, you know, '''electric powers'''?
** Very weakened and uncontrollable electric powers.
* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Luke sends a Morse code message to Mr. Smith. "G-R-A-B H-A-R-R-I-S-O-N-S P-E-N-full stop." Clyde remarks [[TheProblemWithPenIsland "I've never been so glad to see a full stop before."]]
** The idea of having two characters, supposedly still in the UK equivalent of high school, posing as a married couple probably qualifies.

* PutOnABus: K-9 is back at Oxford backing up the Bodleian Library. (Real-life reason: K-9 could not be licensed for any of the Season 5 episodes due to the character being used in the non-BBC ''K-9'' spin-off series.

--> Luke: Remember, he's American.
--> Sky makes Serf talk like a cowboy in a CrowningMomentOfFunny.
--> Luke: You've been watching WesternAnimation/ToyStory again!
--> Sky grins.

->'''Sarah Jane:''' "I've seen amazing things out there in space. But strange things can happen wherever you are. I've learned that life on earth can be an adventure, too. But, in all the universe, I never expected to find a family."\\
\\
[[CharacterOutlivesActor And the story goes on... forever.]]

Team Sarah Jane investigates the owner of a computer company. This two-part story brought ''TheSarahJaneAdventures'' to a premature end, due to the death of Creator/ElisabethSladen prior to any further episodes being shot. It is sometimes erroneously stated that this story was filmed as the intended finale of the season (with earlier episodes to be filmed later), but this wasn't the case.

Team Sarah Jane investigates the owner of a computer company. The last two episodes of ''TheSarahJaneAdventures'', due to Elisabeth Sladen's death.

** The Skullions, like [[StarWars the Jawas]], are short aliens with high, chittering voices who wear long brown hooded robes. They also act a lot like [[WesternAnimation/DespicableMe the Minions]] or [[CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory the Oompa-Loompas]].

* WhatAreRecords: Sky asks Lionel what a typewriter is. Justified as she's actually a [[YoungerThanTheyLook newborn in a teenager's body]].

** The Skullions, like [[StarWars the Jawas]], are short aliens with high, chittering voices who wear long brown hooded robes. They also act a lot like [[DespicableMe the Minions]] or [[CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory the Oompa-Loompas]].

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Serf is obviously an {{Expy}} of Steve Jobs, combined with Howard Hughes (reclusive, autocratic, refuses to deal with people). The fact Serf is [[spoiler: actually dead and Jobs died not long before the episode aired]] is purely coincidence.

-->'''Harrison''': What are you going to do? Hit me with your handbag?

* FiveManBand: First (and last) time the SJ team has five humans in it (not counting Alan Jackson, who was something of a SixthRanger).

* HumansAreBastards: Not all of them. But a rare trope to be displayed in this series (take away the humor and this story is actually more expected from ''Torchwood'').

* KickTheDog: Harrison's treatment of his alien slaves are so vile that you'll beg for Sky to zap him.

Team Sarah Jane investigates the owner of a computer company. The last two episodes of ''TheSarahJaneAdventures'', due to ActorExistenceFailure on Sarah Jane's part.

* SeriesFinale: An unintended one due to ActorExistenceFailure. After a montage of clips from all five series, as well as including footage from the School Reunion episode from ''Series/DoctorWho'' series 2, a message on screen says that the adventure will continue forever - TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, but the door is left open for continuation in other media such as audios and novels. (As of 2012 only two audio stories set after this episode have been released; it remains to

* WhatAreRecords: Sky asks Lionel what a typewriter is. Justified as she's actually a [[YoungerThanTheyLook newborn in a teenager's body]].
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Let us count the ways. The continuing development of Sky as a character, the tantalizing revelation of an alien slave black market on earth, Rani and Clyde's relationship developing into the "Clani" stage, Adriana [[spoiler: joining UNIT]] - all these story arcs, along with the mysteries of The Shopkeeper, The Captain and Ellie Faber in the previous two episodes, were left forever hanging (on screen, at any rate) due to the death of Elisabeth Sladen.

'''Part 1'''

Sky senses a high level of electricity coming from under the office building. She and Luke find a secret basement filled with one-eyed aliens who control all of the hologram Serf's movements, including his hypnotic powers.

* AmericansAreCowboys: When Sky tries to make Serf sound American (though to be fair she is basing the template on her favorite movie, ToyStory).

