Television: Industry Contexts - Public Service Broadcasting

1) What is the BBC's mission statement?

The BBC's mission statement is to inform, educate and entertain. This means: to provide information; to support learning for people of all ages; to produce creative output; to have diverse content, and to reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and value to the world. They seek to act in the public interest through providing high-quality content and services.

2) How is the BBC funded?

The BBC is funded by the TV licence fee. Currently, the licence fee is currently £174.50 (subject to change) a year, which is around £15 a month. This fee must be paid by any household that wants to watch live broadcast TV or iPlayer. This pays for BBC TV, radio, website and iPlayer. A TV licence is unnecessary for Netflix or other international streaming services. They also gain some income from their commercial services: BBC Studios and BBC Studioworks.

3) What must the BBC do to meet its public service broadcasting responsibilities? (Look at the five bullet points in the notes above).

To meet its public service broadcasting responsibilities, the BBC (according to its Royal Charter), must: provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them; support learning for people of all ages; show the most creative, highest quality and distinctive output and services; reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all of the United Kingdom’s nations and regions and, in doing so, support the creative economy across the United Kingdom, and reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world. Their Royal Charter consistently reiterates that they must act in the interest of the public instead of competing in the market.

4) Who is the regulator for TV and Radio in the UK? You can find details on this in the notes above.

In the UK, TV and Radio is regulated by Ofcom (the Office of Communications).

5) How is TV and Radio regulated by Ofcom?

Ofcom regulates TV and Radio by overseeing all broadcasting channels and producing a broadcasting code, that every broadcaster must follow or face large fines and / or have their licence revoked. For example, in 2022, Ofcom removed RT (Russia Today) 's licence for continually broadcasting propaganda that favoured the Russian Government, breaking the rules that Ofcom have with impartiality. Ofcom also regulate TV to ensure that rules are followed and inappropriate content is not broadcast to audiences. The BBC is regulated by Ofcom.

6) How do Doctor Who and His Dark Materials help the BBC to meet the BBC's remit to inform, educate and entertain? Answer this question in at least 150 words.

Doctor Who (specifically the 1963 CSP version) successfully follows two aspects of the BBC's mission statement, particularly to entertain and educate. As Doctor Who is a TV show, it inevitably entertains audiences by giving them a sense of diversion, allowing them to escape from their everyday problems by watching it. The episode An Unearthly Child presents this through its usage of the TARDIS, which helps audiences escape reality as the TARDIS defies laws of physics by being bigger on the inside than the outside. An Unearthly Child is also useful for educating audiences as its main premise is that the characters travel to different worlds and time periods through the TARDIS. In doing so, the show teaches audiences about different eras and worlds, through teaching different aspects of history, culture, etc. The 1963 version, however, may have some aspects in the episode that make it less effective at following the BBC's remit. For instance, in the episode, the Doctor states that the "Red Indian's savage mind" was "blown" when being presented with technology. This line may have normalised or caused audiences at the time to be accepting of racist behaviour, counteracting the educational aspect of the BBC's mission statement.

His Dark Materials essentially only follows the entertainment aspect of the mission statement. This is accomplished through its complicated, fantasy-genre narrative following Lyra exploring different worlds, and its large, epic settings that allow audiences to escape from reality. It utilises CGI through the daemon, Pan, and multiple scenes, such as the scene of the witches flying, which create a sense of diversion as these aspects are impossible in reality. The show is less effective at educating and informing audiences as it explores fictional cities and stories, however, it may be good at educating audiences in representation. His Dark Materials subverts many stereotypes, such as stereotypes of race, through the Black witch, Ruta Skadi, and stereotypes of gender through the opposing scenes of Will cooking and Lyra failing to cook. As a result, audiences can be taught not to use stereotypes to identify people and also to not feel as if they have to adhere to stereotypes themselves.

Grade 8/9 extension questions

Read this Wired feature on how the BBC is adapting to take on Netflix. What does the article suggest the BBC needs to do to remain relevant in a streaming TV age?

To maintain relevant in the era of streaming, the article suggests that the BBC must refrain from using BBC iPlayer as a 'catch-up service; a streaming service where audiences can revisit what they missed on live TV. Most suggestions were to do with featuring shows that haven't been aired recently and that people will want to watch. There were also suggestions for audience personalisation, meaning that if a person opened BBC iPlayer, they would be presented with shows they would want to watch instead of shows they wouldn't have an interest in.

How does His Dark Materials help the BBC to take on the big streaming rivals like Netflix and Amazon?

His Dark Materials helps the BBC take on streaming competitors as it's a very high-quality, modern TV show, with a very large budget as provided by HBO. The show is very similar in quality to shows on Netflix, Disney+, etc, and hence, helps attract audiences. It stars famous actors like Ruth Wilson and Lin-Manuel Miranda and helps to attract a much wider audience. This contrasts many other BBC programmes that only appeal to certain, niche groups of people, that are only aired by the BBC as they don't need to turn a profit (as a public service broadcaster) and, as a part of their key purpose, must have diverse content. 

Do you think the TV Licence is good value for money? Why?

The TV licence isn't great value for money when compared to subscription-based services like Netflix and Disney+. As the TV licence costs £174.50 annually, it equates to around £15 a month, while other streaming services average at around £10 a month. While a TV license allows someone to access BBC iPlayer (that can be accessed without a licence regardless) and live TV, live TV has become too unpopular for it to be worth the money. Now, streaming services are exponentially more popular, and most young people don't even watch live TV anyway. Furthermore, the BBC offers much more niche programmes that are far less popular in comparison to most shows on Netflix and Disney+, so there's more of a deterrent against people purchasing the TV licence as there's a higher chance that they would prefer the shows on more popular streaming services rather than the shows on the BBC. Overall, there's much less incentive for people to purchase a TV licence rather than a subscription to a streaming service, as the shows are less mainstream and the price is slightly higher.

Television: His Dark Materials - Audience and Industries

Audience

1) Who do you think the target audience is for His Dark Materials and why? What about psychographic groups? You can revise Psychographics here.

