Doctor Who: Language and Representations

 1) Write a summary of the notes from our in-class analysis of the episode. You can use your own notes from the screening in class or this Google document of class notes (you'll need your GHS Google login). 

Camerawork and sound: .theme tune very sci-fi 

                                               .graphics on screen - title and episode name 

                                                    .Slow clunky camera movement

                                                    .hum of the TARDIS helps create sci-fi genre makes it seem futuristic and gets                                                             across that "its alive"

                                                    .close up of Susan to show her confusion or emotion

                                                    .sound effects link to sci-fi

                                                    .medium of doctor holding vase with teachers in background makes him look evil

                                                    .Close up teachers as they enter TARDIS shows shock and lack of understanding

                                                    .close up on characters as TARDIS takes off cross-dissolved with time travel                                                                 graphics shows each characters reaction to the narrative development

Mise-en-scene: C ostume: .Susan introduced dressed as a typical 60s teen

                                           .Typical of 60s 

                                  L ighting: .Dark/shadows makes it mysterious and tense

                                                   .TARDIS is bright white (sci-fi connotations) contrasts with the outside (binary                                                              opposition)

                          A ctors: .Susan introduced dancing odd dance moves suggests that she is an alien

                                            .Poor acting reflects basic nature of tv in 60s 

                                  M akeup and hair: .Typical of 60s

                                     P rops: .Junk yard objects

                                     S etting: .School creates personal identity for audience

                                                 .Junkyard makes it mysterious and tense

                                                 .Inside TARDIS, central console control, white walls with circle design, much bigger                                                      on the inside

                                                 .New setting on another planet sets the next episode

Narrative and genre: .Opening title sequence like rocket taking off

                                             .Sci-fi - "that hasn't happened yet" - time travel

                                             ."I was born in another time and in another world" - Susan and "one day we will return" -                                              doctor creates narrative for story to continue

                                             .TARDIS and TARDIS taking off creates sci-fi genre and links to space race

                                             .End continues narrative arc for this series

                                             

2) How can we apply narrative theories to this episode of  Doctor Who? 

Todorov's Equilibrium: .Starts in school as a normal day - equilibrium

                                           .They can't find Susan - disequilibrium

                                               .They find her in the TARDIS - equilibrium and disequilibrium

                                               .The TARDIS takes off - disequilibrium

Propp's character theory: .doctor is presented as a villain

Barthes's enigma and action codes: .enigma codes - mystery of Susan's home "I like walking through the                                                               dark", French evolution book "ill have finished it", "that's not right                                                                     suggests time travel

                                                          .sci-fi/enigma codes "that hasn't happened yet" time travel

                                                               .enigma codes -  police box/TARDIS "its alive"

                                                                      .action code - some kind of conflict/threat linked to TARDIS

                                                                      .action code - "don't touch it"

                                                                      .enigma code - will teachers get out? why cant the teachers go back                                                                             home?

                                                                      .enigma and action codes - shadow in final shot creates a cliff hanger                                                                           for next episode

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: .light and dark - lost torch

3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why?

14:20-19:30 because a lot happens and it makes the audience want to keep watching.

 

4) What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode.

It is sci-fi. you can tell because: .there is a rocket taking off in the opening title sequence

                                                   ."that hasn't happened yet time travel

                                                   .mise-en-scene and TARDIS

                                                   .TARDIS taking off links to space race

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s?

.opening title sequence links to space race

.Susan's costume and hair are typical of a 1960s teenager

Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

Boys harassing girls in school corridors

Ian is brave

Ian is less smart than one of his students

Doctor only talks to Ian "young man" (patriarchal society)

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

Barbara is scared

Doctor ignores Barbara

Susan depicted as rebellious teenager

Barbara passes out on chair to protect female modesty

3) How do the representations of young people and old people in An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical context of the 1960s? 

Susan is a typical 1960s teenager

"she might be meeting a boy" - typical teenager which was a new term in the 60s

4) What representations of race/ethnicity can be found in Doctor Who: An Earthly Child? Is this surprising or not? Give reasons for your answer and consider historical / cultural context (the 1960s). Has this changed in more recent series of Doctor Who?

The entire cast is white

doctor is racist - says "the red Indian's savage mind was blown"

This is not surprising to me as there was a large amount of racism in the 60s.

Also I may be wrong but I think that this was the time of partition so there was a lot of racism specifically targeted at Indian people.

This has changed in more recent doctor who series as the current doctor who is a person of colour.

5) How is social class represented in An Unearthly Child? Think about how education and knowledge is presented in the episode.

It is a very middle class school and the characters are all white.

teacher said "you are one of us" reinforced white middle class educated stereotypes.