Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child Case Study CSP
Language and Close Textual Analysis:
1)
Narrative:
The Narrative of the first part of An Unearthly Child begins with Todorov's proposed theory of equilibrium. The equilibrium of this episode is when all the school children are going home after school and everything seems calm and normal as nothing out of the ordinary seems to be/has happening/happened. Not too long after this scene we are met with the disequilibrium which is realising that Susan's home supposedly does not exist. This is a variable of the world that does not fit and so this is what sparks the need to find out who exactly Susan is and where her home is. A little later on we see a use of flashbacks in order to see a bit more of Susan and what she's like. A while later we see a police box which is then discovered to be known as the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) and Susan's home. It is then found that the TARDIS is actually able to go anywhere in time and space and once Ian and Susan are notified of this the Doctor (Susan's grandfather) traps them inside the TARDIS. Despite Susan's attempts at negotiation to free her teachers the Doctor refuses and even ends up electrocuting Ian. We also get a hint as to what this narrative arc will be about as the Doctor says to Susan,"One day we will get back to our planet." Unexpectedly, the Doctor then begins to take the TARDIS to a different place which is not revealed in the episode. However. as the episode ends a shadow appears and is approaching the TARDIS although we cannot yet be certain of what kind of lifeform or even non-living bio is it is certain to be dangerous.
Characters:
The Characters who are seen to appear in first part of the episode are: Barbara Wright who we find out is a History teacher who teaches Susan and is in fact worried about Susan; Ian Chesterton who is a Science teacher who also teaches Susan and thinks that her knowledge of Science is amazing; Susan Foreman a 15 year old who almost seems as though she is from the past, it has even been said that, "She's a genius.". Later on in this episode we get the opportunity to see a few flashbacks which allows for some character development specifically for Susan. This is shown by the fact that in one flashback it looked as if the class was talking about money and Susan began to talk about the decimal system which did not yet seem to exist at the time she was in which caused some of her peers to giggle in the background. In another flashback they were talking about dimensions in which Ian had thought of an 'impossible question' as to which Susan responded with the existence of two other dimensions, space and time. As we discover that Susan's address supposedly doesn't exist the mystery behind Susan increases and suddenly the interest of the audience has been grabbed as well. Later on in the episode we are introduced to Doctor Who (Susan's grandfather) who appears to be quite patronising in nature towards all the characters he meets in this episode. For example when talking to Ian he refers to him as 'young man' and when talking to Susan he spoke to her as if she were a small child. This shows that the Doctor does not see anyone on the same level as him which makes it seem as though he is superior to everyone else being the oldest of them all. Despite this, Ian Chesterton does take on the role of the hero and does try to protect Barbara and Susan, even questioning the Doctor. Though his efforts prove futile as the Doctor electrocutes Ian as he attempts to find the button that will open the door of the TARDIS which shows Ian as a strong character for even trying to find a way to leave and the Doctor as somewhat of an anti-hero as the Doctor is supposed to be the hero but his actions strongly subvert this. Although Barbara did instigate the search for Susan's house as she was worried it seemed as though she stepped back and let Ian take charge instead of her. As Susan begs her Grandfather to allow them to stay in their current time it almost seemed as though she was throwing a tantrum like a child. This shows that although Susan may be travelling through space and time in the TARDIS along with having knowledge of many things it is important for us to remember that she is still only a child.
Iconography:
The beginning of the episode started off in a classroom as could be seen by the blackboard in the background which gives us as the audience a rough idea of the time period this was set in. It is in this setting that we meet Ian, Barbara and not too long afterwards Susan too. As we meet Susan we can see that her dress is that of a typical teenager in the 1960s which means that she is surprisingly still able to fit in despite being from a different time. Additionally, we also see the police and some kind of fog which suggests connotations of danger and mystery which may amplify the curiosity of the audience. After this, we are then taken to the TARDIS where the central controls are based right in the middle of it. Additionally, the interior of the TARDIS is completely made up of white colours and bright lighting which are all typical Sci-Fi conventions. As the TARDIS begins to take off the visual effects take on the appearance of white swirls of light which is a similar shape to galaxies which shows they are in fact moving through space and time. This is a reference to the rocket launch that was due to happen during that time as that was the period of the 1960s space race.
