Doctor Who : CSP

Doctor Who : CSP

Language and Contexts

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

 

• Todorov's Equilibrium:

 - Equilibrium: Everything is ok

- Disequilibrium: Conflict (The Doctor and the Teachers arguing)

 

• Propp's character theory:

- The Hero: The Teachers

- The Villain: The Doctor

  

• Barthes's enigma and action codes:

- Action Codes: The Doctor being revealed to the audience in the junkyard

- Enigma Code: The cliff-hanger where the end up in the sand

  

• Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: 

-  Good/Evil : The Teachers/The Doctor

Youth/Age : Susan/The Doctor

 

What genre is An Unearthly Child ?

 

 - The episode is in the Sci-Fi genre due to its references to Time Travel And planet exploration  

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

- The target audience used to be families and children due to the fact it used to be an educational show but now it is people of all ages 12+

Bulmer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to An Unearthly Child

• Personal Identity: Relating to Susan's struggle of her wanting to stay on Earth

 

• Diversion (Escapism): Sci-Fi grants audiences escape from reality because it offers a wide range on supernatural topics that differ from real life

 

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

Vicarious: Living through The characters and the adventures they do

 
Visceral: The action would excite audiences

Industries

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

 

- The were only 2 channels, BBC and ITV

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

 

- The low budget and very few special effects as well as the episode being black and white show how technology wasn't as advanced as it it now.

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

- The show attracts a very diverse fandom that are very loyal to the show as well as the versatility in the casting because of the character of The Doctor being a regenerating  character meaning that the show could go on forever.

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

 

- The Sarah Jane Adventures (2007–2011): A critically acclaimed children's series starring Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, investigating extra-terrestrial activity in London

- Class (2016): A young adult drama set at Coal Hill School, focusing on students dealing with the consequences of the Doctor's adventures.