The Empty Planet (TV story)

The Empty Planet
Featuring:	Clyde Langer Rani Chandra Sarah Jane Smith (cameo) Mr Smith (cameo)
Main enemy:	Automatons Red Robot Yellow Robot
Main setting:	Ealing, 2010
Key crew
Writer:	Gareth Roberts
Director:	Ashley Way
Producer:	Brian Minchin
Release details
Story number:	23
Release number:	Series 4
Premiere broadcast:	1st November 2010 (Part One) 2nd November 2010 (Part Two)
Format:	2 30-minute episodes

The Empty Planet is the fourth story of Series 4 of The Sarah Jane Adventures.

Synopsis

Part 1

Clyde and Rani wake up one day to discover that they are the only survivors of the human race! The whole of Earth is empty – even Sarah Jane has vanished. But a deserted London holds terrors of its own. Strange forces lurk in the shadows, as mysterious visitors approach!

Part 2

Clyde and Rani meet their enemy, as the Robots arrive on Earth – but what do they want, and where has the human race gone? It’s a race against time, but without Sarah Jane’s expertise, Clyde and Rani must trust each other like never before if they’re to save the whole world

Plot

Part 1

Sarah Jane tells Mr Smith to do a maximum scan. Clyde asks what is going on; Rani says Mr Smith picked up an alien energy trace for a second, which then vanished into the signals of every energy source on Earth. When they left Sarah Janes house, Rani reminded Clyde of their school assignment, which Clyde saw no point in considering they might be invaded. Rani's dad came to see her in her room, but she asked him to leave so she could finish the assignment. Clyde's mum also came to see him.

The confusing mix of signals is suddenly cut out. Rani wakes up to find her parents missing, and there is no-one in sight outside. Sarah Jane is also gone, and Mr Smith no longer appears to be in the computer that houses him. Rani searches for another person, finding that nothing has a signal anymore. She prays that she is not alone, when she hears a knock at the door and opens it to find Clyde. They head into town to look for someone besides them.

They can't find anyone, but realise that if everyone suddenly disappeared there should be crashed vehicles everywhere. There are not, which means that whatever took the humans didn't want to do any damage. They go to a cafe for breakfast and try to figure out why they have not been taken. They decide to go back to the attic, and see crates being knocked over. They spot another person, who runs away, and chase him to an apartment block. He is a schoolboy called Gavin, who rather than being relieved is afraid of them. Rani and Clyde try to convince him they mean no harm, and Rani tells him about aliens to try and gain his trust. Gavin is sceptical, but before they can persuade him to help, a strange noise is heard and he slips away whilst Rani and Clyde try to work out what it was.

They go back to the cafe and see a strange image on all the screens, even the mobile phones. They hear a noise getting closer and go investigate. Rani notices Gavin and goes down an alley; Clyde looks around the corner and sees a yellow robot. He is cornered by it, whilst Rani is cornered by a red one. The robots reveal their guns and prepare to fire...

Cast

• Sarah Jane Smith - Elizabeth Sladen
• Clyde Langer - Daniel Anthony
• Rani Chandra - Anjli Mohindra
• Mr Smith - Alexander Armstrong
• Haresh Chandra - Ace Bhatti
• Carla Langer - Jocelyn Jee Esien
• Gavin - Joe Mason
• Red Robot - Paul Kasey
• Yellow Robot - Ruari Mears
• Voice of Robots - Jon Glover

Crew

to be added

References

Culture

• Pondering that they may be the only two humans left alive, Clyde and Rani make comparisons to Adam and Eve.

Books from the real world

• Rani and Clyde are reading Great Expectations as a school assignment.

Story notes

• The Robots are very similar to the Roboidz from Mission: 2110, who are of a similar shape and also come in red and yellow.

Ratings

to be added

Myths

to be added

Filming locations

to be added

Production errors

to be added

Continuity

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.

• Clyde draws a comic strip featuring the Shansheeth. (SJA: Death of the Doctor)
• Clyde refers to meeting the Pied Piper of Hamelin. (SJA: Day of the Clown)
• Clyde refers to the Judoon grounding him and Rani. (SJA: Prisoner of the Judoon)
• Gavin is protected by a Bio damper. (DW: The Runaway Bride, SJA: Secrets of the Stars)
• Clyde and Rani mention travelling in the TARDIS (SJA: Death of the Doctor) and going through a time fissure. (SJA: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith)
• After hearing the sounds of the Earth, Clyde remarks "Bit noisy, aren't we?" The Doctor said of Earth "This planet's so noisy!" (DW: The Christmas Invasion)
• The Robots remove everyone from Earth through the use of a Warp shunt. The Nestene Consciousness used similar technology to send itself to Earth. (DW: Rose)

Home video releases

DVD releases

to be added

Blu-ray releases

to be added

See also

to be added

External links

to be added