Todorov Narrative Theory applied to ‘An Unearthly Child’.

What happens in the narrative that makes you think this?

Equilibrium It is set in a regular 1960s British high school.

There is a strange, unusual girl called Susan Foreman who lives

Disruption with her grandfather and appears to be more knowledgeable
than the teachers, Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton.

Barbara and Ian follow Susan home to find out she lives in a
Recognition
junkyard and disappear into the T.A.R.D.I.S.

They try to rescue Susan from an ‘illusion’ (the T.A.R.D.I.S) and

Reparation
end up causing more harm than good.

They travel to an alien planet and the problem is resolved as the

New Equilibrium teachers cannot save Susan, and Susan doesn’t want to be
saved.

Narrative and Iconography

1. The narrative technique of flashback is used. Why is this manipulation of time useful in
developing this non-linear narrative?

By using a flashback, the audience is given insight on Susan’s behaviour. The flashback also
helps link the storyline together. For example, Susan mentions how ‘we’re not yet on the
decimal system’, which is odd with no context. However, after the teachers meet the Doctor
and are told that both the Doctor and Susan travel in time, it makes sense as to why Susan
said what she said, and thus the manipulation of time is useful in this narrative.

2. A TV series links narrative over a series of episodes. Describe how the use of cliffhanger
helps this episode to do this.

Cliffhangers are used to keep the audience wanting more. If the audience is given closure at
the end of episode 1, it’s most likely they won’t bother with the next episode. But with a
cliffhanger, the audience can assume there’s a plot connecting each episode together, and
therefore will want to watch the next episode.

3. Define the words:

Flashback: is scene showing events in the past, interrupting the timeline of the narrative.
Non-linear narrative: is a narrative where events are portrayed out of chronological order.
Cliffhanger: a dramatic ending to an episode, leaving the audience filled with anticipation
and suspense.

4. Describe the iconography used in ‘The Unearthly Child’.

One key icon used in the episode is the T.A.R.D.I.S, a police box that is a larger interior
despite its finite exterior, that plays a huge role in the storyline as it transports the teachers,
Susan, and the Doctor to another planet or time.

5. Using the Internet, find some examples from future Doctor Who series where this
iconography is continued.
As you can see from these photos, the T.A.R.D.I.S is used in almost every single season’s
promotional poster to advertise the show. This is because it is so iconic, to the extent that
when a viewer/reader sees a blue police box, they automatically link it to Dr. Who. Because
of this, graphic designers can spend less time on other features of the poster, and let the
T.A.R.D.I.S do its job in drawing people in.

Representations of Stereotypes

How is it portrayed in the Give an example

episode and why?

Place The location this episode The scene where the police
takes place is in London; this officer is outside the Doctor’s
is quickly recognised by the house.
audience, and is further
reinforced by the Police
Officer and the telephone
box.

Education The episode opens with a The first episode includes a

high-school setting, and two scene of Susan, Barbara and Ian
of the main characters are in school, and classroom scenes
 educators. This relates with are played through in the
the audience as the ‘normal’ flashbacks.
characters are all middle
class, which most of the
viewers would be, and as the
show airs after a school’s
closing hours, it is clearly
targeted towards younger
teens.

Masculinity Ian Chesterton, as expected When Ian walks around the

from a show made in the 90s, T.A.R.D.IS and shouts at the
does most of the arguing, Doctor, demanding the release
physical activity (ie. walking of Susan, Barbara, and himself.
around the T.A.R.D.I.S) and,
although he wasn’t the one
who created the plan to save
Susan, he ends up taking the
reins after Barbara cowers
away.

Femininity Barbara Wright takes on a When Barbara devises the plan

role of a doting mother, as to tail Susan out of pure
she is the one that first concern, and when entering the
notices Susan’s oddity, and T.A.R.D.I.S, immediately wants
claims she and Ian go and to leave in fear.
find the girl to see if she is
alright. She is also the one to
almost cower at Dr. Who,
wanting to turn back, mostly
hiding behind Ian’s angered
demands.

Class Most of the characters in the The characters are clearly rich
episodes so far are middle enough to afford school, and the
class, as most of the two adults are middle-class as
audience watching would be they are teachers.
middle class. They wouldn’t
be lower or working class,
because they would need to
afford a TV or be too busy
working or be exhausted
from working, thus the most
realistic guess of the
audience would be middle-
class children as the show
runs after school, during the
watershed.