I think the target audience for His Dark Materials would be fans of the fantasy genre, as the show uses many conventions of fantasy TV, such as the daemons and witches. Fans of coming-of-age, young adult books similar to the original His Dark Materials books by Philip Pullman would most likely also enjoy the show. With Psychographics, I think that the target audience is most likely the Explorers, since the show is based on Lyra's quest and adventures in new worlds. Potentially, fans could also be Reformers, as the cast is quite diverse. Moreover, as the show has some political commentary on religion and the patriarchy through the Magisterium, it's possible that Reformers would agree with their representation of those groups and hence, enjoy watching the show. On the other hand, this would likely make the Resigned not fans of the show, as they respect institutions. Furthermore, since the show is of the family genre, they may have also been targeting the Mainstreamer psychographic group.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by His Dark Materials - The City of Magpies? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.

Personal Identity:

Devoted fans of the fantasy genre would enjoy His Dark Materials as it includes conventional aspects of fantasy TV, through the daemons, the witches, the tear in the sky, etc. This also applies for fans of the steampunk genre, through the hot air balloons and other pieces of technology. Young, teenage girls might also find pleasure in relating to Lyra, as would teenage boys, or people who are from Oxford, in relating to Will. Moreover, children or young people in general would enjoy the show's focus on young people. Lastly, perhaps people who feel they don't fit in with stereotypical gender roles may feel their identity represented, through the reversal of gender roles in the episode. For instance, the scene where Will cooks Lyra an omelette, and later on when Lyra struggles to cook, subverting the stereotype that women are best at cooking.

Personal Relationships:

Audiences could form parasocial relationships with any of the characters of the show, although it's more likely these relationships would be formed with the protagonists rather than the villains. The most prominent example where audiences are positioned to form relationships with the protagonists is the scene where Will asks Lyra to team up, developing the narrative and making the audience feel like a part of the group. Furthermore, fans of the actors behind any of the characters are likely to watch the show simply based on the fact that their favourite actor is in it. For instance, fans of Ruth Wilson, who plays Mrs Coulter, or James McAvoy, who plays Lord Asriel (although he isn't in the episode.) However, arguably the most popular actor in the cast is Lin-Manuel Miranda, an American songwriter, singer, actor, etc. famous for writing the musicals Hamilton and In the Heights, and also the soundtracks on well-received movies like Moana.

Diversion (Escapism):

Audiences can find diversion in essentially all aspects of the show, however, the most obvious example of this is in the large establishing or over-the-shoulder shots used to show the fantasy settings, such as when the "city in the sky" is shown. These shots are presented alongside epic, non-diegetic music that sets the adventure genre and makes the audience feel as if they are in the scene themselves, providing a sense of escapism. Audiences could also find diversion in the complicated multi-strand narrative. 

 

3) Thinking of the 3 Vs audience pleasures (Visceral, Vicarious and Voyeuristic pleasures), which of these can be applied to His Dark Materials? Refer to specific scenes or moments in the episode to explain your answer.

The audience experiences a visceral pleasure, especially, through the scene of Mrs Coulter torturing the witch - the episode utilises an extreme close-up and heightens the diegetic noise of the 'thorn' being pulled out of her, in order to raise the feeling of tension in the audience. Another prime example of a visceral pleasure is seen through the chase scene. In this, the editing uses quick pans and handheld camera movement (yet still stabilised, in order to ensure the show still seems high quality to the audience), alongside fast-paced editing, in order to raise the suspense and tension in the sequence. The music also raises in volume very quickly (right after Lyra's daemon says that "there's someone there"), and objects are scattered around, to increase the almost chaotic aspect of the scene.

The audience experiences vicarious pleasures mostly through the beginning of the episode. Specifically, through the wide, establishing shots of epic landscapes, that adhere to the fantasy genre and allow the audience to feel as if they are actually in the location. One example of this is when Lyra and Pan first see the "city in the sky" through an over-the-shoulder shot, that positions the audience to feel like they're in the setting, through the characters.

The audience experiences voyeuristic pleasures particularly through the meeting that the Magisterium has inside the ship. As they are an authoritative institution that is likely exclusive to high-ranking people, the audience experiences a voyeuristic pleasure by seeing something that they wouldn't usually have the opportunity to see. This voyeuristic effect is intensified through the the scene being set in a remote location: the meeting is held inside a private room, inside a ship, on a lake far from civilisation (by there being no lights on the mountains except the tear in the sky), at midnight.

4) How did fans react to Season 2 of His Dark Materials? What about critic reviews? You can find some possible answers for this in this BBC website article on the critical reception for His Dark Materials and watch the fan reaction video above.

Based on the BBC article, one critic wrote that the episode lacked the same 'magical' essence that season one had, and that the daemons are not fleshed out enough to compare to how they are in the original books. A critic from the Telegraph, wrote that the story felt increasingly dense compared to before - good for a novel, but not for a TV show. On the other hand, some critics held positive opinions on the episode, in that it was suitable and still interesting for both adults and children. Another critic praised the time that the episode gave before Will and Lyra warmed up to each other, allowing audiences to take sides with them before the suspense starts to build in the narrative.

From this thread on Reddit, the episode was generally praised. with people enjoying and talking about some aspects of the episode. However, there was some discussion of plot holes left in the episode, as the TV show could not replicate the depth in the original books.

5) What might be some of the preferred and oppositional readings for His Dark Materials? Why did some fans love it? Why have other people criticised it?

The preferred reading would mostly be held by fans of the original books and also people who became fans of season one of the show. This reading would most likely surround the complicated narrative following Lyra and also the general high quality of the episode. Some fans may also love the fantasy and young adult / coming of age genre that the show follows, through Lyra's 'quest' and the different settings, and magical aspects, like the witches and daemons.

The oppositional reading to His Dark Materials would most likely come out of the dense narrative of the show. Fans may feel that (echoing what some critics said in the BBC article) the episode has too many things included in, such as the spectres and the dust. Some audience members may not be particular fans of the fantasy genre, or not enjoy the acting, settings, technical aspects (although unlikely considering the high quality of the show), etc.