Setting:
The beginning of the episode takes place at a foggy junkyard which heightens the sense of mystery and danger within the scene. These factors are what will cause the audience to keep watching as they want to know what is so special about the location. The junkyard then transitions into Coal Hill School which is a location that seems to be important throughout all the Doctors' experiences. The school itself seems to look like a typical classroom of the time with there being a blackboard in the background. After this, the location once again changes to Ian Chesterton's car which is the means of transport they use to get to Susan Foreman's 'house'. During this journey we see more of the classroom incorporated in the flashbacks we see for more character development of Susan. Later on, we are then introduced to the TARDIS in which there is so much high level technology an example of this is when the door close with just the press of a button and even the sound effect it made as this was done adds to the futuristic element of this. As the TARDIS was launching there was a hum in the background which is similar to the sound made by a charger when you are charging a device as it was going through space. The final location we saw in this episode was the Earth in what seemed to be caveman times which suggests that the TARDIS actually is capable of travelling through space and time.
2)
Todorov's theory of equilibrium does in fact apply to An Unearthly Child, in the beginning the Equilibrium is all the students at Coal Hill School going home after school which is the sense of calm that we feel at the start. The Disruption is the fact that Susan Foreman's address supposedly does not exist according to Ms Wright. The Recognition is the Junkyard scene with Susan's Grandfather (the Doctor) where he seems to be preventing them from going inside the police box despite the fact that they could hear Susan's voice to which he questioned their sanity. The reparation is when Ms Wright and Mr Chesterton are able to force their way into the police box and see that Susan is safe. The New Equilibrium is then when Mr Chesterton and Ms Wright discover Susan's home which was actually the police box also known as the TARDIS which is the reason as to why Ms Wright was unable to find Susan's house the first time around.
3)
Propp's character theory does apply to An Unearthy though the roles do change later on in the episode. The Hero of An Unearthly Child is quite obviously Ian Chesterton as he tried to help Susan when he thought that there was a chance that she could be in danger as he found out that her address didn't exist. However, later on in the series we find that the hero is supposedly the Doctor but he is more of an anti-hero in the first episode as he was shown to be quite patronising and even refused to let the teachers go. The Princess in an Unearthly Child was Susan Foreman at the start, this is because Susan was the one who was initially thought to be in trouble and needing to be saved. This then becomes Barbara Wright's role when both her and Ian Chesterton are trapped in the TARDIS as she then becomes the one in need of saving. The Villain was actually The Doctor in this episode as he prevented the teachers from leaving the TARDIS and even went as far as to electrocute Ian Chesterton as he tried to find the button that would open the door. At the end of the episode this role is then given to the Shadow we see as it suggests connotation of danger and threat as it leaves on a cliffhanger.
4)
In An Unearthly Child the action codes we see include the appearance of the shadow this could hint at a future battle as it gives connotations of danger. Another action code we see in this episode is when the Doctor says 'One day we will get back to our planet' this could possibly suggest a fight to get back to their planet as it doesn't seem like it will be an easy feat. One of the enigma codes we see in this episode is the mystery behind who the Doctor really is and where he comes from. Additionally, the appearance of the Shadow makes us wonder what it is and whether or not it is friend or foe.
5)
The binary oppositions we see are: Light vs Dark; Good vs Evil; Youth vs Age; Hero vs Villain; Future vs Past. The constant contrast between these things will make for a more interesting series to see which one will prevail in the end.
The Narrative of the first part of An Unearthly Child begins with Todorov's proposed theory of equilibrium. The equilibrium of this episode is when all the school children are going home after school and everything seems calm and normal as nothing out of the ordinary seems to be/has happening/happened. Not too long after this scene we are met with the disequilibrium which is realising that Susan's home supposedly does not exist. This is a variable of the world that does not fit and so this is what sparks the need to find out who exactly Susan is and where her home is. A little later on we see a use of flashbacks in order to see a bit more of Susan and what she's like. A while later we see a police box which is then discovered to be known as the TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) and Susan's home. It is then found that the TARDIS is actually able to go anywhere in time and space and once Ian and Susan are notified of this the Doctor (Susan's grandfather) traps them inside the TARDIS. Despite Susan's attempts at negotiation to free her teachers the Doctor refuses and even ends up electrocuting Ian. We also get a hint as to what this narrative arc will be about as the Doctor says to Susan,"One day we will get back to our planet." Unexpectedly, the Doctor then begins to take the TARDIS to a different place which is not revealed in the episode. However. as the episode ends a shadow appears and is approaching the TARDIS although we cannot yet be certain of what kind of lifeform or even non-living bio is it is certain to be dangerous.
