Doctor Who - LIAR: Blog Tasks

Language and Contexts

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

Todorov's Equilibrium: It starts off in a school where everything is peaceful. However, near the end of the episode, chaos erupts when the Doctor sends the group to the past. 

Propp's character theory:
Hero/heroine- Ian and Barbara
Villain- The Doctor
Sidekick- Susan

Barthes's enigma and action codes:
Action Codes: When the TARDIS begins to take off or when the shadow appears in the final shot of the episode.
Enigma Codes: The Doctor takes the teachers to the past and the final shadow may be a stone age person.

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: 
Young vs old
Human vs alien 
Good vs evil

2) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why?
The most important scene in my opinion is when the group all go into the TARDIS. This is because it reveals where the student went.

3) What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode.
Sci-fi because it include fiction aka, the TARDIS. It also has aliens and a so called "5th Dimension"

4) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s?
During this period of time, BBC 2 TV channel release enabling Doctor Who to get more recognition and fame.

Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?
Doctor Who reinforces the protective stereotype when he protects and hides Susan away from the teachers.

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?
Susan subverts the stereotype of women not being in control when she tries her best to try and stop Doctor Who from sending them to the past.

3) How do the representations of young people and old people in An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical context of the 1960s? 
The 1960's was a big shift in British culture where there was more freedom for young people. This is reflected onto Doctor Who where Susan roams freely around the Tardis.

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?
Everyone in the show is white, This is unsurprising as during the 1960's, people of different race were less likely to act in movies/shows.

5) How is social class represented in An Unearthly Child? Think about how education and knowledge is presented in the episode.
Doctor Who has an unknown class whereas the teacher are probably in middle class.

Audience

1) Who is the target audience for Doctor Who? Do you think it has changed since 1963?
Teens who are both girls and boys. However, this has probably changed as Sci-fi is generally more for boys.

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: Some people may have the same ideas as Susan and will believe that there is a such thing as the 5th Dimension

Diversion (Escapism): People will watch Doctor Who to forget reality and instead watch Doctor Who to forget about troubles in real life.

3) What additional Uses and Gratifications would this episode provide to a modern 2020s audience?
Information/Surveillance: Doctor Who offers it audience 

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

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

Industries

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

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

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

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

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