Language and Contexts
1) Camerawork and sound:
0:00 - 06:25 - the opening theme tune to Doctor Who is very sci-fi, which sets the genre from the very beginning of the show. The camera movements are mostly quite slow and heavy, due to the lack of technology available in the 1960s. Sounds also include the constant hum of the TARDIS, which again supports its sci-fi genre.
06:25 - 09:55 - this includes a few flashback scenes, along with close-ups of Susan Foreman in order to portray her emotion of confusion and misunderstanding. There are also tense non-diegetic atmosphere sounds whenever Susan or her teachers, Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton.
09:55 - 14:20 - This scene displays a medium shot of the Doctor holding a vase with the two teachers in the background, perhaps to convey him as an evil or sinister character.
14:20 - 19:40 - There are close-up shots of Ian and Barbara when they first enter the TARDIS, in order to emphasise their mixed emotions of shock, horror and utter perplexity. The consistent humming sound of the TARDIS continues to play so as to highlight the fact that it's "alive", which again links to the science-fiction genre.
19:40 - end of episode - Whilst the TARDIS takes off and travels through the vortex of space and time, there are close-up shots of each character cross-dissolved with time travel graphics, in an attempt to help the audience understand what's happening to them. It also shows each of the characters' reactions to the narrative development.
Mise-en-scene:
0:00 - 06:25 - the character of Susan Foreman is first introduced dancing in an unusual manner and dressed as the typical 1960s teenager (linking to costume), showing how despite her not being human she still appears to look relatively "normal". Her costume and hairstyle is representative of the classic 1960s school in which the first scene takes place, creating a sense of personal identity for the audience. The costume of both the teachers Ian and Barbara are stereotypical of gender roles back in the 1960s (women dressed in modest blouses and skirts with neat, carefully styled hair and men in smart suits with ties).
06:25 - 09:55 - the setting then switches to the inside of Ian's car, where both him and Barbara are sitting parked close to the junkyard. The flashback scenes switch to the inside of a science and a history classroom inside the school, with bright lighting. This then quickly changes back to present time where the lighting is dark and eerie, in a deserted London backstreet.
09:55 - 14:20 - the next setting shows a junkyard in which Ian and Barbara enter, the lighting is dark and shadowy and gives off an unsettling and gloomy feeling.
14:20 - 19:40 - they are then shown to enter into the TARDIS, which appears bigger on the inside than out. This includes a central control console, different types of other-worldly furniture and circular designs on the walls. The lighting is bright white, again linking to the sci-fi genre, and contrasts with the lighting on the outside (the sinister darkness). This is called binary opposition.
19:40 - end of episode - there is a completely new setting in a different dimension which is set in another timeline, perhaps much earlier than what they had originally came from. The characters, when the TARDIS takes off and travels through time, are shown to be looking shocked, scared or passed out. The acting is poor quality and not very good, along with the special effects used - showing the lack of technology and CGI back in the 1960s.
Narrative and genre:
0:00 - 06:25 - the opening theme tune indicates that it's a sci-fi series, as it sounds like a rocket taking off into space. Enigma codes include the mystery of Susan's home, and her commenting on historic events which hint at time travel.
06:25 - 09:55 - the sci-fi genre is reinforced again through the comment "this hasn't happened yet", suggesting time travel.
09:55 - 14:20 - the lost torch conveys binary opposition, with the contrast between light and dark. Enigma codes include the police box (TARDIS) being called alive. Action codes all associate with a somewhat threat from TARDIS and Propp's character theory is evident here what with the Doctor being presented as an antagonist.
14:20 - 19:40 - enigma codes regarding whether the teachers will be safe or not and why the Doctor and Susan can't go back to their home as of yet.
19:40 - end of episode - TARDIS taking off links to the sci-fi genre (and 1960s space race). The shadow shown at the end of the episode is a use of action and enigma codes and a cliffhanger - sets the story for the next episode and creates a narrative arc.
2) Todorov's equilibrium: the equilibrium is at the beginning when Barbara, Ian and Susan are introduced, and the teachers set out to find the answers to their curious thought as to where Susan really lives. The disequilibrium is when they are then found by the Doctor, taken into the TARDIS and locked inside, and are then taken to another point in time. The new equilibrium is at the end when they are shown to be trapped in a new dimension in the past and a shadow is shown outside the TARDIS.
