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{{TV stub}}
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{{Infobox Story SMW
{{Infobox Sarah Jane Adventures
|image               = MissingBoy.jpg
|image         = MissingBoy.jpg
|series               = [[List of The Sarah Jane Adventures television stories|''SJA'' television stories]]
|name          = The Lost Boy
|season number       = Series 1 (SJA)
|series         =[[List of The Sarah Jane Adventures television stories|''SJA'' television stories]]
|season serial number = 5
|season number = [[Series 1 (SJA)|1]]
|story number         = 6
|story number   = 6
|scripturl      = https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/documents/sja-series-1-episode-9-the-lost-boy-part-one-shooting-script-08062007.pdf
|main character = [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah Jane]], [[Maria Jackson|Maria]], [[Luke Smith|Luke]], [[Clyde Langer|Clyde]], [[Mr Smith]]
|scripturl2      = https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/documents/sja-series-1-episode-10-the-lost-boy-part-two-shooting-script-08062007.pdf
|featuring      = [[Alan Jackson|Alan]], [[K9 Mark IV|K9]], [[Chrissie Jackson|Chrissie]]
|main character       = [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah Jane]], [[Maria Jackson|Maria]], [[Luke Smith|Luke]], [[Clyde Langer|Clyde]]
|enemy          =  [[Mr Smith]] [[Slitheen]], [[Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen|Korst Gogg Thek]], [[Dax Fex Fize Slitheen|Dax Fex Fize]], [[Bloorm Vungah Bart Slitheen|Bloorm Vungah Bart]],
|featuring            = Alan Jackson
|setting       = [[Ealing]], [[Pharos Institute]], [[Hammersmith]], [[2008]]
|featuring2          = Chrissie Jackson
|writer         = [[Phil Ford]]
|featuring3          = K9 Mark IV
|director       = [[Charles Martin]]
|featuring4          = Celeste Rivers{{!}}Rivers
|producer       = [[Matthew Bouch]]
|featuring5          = Jason Mohammad (in-universe){{!}}Mohammad
|novelisation   = The Lost Boy (novelisation)
|enemy                = [[Mr Smith]]
|broadcast date = [[12 November|12]]-[[19 November]] [[2007]]
|setting              = [[Ealing]], [[Pharos Institute]], and [[Hammersmith]], [[2000s]]{{note|No on screen date is given for the first two series of ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]'', outside of ''[[The Day of the Clown (TV story)|The Day of the Clown]]'' from the [[Series 2 (SJA)|second series]] being set shortly after [[9 October]] in an undisclosed year. While [[Donna Noble]]'s present from the [[Series 4 (Doctor Who 2005)|fourth series]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' is set around the same time as the [[Series 1 (SJA)|first series]] of ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'', and ''[[The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith (TV story)|The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith]]'' from the second series of ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' is explicitly described as being set a year after ''[[Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)|Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?]]'' from the first series, ''Doctor Who''{{'}}s fourth series is [[Aliens of London dating controversy|not consistently dated]], with [[TV]]: ''[[The Fires of Pompeii (TV story)|The Fires of Pompeii]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[The Waters of Mars (TV story)|The Waters of Mars]]'', and [[AUDIO]]: ''[[SOS (audio story)|SOS]]'' setting the present of the 13 regular episodes in [[2008]] (heavily implied by [[TV]]: ''[[The Star Beast (TV story)|The Star Beast]]'' and [[TV]]: ''[[The Giggle (TV story)|The Giggle]]'' as well), and [[PROSE]]: ''[[Beautiful Chaos (novel)|Beautiful Chaos]]'' setting them in about [[April]] to [[June]] [[2009]].}}
|format         = 2x30 minute episodes
|writer               = Phil Ford
|prev           = Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)
|director             = [[Charles Martin]]
|next           = The Last Sontaran (TV story)
|producer             = [[Matthew Bouch]]
}}{{big toc}}
|novelisation         = The Lost Boy (novelisation)
'''''The Lost Boy''''' was the sixth and final story of [[Series 1 (SJA)|Series 1]] of ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]''. It was comprised of episodes 9 & 10 of the regular series and saw the reappearance of the [[Slitheen family|Slitheen]].
|network              = CBBC
|broadcast date       = 12-19 November 2007
|format               = 2x30 minute episodes
|prev                 = Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)
|next                 = The Last Sontaran (TV story)
|clip                = Luke's 'Real' Parents Want Him Back The Lost Boy The Sarah Jane Adventures
|clip2                = Captured by the Slitheen! The Lost Boy The Sarah Jane Adventures
|clip3                = K9 vs Mr. Smith! The Lost Boy The Sarah Jane Adventures
|epcount              = 2
|music=[[Sam Watts]]}}
'''''The Lost Boy''''' was the fifth and final serial of [[Series 1 (SJA)|series 1]] of ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]''. It was written by [[Phil Ford]] and directed by [[Charles Martin]].
 
During this adventure, [[Mr Smith]], [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah Jane]]'s loyal supercomputer, had his alien origin unveiled, along with the discovery of his true motivations. Sarah Jane had him subjected to a computer virus to erase the part of his memory that drove him to hostility. After this, his disposition became genuinely benevolent.
 
== Synopsis ==
== Synopsis ==
A missing child turns out to be, both visually and genetically, [[Luke Smith|Luke]]. [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah Jane]] is forced to hand him over to the "parents", only to find that they are not what they seem.
A missing [[child]] turns out to be, both visually and genetically, [[Luke Smith|Luke]]. [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah Jane]] is forced to hand him over to the "parents". Heartbroken, Sarah Jane rejects Maria and Clyde, and with [[Alan Jackson|Maria's dad]] threatening to sell the house to keep his daughter out of danger, it seems the gang's adventures have come to an end, whilst Luke discovers his new "parents" are not all they seem — [[Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen|an old enemy]] has returned, and this time, they are in league with [[Mr Smith|a member]] of Sarah Jane's faithful team in a plot to bring the [[moon]] crashing to [[Earth]].