Characters:
The Characters who are seen to appear in first part of the episode are: Barbara Wright who we find out is a History teacher who teaches Susan and is in fact worried about Susan; Ian Chesterton who is a Science teacher who also teaches Susan and thinks that her knowledge of Science is amazing; Susan Foreman a 15 year old who almost seems as though she is from the past, it has even been said that, "She's a genius.". Later on in this episode we get the opportunity to see a few flashbacks which allows for some character development specifically for Susan. This is shown by the fact that in one flashback it looked as if the class was talking about money and Susan began to talk about the decimal system which did not yet seem to exist at the time she was in which caused some of her peers to giggle in the background. In another flashback they were talking about dimensions in which Ian had thought of an 'impossible question' as to which Susan responded with the existence of two other dimensions, space and time. As we discover that Susan's address supposedly doesn't exist the mystery behind Susan increases and suddenly the interest of the audience has been grabbed as well. Later on in the episode we are introduced to Doctor Who (Susan's grandfather) who appears to be quite patronising in nature towards all the characters he meets in this episode. For example when talking to Ian he refers to him as 'young man' and when talking to Susan he spoke to her as if she were a small child. This shows that the Doctor does not see anyone on the same level as him which makes it seem as though he is superior to everyone else being the oldest of them all. Despite this, Ian Chesterton does take on the role of the hero and does try to protect Barbara and Susan, even questioning the Doctor. Though his efforts prove futile as the Doctor electrocutes Ian as he attempts to find the button that will open the door of the TARDIS which shows Ian as a strong character for even trying to find a way to leave and the Doctor as somewhat of an anti-hero as the Doctor is supposed to be the hero but his actions strongly subvert this. Although Barbara did instigate the search for Susan's house as she was worried it seemed as though she stepped back and let Ian take charge instead of her. As Susan begs her Grandfather to allow them to stay in their current time it almost seemed as though she was throwing a tantrum like a child. This shows that although Susan may be travelling through space and time in the TARDIS along with having knowledge of many things it is important for us to remember that she is still only a child.
Iconography:
The beginning of the episode started off in a classroom as could be seen by the blackboard in the background which gives us as the audience a rough idea of the time period this was set in. It is in this setting that we meet Ian, Barbara and not too long afterwards Susan too. As we meet Susan we can see that her dress is that of a typical teenager in the 1960s which means that she is surprisingly still able to fit in despite being from a different time. Additionally, we also see the police and some kind of fog which suggests connotations of danger and mystery which may amplify the curiosity of the audience. After this, we are then taken to the TARDIS where the central controls are based right in the middle of it. Additionally, the interior of the TARDIS is completely made up of white colours and bright lighting which are all typical Sci-Fi conventions. As the TARDIS begins to take off the visual effects take on the appearance of white swirls of light which is a similar shape to galaxies which shows they are in fact moving through space and time. This is a reference to the rocket launch that was due to happen during that time as that was the period of the 1960s space race.
Setting:
The beginning of the episode takes place at a foggy junkyard which heightens the sense of mystery and danger within the scene. These factors are what will cause the audience to keep watching as they want to know what is so special about the location. The junkyard then transitions into Coal Hill School which is a location that seems to be important throughout all the Doctors' experiences. The school itself seems to look like a typical classroom of the time with there being a blackboard in the background. After this, the location once again changes to Ian Chesterton's car which is the means of transport they use to get to Susan Foreman's 'house'. During this journey we see more of the classroom incorporated in the flashbacks we see for more character development of Susan. Later on, we are then introduced to the TARDIS in which there is so much high level technology an example of this is when the door close with just the press of a button and even the sound effect it made as this was done adds to the futuristic element of this. As the TARDIS was launching there was a hum in the background which is similar to the sound made by a charger when you are charging a device as it was going through space. The final location we saw in this episode was the Earth in what seemed to be caveman times which suggests that the TARDIS actually is capable of travelling through space and time.
