TV: Doctor Who Language and Representation

 Language and close-textual analysis

1) Choose three key moments in the episode and write an NCIS  analysis for those clips. You can use your notes from the screening in class. Make specific, detailed references using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

An Unearthly Child scene analysis

Narrative: The narrative of ‘Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child’ is that there is two teachers who are surprised by a student who is very intellectually smart. Mrs Wright decides to visit the students home, only to learn that the address on the record is a junkyard. Mrs Wright and Mr Chesterton decide to wait at the location until the student shows up. There they discover the students grandfather also known as “the Doctor”. The teachers soon discover that an ordinary police box is actually disguised as a spaceship. 

Character: Dr. Who, Mr Chesterton, Mrs Wright, the student (Susan)

Iconography: Spaceship, time machines

Setting: Space, Tardis

2) How does Todorov's theory of equilibrium apply to An Unearthly Child? Try and use the expanded version of Todorov's theory: 

Equilibrium - Todorov's theory of equilibrium applies to ‘An Unearthly Child' because near the beginning, Mr Chesterton and Mrs Wright decide to follow a student home (Susan Foreman). They just wanted to find out where she really lived. They then wait for Susan and as they see her, they follow her.

Disruption - Mr Chesterton and Mrs Wright. soon discover a elderly man (Dr Who)They hear something and hide.

Recognition - The teachers find out this is a spaceship in disguise, and they are held by Dr Who.

 

Reparation - Dr who tries to tell the teachers none of this is real.

3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do each of the main characters in An Unearthly Child fit into? Alternatively, you may wish to discuss how characters do not fit Propp's character types.

Barbara Wright - The Heroine 

Ian Chesterton - The Hero

4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in An Unearthly Child? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-

Barthe's enigma and action codes found in 'An Unearthly Child' consist of the beginning it makes  the audience wonder why there's a police inspector there. Especially after seeing the police box by the fogyou can tell something is not right about that place so we assume we'll find out what it is soon enough, which lures us into the show.

5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in An Unearthly Child? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience?

This show is driven by drama when they all end up in the space ship. They all get into some form of an argument. Therefore justifying Levi-Strauss' theory that all narratives must be driven by drama.

Representations

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

No stereotypes are subverted, but they are reinforced. There is a representation of men, the male teacher, near the endwhere he doesn't fear anything and technically claims he'll not believe anything until he sees it - " I take things as I see them ". This is a stereotype because Men are seen as the Hero's who must protect the " Princess "  who in this case is Mrs Wright

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

Barbara Wright, a female is represented as emotional and afraid especially in the scene near the end. Once they arrive at this place Susan supposedly lives in, she gets scarednwhich is a typical stereotype of women 

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?

There is hardly any different representations of race/ethnicity. All the characters we've seen so far are white in the 1960’s.

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

The social class represented in An Unearthly Child is middle class. I believe they are all the same.