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
=== Part 1 ===
=== Part 1 ===
Having discovered what Sarah Jane, Maria, Clyde and Luke do together, [[Alan Jackson]] threatens to move house again, only to have a change of heart when he sees how upset Maria is. His condition for not moving away, however, is that he is kept up to date on their battles against aliens.
Having discovered what [[Sarah Jane Smith|Sarah Jane]], [[Maria Jackson|Maria]], [[Luke Smith|Luke]] and [[Clyde Langer|Clyde]] do together, [[Alan Jackson]] threatens to move house again, only to have a change of heart when he sees how upset Maria is. His condition for not moving away, however, is that he is kept up to date on their battles against aliens.
 
A [[BBC News 24|BBC news report]] on a family searching for their son, [[Ashley Stafford]], missing for five months and last seen boarding the [[Bubble Shock!]] bus, brings a shock. Ashley looks exactly like Luke. [[Mr Smith]] compares their [[DNA]], and confirms that Luke and Ashley are genetic matches. Apparently, Luke was not "grown" by the Bane, but was in fact a kidnapped boy whose memory was wiped. His lack of a navel is explained as the result of its removal by the Bane, who are eggborn and find navels offensive.


A [[BBC News 24|BBC news report]] on a family searching for their son, Ashley, missing for five months, brings a shock. Ashley looks exactly like Luke. [[Mr Smith]] compares their DNA, and confirms that Luke and Ashley are genetic matches. Apparently Luke was not 'grown' by the Bane, but was a kidnapped boy. His lack of a navel is explained as the result of its removal by the Bane, who are eggborn and find navels offensive.  
[[Chrissie Jackson]] calls the [[police]] and reports Sarah Jane as a child abductor. As Clyde arrives wanting answers, Sarah Jane is arrested and the police put Luke into the charge of Ashley's parents, [[Jay Stafford|Jay]] and [[Heidi Stafford|Heidi]]. Sarah Jane is detained by the police until [[UNIT]] intervene and have her released. Depressed, Sarah Jane decides she was wrong to involve children and tells Maria to stay away from her, suggesting that she and her father move away. Mr Smith suggests she take on a case to take her mind off things. She visits the [[Pharos Institute]], a research centre where alien technology is being used to conduct experiments into telekinesis. Here she meets the annoying child prodigy [[Nathan Goss]]. That night, Luke's new parents watch television and switch to a channel that glows green. They announce to the [[Xylok]] that they have the boy in their possession.


[[Chrissie Jackson]] calls the [[police]] and reports Sarah Jane as a child abductor. Sarah Jane is arrested and the police put Luke into the charge of Ashley's parents, [[Jay Stafford|Jay]] and [[Heidi Stafford|Heidi]]. Sarah Jane is detained by the police until [[UNIT]] intervene and have her released. Depressed, Sarah Jane decides she was wrong to involve children and tells Maria to stay away from her. Mr Smith suggests she take on a case to take her mind off things. She visits the [[Pharos Institute]], a research centre where alien technology is being used to conduct experiments into telekinesis. Here she meets the annoying child prodigy [[Nathan Goss]]. That night, Luke's new parents watch television and switch to a channel that glows green. They announce to the [[Xylok]] that they have the boy in their possession.
Luke's new parents are very unpleasant. They keep Luke locked up in his room at all times. Clyde cuts school to visit Luke, but Heidi does not let them see each other. She claims that her son is a keen [[skateboard]]er, which worries Clyde; he knows Luke has a poor sense of balance and is a dreadful skateboarder. He decides to bring a photo of Jay and Heidi to Mr Smith.


Luke's new parents are abusive. They keep him locked up in his room at all times. [[Clyde Langer]] cuts school to visit Luke, but Heidi does not let them see each other. She claims that her son is a keen skateboarder, which worries Clyde; he knows Luke has a poor sense of balance and is a dreadful skateboarder. He decides to bring a photo of Jay and Heidi to Mr Smith.  
Luke becomes frantic upon seeing Clyde leave the house. He tries desperately to escape. Mr Smith, meanwhile, sends Sarah Jane back to the lab to steal one of their headsets, which he needs to work out Nathan's plans.


Luke becomes frantic upon seeing Clyde leave the house. He tries desperately to escape. Mr Smith, meanwhile, sends Sarah Jane back to the lab to steal one of their headsets, which he needs to work out Nathan's plans. Clyde gets to the house only seconds after Sarah Jane has left. He takes the photo to Mr Smith, only for Mr Smith to confess that he faked the photo. Mr Smith ''is'' the Xylok, and he fires a bolt of energy at Clyde, causing him to vanish.
Back at Luke's new home, his "parents" are meeting with Nathan, just as Luke is breaking out of his room. He fails to escape, but finds his parents are actually [[Slitheen]]. Luke asks how they are not fat, as Slitheen wearing [[skin suit]]s are known to be, and they explain they are using improved [[compression field]] technology. Nathan Goss is [[Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen]], a child [[Slitheen family|Slitheen]] Luke met before, now in a new disguise and looking for revenge.


Back at Luke's new home, his 'parents' are meeting with Nathan, just as Luke is breaking out of his room. He fails to escape, but finds his parents are actually [[Slitheen]] using improved compression technology and Nathan Goss is [[Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen]], a child Slitheen Luke met before, now in a new disguise and looking for revenge.
Clyde gets to the house only seconds after Sarah Jane has left. He takes the photo to Mr Smith, asking if the photo can be checked to see if it is a fake. Mr. Smith tells Clyde it is a fake, and he knows... because Mr. Smith faked it. Clyde is confused, as Mr Smith reveals himself to be the Xylok who has been behind everything. He tells Clyde that he has his own purpose and that he (Clyde) is a part of his plan and he fires a bolt of energy at the boy, causing him to digitise and vanish from the real world, and laughs fiendishly.


