SJAF 2

Episode two of Sarah Jane's Alien Files aired alongside The Vault of Secrets.

Synopsis
Rani Chandra visits the attic of 13 Bannerman Road and tells Mr Smith of her search for a heroic, intelligent, mysterious subject on whom to practice her interview and journalism skills. Mr Smith begins to describe his own talents, but Rani stops him and informs him that what she'd actually been hoping for from Mr Smith was a suggestion of someone else to interview. While he considers the matter, Rani and Mr Smith update the Alien Files with data about the Pied Piper, Ship, and Eve.

During the update Rani admits that Mr Smith is indeed heroic, intelligent, and mysterious in his own right. Rani closes the new entries to the Alien Files in the manner of a newsreader.

Cast

 * Rani Chandra - Anjli Mohindra
 * Mr Smith - Alexander Armstrong

Crew

 * Title music - Murray Gold
 * Music - Sam Watts
 * Script consultant - Phil Ford
 * Graphics - BBC Wales Graphics
 * Director of photography - Tim Knight
 * Camera operator - Leon Hoser
 * Sound recordist - Olly Astles-Jones
 * Make-up - Abi Brotherton
 * Online editor - Paul Shields
 * Dubbing mixer - Ashley Armstrong
 * Production executive - Dominic Parry
 * Production manager - Jane Jenkins
 * Editor - Ivan Probert
 * For BBC Wales - Brian Minchin, Nikki Wilson
 * Director - Pip Banyard
 * Executive producers - Gillian Scothern, Russell T Davies
 * Series producer - John Piper

Worldbuilding

 * Mr Smith acknowledges Eve's home planet as a casualty of the Last Great Time War.
 * Mr Smith compares the Pied Piper's ability to take human disguise to those of the Graske and Androvax.
 * Regarding his headmastering technique, Rani jokingly compares her father to RoboCop.

Story notes

 * This story contains clips from The Day of the Clown and The Mad Woman in the Attic.
 * As Rani is able to relate the pertinent data to Mr Smith, it is established in this episode that Rani is aware of the alternate timeline surrounding her future self in TV: The Mad Woman in the Attic and its correction by Adam Lloyd. Whether Rani directly remembers the events herself or re-learned of them later by other means is not known.

Continuity

 * Rani and Mr Smith recount their encounters with the Pied Piper, (TV: The Day of the Clown) and Eve. (TV: The Mad Woman in the Attic)
 * When recalling adversaries Rani has faced, Mr Smith mentions Erasmus Darkening, (TV: The Eternity Trap) the Trickster (TV: The Temptation of Sarah Jane Smith) and Mrs Wormwood. (TV: Enemy of the Bane)