Humans

Question 1

List 6 of Channel fours key public service elements.

Answer 1

1. Be innovative and distinctive
2. Reflect cultural diversity of the UK
3. Stimulate public debate on contemporary issues
4. Champion alternative point of view
5. Inspire change in people’s lives.
6. Nurture new and existing talent.

Question 2

What is meant by C4s ‘social enterprise’ or ‘Robin Hood’ model?

Answer 2

Social enterprise: commercially funded/not-for-profit

Robin Hood: system of profit making genres cross-funding

Question 3

What’s BBCs main aims?

Answer 3

Inform, entertain and educate.

Question 4

Name R.E.S.I.S.T.S (codes and conventions that audiences would expect in science fiction).

Answer 4

• Recurring situations (e.g. what if?? What if robots/synths overcame human power)
• Elements of narrative (e.g. equilibrium is disrupted by robots)
• Style (e.g. establishing shots colour pallet ‘cold,white,silver’=lab scene)
• Iconography (e.g. technology/robots)
• Settings(e.g. Dystopia)
• Themes (e.g. science vs humanity)
• Stock characters (e.g. scientists/final girl)

Question 5

What’s a sub-genre?

Answer 5

When two genres hybridise.

Question 6

What’s Steve Neals theory about genre?

Answer 6

Genre is signified by repetition but made by its differences.

Question 7

Name Todorovs theory on narrative.

Answer 7

Equilibrium: The given state or balance of affairs before the….
Disruption: Disruption of the equilibrium
Recognition: That there has been a disruption
Resolution: The attempts to restore the equilibrium
New equilibrium: Restoration of a similar or changed state of affairs after the disruption has been resolved.

Question 8

What are Todorovs stages applied to Ep. 1 of humans.

Answer 8

Equilibrium= Opening scene-Hawkins family set up. Absent working mother (Laura) 
Disruption= ‘we’re going shopping’. Purchase of synth and introduction into household/disrupts family routine. 
Recognition= Laura’s increasing concern of Anita + Sophs relationship/realises feelings. 

The rest isn’t in the first episode as it’s episodic meaning it will be done over ther series.

Question 9

What’s Levi-Strauss’ binary oppositions theory. Give egs from humans.

Answer 9

Many oppositions are set up to drive the narrative and we watch to discover which side ‘triumphs’ in the end. E.g man vs machine/Laura vs Anita

Question 10

What’s a ‘story arc’? Identify some from humans ep.1.

Answer 10

A set of narrative strands. E.g Tristan love Triangle Joe Laura and Anita/ Niska and her journey.

Question 11

What’s Barthes theory in narrative.

Answer 11

Enigma codes set up questions-answers will ‘move narrative forwards’. E.g buying synth behind Laura’s back = what will she think?