2)
Todorov's theory of equilibrium does in fact apply to An Unearthly Child, in the beginning the Equilibrium is all the students at Coal Hill School going home after school which is the sense of calm that we feel at the start. The Disruption is the fact that Susan Foreman's address supposedly does not exist according to Ms Wright. The Recognition is the Junkyard scene with Susan's Grandfather (the Doctor) where he seems to be preventing them from going inside the police box despite the fact that they could hear Susan's voice to which he questioned their sanity. The reparation is when Ms Wright and Mr Chesterton are able to force their way into the police box and see that Susan is safe. The New Equilibrium is then when Mr Chesterton and Ms Wright discover Susan's home which was actually the police box also known as the TARDIS which is the reason as to why Ms Wright was unable to find Susan's house the first time around.
3)
Propp's character theory does apply to An Unearthy though the roles do change later on in the episode. The Hero of An Unearthly Child is quite obviously Ian Chesterton as he tried to help Susan when he thought that there was a chance that she could be in danger as he found out that her address didn't exist. However, later on in the series we find that the hero is supposedly the Doctor but he is more of an anti-hero in the first episode as he was shown to be quite patronising and even refused to let the teachers go. The Princess in an Unearthly Child was Susan Foreman at the start, this is because Susan was the one who was initially thought to be in trouble and needing to be saved. This then becomes Barbara Wright's role when both her and Ian Chesterton are trapped in the TARDIS as she then becomes the one in need of saving. The Villain was actually The Doctor in this episode as he prevented the teachers from leaving the TARDIS and even went as far as to electrocute Ian Chesterton as he tried to find the button that would open the door. At the end of the episode this role is then given to the Shadow we see as it suggests connotation of danger and threat as it leaves on a cliffhanger.
4)
In An Unearthly Child the action codes we see include the appearance of the shadow this could hint at a future battle as it gives connotations of danger. Another action code we see in this episode is when the Doctor says 'One day we will get back to our planet' this could possibly suggest a fight to get back to their planet as it doesn't seem like it will be an easy feat. One of the enigma codes we see in this episode is the mystery behind who the Doctor really is and where he comes from. Additionally, the appearance of the Shadow makes us wonder what it is and whether or not it is friend or foe.
5)
The binary oppositions we see are: Light vs Dark; Good vs Evil; Youth vs Age; Hero vs Villain; Future vs Past. The constant contrast between these things will make for a more interesting series to see which one will prevail in the end.
Representations:
1)
One of the stereotypes of men reinforced in An Unearthly Child is the fact that they always take on the strong more powerful and important roles. This is shown by the fact that Ian Chesterton and the Doctor took on roles in Propp's character theory which were that of Hero and Villain which are the two main roles in a majority of stories. This in turn suggests that women can only ever take on the supporting roles rather than the main roles as only men who are strong can take the main parts. Another stereotype of men that is reinforced is that they are more intelligent than women this is shown by the fact that when the Doctor was talking to Ian and Barbara it almost seemed like he was only really talking to Ian. This shows that Barbara was not even able to follow the situation and that the Doctor did not want to spend his time explaining for her which also reinforces the stereotype of men being superior to women. One stereotype of men that is subverted in An Unearthly Child is the stereotype in the media of men being good looking and young. The fact that the Doctor seems to be a much older character clearly subverts this stereotype.
2)
The stereotype of girls reinforced in An Unearthly Child is that teenage girls like music and wearing dresses. This is shown by the fact that when we are first introduced to Susan Foreman she is seen dancing to music and wearing a dress which was quite typical for a teen of that time.The stereotype of women that is reinforced in An Unearthly Child is that they aren't intelligent. This is shown by the fact that when the Doctor was explaining about the TARDIS Barbara just remained silent rather than questioning him which almost makes it seem like she was unable to process what he was saying. The stereotype of girls that is subverted is that boys are superior to girls. This is shown by the fact that Ian Chesterton admitted to the fact that Susan knew more than him in his own lesson which is another way of him saying that Susan surpasses his own knowledge.