=== Part 2 ===
=== Part 2 ===
Clyde wakes to find himself inside Mr Smith. Sarah Jane Smith returns from the Pharos Institute, having stolen a telekinetic headset. Elsewhere, Maria and Alan go to Ashley's house, where they find a skinsuit. Maria realises the Slitheen have Luke. Alan gets a message on his computer from Clyde, who states Mr Smith has turned evil. The Jacksons and Sarah Jane confront Mr Smith and are nearly killed as it fires a bolt of energy from a built-in gun.
Sarah Jane Smith enters the Pharos institute to retrieve one of the telekinetic headsets. As she leaves, one of the guards begins pursuing her on a [[Motorbike|motorcycle]], but she uses her sonic lipstick to knock him to the ground. Back on Bannerman Road, Maria tries to call Clyde, unaware that he has been captured by Mr. Smith.
 
Clyde wakes to find himself inside Mr Smith. Elsewhere, Maria and Alan go to Ashley's house and, after ringing the doorbell, find nobody home. They investigate around the house and Alan finds a skinsuit. Maria realises the Slitheen have Luke. They return home and find Chrissie there and she says that Alan's computer is acting up. Alan sends Maria off to get tea bags knowing she will go over to Sarah Jane's house. Looking at his computer, Alan gets a message on his computer from Clyde, who states Mr Smith has turned evil. Meanwhile, Maria tells Sarah Jane that the Slitheen have Luke. They go upstairs to talk to Mr Smith and find out that he's turned on them as Alan appears. Mr Smith declares that they and the Slitheen were useful but now they are no longer need. The computer then aims a hidden gun and tries to kill them with bolts of energy but luckily they all escape the house. Mr Smith compliments Clyde on managing to communicate with Alan, calling it 'refreshingly unpredictable' but then knocks him out to stop him from doing it again.
 
Regrouping at the Jackson house, Sarah Jane is upset that she misplaced her trust in Mr Smith and Alan asks where he came from in the first place. Sarah Jane explains that eighteen months earlier she was sent a crystal by a geologist that emerged from a massive volcanic eruption. Sarah Jane soon found that the crystal was actually a memory cell from a ship that crashed millions of years earlier when it communicated with her laptop. It told her that it could help her track alien activity and designed and helped Sarah Jane build the computer that it is now housed in.
 
Now the question is raised of what exactly the Slitheen want, since planetary conquest isn't something they're interested in. Sarah Jane surmises that the Slitheen acquired the plans for the telekinetic headset somewhere in the galaxy and chose to build it at the Pharos Institute, and are using Luke's mind to refine the technology so they can sell it on, a process that will kill Luke. Deciding they need to get Luke back now, the three set off for Pharos (while planning to stop at a chip shop to buy vinegar).
 
The Slitheen take Luke to the Pharos Institute, where they test his abilities. Luke's power with the headset proves too strong for even the Slitheen to handle, and Luke uses it to escape as Maria, Alan and Sarah Jane arrive although they miss each other. The Slitheen explain that Mr Smith contacted them after Sarah Jane stopped their plans at the school promising to help them get revenge for the death of their family. However they realise they have been betrayed when Sarah Jane reveals that she was sent to steal the headset from them, just as Sarah Jane in turn realises that Mr Smith fully expected Luke to escape knowing that when he did he'd head straight home and into his clutches. It is now clear that Mr Smith's plan is to use Luke's telekinectic abilities to destroy Earth. Although Nathan still wants revenge against Sarah Jane and the others, the adult Slitheen realise that if Mr Smith succeeds then they'll die too.
 
Luke arrives home and is beckoned up to the attic by Mr Smith, who reveals that he has Clyde captive and orders Luke to put on the prototype headset otherwise he'll kill his friend. Forced to comply, Luke puts the headset on as he does the entire Earth begins to tremble as Luke's powers start to draw [[the Moon]] to Earth. Sarah Jane explains that Earth will be torn apart long before the Moon hits, and Nathan decides to leave satisfied his enemy will die anyway. However Alan grabs his teleport control, and Sarah Jane points out that they'll never get away in time before the gravitation disturbance destroys their ship. However, she proposes they use the teleport to transport them back to Bannerman Road and give them a chance to stop Mr Smith.
 
Sarah Jane asks Alan if he can destroy Mr Smith using his knowledge of computer viruses. Alan gives Sarah Jane a virus that a cyber terrorist tried to use to destroy the banking network, although obviously Mr Smith is more than a computer so there's no guarantees.


[[File:K9DefendsSJS.jpg|thumb|left|[[K9 Mark IV|K9]] takes a break from black holes long enough to protect Sarah Jane from Mr. Smith.]]
Using the Slitheen teleporter, Sarah Jane arrives in her attic, where Mr Smith explains why he's doing this; the [[Xylok]] are a crystalline life form that were buried underground when they crashed into Earth. Mr Smith is a fragment of the original crystal, and now he plans to tear the Earth apart and release the other trapped Xylok from the planet's core. Clyde returns when Mr Smith states he is merciful, but Mr Smith then threatens the humans with its gun. Sarah Jane unlocks the safe and calls on [[K9 Mark IV]]. The robots battle and Sarah Jane inputs the virus, which makes Mr Smith forget its purpose. As the Moon grows closer to the Earth, Sarah Jane tells Mr Smith it has a new purpose: to safeguard planet Earth.
The Slitheen take Luke to the Pharos Institute, where they test his abilities. Luke overcomes the Slitheen and escapes as Maria, Alan and Sarah Jane arrive. Working together, they discover Mr Smith's intentions. Alan adapts a computer virus to destroy Mr Smith. Using the Slitheen teleporter, Sarah Jane arrives in her attic, where Mr Smith is using Luke to awaken other [[Xylok]] from the Earth's core. He plans to crash the moon into the planet, cracking it open like an egg and freeing the other Xylok. Clyde returns when Mr Smith states he is merciful, but threatens the humans with its gun. Sarah Jane unlocks a safe and calls on [[K9 Mark IV|K9]]. The robots battle and Sarah Jane inputs the virus, which makes Mr Smith forget its purpose. As the Moon grows closer to the Earth, Sarah Jane tells Mr Smith it has a new purpose: to safeguard planet Earth.


