Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child

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 Language and Representation

Language and contexts

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: 
  • Music - theme tune to doctor who (sci-fi theme)
  • Graphics on screen - title of show, simple font. 
  • Slow clunky camera movement- due to bad technology in 1960's. Close ups to show emotions. Medium shots. 
  • Sound- hum of TARDIS. Flashback scenes.  
 
Mise-en-scene: 
  • Costume - Susan first introduced dancing and dressed as 1960's teenager. Typical teenager stereotype.  
  • Settings- school, Junkyard, TARDIS, new time/planet 
  • Lighting- dark eerie london (back streets) creates mysterious atmosphere linking to the sci-fi genre.  
  •  
Narrative and genre: 
  • Opening title sequence like a rocket taking off (links to 1960's sci-fi genre and 1960's space race) 
  •            Dimensions- time travel
  •            Enigma code- police box/TARDIS
  •            Levi Strauss - binary opposition - light/ dark (lost torch)
  •            Continued narrative arc for next episode.

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

Todorov's Equilibrium:  
  • Susan first introduced dancing and dressed as typical 1960's teenager but seems to be both teenager and alien.
 

Propp's character theory:  
  • Doctor presented as villain.

Barthes's enigma and action codes:  
  • mystery of Susan’s home. French Revolution book - “I’ll have finished it” “That’s not right”... suggests time travel. ,
  • Police Box / TARDIS. “It’s alive!”

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: 

  •  Light/dark - lost torch


3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why?
Frrom 14:20-19:30 i think its the most important as this is the first time the audience is introduced to the inside of the TARDIS which is a very important part of Doctor Who. 

4) What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode.
It is a sci-fi genre as it includes time travel, other dimensions and the character of Susan who is thought to be an alien. She is thought to be an alien as when she is in school she can predict the future and gets very difficult questions right and was given a book and the teachers say to give her the book back in a while but she says the next day she will be finished which the techers reply with "that's not right" which suggests time travel. 

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960's?
It shows the contexts of sexism and racism. Also shows the 1960's space race. This shows that women were still seen as inferior and needed to have their modesty protected. Racism happens when the doctor says “The Red Indian’s savage mind was blown”. Teachers to Susan: “You are one of us” which reinforced white, middle class educated stereotypes. 

Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?
Men are seen as powerful and in power. This is because the doctor only talks to Ian "young man..." and ignores Barbara which shows gender roles in 1960's

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?
Barbara passes out on a chair whereas Ian is on the floor. This protects modesty of the female actor. It shows women need to be protected and need to have their innocence.

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

  •  Susan is a typical 1960s teenager (pop music, hairstyle, dress sense).

  • “She might be meeting a boy”. Stereotypical teenager representation (note: teenagers were relatively new in 1960s).

 
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 1960's). Has this changed in more recent series of Doctor Who?
White middle class people. This isn't surprising as there was a lot of racism then. Now, there is a diverse cast. 

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

  • Teachers to Susan: “You are one of us” - reinforced white, middle class educated stereotypes. 

  • Social class - very middle class school and characters. Also all white.

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