Industries

1) Which companies produced this His Dark Materials series?

His Dark Materials was commissioned by HBO and BBC and created by the company Bad Wolf.

2) What were the UK viewing figures for A City of Magpies? How did this compare to season 1 of His Dark Materials?

The first episode of the first series of His Dark Materials series was watched by audiences of 7.2 million in the UK and 423,000 on HBO. The first broadcasts of the CSP episode had audiences of 4.4 million on BBC1 and 227,000 on HBO.

This shows a substantial decrease in the viewing figures for the second series of His Dark Materials. However, this is not reflected by the general consensus on the show, as on Rotten Tomatoes, the rating actually increases from series one to two for both critics and fans.

3) What was American network HBO's role in making His Dark Materials and why is this important? Look at the notes above for more on this.

The American network HBO co-commissioned His Dark Materials alongside BBC for an international audience. This is heavily important as HBO is associated with producing high-quality TV shows, such as Succession. HBO brings in large amounts of profit (unlike the BBC, who make none at all), with over 40 million subscribers that contribute to the $7 billion subscription revenue that the company receives annually. In comparison, the BBC's entire budget, for everything, not only TV shows, is $5 billion. As a result, since His Dark Materials was rumoured to be the BBC's most expensive show to produce, HBO shared the costs, with their huge budget, and ensured a large audience would be able to watch the show and turn a profit.

4) What famous stars are in His Dark Materials and why do you think they were selected for the show? Watch the Comic Con panel video in the notes above to see the stars talking about the show.

The show stars many famous people, such as: Dafne Keen (Lyra), Kit Connor (who plays Pan, and is also recently famous for Heartstopper), Amir Wilson (Will), Ruth Wilson (Mrs Coulter), etc. However, arguably the most famous of the cast is Lin-Manuel Miranda, who plays Lee Scoresby. He is famous for writing and starring in the hit musical Hamilton: the fourth highest-grossing Broadway musical theatre production, that debuted only in 2015. He also wrote the musical In The Heights, alongside songs from the Disney movies Moana and Encanto. Hence, he is a highly sought-after actor for his popularity with fans of musical theatre, who would be likely to watch the show just because of him being in it.

5) Who are Bad Wolf and what do they produce?

Bad Wolf are a TV drama production company based in Wales. They have built up a reputation as one of the foremost independent production companies in the UK, producing over 117 hours of high-end drama for huge broadcasters and networks including HBO, Sky, BBC and AMC. They have produced many shows alongside His Dark Materials, such as A Discovery of Witches (for Sky / AMC) and Doctor Who (for the BBC / Disney).

Comparison: Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child and His Dark Materials - The City of Magpies

1) How are the technical conventions different between 1963 Doctor Who and 2020 His Dark Materials (e.g. camerawork, editing, sound and mise-en-scene)?

For the 1963 version of Doctor Who, the camerawork was considerably slower and more clunky, as seen in the scene of the camera panning to Ian and Barbara after the TARDIS travels to a different world. The sound was more 'crunchy' or low-quality, and the editing was less fast-paced. The VFX for Doctor Who is also much more outdated, as seen by the sequence of the TARDIS taking off that would likely have been considered excellent back then. On the other hand, His Dark Materials has very smooth camerawork, as seen by the chase scene that uses multiple different camera shots (stabilised handheld camera movement, pans, birds-eye view, etc.) to exaggerate the suspense of the sequence. In this scene, the editing is also much more fast-paced, contrasting the editing in Doctor Who. The sound is very high-quality, which is as expected for a modern TV show, and the VFX has also seen a drastic improvement from 1963 to 2020, when His Dark Materials was released. This is seen especially through the daemons, specifically Lyra's daemon, Pan, a talking animal created entirely through CGI. For mise-en-scene, there is a very large improvement with specifically the settings from Doctor Who to His Dark Materials. In Doctor Who, the settings are quite simple, while in His Dark Materials, the settings are epic and fantasy-scale, including entire cities, forests, and expensive sets like ships.

2) What similarities and differences are there between Doctor Who and His Dark Materials in terms of genre and narrative?

Both shows follow a narrative of travelling between worlds, an aspect of both the fantasy and science fiction genre respectively. They both follow a girl who is quite different from normal, with both Lyra and Susan subverting mostly all gender expectations, such as stereotypes associated with intelligence and power dynamics with men. In both shows, there's also the vicarious aspect of 'people discovering something new for the first time'. In Doctor Who, it's when Ian and Barbara enter the TARDIS for the first time, and seeing that it is bigger on the outside then on the inside, they consider it to be an illusion. For His Dark Materials, it's when Will first meets Lyra and deems Pan to be a 'talking animal' (which it essentially is, despite the fact Lyra disagrees with this description), although he acclimates to the new situation quite quickly. This scenario or idea happens often in both the fantasy and science fiction genre, with the characters acting as a sort of 'self-insert' for the audience to be able to insert themselves into the scene and see the new 'magical' or 'genius technological' location, object, etc. through the eyes of the character.

3) How are representations of people, places and groups similar or different in the two shows?

In Doctor Who, the cast has essentially no diversity at all, with it being comprised entirely of White British actors. In addition, the episode is quite racist, with the mention of the "Red Indian's savage mind" being "blown." Today, this throwaway line would be considered highly offensive (as it is) and the show would likely be cancelled immediately, however, it was most likely not seen as offensive at the time. On the other hand, in His Dark Materials, the representation (although minimal) is there, with Will being played by a mixed-race actor (Amir Wilson, who is half-white and half-Sudanese), and the witch Ruta Skadi being played by Jade Anouka, a black woman. Race is essentially ignored in the show, which is still a drastic improvement from the representation in Doctor Who. Representations of gender also become exponentially more progressive. For example, in Doctor Who, the Doctor takes Ian away for a conversation and completely ignores Barbara while trying to convince them not to investigate the TARDIS, and Barbara consistently comes to Ian for reassurance. However, in His Dark Materials, the show completely subverts gender representations, specifically through the scene where Will cooks Lyra an omelette, that she eats with her hands before calling him a "kitchen boy", subverting the stereotype that women should cook for men. This stereotype is also subverted through the scene of Lyra attempting to cook and failing. The representations also become much more modern in His Dark Materials through the Magisterium, who represent religion and the patriarchy. As the show presents the Magisterium as evil, cruel and incompetent, it is likely that they intended to portray real-life religion and the patriarchy in the same way. 

