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:  

Mise-en-scene:  
Narrative and genre:   
Todorov's Equilibrium:
Propp's character theory:
Barthes's enigma and action codes:
Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: 

• Music - theme tune to Doctor Who. Very science-fiction - sets genre from beginning.

• Graphics on screen: title of show and episode. Simple text/font. 

• Slow, clunky camera movement (due to technology in 1960s). 

• Sound: hum of TARDIS (helps create science-fiction genre). 

• Susan - first introduced dancing and dressed as 1960s teenager (costume). Seems to be both typical teenager and alien.

• Costume and hair typical of 1960s.

• School - creates personal identity for audience. 

• Setting - junkyard. Lighting - dark/shadows. Creates mysterious, tense atmosphere. 

• Opening title sequence like a rocket taking off - sci-fi genre and links to 1960s space race.

• Enigma codes: mystery of Susan’s home. French Revolution book - “I’ll have finished it” “That’s not right”... suggests time travel.

• Science fiction - “That hasn’t happened yet” - time travel.

• Dimensions - Time and Space.

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

The  episode starts off with something normal like a school setting and children walking through the hall ways, then the unusual part where they find the police box and then go into the TARDIS, and finally they try escape and end up fainting.

The heroes are seen to be Ian and Barbra the two teachers which try save the teenager. The princess is Susan as she is getting saved and the Doctor can be seen as the antagonist or villian.  

 Enigma code: police box/TARDIS. "It's alive!"

Action code: some kind of conflict/threat linked to TARDIS.

Light/dark - lost torch 

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

In my opinion I think the most important scene is when they walk into the TARDIS. This is because after watching this scene everything made sense and we got our answers to why Susan acts in that weird way.

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

Sci-fi because the TARDIS is something unusual and unique which 'normal' peoplr wouldnt use. Also because Susan is quite a unique character and stand out compared to her class at school.

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

She would explore through space travel and worries about the war.

Representations


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

• Ian - "I take things as they come" reinforces stereotypes as Ian is protecting Barbara.
• Boys harassing girls in the corridor subverts stereotypes as the men are meant to defend the females.

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

• Susan is shown as cleverer than teachers, which subverts stereotypes. 
• "I feel frightened." - Barbara - 'princess'.  "I take things as they come." - Ian - 'hero'. Reinforces stereotypes as men are seen as the bigger people to take care of females. 

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 represented as a rebellious teenager which is unusual in 1960's as women were seen as more mature and responsible. 

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 Red Indian's savage mind was blown." All of the actors in the show/majority white and this was very normal back in the day however as the series have gone on the people have gotten more inclusive with people from different ethnicity's. 

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

Susan Foreman is the first of a long-standing tradition of Doctor Who companions.  It was felt improper in 1963 for an older man, such as the Doctor, to be travelling through space with a young 15 year old girl; so she was written as his Granddaughter.  She is a strong link to the young target audience and will often react in ways that the audience might in future episodes (e.g. screaming at aliens).  Classically relatable.