3)
A common stereotype of young people in the media is that they are strong, good looking and quite often take the lead throughout. They are also commonly presented as troublemakers, quite often being very immature or even dangerous. A common stereotype of old people in the media is that they are weak, wrinkly, fragile and more prone to illnesses which means they are in constant need of care or looking after. The stereotype of young people being immature is reinforced by the character of Susan Foreman, the Doctor's first companion. This is shown by the fact that when Susan said to her Grandfather that she wanted to stay in the time they were in she began to throw somewhat of a tantrum when he refused. This shows that despite having such an important role she is far too young and childish to properly carry out her duties. This has changed over the history of Doctor Who as we see the 13th Doctor, Jodie Whittaker who is much more mature and has a key role in the series. Additionally, the stereotype of older people is subverted by the first Doctor, Susan's Grandfather. This is shown by the fact that instead of him having to be looked after and protected it almost seems as though the characters need protection from him. His behaviour matches more closely with that of young people rather than old people.
4)
In Doctor Who the representation of race and ethnicity is completely lacking in BAME ethnic groups. This is shown by the fact that throughout the episode the only ethnicity shown is 100% white people. This almost makes it seem as though those from BAME backgrounds just don't exist at all. Additionally, in the episode there was actually a bit of racism from the Doctor as when he was talking about the Red Indians he said, 'savage minds were blown' which almost dehumanises them. This is not surprising as this was not long after Windrush had started and so getting used to these new BAME ethnic groups and for them to become more part of the community must have taken awhile. This has changed a lot over the years as now in the current Doctor Who the Doctor's companions consist of more BAME ethnic groups.
5)
In An Unearthly Child social class is represented as being made up of only Middle Class and educated people which is quite similar to the concept of the BBC. This is shown by the young people we see in Coal Hill School and the teachers Ms Wright and Mr Chesterton who are both quite intelligent. Education and knowledge in this episode is represented as being an integral part of life and being able to understand the series as shown during the explanation of the TARDIS.
Audience:
1)
The target audience for Doctor Who is mainly families between the ages of 12-40. This is because Doctor Who can sometimes contain frightening scenes that may not be suitable for younger people however, it is a show that the whole family can watch together rather than individually.
2)
The psychographic groups that I think will enjoy Doctor Who are Explorers are Mainstreamers. The reason why I think that Explorers would like Doctor Who is because they love new ideas, experiences, seeking out and discovering things which is the variety that Doctor Who will provide. This is because Doctor Who revolves around change as the Doctors are regenerated and they are constantly travelling through space and time which will give the Explorers new things to get entertainment from. The reason why I think that Mainstreamers would also enjoy Doctor Who is because it is a show that the whole family can watch together. Mainstreamers are all about the domestic and everyday choosing 'we' rather than 'me' which means that Doctor Who gives them an opportunity to be together as a family in order to watch it together.
3)
Personal Identity: Audiences would be able to relate to the school setting as the vast majority of us have attended school. Being able to see a familiar setting will make it seem closer to reality. Teenagers will be able to relate to Susan as she is a typical teenager and adults will be able to relate to the teachers as they are both working.
Personal Relationships: As we have gotten to see Ian Chesterton in An Unearthly Child the audience will get attached to him as he seems to be a kind character who genuinely cares about others. Due to this attachment when the TARDIS begins to launch we worry about his well being and whether or not he will be alright.
Diversion (Escapism): Being in the TARDIS takes us away from our normal lives as it is not everyday that you are in such a futuristic machine. Additionally, the whole idea of space and time travel isn't something we expect in everyday life especially with the excessive tension and threat we feel at the end of the episode due to the shadow cliffhanger.
Surveillance (Information/Facts): In this episode we learn about Science and Technology as we learn more about the TARDIS and space travel which can help to broaden the knowledge of audiences quite significantly.
4)
This episode provides information to a modern audience as it gives us knowledge of what it was like at that time in schools and so it in turn teaches modern audiences about History.
5)
The Visceral and Voyeuristic pleasures can be applied to An Unearthly Child. The reason as to why I think that Visceral pleasure can be applied is due to the fact that when the TARDIS began to take off it seemed like the camera was shaking and so the tension begins to rise as the audience wonders what will happen to the characters. Additionally, at the end the shadow appears and that could cause the audience to feel threatened as they are not yet aware of what exactly the shadow is capable of. The reason why I think that Voyeuristic pleasure can be applied to this is because when we saw Ian and Barbara talking it was almost like there was a hidden camera which was allowing us to see their conversation. The same thing happened in the TARDIS as we wouldn't normally be able to see this.
Industries:
1)
In 1963 there were only 3 TV channels and only one BBC channel. This means that during that time the number of programmes you could watch were limited which also means that if there was an interesting show everyone would watch it. Additionally, you could not record programmes and so if you wanted to watch something you would have to make sure you were home.