The Moon returns to its original position, K9 goes back to the safe to safeguard the black hole and the Slitheen return to [[Raxacoricofallapatorius]]. As Sarah Jane, Maria, Luke, Clyde, Alan and Chrissie watch the ship leave, Sarah Jane reflects that she never thought she could be part of a family.
The Moon returns to its original position, K9 goes back to the safe to guard the black hole and the Slitheen return to [[Raxacoricofallapatorius]], although no-one doubts they'll be back. Mr Smith's circuits were wiped by the virus and they'll be able to trust him again when he reboots with his new purpose. As Sarah Jane, Maria, Luke, Clyde, Alan and Chrissie watch the ship leave, Sarah Jane reflects that she never thought she could be part of a family.


== Cast ==
== Cast ==
Line 59: Line 86:
* [[Heidi Stafford]] — [[Holly Atkins]]
* [[Heidi Stafford]] — [[Holly Atkins]]
* [[Nathan Goss]] — [[Ryan Watson]]
* [[Nathan Goss]] — [[Ryan Watson]]
* [[Chief Inspector (The Lost Boy)|Chief Inspector]] - [[Julian Dutton]]
* [[Robert Lines|Chief Inspector]] - [[Julian Dutton]]
* [[Dax Fex Fize Slitheen|Jay Slitheen]] — [[Paul Kasey]]
* [[Dax Fex Fize Slitheen|Jay Slitheen]] — [[Paul Kasey]]
* [[Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen|Nathan Slitheen]] — [[Jimmy Vee]]
* [[Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen|Nathan Slitheen]] — [[Jimmy Vee]]
* [[Bloorm Vungah Bar Slitheen|Heidi Slitheen]] — [[Ruari Mears]]
* [[Bloorm Vungah Bart Slitheen|Heidi Slitheen]] — [[Ruari Mears]]
* [[Jason Mohammad|Newsreader]] - [[Jason Mohammad]]
* [[Newsreader (The Christmas Invasion)|Newsreader]] - [[Jason Mohammad]]
* Voice of [[K9]] — [[John Leeson]]
* Voice of [[K9 Mark IV|K9]] — [[John Leeson]]


== Crew ==
== Crew ==
Line 263: Line 290:
|SoundEditor=
|SoundEditor=
|SoundEditor2=
|SoundEditor2=
|SoundEffectsEditor=
|SoundFXEditor=
|Sound=Brian Milliken
|SoundMixer=Brian Milliken
|AudioPostProduction=Doug Sinclair
|AudioPostProduction=Doug Sinclair
|ModelUnitSupervisor=
|ModelUnitSupervisor=
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|CharCreatedBy3a=
|CharCreatedBy3a=
|CharCreatedBy3b=
|CharCreatedBy3b=
|OriginalTheme=Murray Gold
|TitleMusic=Murray Gold
|CastingDirector=Andy Pryor CDG
|CastingDirector=Andy Pryor CDG
|CastingDirector2=
|CastingDirector2=
Line 367: Line 394:
}}
}}


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
* Mr Smith claims that "Without purpose, we do not exist." This is almost a direct quote from Agent Smith, the similarly-named antagonist of the film ''The Matrix Reloaded''.
=== Individuals ===
* Mr Smith asks, "Am I not merciful?", also said by the villain of the film ''Gladiator.''
* [[Robert Lines|The Chief Inspector]] works for the [[West Ealing Police]].
* Maria likens the Slitheen to the TV show ''Only Fools and Horses''.
* [[George Bailey]] is a security guard at the [[Pharos Institute]].
* [[Telekinesis|Telekinetic control]] is valuable in some parts of the galaxy.
* [[Ashley Stafford]] is a fan of the [[Chelsea Football Club]].
* [[Cairn (The Lost Boy)|Mr. Cairn]] teaches Maria in French.
 
=== Locations ===
* Mr Smith mentions the [[Metrabelan Cosmic Cluster]].
* Luke's Slitheen "parents" live at [[26 Chalsey Grove]].
 
=== Organisations ===
* Alan mentions the [[FBI]].
 
=== Objects ===
* A telekinesis experiment conducted by the Pharos Institute involves levitating a [[basketball]].
* A telekinesis experiment conducted by the Pharos Institute involves levitating a [[basketball]].
* Mr Smith mentions the [[Metrabelan Cosmic Cluster]].
* Sarah Jane uses the [[Slitheen transporter pendant]].
 
=== Species ===
* [[Bloorm Vungah Bart Slitheen]] mentions the [[Bartleboigle tree]], which is used on [[Raxacoricofallapatorius]] to spank children's [[backside]]s as a means of disipline.
* Luke mentions the [[stegosaurus]].
 
=== Cultural references to the real world ===
* Maria likens the Slitheen to ''[[Only Fools and Horses]]'' "with green skin and claws".
* Alan mentions ''[[The X-Files]]'', comparing it to the nature of Sarah Jane's lifestyle.
* Sir [[Isaac Newton]], [[Thomas Edison]], [[Albert Einstein]], [[Galileo Galilei|Galileo]] and [[Nicolaus Copernicus|Copernicus]] are mentioned.
* Alan refers to ''[[Star Trek]]'' and [[Frankenstein's monster]].
* Clyde is a fan of the bands [[Kasabian]] and [[Arctic Monkeys]].
 