Saving extension tasks for Mock revision

Television: His Dark Materials - Language and Representation

Language and close-textual analysis

1) Write an analysis of the episode - using your notes from the screening in class. Make specific, detailed reference to moments in the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots and movement, editing, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

Camerawork, editing and sound: 

 

The episode uses epic, non-diegetic music to set the atmosphere for the opening scene, an establishing shot of the "city in the sky". Suspenseful music is then used alongside a low-angle shot of Mrs Coulter to reflect her superiority and dominance. The daemon is then introduced for the first time in the episode, and is made using CGI. During the chase scene, suspenseful music is once again used to reflect the excitement of the scene, with a variety of drone shots and handheld camera movement alongside fast-paced editing. A low-angle shot is used again when Lyra faces off against the girls, to exaggerate her power. In the next scene, there's an important close-up of Lyra's reaction to Will asking to stick together, where she smiles. This wouldn't have been seen if the camera was zoomed out further. The scene also starts with a longshot, and then uses over the shoulder shots. Next, the scene of the flying witch presents a heavy use of green screen and CGI, with the editing speeding up as the scene switches between her flying and Mrs Coulter interrogating the other witch. A low angle is again used to display her power. When the witch comes to 'free' the other by killing her, everything around her is slowed in post-production, and special effects are used for her smoke.

Mise-en-scene:

The episode uses a variety of epic settings that fit the fantasy genre, such as a forest, a city in the sky, an island, submarines and hot air balloons. Mrs Coulter is then introduced as evil through her make-up and red costume, alongside the men, whose costumes create clear connotations of religion. The lighting and setting of the submarine is cramped and dark. In the next scene, the lighting of the café is similarly dark and cramped, with objects scattered around. Lee Scoresby is also introduced in a hot air balloon, with a sunset over an exotic forest setting. During the chase scene, the setting is comprised of narrow alleyways and abandoned buildings. The costumes also represent the different worlds, as Will's costume is more modern, while the girls' costumes are more traditional. In the scene of Mrs Coulter torturing the witch, dark lighting surrounds her in a low-angle shot, contrasting the blue lighting of the witch who is filmed head-on. Mrs Coulter's costume is also red.

 

Narrative and genre:

The fantasy genre is presented through the dialogue and voice-over in the opening scene: "Asriel has torn up our sky", alongside the witches flying and the daemon, Pan, who is a talking animal. The steampunk sub-genre is also presented through the futuristic but also old, Victorian-esque technology such as the hot air balloon and submarine. Levi-Strauss's binary opposition theory is also utilised through the quote - " It's time to take sides." Mrs Coulter's introduction uses Propp's Character types, as she is the villain of the drama. A character also says that the "fuse has been lit", which is an action code and also a disruption to the equilibrium, as in Todorov's theory. In the next scene, the café objects scattered around create an enigma code, and Lee Scoresby's dialogue of, "well isn't that something", is also an enigma code as the audience cannot see his perspective. The fantasy genre is further expressed through Lyra saying that Pan isn't a "talking animal", and Lee Scoresby's daemon talking about the "tear in the sky". The introduction of "spectres" after the chase scene is indicative of the fantasy genre and also helps move the narrative. The spectres are also an example of binary opposition, as the young are safe from them while the old are not. Conflict is also created when a character says they "don't trust them", creating an enigma code. In the next scene, Lyra's explanation of the daemon presents the fantasy genre, and the narrative is moved along when Lyra and Will agree to work together. This also positions the audience to be on their side.  

 

2) How does His Dark Materials fit the conventions of the fantasy TV genre?

His Dark Materials fits the conventions of fantasy TV genre as it has a heavily quest-based narrative, with the "tear in the sky" and Lyra, the protagonist, being chased by a villain, Mrs Coulter. It has themes of social commentary through the Magisterium, who represent the patriarchy and Christianity (they resemble priests) in a negative light. It includes fantasy elements, such as magic through the witches, mythical animals through the daemons, and more. It is also set in multiple different worlds, with a multi-strand narrative, which is highly conventional for fantasy TV.

3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do some of the main characters in His Dark Materials fit into?

The characters of His Dark Materials fit into the roles of:

• The Hero, Lyra
• The Helper, Lyra's daemon, Pan, Will and Lee Scoresby 
• The Villain, Mrs Coulter and the Magisterium 

4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in His Dark Materials? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

There are multiple action and enigma codes throughout the episode. For example, the dialogue in the submarine, where a member of the Magisterium says that the "fuse has been lit", which suggests future conflict, alongside the dialogue later on, "the witches will want us to fight." The chase seen between Lyra, Will and the two girls is another example of an action code, but also an enigma code as the audience doesn't know who they are or what will happen. Multiple drone shots and handheld camera movements are used to solidify this, alongside the non-diegetic, suspenseful music, and the setting of the narrow alleyways and abandoned buildings. At the end, the dialogue of "the prophecy has begun" is also an enigma code, and sets up the narrative arc for the entire season.

5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in His Dark Materials? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience? You can find reminder notes on all these narrative theories here - just scroll down to narrative. 

 

The dialogue where a character says that it's "time to draw sides" indicates binary opposition. However, the most prominent example of binary opposition is with the spectres. They are monsters that only target the old, and hence, the young are left to take charge. This idea is what drives parts of the narrative of the episode, and it also creates an opposition between good and bad. In the scene where Mrs Coulter tortures a witch, her starkly red dress contrasts the blue lighting surrounding the witch. This is another example of binary opposition.

