Doctor Who: Language and Representations

Doctor Who: Language and Representations

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: Flash back, theme intro (sound) and close ups. These are used to make dramatic effects with different sounds mixed with a portrayed camera angle at the same time.

Mise-en-scene: Susan presented as the average 19's teenager except the fact she is an alien, junkyard setting, inside the TARDIS (Time travel machine) and there is a new setting/planet they're in. This shows Susan's life as quite mundane upon first seeing her however as you get into the show your see her life as more adventurous as she keeps secrets from those around her apart from her grandfather about her double life as student and alien.

Narrative and genre: Genre - science fiction, time and space, narrative background 'I was born in another time and another world'. This shows how the protagonists (Susan) origin story starts and shares a small part about her past which however will get told in parts of the show instead of straight to the audience. 

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

Todorov's Equilibrium: When Susan goes to her grandfather in the junkyard in regard to the TARDIS and her teachers follow her to make sure she's safe or doing other things to guarantee her safety because they considered her odd in the beginning of the show.

Propp's character theory: Susan is considered as the Heroine/Princess as she is believed to have been in trouble or have some problems in the beginning, Susan's grandfather is considered the Villain because he makes Susan's teachers stay in the time machine because he fears that her teachers will reveal the secret of the TARDIS, Susan's teachers would be considered the Hero/False hero because they believed that Susan was odd and probably came across trouble outside of her going to school.

Barthes's enigma and action codes: The enigma codes create mystery throughout the show in scenes like when there will be random un-identified sounds made which draws in both the character and audiences attention into what the mysterious sound could be. The action codes could be like when Lyra and Will were chasing the 2 sisters because they were spying on them and made the mysterious sound to give away that they were there.

 

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: The antagonists like the witches bring out the concept of Levi-Strauss's binary opposition as they're shown to be the enemies of the show.

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

I think the most important scene of the episode was when Will and Lyra chased the 2 sisters. I believe this is the most important scene because it will open up the story to the show more showing that Will and Lyra won't be the only people there and there will be more trial and errors to come knowing they aren't the only people left.

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

An Unearthly child is a drama, fantasy and science fiction episode as it contains characters having to learn about different systems, includes magical effect features being used like when one which had to save another and it includes dramatic build-ups in specific scenes in the episode.

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

An Unearthly Child contains a portrayal of gender roles like the genders of Lyra and Will are switched. Lyra is headstrong, impulsive and never lets her guard down on the other hand Will is more calm about certain situations and believes things should go fairly. In comparison to the 1960s genders roles wouldn't be portrayed that way and women were represented more as damsels in distress.

Representations

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

In doctor who the men are represented as the brave, protective and confident ones like one of the teachers for example. The male teacher offers to the things first because the female teacher is to anxious and scared to do them, this is what creates the damsel in distress feature making the female teacher seem hopeless to the situation. However in the episode An Unearthly Child Lyra is the brave and confident one and Will is the calm one, this reverses the gender roles mainly based off time such as when woman became independent.

2) 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?

In Doctor Who the characters are mainly white people, there would be 2-3 people of colour but it was rare to see such thing in the time that the doctor who was filmed. It has changed now compared to the 1960s containing more people of the colour and more filming settings and backgrounds for the tv series.