Age There are a range of ages, The doctor being the oldest, Ian
and this range creates an and Barbara looking about their
almost familial structure mid 20s, and Susan at 15 years
 between the four characters: old.
Susan being the daughter,
Ian and Barbara being the
parents, and Dr. Who being
the mentally off grandad.

Semiotics in ‘An Unearthly Child’

1. What is semiotics?

The study of signs and symbols and their use of interpretation. It is an interpretation of a
symbol or sign that implies meaning.

2. What is exposition?

A comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory. There are a few types of
exposition: for example, verbal exposition and visual exposition. Verbal exposition would be
telling an idea through script, whereas visual exposition would be telling an idea through
scenery, or actions between characters.

The settings in ‘An Unearthly Child’

1. Why is setting important?

Setting is important because it is visual exposition, allowing the audience to identify where
the scene is happening and predict what will happen next. TV series need to use a setting
that is familiar to their target audience so they can find a sense of place - or a setting that is
starkly different, and can be quickly identified as another planet.

2. What settings does An Unearthly Child use and why?

There is the London scene as the episode opens, creating a mysterious, suspenseful mood.
The London police officer is also distinguishable, which may set a feeling of familiarity or
sense of ‘being in the know’ for the British viewers. Secondly, there is the school setting,
where we are introduced to Barbara in Ian; the presence of chalkboards, bunsen burners,
test tubes etc. of a science lab also creates a sense of familiarity to the target audience
(middle class). It is important for the episode to begin with a sense of familiarity, as this
genre is - well, literally - out of this world, and new to the screen for the British middle class.

After entrancing the viewers, the familiar scenes are juxtaposed with the eerie interior of a
backyard. This is the Doctor’s ‘home’, seen as strange and worrying to the teachers as well.
As the teachers enter the T.A.R.D.I.S, the viewers and opened to a new type of strange - the
futuristic, modern interior of the spaceship. This is a classic sci-fi mise-en-scene, making it
clear that the genre of Dr. Who is science fiction. Lastly, the episode ends with a shot of
more unfamiliar territory, and in this case, extraterrestrial territory, with the looming
shadow of, could it be, an alien? ☺

Audience in ‘An Unearthly Child’

Dr. Who’s main target audience at the time of ‘An Unearthly Child’ was the younger
demographic of the upper and lower middle class. This is further emphasised by the data
from the studio audience of the playing of ‘An Unearthly Child’, with the majority at 39% and
31% being the middle class. The reason why the lower and working class weren’t targeted
can be explained by the fact that Dr. Who was primarily a children’s show. The working class
are too old for children shows, and probably come back home after the watershed, for
which the show has stopped airing.

However, this has changed dramatically from the 60’s to today. This is because of the
introduction of social media, and the ability to stream tv shows whenever. This not only has
garnered a fanbase, but attracted older demographics too. One similarity, however, from
the 60’s is that the main audience is still made up of mostly middle class, with the working
class not having enough time or simply not interested in a child’s science fiction show, and
pensioners not bothered to watch what with their decaying health.

Uses and Gratification Theory applied to ‘An Unearthly Child’.

1. What is the uses and gratification theory?

The uses and gratification theory is an approach to understand why people actively seek out
media to satisfy their specific needs.

2. What Uses and Gratification would this episode provide to a 1963 audience?

In the 1960s, Doctor Who provided entertainment and diversion for a mostly middle class
audience, due to its science-fiction premise and otherworldly (aliens) characters. There can
also be a feeling of self-identity between the viewers and the human characters in the show,
and Susan. They would not fit for a lower class audience, as to be informed and educated
through entertainment was not accessible for the working class - especially since the serial
was designed for children, and middle to upper class children would most likely have the
time.

3. What Uses and Gratification would this episode provide to a 2018 audience?

Today, not only would Doctor Who provide an escape from the real world, but it would also
be a talking point in conversations. Now that social media exists, the mass of Doctor Who
fans can communicate from all over the world and make new fans: they have even self-
proclaimed themselves as ‘Whovians’. This builds a sense of community within the viewers,
making them more eager for each episode.