Representations

1) How are women represented in His Dark Materials? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted? Think about Lyra and Mrs Coulter here.

In the beginning, Lyra reinforces stereotypes of femininity by crying in the cave, however, in the next scene, she subverts them by exploring the rainforest on her own, suggesting she is strong and independent. Mrs Coulter heavily subverts stereotypes of femininity, specifically that women are gentle, empathetic, etc. Instead, she is presented as cruel and evil through the scene of her calling the Magisterium "failures", and later on when she tortures the witch. This scene also leads to another subversion of gender stereotypes, as the witch Ruta 'saves' the witch by killing her. Lyra, later on, subverts more gender stereotypes, as she cannot cook, eats with her hands and calls Will a "kitchen boy". She is also better at fighting than him, subverting the dainty, delicate female stereotype. In the chase scene, Will has to break up the fight brewing between Lyra and the two girls, further subverting stereotypes.

2) How are men and masculinity represented in His Dark Materials? Think about Will and Lee Scoresby here.

Will completely subverts gender stereotypes, as he is beaten almost immediately by Lyra when they first encounter each other. He also cooks for her, and lets her take the leading role during the chase scene. He is also the one to ask for them to team up, showing him as less powerful than Lyra, subverting stereotypes of masculinity. Lee Scoresby reinforces stereotypes of the male, American adventurer. The Magisterium heavily reinforce and subvert stereotypes of masculinity simultaneously: they are aggressive, short-tempered and power-hungry, yet are dominated by a woman, Mrs Coulter. They are also easily defeated by the other witch, Ruta.

3) How is age (e.g. teenagers; adults) represented in His Dark Materials? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people? Think about Lyra and Will plus the abandoned children they meet. Also think about Mrs Coulter and other adults.

The show effectively challenges stereotypes about young and old people. The older adults are shown as villainous and cruel through Mrs Coulter, and aggressive, incompetent and essentially pathetic through the Magisterium. However, it reinforces parental stereotypes with Lee Scoresby implied to be protective of Lyra. The children take charge, with Lyra and Will being the protagonists, and the other children running free in the city, as the adults have been attacked by the "spectres." The abandoned children also find food on their own, and are eager to fight Lyra before Will breaks it up.

4) How is race and ethnicity represented in His Dark Materials? Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted?

Stereotypes of race and ethnicity are subverted, as race is essentially ignored throughout the episode. The cast is somewhat diverse, as seen with Will and the witch, Ruta. However, the Magisterium is mostly comprised of white men, perhaps reinforcing stereotypes. This is because the Magisterium are used as a form of political commentary: they represent religion and the patriarchy, which is often attributed to white men (people usually refer to the patriarchy as being comprised of 'old, white men'). Other than that interpretation, there are essentially no positive or negative connotations of race and ethnicity, perhaps showing the new, progressive era of TV in comparison to before (see Doctor who and its mention of the "Red Indian's savage mind").

5) What representations of the world can you find in the episode - is it like real life? A fantasy world? Something from the past or future? Give examples from the episode.

 

The world (or worlds) in His Dark Materials is very fantasy-like: it has talking animals (daemons), malevolent spirits (spectres), magic (the witches), etc. However, it is also reminiscent of real life. This is evident through the vaguely European abandoned city of Cittàgazze, the abandoned children being very stereotypically working-class, the character of Will being from Oxford, etc. Perhaps, another aspect of its connection to real life can also be found through the Magisterium. This is as they are intended to be a stereotypical representation of religion and the patriarchy, that also exists in real life. Despite this, their representation is still heavily reminiscent of the fantasy genre: they are incompetent, aggressive leaders of a dystopian world. The episode is also most likely representing the past. The buildings look ancient, and the outfits of the abandoned children are seemingly very traditional. This is contrasted, however, by the character of Will being from modern-day Oxford. This solidifies the fantasy genre of the show, as it takes place in multiple different worlds, each in different times.

 

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

You can read a detailed episode recap from the website 25 Years Later here which will make you more of an expert on the CSP.

Think about how politicians, religion and people with power are represented in the episode. For example, how are the Magisterium shown in this episode? This is a higher-level reading of His Dark Materials.

The representation of politicans, religion and people with power is a very common, stereotypical representation. Mrs Coulter represents them as cruel, vicious, and ruthless in their quest for power, using unconventional means to get their end goal, as she does by torturing the witch. This same representation is seen in multiple other TV shows, movies, etc: ruling powers become corrupt, and the hero has to put a stop to their villainry. The Magisterium further represents them as incompetent, seen heavily in satirical and comedic pieces of media that represent them in the same way. 

 

His Dark Materials is very critical with their representation of religion. The Magisterium are clearly indicative of religious people as they wear the same clerical collars worn by priests. As a result, since the Magisterium are represented as aggressive, power-hungry and dominant, it's likely that the show intended to create the idea of the Christian extremist - "a Christian who holds radical religious viewpoints and who will go to radical extremes to assert them."

 

Read the critical Daily Bruin summary of the episode. Do you agree with the criticism? Why?

 

I may have a biased viewpoint because I haven't seen season one, but I agree with the criticism. Watching it, I think the show was trying to introduce too many new ideas at once: the dust, the spectres (that feel like a bit of a cop-out - isn't it convenient that children can't see them, so the show doesn't have to create the spectres through CGI?) and Mrs Coulter's torture scene that was ended with no new information, except that Lyra goes by a different name (which added more confusion). The episode felt very aimless, mostly because I didn't get the context surrounding a lot of it, but also because most scenes felt like they were building up to something, and then nothing happened. For instance, the scene with the abandoned children ganging up on the cat: when Will asks why they would hurt the cat, the girl simply says that they aren't from Cittàgazze and so wouldn't know. I understand that the show was trying to create a cliffhanger, but what it meant was that nothing in the episode felt resolved. For it to work, at least some of the narratives have to be resolved in the same episode. But, ultimately, I think that the episode was decent. It had good acting, good settings and camerawork, it was just that the story felt slightly patchy and incomplete to me.

