K9 And Company (BBC-1 1981, Elisabeth Sladen, John Leeson)

Scifi drama K-9 And Company was the first spin off from Doctor Who (and the only one from the original series) and sees Sarah Jane Smith spending Christmas at her Aunt Lavinia’s home in the country (Aunt Lavinia herself is away abroad), discovering that a large crate has been left for her Sarah Jane is surprised to find a gift from the Doctor – K-9 Mark III. Also having to look after home from school for the holidays relative Brendan, Sarah Jane learns that Lavinia’s village is home to a coven of witches.

A Pretty naff opening credits sequence but with some pretty scary imagery for a younger audience with the coven and their antics, K-9 and company is actually a pretty enteraining 50 minutes, management changes meant a series was never forthcoming. The production was suggested by producer Nathan Turner as a possible spin off series after huge publicity was garnered after getting rid of K-9 from the Doctor Who series proper. It would be another 20 odd years before Sarah Jane would get her own series in The Sarah Jane Adventures.

production details
UK / BBC-1 / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 28 December 1981

Writer: Terence Dudley / Script Editors: Eric Saward, Antony Root / Title Music: Fiachra Trench, Ian Levine / Incidental Music: Peter Howell / Special Sound: Dick Mills / Visual Effects: Mat Irvine / Costumes: Ann Arnold / Production Design: Nigel Jones / Producer: John Nathan Turner / Director: John Black

cast
ELISABETH SLADEN as Sarah Jane Smith
JOHN LEESON as the Voice of K-9
BILL FRASER as Commander Pollock
IAN SEARS as Brendan Richards
COLIN JEAVONS as George Tracey
SEAN CHAPMAN as Peter Tracey
MARY WIMBUSH as Aunt Lavinia
LINDA POLAN as Juno Baker
GILLIAN MARTELL as Lilly Gregson
NEVILLE BARBER as Howard Baker
JOHN QUARMBY as Henry Tobias
NIGEL GREGORY as Sergeant Wilson
STEPHEN OXLEY as P.C. Carter