TV Shows Flashcards
socially cohesive
sharing an experience, feeling bonded together.
Change in social cohesiveness since the 1960s
It was a focal point of the family, they shared the excitement following the Uses and Gratifications theory. The world is not as socially cohesive anymore as we all have personal devices and more access to our own content based on our interests.
What genres are the most popular in 2018 and does this tell you something about the channels that they are aired on?
The most popular TV shows in the UK in 2018 were mainly lifestyle shows and soap operas, followed by a few real-life news programmes. People watch these shows mainly for entertainment and personal relationships.
Time-shifting
the recording of programming to a storage medium to be viewed or listened to after the live broadcasting.
1963 in historical context - Fashion
The difference between the 1950’s and the 1960 was that outfits were getting more revealing.
American fashions in the early years of the decade reflected the elegance of the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy. In addition to tailored skirts, women wore stiletto heel shoes and suits with short boxy jackets, and oversized buttons.
Simple, geometric dresses, known as shifts, were also in style.
The early 1960s gave birth to drainpipe jeans and capri pants, which were worn by Audrey Hepburn who was mainly dressed by Givenchy
1963 in historical context - music
In the 1950s, rock and roll was very popular so there was some influence in the early 1960s
In the 1960s, jazz, pop and folk music were popular
The beatles, the rolling stones, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan were some of the most popular artists
Aside from R&B and rock, Latin American and Caribbean music also achieved a degree of popularity during the 1960s.
1963 in historical context - politics
10/01/1960 - British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan makes the “Wind of Change” speech for the first time, to little publicity, in Accra, Gold Coast (modern-day Ghana).
SPACE RACE
Cold war
15/04/63 - 70,000 protesters arrive in London, who have marched all the way from Aldermaston to demonstrate against nuclear weapons.
1963 in historical context - television
Television in the 1960’s was very different from today’s T.V. You were only allowed watch the networks that were put on and there were only 3 channels available. (ABC, CBS, NBC). There were 18 variety shows going on the three networks
In the 1960s television became a political force, that year’s Nixon/Kennedy debate was the first televised presidential debate, it was also the rise of TV journalism.
- limited by technology and cost
1963 in historical context - science fiction
The Day of the Triffids-After meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere, blinding much of the planet’s population in the process, plantlike creatures known as Triffids emerge from the craters and begin to take over.
Beyond the Time Barrier-A pilot crashes through the time barrier into the world of 2024, inhabited by the last remnants of civilization.
The science fiction of Doctor Who was influenced by the post war sci-fi of Brian Aldiss and John Wyndham, two famous science fiction writers in their days of 1950s.
1963 in historical context - main point
rise of youth culture
Doctor Who - episode 1 - context
The rise of youth culture - baby boomers; reaction against the conservative 1950s…
The “space race” - The Cold War; interest in the universe and narratives that explored science fiction topics
The rise of mass media (television)
Head of drama at the BBC (Sydney Newman) developed the series as an educational programme using time travel as a means to explore scienctific ideas and famous historical events.
Doctor who - camera angles
Camera angles and shot sizes are used to create an effective establishing shot at the beginning. The camera movement creates mystery as it shows the setting of the junkyard. The scene then switches to the school to keep the audience interested. The camera is kept at eye level with panning to show the setting, outfits of the characters, movement and how they interact with each other.
Big close ups and zoom in pans are used frequently to highlight certain characters at different moments.
Close shots are occasionally used to demonstrate emotion but there is not a lot of camera change as it is mostly dialogue driven.
They used a long shot to show the relationship between the character (Barbara, Ian and Susan) and their environment.They used a dolly shot to focus in on a character when they’re thinking or when they come to a realization about something. They shook the camera to create the illusion that the environment is moving.
Doctor who - constrained by technology
Black and white TV (didn’t have colour back then)
Mobility was limited
Didn’t have variety of effects
Pre CGI
Restricted their content
Different camera settings were limited - poor night vision
The camera quality and camera settings (e.g. colour, night vision) were limited. This is because HD cameras were invented in the 2000s. And so , special effects get better gradually in sci fi movies → more computer-generated imagery, practical effects
Very pixelated
Doctor who - Mise-en-scene
Mise-en-scene: The costuming as part of the mise-en-scene was effective. This is because the hair, makeup and clothing were all popular at the time of airing, so it appeals to the audience. Viewers can recognise this and reflect and mimic these characteristics. (stereotypes - spark instant recognition)
SFX: The show used a variety of diegetic and non diegetic sound effects, but it is limited because of the technology. For example, creepy music was used for the soundtrack (non diegetic sound). This connotes an eerie atmosphere which many associate with space beings. Repeat use of similar sounds when characters are around the TARDIS - in the junkyard/garage
Lighting: The variated use of lighting adds depth to the scenes and helps emphasise the eeriness of the junkyard. In the episode, when the characters are in the classroom and in the TARDIS, the lighting is quite bright. This is in contrast to the darker lighting used in the junkyard when the teachers and the viewers are just finding about the TARDIS. This creates a spooky atmosphere for the viewers.