Magazines & Music Video Assessment: LR

1) Type up your WWW/EBI feedback in full (you don't need to write the mark and grade if you want to keep this confidential).

WWW: Just superb: close to full marks! Excellent knowledge and question focus shown throughout.

EBI: Very difficult to fault this assessment: perhaps a little more evidence from the Arctic Monkeys music video?

Total: 24/25    Grade: 9 

2) Read the mark scheme for this assessment carefully. Write down the mark you achieved for each question:

Q1: 2/2 

Q2: 8/8

Q3: 6/6

Q4: 3/3

Q5: 5/6

3) Look specifically at question 2. Use the indicative content in the mark scheme for question 2 to write three connotations of the design and layout of Tatler.

• The choice of white and black typography against the natural background connotes that Tatler is both fresh and modern but from a classy, traditional base. This is likely how the Tatler audience would like to see themselves.
• The front cover is quite busy, suggesting that the magazine is packed full of content. However, the cover lines neatly presented in two distinct columns, suggesting order and an easy read. This would appeal to the Tatler audience as they are reassured they are getting a lot of interesting content.
• The soft focus also draws the eye to the image, particularly the model's gaze, which connotes equality between the model and the reader, given the model's body language.

4) Now look at question 3 - Heat magazine. Use the indicative content in the mark scheme to write three ways celebrities are represented in Heat magazine.

• Some of the paparazzi photography is designed to make them look like ‘normal’ people so readers can identify with them or feel closer to them.
• Celebrities on cover tend to be reality TV or pop stars – celebrities generally from more working class backgrounds so again creating a point of contact with a working or middle class audience. 
• Celebrities are presented as important and desirable – this is the latest gossip that readers have to know about.

5) Look at question 5 - Arctic Monkeys and audience identity. This is a real AQA past question with lots of potential answers given in the mark scheme. Choose three answers that specifically refer to the Arctic Monkeys CSP and write them here.

• The audience might watch music videos to reinforce values and behaviour. The lead singer seems to not care about the filming of the music video, rarely making eye contact with the camera and stating at the beginning ‘don’t believe the hype’. The audience gain a sense of identity as they can relate to the lead singer’s both nonchalant and rock and roll representation.
• The performance element of most music videos directly addresses the viewer with the artists, connecting with the fans through use of close-ups and breaking the fourth wall. The drummer winks and mugs to the camera and the band laugh as they ‘perform’. The audience has a sense they are seeing the ‘real’ Arctic Monkeys as they are not putting on an act.
• Music videos might employ ‘behind the scenes’ footage enabling the fans access to the band and breaking down the barriers between star and fan. Whilst this video is not the traditional imagery of the band in dressing rooms or waiting to go on stage, the mise-en-scène of the garage and basic rehearsal space gives fans a sense of exclusivity and seeing the band in the raw. It might also be a scenario that they too can identify with as amateur musicians or followers of new bands who perform in grungy cubs and venues.

6) BLACKPINK - How You Like That didn't come up in this assessment. If this CSP comes up in your end of Year 1 exam, what three things about BLACKPINK and How You Like That could you try to include in your answer? 

 

I would include:

• Use of a variety of different costumes, settings, hairstyles, etc. -> attempting to appeal to as many audiences as possible -> BLACKPINK is a manufactured group in comparison to the authenticity of the Arctic Monkeys
• Statistics of BLACKPINK, e.g. 1 billion views, most watched premiere, etc. -> link to industry, success of manufactured artists
• Representations of women subvert traditional stereotypes -> BLACKPINK attempting to be trendy or modern to appeal to younger female audiences -> shows target audience demographic and psychographics

Also potentially:

• BLACKPINK's social media presence
• High-budget MV (costumes, settings, background dancers) + heavy performance aspect 
• Parasocial relationships intentionally built with members (fan meet-ups / fansigns / fancalls)

Television: Doctor Who - Audience and Industries

Audience

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

The target audience for Doctor Who (An Unearthly Child), according to Demographics and Psychographics, would be most likely White British and middle-class (considering the representation in the actual episode consisting only of this), and primarily teenagers (teenagers are stereotypically more likely to enjoy science fiction), although any age from around 10 to 40 and above would also enjoy it. For gender, it was likely aimed towards a male audience, as a result of STEM being a stereotypically male area. However, since 1963, this has definitely changed - female viewership of Doctor Who has increased, and gendered genres have become more relaxed. Perhaps, it has even become a more female-centred show, as science fiction is a similar genre to fantasy, which has over time become very popular with women (in literature, shows, etc). With psychographics, they have mostly stayed the same from the beginning of the show to the modern era: the viewership mostly consists of Mainstreamers, considering the popularity of the show, or perhaps Strugglers (who seek diversion / escapism) or Reformers, who are labelled as quite intellectual and tolerant.

2) What audience pleasures are offered by Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas.

Personal Identity:

Susan could provide a sense of personal identity to teenagers, especially from the 1960s, as she wears and listens to time-appropriate fashion and music. She could also provide this sense to other students, teenage girls specifically, or people who feel that others don't understand them properly (as does Susan). Barbara and Ian could provide a sense of personal identity to other teachers, but potentially also parents as they act as parental figures to Susan in their worry for her. The Doctor likely doesn't provide much audience gratification in this way, but people who work in STEM (slightly a reach), or have grandchildren, may relate to him.

Personal Relationships:

The audience is positioned to form a relationship with Susan: they are influenced into worrying for her and her situation. They view the show through the perspective of Barbara and Ian, also creating a relationship. It's unlikely for audiences to form a relationship with the Doctor, as he is portrayed as the villain, but they may enjoy his character.

Diversion (Escapism):

Any show will provide a sense of escapism or diversion to their audience, but science fiction is especially known for this. Specifically, Doctor Who allows the audience to 'escape' into other worlds in different eras, or in strange places, to see things that would be considered impossible. For example, the TARDIS being bigger on the inside than the outside, or the world shown at the end of the episode alongside the shadow. 