* ExplosiveLeash

* KickTheDog: Harrison's treatment of his alien slaves are so vile that you'll beg for Sky to zap him.

** Clyde bringing up that Mr. Smith has a history of saying stuff was normal while it wasn't.

* ShoutOut:
** To ''ToyStory'':

--> Luke: You've been watching ToyStory again!

** To ''ThePrisoner'': The pseudonym "Joseph Serf" was used by Patrick [=McGoohan=]. (Guest star Peter Bowles once appeared on that series, too.)

** To ''ThePrisoner'': The pseudonym "Joseph Serf" was used by Patrick [=McGoohan=].

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Let us count the ways. The continuing development of Sky as a character, the tantalizing revelation of an alien slave black market on earth, Rani and Clyde's relationship developing into the "Clani" stage - all these story arcs, along with the mysteries of The Shopkeeper, The Captain and Ellie Faber in the previous two episodes, were left forever hanging (on screen, at any rate) due to the death of Elisabeth Sladen.

* WhatAreRecords: Sky asks Lionel what a typewriter is. Justified as she's actually a [[YoungerThanTheyLook newborn in a teenager's body]].

* AmericansAreCowboys: When Sky tries to make Serf sound American.

* HumansAreBastards: Not all of them.
* IBangedYourMom: A kid-friendly version. Luke is visibly uncomfortable when Lionel starts flirting with his mother.

* NewMediaAreEvil: Subverted. The gang finds nothing dangerous about the Serfboard. In fact, it is inferior to most Earth computers.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Serf is obviously an {{Expy}} of Steve Jobs, combined with Howard Hughes (reclusive, autocratic, refuses to deal with people).

* ProjectedMan / MobileSuitHuman: Joseph Serf is a hologram controlled from a room by a team of Skullions.
* PutOnABus: K-9 is back at Oxford backing up the Bodleian Library.

* SeriesFinale: An unintended one due to ActorExistenceFailure. After a montage of clips from all five series, as well as including footage from the School Reunion episode from ''Series/DoctorWho'' series 2, a message on screen says that the adventure will continue forever - TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, but the door is left open for continuation in other media such as novels.

** Clyde bringing up. That Mr.Smith had a history. Of saying stuff was normal. While it wasn't.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: Due to an unfortunate coincidence, Steve Jobs died less than two weeks before this episode aired.

* PortmanteauCoupleName: Luke greets Clyde and Rani as "Clani."

* SeriesFinale: An unintended one due to ActorExistenceFailure. After a montage of clips from all five series, as well as including footage from the School Reunion episode from DoctorWho series 2, a message on screen says that the adventure will continue forever - TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, but the door is left open for continuation in other media such as novels.

* WhatAreRecords: Sky asks Lionel what a typewriter is. Justified as she's actually a [[YoungerThanTheyLook newborn in a teenager's body]].
* WoobieSpecies: The Skullions.

Sarah Jane mentions that she has been invited to a rehearsal of the Serfboard's unveiling and invites her children along. At the Serf Systems office, Sarah Jane and her children run into Lionel Carson, her old editor who knows nothing about computers and still uses a typewriter. They are led into an auditorium by Harrison, Joseph Serf's head of public relations. Serf comes out and gives a presentation. His face suddenly pixelates, which Sky and Luke notice. After the rehearsal, all the guests are given a free Serfboard. Lionel, despite his distaste for computers, is inexplicably impressed by the Serfboard. This, plus the "glitch" they saw earlier, makes the Smiths suspicious. Luke stays at the office to spy while Sarah Jane and Sky take the Serfboard home.

* FiveManBand: First (and last) time the SJ team has five humans in it (not counting Alan Jackson).

* HumansAreBbastards: Not all of them.

Sarah Jane mentions that she has been invited to a rehearsal of the Serfboard's unveiling and invites her children along. At the Serf Systems office, Sarah Jane and her children run into Lionel Carson, her old editor who knows nothing about computers and still uses a typewriter. They are led into an auditorium by Harrison, Joseph Serf's head of public relations. Serf comes out and gives a presentation. His face suddenly pixelates, which Sky and Luke notice. After the rehearsal, all the guests are given a free Serfboard. Lionel, despite his distaste for computers, is very impressed by the Serfboard. This, plus the "glitch" they saw earlier, makes the Smiths suspicious. Luke stays at the office to spy while Sarah Jane and Sky take the Serfboard home.