2)
Doctor Who is such an important franchise for the BBC because it is one of the most iconic franchises it has even being launched Worldwide. Doctor Who generates a huge income for the BBC and in 2014 a BBC Worldwide Report stated that both Sherlock and Doctor Who as the BBC's biggest exports over the past year.
3)
Doctor Who does meet the BBC mission statement as now it includes BAME ethnic groups which is a more accurate depiction of our society today. Additionally, the fact that Doctor Who mainly focuses on time travel it is able to inform audiences of things that may have happened in the past years in other words about History. Finally, with the action involved in Doctor Who it is able to successfully entertain their audiences.
4)
The BBC is funded by the license fee that you pay for owning a TV. This funding goes towards improving their channels in order to give the public the best quality information.
5)
Since 2017 the BBC has been regulated by OFCOM who oversee all media channels and have the power to take away licenses or heavily fine them if they do not follow their code of conduct. The watershed prevents violence, profanity and sexual content to appear on TV before 9PM.
Social and Historical Context:
1)
An Unearthly Child reflects the social and historical context of the 1960s as during this period there was the space race and so we see a small still image of space which could be referencing that. Additionally, Britain during the 1960's was a predominately white country and so at the time racist comments may have been nothing more than a joke which is completely different from now.
2)
I think that audiences of the 1960s would have felt excitement towards Science Fiction as this was during the period of the New Wave Science Fiction. This means that it was a completely different take on Science Fiction which means that the focus on it may have considerably increased and gotten a much more positive reaction.
2)
The stereotype of girls reinforced in An Unearthly Child is that teenage girls like music and wearing dresses. This is shown by the fact that when we are first introduced to Susan Foreman she is seen dancing to music and wearing a dress which was quite typical for a teen of that time.The stereotype of women that is reinforced in An Unearthly Child is that they aren't intelligent. This is shown by the fact that when the Doctor was explaining about the TARDIS Barbara just remained silent rather than questioning him which almost makes it seem like she was unable to process what he was saying. The stereotype of girls that is subverted is that boys are superior to girls. This is shown by the fact that Ian Chesterton admitted to the fact that Susan knew more than him in his own lesson which is another way of him saying that Susan surpasses his own knowledge.
3)
A common stereotype of young people in the media is that they are strong, good looking and quite often take the lead throughout. They are also commonly presented as troublemakers, quite often being very immature or even dangerous. A common stereotype of old people in the media is that they are weak, wrinkly, fragile and more prone to illnesses which means they are in constant need of care or looking after. The stereotype of young people being immature is reinforced by the character of Susan Foreman, the Doctor's first companion. This is shown by the fact that when Susan said to her Grandfather that she wanted to stay in the time they were in she began to throw somewhat of a tantrum when he refused. This shows that despite having such an important role she is far too young and childish to properly carry out her duties. This has changed over the history of Doctor Who as we see the 13th Doctor, Jodie Whittaker who is much more mature and has a key role in the series. Additionally, the stereotype of older people is subverted by the first Doctor, Susan's Grandfather. This is shown by the fact that instead of him having to be looked after and protected it almost seems as though the characters need protection from him. His behaviour matches more closely with that of young people rather than old people.
4)
In Doctor Who the representation of race and ethnicity is completely lacking in BAME ethnic groups. This is shown by the fact that throughout the episode the only ethnicity shown is 100% white people. This almost makes it seem as though those from BAME backgrounds just don't exist at all. Additionally, in the episode there was actually a bit of racism from the Doctor as when he was talking about the Red Indians he said, 'savage minds were blown' which almost dehumanises them. This is not surprising as this was not long after Windrush had started and so getting used to these new BAME ethnic groups and for them to become more part of the community must have taken awhile. This has changed a lot over the years as now in the current Doctor Who the Doctor's companions consist of more BAME ethnic groups.
5)
In An Unearthly Child social class is represented as being made up of only Middle Class and educated people which is quite similar to the concept of the BBC. This is shown by the young people we see in Coal Hill School and the teachers Ms Wright and Mr Chesterton who are both quite intelligent. Education and knowledge in this episode is represented as being an integral part of life and being able to understand the series as shown during the explanation of the TARDIS.