=== Other ===
* Sarah Jane, Luke, Maria and Alan watch the [[Kalazian Lights]].


== Story notes ==
== Story notes ==
* This episode ends with Sarah Jane narrating. This closes the first series, just as a narration by her opened the series in ''[[Invasion of the Bane]]''.
* Both episodes were aired on the CBBC channel, and were broadcast a week later on BBC 1.
* Both episodes were aired on the CBBC channel, and were broadcast a week later on BBC 1.
* When the inspector questions Sarah Jane, a page of her confidential [[UNIT]] file is visible on screen. The text is taken from the BBC's UNIT website and includes the in-joke that UNIT's activities span "the sixties, the seventies and some would say the eighties." This is the first on-screen reference in SJA (and indeed the entire ''Doctor Who'' TV franchise) to the [[UNIT dating controversy]]. It was followed by a similar in-joke spoken by the [[Tenth Doctor]], as he reminisced about working for UNIT in the '70s, "or was it the 80s?" ([[DW]]: ''[[The Sontaran Stratagem]]'')
* This episode ends with Sarah Jane narrating. This closes the first series, just as a narration by her opened the series in ''[[Invasion of the Bane (TV story)|Invasion of the Bane]]''. This carried on throughout the remaining four series.
[[File:Sarah Jane's UNIT file.jpg|thumb|The UNIT file on [[Sarah Jane Smith]] recycles text from ''[[UNIT History: Fighting the unknown (short story)|UNIT History: Fighting the unknown]]''.]]
* When the inspector questions Sarah, a page of her confidential [[UNIT]] file is visible on screen. The text is taken from the short story ''[[UNIT History: Fighting the unknown (short story)|UNIT History: Fighting the unknown]]'' from the BBC's [[U.N.I.T. (tie-in website)|''U.N.I.T.'' tie-in website]] and includes the in-joke that UNIT's activities span "the sixties, the seventies and some would say the eighties". This is the first on-screen reference to the [[UNIT dating controversy]] in the entire ''Doctor Who'' television franchise.
** Additionally, the usage of the text from ''UNIT History: Fighting the unknown'' doesn't actually reference Sarah Jane at all.
* Clyde was originally going to confront the embodiment of Mr Smith in the void.<ref>http://www.shannonsullivan.com/doctorwho/sarahjane/2007jk.html</ref>
 
=== Ratings ===
=== Ratings ===
* Episode 1 - 465,000 (CBBC)
 
* Episode 2- 659,000 (CBBC)
* Part 1 - 0.46 million viewers ([[DWMSE 23]])
* Part 2 - 0.66 million viewers ([[DWMSE 23]])
 
''Part One's BBC One repeat gained 1.3 million with an AI score of 84, whilst Part Two's BBC One repeat gained 1.2 million (AI score unknown).''


=== Filming locations ===
=== Filming locations ===
Line 387: Line 445:


=== Production errors ===
=== Production errors ===
* At one point, it says 21 on Sarah Jane's door.
{{SJA discontinuity}}
* At one point, it says "21" on Sarah Jane's door, which is the real-life number of the house that is used for Sarah Jane's house.
* When Nathan reveals himself to Luke as Carl and unzips his body suit, the Slitheen next to him can be seen without their heads on.
* At another point, when the moon is crashing down onto Earth, the moon can clearly be seen over lapping the building outside the window.
* At 25:58 on Part 1, Clyde, as he opens Sarah's door, looks behind him and looks to the camera until he closes the door.


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
{{SJA discontinuity}}
* Maria tells her father about the encounter with the [[Slitheen family]], ([[TV]]: {{cs|Revenge of the Slitheen (TV story)}}) and the [[Gorgon]] turning him to stone. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Eye of the Gorgon (TV story)}})
* The [[Slitheen]] previously appeared in: [[DW]]: ''[[Aliens of London]]'', ''[[World War Three]]'', and ''[[Boom Town]]''; [[SJA]]: ''[[Revenge of the Slitheen]]''; [[NSA]]: ''[[The Monsters Inside]]'' and ''[[Attack of the Graske (video game)|Attack of the Graske]]''. The family have has been referenced in other episodes.
* Alan recalls "bumping between alternate realities" and almost being "flattened by a meteor". ([[TV]]: {{cs|Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)}})
* When the inspector questions Sarah Jane, a page of her confidential [[UNIT]] file is visible on screen.
* The UNIT file on Sarah Jane has information also available on the [[UNIT website]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[UNIT History: Fighting the unknown (short story)|UNIT History: Fighting the unknown]]'')
* [[K9 Mark IV|K9]] returns briefly and reference is made to his work on containing the black hole. Clyde does not know of him as he was not present when K9 met Maria and Luke. ([[SJA]]: ''[[Invasion of the Bane]]'') K9 calls Clyde "young master".
* Professor [[Celeste Rivers]] says that all humans have the ability to perform [[telekinesis]]. The Tenth Doctor had used telekinesis whilst using the thoughts of the human race psychically linked together with the [[Archangel Network]]. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Last of the Time Lords (TV story)}})
* The Slitheen are now using an improved version of their skin suit, which allows them to pass for skinnier humans and no longer causes the gas exchange problem which previously caused inconvenience. ([[SJA]]:''[[Revenge of the Slitheen]]'', et. al.)
* The Slitheen are now using an improved version of their skin suit, which allows them to pass for skinnier humans and no longer causes the [[gas exchange]] problem which previously caused inconvenience. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Aliens of London (TV story)}}, {{cs|World War Three (TV story)}} {{cs|Boom Town (TV story)}}, {{cs|Revenge of the Slitheen (TV story)}})
* The [[Pharos Institute]] may have some connection to the [[Pharos Project]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[Logopolis (TV story)|Logopolis]]'')
* [[K9 Mark IV|K9]] returns briefly, and a reference is made to his work on containing the black hole. Clyde does not know of him as he was not present when K9 met Maria and Luke. ([[TV]]: {{cs|Invasion of the Bane (TV story)}})
* Sarah Jane says she never thought she could be part of a family. She would later tell the [[Tenth Doctor]] that he had [[Children of Time|the biggest family on Earth]], herself being a part of it. ([[DW]]: ''[[Journey's End]]'')
* [[Celeste Rivers|Professor Rivers]] says that all humans have the ability to perform telekinesis. The Doctor would later use telekinesis whilst using the thoughts of the human race psychically linked together. ([[DW]]: ''[[Last of the Time Lords]]'')


