The Mark of the Berserker (TV story)

The Mark of the Berserker was the fourth serial of series 2 of The Sarah Jane Adventures. It was written by Joseph Lidster and directed by Joss Agnew. Sarah Jane was absent for much of the proceedings, but depicted as being engaged in comparatively ordinary journalism regarding a hospital scandal, though it was revealed that she was in fact tracking a Travast Polong.

It was mainly notable for introducing Clyde Langer's mother and father. Although Clyde's father was central, the story was unique in being the only one to feature the fathers of all three of the series' primary child characters, both past and current, in the same story, and also ended with Sarah Jane looking at a picture of her father, who would appear in the next episode.

Synopsis
An alien pendant which gives its wearer the power to control others is stolen from Sarah's attic. Luke and Rani enlist the help of Clyde's mum to track down Clyde and his father, who has the alien pendant. The chase leads to a terrifying waterside confrontation when the pendant takes control of Paul and begins transforming him.

Part 1
Sarah Jane is going away for the weekend to track down an alien lifeform and leaves Luke to stay with Clyde and his mother for the weekend.

Rani walks by the detention room at school. She witnesses a boy, Jacob West, controlling his teacher and fellow students. He runs into the boy's bathroom, drops a strange pendant on the floor and leaves. Rani picks up the pendant and pockets it. On Bannerman Road, Rani and her father, Haresh, are deciding on tea and choose to have a pizza. Rani discovers that Haresh will follow her verbal instructions. She deduces that the pendant causes people to follow instructions given to them by the pendant's wearer. Although she initially has fun with the pendant, when her father offers to die as a result to an idle comment, Rani realises how dangerous it is.

The next day, somebody knocks on the door of the Langers' home. Clyde answers it and finds that his long-lost father, Paul Langer, has turned up. His arrival upsets Clyde and his mum.

After an emotional discussion among the three of them, Clyde leaves with his father. During the course of the day, Clyde reveals to his father that he is involved in tackling alien threats. Meanwhile, Rani goes to Sarah Jane's attic only to find that Mr Smith has been deactivated while the house is empty. Rani decides to leave the pendant there so no-one will find it. After a talk with her father, she decides to investigate matters herself. She finds Luke, and they go to the school to search for clues.

Clyde convinces his father that he is telling the truth by taking him to Sarah Jane's attic. Paul finds the pendant that Rani left and puts it in his shirt pocket. Outside, they meet Haresh, who asks them about what they were doing in Sarah Jane's house. Paul ends up instructing Haresh to do press-ups and realises it must be due to the pendant. Luke and Rani run up to them. Rani works out what has happened and confronts Paul and Clyde. Paul instructs Clyde to forget who Rani and Luke are. They try talking to Clyde but he claims to have never seen them in his life before and leaves. Paul then raises his hand to Rani and Luke, revealing a strange blue symbol on his palm.

Part 2
Clyde and Paul are walking in town. Paul can't stop looking at the symbol on his hand. Luke and Rani attempt to contact Sarah Jane, but she is preoccupied trying to pursue an alien called Travast Polong. Meanwhile, Luke and Rani send a picture of the pendant to Maria and her father to investigate, as her father can hack into UNIT. They discover the pendant can cause a symbol known as the mark of the Berserker to appear on one's skin.

Haresh refuses to stop the press-ups. Paul gets everything he wants for free — including a new car — and uses this to bond 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, causing blue veins to appear, and he collapses. He declares himself the Berserker and Clyde his soldier. Sarah Jane appears and Clyde recognises her. She tells him that his mum, Rani and Luke are the most important people 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 her handbag mirror and he remembers who he really is.

Everyone the Berserker commanded has their commands undone (Haresh stops doing push-ups and drinks a glass of water in near-exhaustion and the dealership owner wonders where the car has gone, bemused). 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 doesn't need him, and not to mess up with this baby. His dad then leaves to return the car and clothes. Clyde tells his mother to forget about the pendant, what she knows about Sarah Jane's adventures with her son, and his father, then throws 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 - Elisabeth Sladen
 * Luke Smith - Tommy Knight
 * Clyde Langer - Daniel Anthony
 * Rani Chandra - Anjli Mohindra
 * Maria Jackson - Yasmin Paige
 * Voice of Mr Smith - Alexander Armstrong
 * Paul Langer - Gary Beadle
 * Carla Langer - Jocelyn Jee Esien
 * Jacob West - Perry Millward
 * Haresh Chandra - Ace Bhatti
 * Alan Jackson - Joseph Millson
 * Mr Cunningham - Huw Higginson
 * Steve Wallace - Elijah Baker
 * Car Salesman - Prasanna Puwanarajah
 * Detention Girl - Jessica Lewis
 * Detention Boy - Andrew Philips

Individuals

 * Paul has a photo of his and Melba's child inside his pocket.
 * Mrs Taylor is an art teacher at the Park Vale Comprehensive School.
 * A man used a Berserker pendant in 1940 and turned into a Berserker.
 * Beryl lives next door to Clyde and Carla.

Real world culture

 * Clyde has ambitions on become the "new Banksy".
 * When Clyde shows Luke his drawings, he has created a character named Rocket Man.
 * While under the influence of the Berserker pendant, Haresh impersonates Bianca from EastEnders.

Locations

 * Paul and Clyde visit Lynport Marina.

Technology

 * Clyde shows a holographic postcard to his father.
 * Paul sees a Sontaran gas canister and a portable scanner inside Sarah Jane's attic.

Vehicles

 * Paul steals a Porsche from the car dealership through use of the Berserker pendant.

Foods and beverages

 * Rani and Haresh discuss whether to have pizza or Chinese food for takeout.

Story notes

 * This is the first story where Mr Smith does not physically make an appearance. Sarah Jane shuts him down in her absence, and, when he is called upon, the wall panels do not open up to reveal him. Instead, an answering machine function activates and plays an automated message. However, his voice actor, Alexander Armstrong, is still credited for his speaking lines in the role.
 * When Clyde dons the leather jacket that Paul buys him, his attire looks similar to the Ninth Doctor's wardrobe.
 * This is the only story to feature both Maria and Rani.

Ratings

 * Part 1 - 0.53 million viewers (DWMSE 23)
 * Part 2 - 0.63 million viewers (DWMSE 23)

Part One's BBC One repeat gained 0.87 million with an AI score of 75, whilst Part Two's BBC One repeat gained 0.87 million with an AI score of 84.

Filming locations
to be added

Production errors
to be added

Continuity

 * A Magpie Electricals logo is visible on Sarah Jane's computer. (TV: The Idiot's Lantern)
 * Haresh's lack of cooking skills are once again commented on. (TV: The Day of the Clown)
 * Luke shows reprehension for making a personal joke about Clyde, having previously done the same to Lance Metcalf unintentionally. Clyde had referred to his family situation during that time. (TV: Warriors of Kudlak)
 * Clyde tells his father of the Slitheen family (TV: Revenge of the Slitheen) and the Sontarans. (TV: The Last Sontaran)
 * Paul mentions the Daleks, presumably in reference to their recent invasion of Earth. (TV: The Stolen Earth, Journey's End)
 * Maria and Alan are living in Washington DC. (TV: The Last Sontaran)
 * With Mr Smith, Clyde will later make a record of his encounter with the Berserker for the Alien Files. (TV: SJAF 5)

Home video releases

 * This story, along with the rest of Series 2, was released on DVD on 9 November 2009 (UK) and 10 November 2009 (North America).
 * It was released in the Complete Collection Series 1-5 boxset release (Region 2 release: 6th February 2012).