Propp's character theory: Hero - Ian, Heroine - Susan, Sidekick - Barbara, Villain - The Doctor
Barthes's enigma and action codes: Some action codes included are the take-off of the TARDIS and the time travel taking place, along with the shadow of a monster-like creature shown at the end. There are also many enigma codes conveyed throughout the episode, such as the TARDIS landing in an eerie, remote dimension in a different timeline - causing the audience to question what will happen next to the characters and make them concerned for their safety after seeing the shadow of a monstrous looking creature at the end.
Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: The contrast between the very dark lighting directly followed by bright lighting is a clear example of binary opposition. Another could be the difference between the young and old characters, or the distinction between the humans and the aliens.
3) I think that the most important scene in the episode is when Ian and Barbara enter the TARDIS for the first time, as it gives the audience as well as the characters an inside view of the ship which would then later turn out to be one of the most significant features of the series, even in today's age - creating a narrative arc. It gives us an insight of how the ship looks like and the things it can do, which also links to the sci-fi genre of which the show follows.
4) 'An Unearthly Child' is clearly science-fiction, which is evidently shown through the constant ongoing theme of aliens, time travel, outer space and alternate dimensions. The soundtrack also supports this, what with sounding eerie and alien-like. Also, there are references to the 1960s Space Race - again displaying features of a typical science-fiction TV series.
5) The social and historical contexts of 'An Unearthly Child' include the release of the episode on Saturday, November 23rd, 1963. This was the beginning of a narrative arc which then carried on throughout the entirety of the series, involving the Doctor and his companions going back 100,000 years in time to help cavemen discover fire. In the 1960s, there was a huge shift in British culture - including more freedom for young people and a breakaway from traditions.
Representations
1) Many stereotypes of men are reinforced in the episode 'An Unearthly Child', clearly displaying the clear distinction in gender roles at that time. For example, The Doctor would pay most attention and talk directly to Ian rather than Barbara, she was more put to the side and shut down. Also, Ian was presented as the braver, more dominant figure between the two teachers which is how men were (and still often are) typically presented as within the media - given how he was the first of the two to confront the Doctor. A subverted stereotype may be the fact that Ian was also curious enough to investigate Susan, as women are the ones who are mostly presented as gossipy and nosy rather than men.
2) Some stereotypes of women or girls reinforced in 'An Unearthly Child' are the idea that women are inferior, shown when The Doctor barely took notice of Barbara. They are also shown as overly emotional and helpless, typically as the "damsel-in-distress", given by the fact Barbara had to be 'protected' by Ian and was conveyed to be easily frightened. Also, Susan is often looked down upon due to her wits as women aren't often portrayed to be highly intelligent. Examples of stereotypes of women which are subverted are the fact that women were able to teach and are shown to be very smart and well-educated, even more than men, which wasn't always the case for many women and girls back then.
3) The generational divide between the older and younger characters reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s as Susan is represented as a rebellious and naïve teenage girl (though this was before 'teenager' was a proper term) as opposed to her grandfather, The Doctor. He is shown as an average elderly person of the time, despite clearly being more intelligent and having more strength. Also, The Doctor is shown as more harsh and threatening as he locked up Ian and Barbara in the TARDIS whereas Susan was kind and understanding, pleading for their release, again showing the difference between the young and old characters.
4) There is no diverse representations of race and ethnicity within the episode, which is implicit of the time it released. It consists of a predominantly white cast, which is not a surprise given by the fact that there was little to none representation of the BAME community within the media at the time, in a positive light at least. Also, the population was mostly made up of white people including those with access to TVs, and that was a much more prejudiced time. Nowadays, there is so much more representation of the BAME community within the media and in recent series of Doctor Who, showing just how much society has changed yet it also became more accepting over the years.
5) Social class is presented as primarily middle-higher class, shown by the fact that Ian, Barbara, Susan and The Doctor all possess highly intelligent, well-spoken minds and are all portrayed to be fairly well-educated and knowledgeable. Those from the working class, for example, perhaps would not have had the same opportunities and resources as these characters did.
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