== Timeline ==
== Home video releases ==
=== For Sarah Jane and Luke ===
* ''The Lost Boy'', along with ''[[Invasion of the Bane (TV story)|Invasion of the Bane]]'', ''[[Revenge of the Slitheen (TV story)|Revenge of the Slitheen]]'', ''[[Eye of the Gorgon (TV story)|Eye of the Gorgon]]'', ''[[Warriors of Kudlak (TV story)|Warriors of Kudlak]]'' and ''[[Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)|Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?]]'', was released in the series one [[DVD]] box set.
* This story takes place after [[SJA]]: ''[[Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)|Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?]]''
* It was also released in the Complete Collection Series 1-5 boxset release (Region 2 release: 6th February 2012).
* This story takes place before [[DW]]: ''[[The Stolen Earth (TV story)|The Stolen Earth]]'' / ''[[Journey's End (TV story)|Journey's End]]''.
 
=== For Maria and Clyde ===
* This story takes place after [[SJA]]: ''[[Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)|Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?]]''
* This story takes place before [[SJA]]: ''[[The Last Sontaran (TV story)|The Last Sontaran]]''.


== Home video releases ==
== External links ==
''The Lost Boy'', along with ''[[Invasion of the Bane]]'', ''[[Revenge of the Slitheen]]'', ''[[Eye of the Gorgon]]'', ''[[Warriors of Kudlak]]'' and ''[[Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane?]]'', is available in the series one box set.
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* {{whoniverse|sja1_06|{{StoryTitle}}}}
* {{briefhistory|sarahjane/2007jk.html|{{StoryTitle}}}}
* {{locguide|lostboy|{{StoryTitle}}}}


== Footnotes ==
== Footnotes ==
{{SJA series 1}}
=== Notes ===
{{notelist}}
=== Citations ===
{{reflist}}


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{{Raxacoricofallapatorian stories}}
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[[Category:SJA television stories]]
[[Category:SJA television stories]]
[[Category:K9 television stories]]
[[Category:K9 television stories]]
[[Category:Slitheen television stories]]
[[Category:Slitheen television stories]]
[[Category:Stories set in Ealing]]
[[Category:Stories set in 2008]]
[[Category:2007 television stories]]
[[Category:Series 1 (SJA) stories]]
[[Category:Series 1 (SJA) stories]]
[[Category:Stories that have been novelised]]

Latest revision as of 20:50, 3 November 2024

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The Lost Boy was the fifth and final serial of series 1 of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was written by Phil Ford and directed by Charles Martin.

During this adventure, Mr Smith, Sarah Jane's loyal supercomputer, had his alien origin unveiled, along with the discovery of his true motivations. Sarah Jane had him subjected to a computer virus to erase the part of his memory that drove him to hostility. After this, his disposition became genuinely benevolent.

Synopsis[[edit] | [edit source]]

A missing child turns out to be, both visually and genetically, Luke. Sarah Jane is forced to hand him over to the "parents". Heartbroken, Sarah Jane rejects Maria and Clyde, and with Maria's dad threatening to sell the house to keep his daughter out of danger, it seems the gang's adventures have come to an end, whilst Luke discovers his new "parents" are not all they seem — an old enemy has returned, and this time, they are in league with a member of Sarah Jane's faithful team in a plot to bring the moon crashing to Earth.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Part 1[[edit] | [edit source]]

Having discovered what Sarah Jane, Maria, Luke and Clyde do together, Alan Jackson threatens to move house again, only to have a change of heart when he sees how upset Maria is. His condition for not moving away, however, is that he is kept up to date on their battles against aliens.

A BBC news report on a family searching for their son, Ashley Stafford, missing for five months and last seen boarding the Bubble Shock! bus, brings a shock. Ashley looks exactly like Luke. Mr Smith compares their DNA, and confirms that Luke and Ashley are genetic matches. Apparently, Luke was not "grown" by the Bane, but was in fact a kidnapped boy whose memory was wiped. His lack of a navel is explained as the result of its removal by the Bane, who are eggborn and find navels offensive.

Chrissie Jackson calls the police and reports Sarah Jane as a child abductor. As Clyde arrives wanting answers, Sarah Jane is arrested and the police put Luke into the charge of Ashley's parents, Jay and Heidi. Sarah Jane is detained by the police until UNIT intervene and have her released. Depressed, Sarah Jane decides she was wrong to involve children and tells Maria to stay away from her, suggesting that she and her father move away. Mr Smith suggests she take on a case to take her mind off things. She visits the Pharos Institute, a research centre where alien technology is being used to conduct experiments into telekinesis. Here she meets the annoying child prodigy Nathan Goss. That night, Luke's new parents watch television and switch to a channel that glows green. They announce to the Xylok that they have the boy in their possession.

Luke's new parents are very unpleasant. They keep Luke locked up in his room at all times. Clyde cuts school to visit Luke, but Heidi does not let them see each other. She claims that her son is a keen skateboarder, which worries Clyde; he knows Luke has a poor sense of balance and is a dreadful skateboarder. He decides to bring a photo of Jay and Heidi to Mr Smith.

