The Mark of the Berserker (TV story)

'The Mark of the Berserker' is the fourth serial in Series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures.

The Mark of the Berserker
Featuring:	Sarah Jane Smith Luke Smith Clyde Langer Rani Chandra Maria Jackson
Main enemy:	Alien Pendant, Paul Langer (under the control of the pendant)
Key crew
Writer:	Joseph Lidster
Director:	Joss Agnew
Release details
Release number:	2
Premiere broadcast:	3rd November - 10th November 2008
Format:	2 - 30 minute episodes

Synopsis

An alien pendant, which gives its wearer the power to control others, is stolen from Sarah Jane's attic.

Luke and Rani enlist the help of Clyde's mum to help track down Clyde and his father, who has the alien pendant. The chase leads to a terrifying waterside confrontation, as the pendant takes control of Paul and begins transforming him.

Plot

• Part 1

Jacob a boy who got into a fight is in detention with three other pupils they all start to laugh at them but he has an alien pendant and he tells them to shutup they discover they cant speak. He then runs out and Drops the Pendant. Rani is walking past and picks it up. Sarah Jane drops of Luke at Clyde's house as he is staying over for the weekend. Sarah Jane meanwhile is going to a hospital to do a report on "M.R.S.A". Carla clydes mum makes him make spageti and all three of them have a good night. On Bannerman Road Rani and her dad are deciding what to have for tea and they decide to have a Pizza but Rani controls her dad and discovers that this pendant can control people. The next day the Langer household get's a knock on the door,Clyde answers it to find that his long lost dad has turned up. Carla sends him and Clyde away and he tells Clyde that he is living in Germany withnhis aunt Mel but Clyde reveals that he catches aliens. Menawhile Rani goes up to Sarah Janes attack and puts the pendant there so that no one will find it. She goes and finds Luke who search around the school where the pipes where put in for clues. Clyde Meanwhile shows his dad Sarah Janes Loft and Paul puts the pendant in his shirt pocket. When they walk out they meet Haresh who ends up being forced to do press ups. Luke and Rani run up to them and Paul makes Clyde forget who they are they walk of and Paul reveals his hand to have the symble of the Beresker on it.

• Part 2

Clyde and Paul are walking along in town , Paul can't stop looking at The Mark or Beresker. MeanWhileLuke and Rani send a picture of the pendant to Maria and her father, to investigate as her father can hack into UNIT. They discover that using the pendant can give you hand marks. Rani's father refuses to stop the pressups. Paul gets everything he wants for free, and uses this as a bonding mehod with his son. He instructs Clyde to forget about how he left him and his mum when he was young and to forget about his Mum. The pendant takes over Paul's skin and he can't control it, and he collapses. He announces himself as the Berserker and that Clyde is his soldier. Sarah Jane appears and Clyde recognises her. She tells him that his mum, Rani, and Luke, are the most important in his life when he asks who they are. Clyde and his mum talk Paul through his memories, whilst Sarah Jane shows him a reflection of himself in the mirror. and he remembers who he really is. Everyone who the Beserker commanded has their commands undone. Clyde tries to get his mum and dad back together, but Paul tells his son that he has made his Mum's sister pregnant. Clyde tells his father he dosen't need him and not to mess up with this baby. Clyde tells his mother to forget about the pendant, what she knows about Sarah Jane's adventures with her son, and his father. Clyde chucks away the pendant, into the sea. Sarah Jane reveals that her parents died when she was young and she would do anything to see them again. When Clyde is gone, she takes out a picture of her mother and father and rubs her finger over the latter.

Cast

• Sarah Jane Smith - Elizabeth Sladen
• Luke Smith - Tommy Knight
• Rani Chandra - Anjli Mohindra
• Clyde Langer - Daniel Anthony
• Paul Langer - Gary Beadle
• Carla Langer - Jocelyn Jee Esien
• Jacob - Perry Millward
• Haresh Chandra - Ace Bhatti
• Maria Jackson - Yasmin Paige
• Alan Jackson - Joseph Millson
• Mr Cunningham - Huw Higginson
• Steve Wallace - Elijah Baker
• Detention Girl - Jessica Lewis
• Detention Boy - Andrew Philips

Production crew

to be added

References

• Paul Langer refers to the Daleks.
• Sarah Jane's computer has a Magpie Electricals logo on it, a reference to Doctor Who story The Idiot's Lantern

Story notes

• This episode focuses on Clyde's family and his father was shown to be possessed in a trailer, with his eyes sharp blue-white and blue, vein-like markings on his face.
• This is the fourth story in a row to involve a significant 'mind control' theme. This could possibly be a story arc for series 2.

Ratings

to be added

Myths

to be added

Filming Locations

to be added

Discontinuity, Plot Holes, Errors

In episode 2. Maria’s dad brings up a photo from the U.N.I.T. dating back too 1942. But U.N.I.T. wasn’t founded until at least the 1960s. U.N.I.T. may have dug this image up after they were founded

Continuity

• Paul Langer mentions the Daleks and Clyde mentions the Sontarans and the Slitheen.
• The fact that Paul Langer refers to "those Dalek things" and was previously in Germany indicates that Series 2 is indeed set after (DW: The Stolen Earth), which also featured Daleks speaking German while in Germany.
• Sarah Jane's note: 'If it's alien, LEAVE IT!' may be a reference to Yvonne Hartman's phrase "If it's alien it's ours'

DVD and Other releases

to be added

See also

to be added

External links

to be added