Doctor Who-LIAR

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

LANGUAGE AND CONTEXT

Todorov's Equilibrium :Everything is fine then the teacher's get suspicious of the girl and they try to resolute and investigate

Propp's character theory: The hero is the teachers and the villain is the grandfather  and the girl is a helper/sidekick

Barthes's enigma and action codes: For action codes it can be when the TARDIS takes off and an Enigma code is will the teacher's get home?

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: Good vs Evil, young vs old, human vs alien

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

I think the most important scene is where the teacher's get stuck in the TARDIS because that is where the tension rises

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

It is a Sci-Fi series due to the unrealistic events taking place with people who came to the future

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

The 1960s saw a shift in British culture. There was more freedom for young people and a breakaway from traditions.

REPRESENTATIONS

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

 Ian is very physical when there is fighting or physical work to be done. Ian and Barbara are bonded by their human characteristics in their Space adventures.  They represent the caring, empathetic part of the human condition in how they look after Susan. It was subverted because Ian was asking more questions and became stressed when in the TARDIS which isn't expected for a man

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

Barbara is represented in a more homely, caring role in the series.

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

Young people in this case like Susan are knowledgeable and vunerable while the doctor is wise and secretive 

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?

It features mainly a white cast of actors representing classic modern 1960s British actors but in current days Doctor Who has now drastically became more diverse and they had a black doctor

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

Social class is represented through the knowledgeable middle class teachers and how they are interlectually curious.

AUDIENCE

1) Who is the target audience for Doctor Who? Do you think it has changed since 1963?

This show appeals to a mainstream audience(10-40)

2) What audience pleasures are offered by Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.

Personal Identity: Other teachers may relate to Ian and Barbara as they are always willing to learn more

 

Diversion (Escapism):

escapism and being entertained away from your normal life. Science Fiction is a classic genre for escapism- It shows the impossible which is not possible in real life

 3) What additional Uses and Gratifications would this episode provide to a modern 2020s audience?

It can provide older audiences with nostalgia and younger audience detachment from modern stress as now there is colour, improved video quality and fast moving shows.

4) Thinking of the 3 Vs audience pleasures (Visceral, Vicarious and Voyeuristic pleasures), which of these can be applied to An Unearthly Child?

Voyeuristic pleasure because this is something not every show displays for example the uniqueness of the TARDIS.

5) What kind of online fan culture does Doctor Who have? Give examples.

It has international online fan culture that are called the 'Whoniverse' 

INDUSTRIES

1) What was the television industry like in 1963? How many channels were there?

There were two channels BBC and ITV and the space themed tv series was considered very brilliant for that time

2) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the level of technology in the TV industry in 1963?

In terms of technology, videotape had only been in use for seven years when An Unearthly Child was made. It allowed the BBC to create the space and time travel effects we can see in the episode which were considered amazing at the time.

3) Why is Doctor Who such an important franchise for the BBC? 

It was the most iconic franchise that the BBC and has generated huge income for the company

4) What other programmes/spin-offs are part of the wider Doctor Who franchise?

• K9
• Sarah Jane Adventures
• Torchwood
• Class

These spin-offs allow the BBC to target slightly different audiences while still taking advantage of the huge Doctor Who fanbase. 

5) Why does the Doctor Who franchise have so much merchandise available? Give examples. 

Due to its 60 year plus history  it is for fans who are 'loyal' and are in this somehwat cult