Luke becomes frantic upon seeing Clyde leave the house. He tries desperately to escape. Mr Smith, meanwhile, sends Sarah Jane back to the lab to steal one of their headsets, which he needs to work out Nathan's plans.

Back at Luke's new home, his "parents" are meeting with Nathan, just as Luke is breaking out of his room. He fails to escape, but finds his parents are actually Slitheen. Luke asks how they are not fat, as Slitheen wearing skin suits are known to be, and they explain they are using improved compression field technology. Nathan Goss is Korst Gogg Thek Lutiven-Day Slitheen, a child Slitheen Luke met before, now in a new disguise and looking for revenge.

Clyde gets to the house only seconds after Sarah Jane has left. He takes the photo to Mr Smith, asking if the photo can be checked to see if it is a fake. Mr. Smith tells Clyde it is a fake, and he knows... because Mr. Smith faked it. Clyde is confused, as Mr Smith reveals himself to be the Xylok who has been behind everything. He tells Clyde that he has his own purpose and that he (Clyde) is a part of his plan and he fires a bolt of energy at the boy, causing him to digitise and vanish from the real world, and laughs fiendishly.

Part 2[[edit] | [edit source]]

Sarah Jane Smith enters the Pharos institute to retrieve one of the telekinetic headsets. As she leaves, one of the guards begins pursuing her on a motorcycle, but she uses her sonic lipstick to knock him to the ground. Back on Bannerman Road, Maria tries to call Clyde, unaware that he has been captured by Mr. Smith.

Clyde wakes to find himself inside Mr Smith. Elsewhere, Maria and Alan go to Ashley's house and, after ringing the doorbell, find nobody home. They investigate around the house and Alan finds a skinsuit. Maria realises the Slitheen have Luke. They return home and find Chrissie there and she says that Alan's computer is acting up. Alan sends Maria off to get tea bags knowing she will go over to Sarah Jane's house. Looking at his computer, Alan gets a message on his computer from Clyde, who states Mr Smith has turned evil. Meanwhile, Maria tells Sarah Jane that the Slitheen have Luke. They go upstairs to talk to Mr Smith and find out that he's turned on them as Alan appears. Mr Smith declares that they and the Slitheen were useful but now they are no longer need. The computer then aims a hidden gun and tries to kill them with bolts of energy but luckily they all escape the house. Mr Smith compliments Clyde on managing to communicate with Alan, calling it 'refreshingly unpredictable' but then knocks him out to stop him from doing it again.

Regrouping at the Jackson house, Sarah Jane is upset that she misplaced her trust in Mr Smith and Alan asks where he came from in the first place. Sarah Jane explains that eighteen months earlier she was sent a crystal by a geologist that emerged from a massive volcanic eruption. Sarah Jane soon found that the crystal was actually a memory cell from a ship that crashed millions of years earlier when it communicated with her laptop. It told her that it could help her track alien activity and designed and helped Sarah Jane build the computer that it is now housed in.

Now the question is raised of what exactly the Slitheen want, since planetary conquest isn't something they're interested in. Sarah Jane surmises that the Slitheen acquired the plans for the telekinetic headset somewhere in the galaxy and chose to build it at the Pharos Institute, and are using Luke's mind to refine the technology so they can sell it on, a process that will kill Luke. Deciding they need to get Luke back now, the three set off for Pharos (while planning to stop at a chip shop to buy vinegar).

The Slitheen take Luke to the Pharos Institute, where they test his abilities. Luke's power with the headset proves too strong for even the Slitheen to handle, and Luke uses it to escape as Maria, Alan and Sarah Jane arrive although they miss each other. The Slitheen explain that Mr Smith contacted them after Sarah Jane stopped their plans at the school promising to help them get revenge for the death of their family. However they realise they have been betrayed when Sarah Jane reveals that she was sent to steal the headset from them, just as Sarah Jane in turn realises that Mr Smith fully expected Luke to escape knowing that when he did he'd head straight home and into his clutches. It is now clear that Mr Smith's plan is to use Luke's telekinectic abilities to destroy Earth. Although Nathan still wants revenge against Sarah Jane and the others, the adult Slitheen realise that if Mr Smith succeeds then they'll die too.

Luke arrives home and is beckoned up to the attic by Mr Smith, who reveals that he has Clyde captive and orders Luke to put on the prototype headset otherwise he'll kill his friend. Forced to comply, Luke puts the headset on as he does the entire Earth begins to tremble as Luke's powers start to draw the Moon to Earth. Sarah Jane explains that Earth will be torn apart long before the Moon hits, and Nathan decides to leave satisfied his enemy will die anyway. However Alan grabs his teleport control, and Sarah Jane points out that they'll never get away in time before the gravitation disturbance destroys their ship. However, she proposes they use the teleport to transport them back to Bannerman Road and give them a chance to stop Mr Smith.

Sarah Jane asks Alan if he can destroy Mr Smith using his knowledge of computer viruses. Alan gives Sarah Jane a virus that a cyber terrorist tried to use to destroy the banking network, although obviously Mr Smith is more than a computer so there's no guarantees.

Using the Slitheen teleporter, Sarah Jane arrives in her attic, where Mr Smith explains why he's doing this; the Xylok are a crystalline life form that were buried underground when they crashed into Earth. Mr Smith is a fragment of the original crystal, and now he plans to tear the Earth apart and release the other trapped Xylok from the planet's core. Clyde returns when Mr Smith states he is merciful, but Mr Smith then threatens the humans with its gun. Sarah Jane unlocks the safe and calls on K9 Mark IV. The robots battle and Sarah Jane inputs the virus, which makes Mr Smith forget its purpose. As the Moon grows closer to the Earth, Sarah Jane tells Mr Smith it has a new purpose: to safeguard planet Earth.

