We'll miss you, Sarah Jane.

My favorite Doctor's companion, Sarah Jane Smith, is gone. Elisabeth Sladen, the wonderful actress who portrayed her, died today from complications with cancer. She was 63. You can read more about her life and career here.

She was the first companion I was introduced to as a teenager, as she traveled with Doctor #4 (played by Tom Baker). I never did see her departure from the TARDIS; our PBS station moved the show to different time slots, and I didn't always catch up with them. But I did see her return to the show with Doctor #10 (David Tennant). I felt so excited; up until then, there seemed to be a strong disconnect between the old Who and the new. But with "School Reunion", both old and new connected. Even my kids got excited to see this old companion come in and get into a game of oneupmanship with the first new Who companion, Rose Tyler.  Sarah Jane was to stay connected through the spin-off show, The Sarah Jane Adventures. More than ever I want to see that now.

So, goodbye Sarah Jane. Elisabeth, we'll miss you. Thanks for keeping up with the Doctor, and straightening him out when he needed it.