Audience:
1)
The target audience for Doctor Who is mainly families between the ages of 12-40. This is because Doctor Who can sometimes contain frightening scenes that may not be suitable for younger people however, it is a show that the whole family can watch together rather than individually.
2)
The psychographic groups that I think will enjoy Doctor Who are Explorers are Mainstreamers. The reason why I think that Explorers would like Doctor Who is because they love new ideas, experiences, seeking out and discovering things which is the variety that Doctor Who will provide. This is because Doctor Who revolves around change as the Doctors are regenerated and they are constantly travelling through space and time which will give the Explorers new things to get entertainment from. The reason why I think that Mainstreamers would also enjoy Doctor Who is because it is a show that the whole family can watch together. Mainstreamers are all about the domestic and everyday choosing 'we' rather than 'me' which means that Doctor Who gives them an opportunity to be together as a family in order to watch it together.
3)
Personal Identity: Audiences would be able to relate to the school setting as the vast majority of us have attended school. Being able to see a familiar setting will make it seem closer to reality. Teenagers will be able to relate to Susan as she is a typical teenager and adults will be able to relate to the teachers as they are both working.
Personal Relationships: As we have gotten to see Ian Chesterton in An Unearthly Child the audience will get attached to him as he seems to be a kind character who genuinely cares about others. Due to this attachment when the TARDIS begins to launch we worry about his well being and whether or not he will be alright.
Diversion (Escapism): Being in the TARDIS takes us away from our normal lives as it is not everyday that you are in such a futuristic machine. Additionally, the whole idea of space and time travel isn't something we expect in everyday life especially with the excessive tension and threat we feel at the end of the episode due to the shadow cliffhanger.
Surveillance (Information/Facts): In this episode we learn about Science and Technology as we learn more about the TARDIS and space travel which can help to broaden the knowledge of audiences quite significantly.
4)
This episode provides information to a modern audience as it gives us knowledge of what it was like at that time in schools and so it in turn teaches modern audiences about History.
5)
The Visceral and Voyeuristic pleasures can be applied to An Unearthly Child. The reason as to why I think that Visceral pleasure can be applied is due to the fact that when the TARDIS began to take off it seemed like the camera was shaking and so the tension begins to rise as the audience wonders what will happen to the characters. Additionally, at the end the shadow appears and that could cause the audience to feel threatened as they are not yet aware of what exactly the shadow is capable of. The reason why I think that Voyeuristic pleasure can be applied to this is because when we saw Ian and Barbara talking it was almost like there was a hidden camera which was allowing us to see their conversation. The same thing happened in the TARDIS as we wouldn't normally be able to see this.
Industries:
1)
In 1963 there were only 3 TV channels and only one BBC channel. This means that during that time the number of programmes you could watch were limited which also means that if there was an interesting show everyone would watch it. Additionally, you could not record programmes and so if you wanted to watch something you would have to make sure you were home.
2)
Doctor Who is such an important franchise for the BBC because it is one of the most iconic franchises it has even being launched Worldwide. Doctor Who generates a huge income for the BBC and in 2014 a BBC Worldwide Report stated that both Sherlock and Doctor Who as the BBC's biggest exports over the past year.
3)
Doctor Who does meet the BBC mission statement as now it includes BAME ethnic groups which is a more accurate depiction of our society today. Additionally, the fact that Doctor Who mainly focuses on time travel it is able to inform audiences of things that may have happened in the past years in other words about History. Finally, with the action involved in Doctor Who it is able to successfully entertain their audiences.
4)
The BBC is funded by the license fee that you pay for owning a TV. This funding goes towards improving their channels in order to give the public the best quality information.
5)
Since 2017 the BBC has been regulated by OFCOM who oversee all media channels and have the power to take away licenses or heavily fine them if they do not follow their code of conduct. The watershed prevents violence, profanity and sexual content to appear on TV before 9PM.
Social and Historical Context:
1)
An Unearthly Child reflects the social and historical context of the 1960s as during this period there was the space race and so we see a small still image of space which could be referencing that. Additionally, Britain during the 1960's was a predominately white country and so at the time racist comments may have been nothing more than a joke which is completely different from now.
2)
I think that audiences of the 1960s would have felt excitement towards Science Fiction as this was during the period of the New Wave Science Fiction. This means that it was a completely different take on Science Fiction which means that the focus on it may have considerably increased and gotten a much more positive reaction.