The Moon returns to its original position, K9 goes back to the safe to guard the black hole and the Slitheen return to Raxacoricofallapatorius, although no-one doubts they'll be back. Mr Smith's circuits were wiped by the virus and they'll be able to trust him again when he reboots with his new purpose. As Sarah Jane, Maria, Luke, Clyde, Alan and Chrissie watch the ship leave, Sarah Jane reflects that she never thought she could be part of a family.

Cast[[edit] | [edit source]]

Crew[[edit] | [edit source]]

General production staff

Script department

Camera and lighting department

Art department

Costume department

Make-up and prosthetics

Movement

General post-production staff

Special and visual effects

Sound



Not every person who worked on this adventure was credited. The absence of a credit for a position doesn't necessarily mean the job wasn't required. The information above is based solely on observations of the actual end credits of the episodes as broadcast, and does not relay information from IMDB or other sources.
          

K9's creator credit in part 2 only.


Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

Individuals[[edit] | [edit source]]

Locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

Organisations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Alan mentions the FBI.

Objects[[edit] | [edit source]]

Species[[edit] | [edit source]]

Cultural references to the real world[[edit] | [edit source]]

Other[[edit] | [edit source]]

Story notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Both episodes were aired on the CBBC channel, and were broadcast a week later on BBC 1.
  • This episode ends with Sarah Jane narrating. This closes the first series, just as a narration by her opened the series in Invasion of the Bane. This carried on throughout the remaining four series.
The UNIT file on Sarah Jane Smith recycles text from UNIT History: Fighting the unknown.
  • When the inspector questions Sarah, a page of her confidential UNIT file is visible on screen. The text is taken from the short story UNIT History: Fighting the unknown from the BBC's U.N.I.T. tie-in website and includes the in-joke that UNIT's activities span "the sixties, the seventies and some would say the eighties". This is the first on-screen reference to the UNIT dating controversy in the entire Doctor Who television franchise.
    • Additionally, the usage of the text from UNIT History: Fighting the unknown doesn't actually reference Sarah Jane at all.
  • Clyde was originally going to confront the embodiment of Mr Smith in the void.[1]

Ratings[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Part 1 - 0.46 million viewers (DWMSE 23)
  • Part 2 - 0.66 million viewers (DWMSE 23)

Part One's BBC One repeat gained 1.3 million with an AI score of 84, whilst Part Two's BBC One repeat gained 1.2 million (AI score unknown).

Filming locations[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Production errors[[edit] | [edit source]]

If you'd like to talk about narrative problems with this story — like plot holes and things that seem to contradict other stories — please go to this episode's discontinuity discussion.
  • At one point, it says "21" on Sarah Jane's door, which is the real-life number of the house that is used for Sarah Jane's house.
  • When Nathan reveals himself to Luke as Carl and unzips his body suit, the Slitheen next to him can be seen without their heads on.
  • At another point, when the moon is crashing down onto Earth, the moon can clearly be seen over lapping the building outside the window.
  • At 25:58 on Part 1, Clyde, as he opens Sarah's door, looks behind him and looks to the camera until he closes the door.

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • Maria tells her father about the encounter with the Slitheen family, (TV: Revenge of the Slitheen [+]Loading...["Revenge of the Slitheen (TV story)"]) and the Gorgon turning him to stone. (TV: Eye of the Gorgon [+]Loading...["Eye of the Gorgon (TV story)"])
  • Alan recalls "bumping between alternate realities" and almost being "flattened by a meteor". (TV: Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? [+]Loading...["Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? (TV story)"])
  • The UNIT file on Sarah Jane has information also available on the UNIT website. (PROSE: UNIT History: Fighting the unknown)
  • Professor Celeste Rivers says that all humans have the ability to perform telekinesis. The Tenth Doctor had used telekinesis whilst using the thoughts of the human race psychically linked together with the Archangel Network. (TV: Last of the Time Lords [+]Loading...["Last of the Time Lords (TV story)"])
  • The Slitheen are now using an improved version of their skin suit, which allows them to pass for skinnier humans and no longer causes the gas exchange problem which previously caused inconvenience. (TV: Aliens of London [+]Loading...["Aliens of London (TV story)"], World War Three [+]Loading...["World War Three (TV story)"] Boom Town [+]Loading...["Boom Town (TV story)"], Revenge of the Slitheen [+]Loading...["Revenge of the Slitheen (TV story)"])
  • K9 returns briefly, and a reference is made to his work on containing the black hole. Clyde does not know of him as he was not present when K9 met Maria and Luke. (TV: Invasion of the Bane [+]Loading...["Invasion of the Bane (TV story)"])

Home video releases[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]

Footnotes[[edit] | [edit source]]

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ No on screen date is given for the first two series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, outside of The Day of the Clown from the second series being set shortly after 9 October in an undisclosed year. While Donna Noble's present from the fourth series of Doctor Who is set around the same time as the first series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, and The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith from the second series of The Sarah Jane Adventures is explicitly described as being set a year after Whatever Happened to Sarah Jane? from the first series, Doctor Who's fourth series is not consistently dated, with TV: The Fires of Pompeii, TV: The Waters of Mars, and AUDIO: SOS setting the present of the 13 regular episodes in 2008 (heavily implied by TV: The Star Beast and TV: The Giggle as well), and PROSE: Beautiful Chaos setting them in about April to June 2009.

Citations[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. ↑ http://www.shannonsullivan.com/doctorwho/sarahjane/2007jk.html
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For the purposes of this list, a "Raxacoricofallapatorian story" is one in which one living, authentic Raxacoricofallapatorian plays a part within the confines of the story, usually a Slitheen family member, outside of flashbacks to previous stories and cliffhangers that lead into the following story. Stories like The End of Time, The Gift and The Nightmare Man are also not included due to the Slitheens' cameos being of no consequence to the plot of the story.
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