Surveillance (Information / Facts):

Doctor Who could provide audiences with information through what Susan says about science, but there isn't much taught in this episode. 

3) What additional Uses and Gratifications would this episode provide to a modern 2020s audience?

Despite it being less educational for a 1960s audience, this episode is highly educational for a modern audience on what TV and general life and society was like in the 1960s. For example, racism was more prevalent and less called-out / recognised ("Red Indian's savage mind was blown"), and the audience could see more about what the fashion was like, what school life was like, the diversity in Britain at the time (very little), etc. The audience could also learn about the low-quality of TV in the 1960s, as the show is in black and white and has quite clunky, slow camera movement and poor-quality acting (Ian falling during the TARDIS's space-travel sequence).

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

Visceral (Physical thrill of watching something):

• Space / time travel sequence
• Argument between the Doctor and Ian
• Ian and Barbara exploring the Junkyard

Vicarious (Experiencing something through the characters):

• Space / time travel sequence
• Empathising with Ian and Barbara's concern for Susan 
• Empathising with Susan's experience in school

Voyeuristic (Watching something you wouldn't normally get a chance to see):

• Space / time travel sequence
• Argument between the Doctor and Ian
• Seeing private conversations between Ian and Barbara
• Seeing the inside of the TARDIS
• Seeing the inside of the Junkyard
  

5) What kind of online fan culture does Doctor Who have? Give examples.

Doctor Who has an extremely large fan base comprised of fans who are known as 'Whovians'. They have events, create fanfiction, edited videos, buy official merch produced by the BBC, etc.a They also often meet up with members of the casts in different seasons. The 'Whoniverse' is composed of podcasts and spin-offs, such as K-9, a show derived from a character in Doctor Who, documentaries, behind-the-scenes, etc. In the latest series of Doctor Who, fan culture was represented in the show and appreciated.

Industries

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

The television industry was extremely limited in 1963. There were only two channels: ITV and BBC, and videotape (newer alternative to film) had only been in use for seven years when An Unearthly Child was released. The quality of acting and effects was quite poor, as seen during Ian's falling, and the space and time travel sequence, most likely as there was a low budget. However, these effects were considered amazing at the time. Later on in 1967, BBC2 was launched as the first colour TV channel, and as more people began owning colour TVs, both BBC and ITV also switched to colour.

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

An Unearthly Child reflects a level of technology that would be considered quite poor and outdated now. The camera movement is considerably slow and clunky, most prominently just after the time travel sequence where the camera pans to everyone in the aftermath. The special effects are quite mediocre, as seen in the intro and the time travel sequence.

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

Doctor Who is an extremely important franchise for the BBC. It reflects two aspects of their core mission to "inform, educate and entertain", as it's both educational and entertaining. It's one of the most iconic franchises the BBC has, and has been shown globally, generating a huge stream of income. The extent of their viewership is shown best in their special episode: "The Day of the Doctor", which, in 2013, aired in 98 countries over 6 continents.

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

• K-9
• Torchwood
• Sarah Jane Adventures
• Class
  

5) Why does the Doctor Who franchise have so much merchandise available? Give examples. 

The Doctor Who franchise has a wide variety of merchandise available, such as clothing, water bottles, badges, notebooks, and a huge amount of other things. This is done to maximise the amount of income produced by the show, as fans of the show are likely to buy something based on another thing that they enjoy. Merch can also sometimes mimic objects in the show itself, creating an incentive for fans to purchase.

Television: Doctor Who - Language and Representation

Language and Contexts

1) Write a summary of the notes from our in-class analysis of the episode. You can use your own notes from the screening in class or this Google document of class notes (you'll need your GHS Google login).

Camerawork and sound:  

Mostly used to solidify sci-fi genre, e.g: theme song, TARDIS hum and "It's alive!". Camera movement was quite slow and poor quality, reflecting the low budget and less advanced technology of the decade. Different shots are used to emphasise character emotions.

Mise-en-scene:

Signals the decade the show was produced (1960s) through costume and creates mysterious atmosphere through setting (junkyard and TARDIS). Lighting is repeatedly contrasted between light and dark to create a jarring effect (binary opposition). Actor movement was also quite poor quality, reflecting the low budget of the show.

Narrative and genre:

Repeated mentions of time and space to reinforce sci-fi genre. Binary opposition is used frequently (light and dark, old and young), alongside enigma and action codes of the TARDIS. The sequence of the TARDIS moving relates to the 1960s space race, and the shadow in the final shot continues the narrative of the series.

Representations:

Susan subverts stereotypes of students and also teenage girls as she is highlighted as a genius in comparison to her teachers (so she is smarter than adults and smarter than men). However, she also reinforces stereotypes as her teachers hope for her to be seeing a boy. Barbara is mostly ignored by the Doctor in comparison to Ian, reflecting the 1960s representation of women, who were seen as dependent on men. Barbara also relies on Ian for reassurance. Most significantly, the mention of the "Red Indian's savage mind" being "blown" is extremely racist and indicative of the time period, where this likely wouldn't have been seen as racist in the first place.

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

Todorov's Equilibrium:

The story begins with an equilibrium, which is then disrupted as the teachers reveal their concerns about Susan. A larger disruption is created when they discover the Tardis and the Doctor. A new equilibrium is created when they find out the connection between Susan and the Doctor, yet the larger disruption becomes an overarching narrative arc.

Propp's character theory:

Susan is represented as the Princess, that Ian and Barbara, the Hero and Sidekick respectively, seek to save. The Doctor is represented as the Villain, although in reality, he isn't.

Barthes's enigma and action codes:

Enigma codes are continually used through: the character of Susan (Who is she? Why is she so smart?), the character of the Doctor (Who is he? What is his link to Susan?), the TARDIS (How is it bigger on the inside than the outside? How does it travel through time and space? What is the humming noise?) and the shadow at the end of the episode (What is the shadow coming from?)

Action codes are also used through: the TARDIS taking off, and the shadow (Is it dangerous?)