Color palette: There was no use of colour grading to show meaning because at the time the cameras were only able to capture black and white.
Setting: the new mise-en-scene at the end of the episode creates a link to the next episode
Doctor who - genre conventions
The show effectively conforms to the conventions of the Sci-fi genre. The soundtrack used at the beginning of the episode is quite futuristic which indicates that this show relates to the theme of Science Fiction. (Non-diegetic Audio).
Common characteristics of Sci-fi films is that they tend to revolve around the idea of time travel and teleportation which is the main theme of the show.
Setting is used to further imply that the show is about time travel since we see many futuristic appliances, for example the time machine.
Diegetic Audio is used when we hear the sound effects of the time machine at work and them travelling to a different location. The sound effects are also quite futuristic and shows the complexity of the equipment being used
Susan often refers to events or ideas from the future which conflicts with the time they are currently living in (time travel).
Through the use of zoom ins and establishing shots we are able to see new modern technology which would never be seen in that time period which indicates that the show is dealing with the idea of traveling through time and space.
The use of futuristic props represents the scientific advancements in the show. By using somewhat familiar elements we are able to make the connection between fiction and reality
Doctor who - narrative
Fictional narrative
Enigma : first scene is foggy which denotes mystery and horror.
Enigma : Susan is very smart and seems to know everything about history and science suggesting that she isn’t human.
Stereotypes: scene one police guard looking for anything bad
Starting with the enigma of the telephone box to create the code in the mind for later recognition. Breaking stereotype of the male gaze and having the young girl be very intelligent.
Propp’s character types : Barbara is the hero, Ian is the help and Susan is the villain along with her grandfather.
Flashback narrative
Rumors from the 1950’s said that women in that time were meant to look after their children at home. And in my opinion the show Doctor Who stands against that idea. Susan the protagonist of the show was a female that helps
Equilibrium is that Susan came to school, the problem is that she is smart but struggles in some classes, the resolution is finding out that Susan and her grandfather are exiled aliens and the new equilibrium is that they all land in a new alien planet.
Stereotypes: Susan’s home is showing that something isn’t right with her
Stereotype : This episode reinforces the idea that men are in charge because we see that Ian takes charge and also the Doctor is male.
Stereotype : it reinforces the idea that women are overly emotional and this is shown by Susan’s outbursts and over-reaction.
Enigma:French revolution book and Tardis
Mutually aided destruction
a doctrine of military strategy and national security policy in which a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender.
Doctor who - gender representations
This episode reinforces the idea that men are in charge because we see that Ian takes charge and also the Doctor is male.
It reinforces the idea that women are overly emotional and this is shown by Susan’s outbursts and over-reaction.
It subverts the gender stereotype when they present Susan as the smartest person in the class even though she is a girl which are thought to be below boys when it comes to education.
They represented the grandfather as a grumpy, impatient person which fits the stereotype of an old man.
Talk about girls wanting to watch it because of the hero being a female
Doctor who - age representations
Three different age categories:
Teenagers
Young - middle adult
Elderly - unconventional elderly which helps to represent him as not from Earth
This attracts audiences of all 3 different age groups.
Misrepresentations:
The actress playing Susan could be said to be too old and smart to play a 15 year old.
The person playing the doctor may be too old to play a lead role as a person from outer space.
Doctor who - education representations
Education is not about questioning things and curiosity, you are just meant to accept the knowledge you are given.
The teachers are not open to Susan’s ideas and reinforce the idea that adults are always right and shouldn’t be questioned
Teachers are worried about the student but following someone to their home is too extreme.
The classrooms are brightly lit, whereas the junkyard is dark and gloomy, they are opposites(Claude Levi-strauss). This represents education and school as a positive thing to students.
Education covers academic subjects such as (science, maths and history).
Doctor who - ethnicity representations
In the first episode of Doctor Who, ethnicity was misrepresented.
The U.K in the 1960’s had a mix of ethnicities and cultures, but the first episode failed to present these different ethnicities and only included white actors.
This means that some people might not be able to relate to the characters based on ethnicity.
How does Doctor Who target a family audience?
Doctor Who represents all three age groups so anyone of any age could watch it. The show includes a sense of group work and has a family nature to it, so people watching as a family could relate.
Doctor Who - Demographic & Psychographic
Aspirers: people that look up to the characters and aspire to be like them (susan, dr.who, ian, the other teacher)
Mainstreamers: Because of the global popularity of exploration (scifi)
Age: Many, Gender: Many, Ethnicity: caucasian because there was a misrepresentation of all the ethnicities present in the UK in the 1960s.
Doctor Who - U&G
Personal identity: Recognise the clothes popular in the 1960s that the character wore and relate that to themselves. Students can relate to the studies that Susan did in school.
Personal relationships: with the character and fans (fan club- whovians)
Entertainment: space race. Audience is interested in scifi topics
Information: educate people about scientific breakthroughs and historical events
