Another stellar episode. Sarah Jane Smith is back – and back she is! And K9! And Tony Head! Let down by dodgy aliens. But only a little, little bit – this is utterly fantastic stuff.

We begin with Mr. Tony Head. Ah, what fun. Apparently he eats schoolchildren. I do believe that’s about three different types of wrong.

The Doctor and Rose are investigating a school where there is a sudden rise in results, but many strange goings on. It turns out that he’s been brought in by Micky, presumably via Rose’s magic cellphone. And, strangely enough, Sarah Jane Smith, investigative reporter, has been drawn to the same story…

Elizabeth Sladen is every bit as fantastic as she ever was. Her moment of meeting the Doctor – alt least when she realises that’s who it is – is lovely. Wonderful conversation between her and Rose about the nature of being a Companion. Excellent acting from both. And K9!

The plot is pretty much meaningless, and the aliens, I’m afraid, are fairly naff-looking. But Tony Head is deliciously creepy, and he really, really sells it. He and David Tennent have a terribly tense confrontation over a swimming pool – and really, the Doctor is the one who comes off as the darkest…

The emotional core of the episode is obviously the light shone on the relationship of The Doctor and Rose by the contrast with Sarah – is what happened to Sarah going to happen to Rose? Their scenes together were wonderfully acted, on both sides.

All-in-all, good, good stuff. I’m beginning to run out of superlatives!

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Next week’s episode teaser leaves me a bit cold, though. Ah, well, we’ll see how it turns out.