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition:

Binary Opposition is mainly represented through the conflict between young and old, such as: the Doctor and Susan (on letting the teachers out of the TARDIS), the teachers and Susan (on not understanding the TARDIS, believing it to be an illusion) and the teachers and the Doctor (on 'saving' Susan).

3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why?

The most important scene in the episode, in my opinion, is the intro / cold open. It in itself is an enigma code, with the objects scattered around the junkyard and the TARDIS. The music solidifies the genre and it sets the scene for the rest of the episode, alongside the slow movement of the camera. The hypnotic visuals aren't as impressive now but were most likely impressive at the time.

4) What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode.

 

An Unearthly Child is sci-fi, considering the music, narrative and mise-en scene. The theme song is mysterious and retro, and the narrative continually mentions time and space, time travel and other worlds. The mise-en-scene, specifically the setting of the TARDIS also reinforces the sci-fi genre, as it is bright white and very technological / modern (control panel, circular pattern on wall). It is also bigger on the inside than outside.

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s?

 

The TARDIS sequence references the space race of the time, and the costumes and hair are indicative of the decade as well. The TARDIS being a police box would likely be more accepted in that era, as police boxes were considerably more common back then. In addition, the actor movement was quite poor quality, which is emblematic of the low budget shows had in the 1960s. The general representations / behaviour of the characters (the boys harrassing the girls in school, Barbara being dependent on Ian) are also indicative of the 1960s.

Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

The stereotype that men are stronger and dominant in comparison to women is heavily reinforced through the characters of the Doctor and Ian. The most significant time this is illustrated is when the Doctor completely ignores Barbara and takes Ian to have a conversation offside, reflecting the gender roles at that time. Throughout the episode, Ian takes the leading role as well. He leads Barbara in the junkyard, carrying a torch, and is the one to provoke the Doctor. He is also in the driver's seat when they are in the car. In the school, the male students also harass the female students. However, the stereotype that men are smarter than women is subverted, when considering Susan, who is smarter than both Ian and probably most men.

 

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

The stereotype that women are weaker than men is continually reinforced. For example, Barbara is repeatedly dependent on Ian: she seeks him for reassurance that they are doing the right thing in pursuing Susan, and is protected in the junkyard by him. She has strong emotions about Susan, while Ian is mostly careless, reflecting the stereotype that women are more emotional than men. it is also implied that women should be modest as Barbara passes out on the chair, while Ian passes out on the floor. Susan also reflects the stereotype of teenage girls at the time, as both Barbara and Ian hope for her to be seeing a boy. However, Susan also subverts the stereotype that men are smarter than women.

3) How do the representations of young people and old people in An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical context of the 1960s?

The representations of young and old people reflect the 1960s, where young people were seen as much less smart than adults. The teachers consistently tell Susan that what she's seeing (the TARDIS) and what she's been living is all an illusion, implying that she is too childish to understand the world as they know it. The Doctor at one point also calls Susan "childish" (or some variation).

4) What representations of race/ethnicity can be found in Doctor Who: An Earthly Child? Is this surprising or not? Give reasons for your answer and consider historical / cultural context (the 1960s). Has this changed in more recent series of Doctor Who?

All of the characters in the episode are white, which is unsurprising considering the time period. This has most definitely changed in more recent series, consdering the introduction of Ncuti Gatwa as the first Black Doctor. There was also a female Doctor, highlighting that the series is becoming more progressive. The Doctor also says, somewhat in passing, that in showing a Native American his technology, the "Red Indian's savage mind" was "blown". This is heavily racist and somewhat unsurprising considering the time period. Racism was more prevalent during the time and it was called out considerably less. This has definitely changed in more recent series.

5) How is social class represented in An Unearthly Child? Think about how education and knowledge is presented in the episode.

 

Everyone in the episode is middle-class - the education is of good quality and there is no struggle, or on the other hand, luxury and extravagance. Susan is quite knowledgable and is given homework, and the school looks to be of good quality as well. This is unsurprising considering that the representation of race is also one-sided.

Television: Introduction to TV Drama

1) How does this His Dark Materials trailer meet the conventions of a TV drama series?

It introduces an ensemble cast and lays the foundation for the narrative, alongside introducing multiple settings and important parts of the plot (for example, the "knife that can cut through worlds"). It has stock characters, such as the vicars in the church (at 0:30).

2) What genre (or genres) are suggested by this His Dark Materials trailer?

The main genres suggested by the trailer are a hybrid of fantasy and science-fiction. This is done through the settings in different worlds and also in laboratory / technological areas. There are props that also suggest the fantasy genre (such as the dial the protagonist is holding at 0:43) and the sci-fi genre (such as the machine at 0:46). Moreover, the costumes change consistently with different styles, suggesting an adventure-style genre. There is also a coming-of-age story suggested by the protagonist's young age.

3) What kind of characters and narratives are introduced in this trailer?

An ensemble cast is introduced (comprised of the young girl, boy and older man) that makes up the heroes of the story, with the rest presumably being less major characters or stock characters. The main villain of the story may be the lady in red, and the older man is most likely a parental figure to the protagonist ("I swore to keep her safe"). The narrative most likely follows the girl and her adventures, while being chased by villains and characters from other worlds ("There are multiple worlds out there, and people will be looking for her"). It introduces a disruption to the equilibrium ("these troubled times"), that the heroes of the story will try to recover.

4) What settings appear in the trailer?

Many different settings appear, such as forests, laboratories and cities. These most likely take place in different worlds, aiding in reinforcing the fantasy genre.

5) Who do you think the target audience for His Dark Materials is? Give reasons for your answer.

The target audience for His Dark Materials is most likely comprised of a younger, teenage audience as the story follows a young girl (catering to personal identity) and follows a similar narrative to many other famous teen-targeted series (a girl who is different or aiming to fix the world, or in this case, multiple). The story is less dark and gritty, so it is less likely to be aimed towards adults, and instead to younger people who are fans of fantasy, science-fiction and dystopian types of stories