Remember, TV is an in-depth study which means we need to analyse the products in terms of media language, industries, audience and representation. Television will be examined in Paper 2 with a short clip to analyse - either from Class or from Doctor Who - An Unearthly Child.
Notes from the lessons
Television CSPs - what we need to study
Episode 1 of Dr Who: An Unearthly Child, 1955
Episode 4 of Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart
Media Language: how the television shows communicate their message through mise-en-scene and narrative.
Industry: how the shows are produced and marketed; BBC funding and regulation.
Representation: How certain groups and individuals and ideas / issues are represented in the shows.
Audience: Target audience and audience pleasures.
PLUS: Historical, cultural and social significance of the television shows.
Language
Key terminology for studying Class:
Reminder - TV drama conventions:
- Brand Identity: how a business presents itself and wants to be perceived by the consumer.
- Spin Off: a by-product of another, main product (e.g. this is from the Doctor Who universe).
- Ethos: characteristics of a product based on the attitudes it shows.
- Hybridity: Two genres or media types combined e.g. Stranger Things is a science fiction / horror television drama.
- Intertextuality: When one media text references another media text (e.g The Doctor appears in Class)
- Multi-strand: when a narrative is made up of lots of different storylines
Reminder - TV drama conventions:
- Dramatic narrative, usually linear (with continuity across episodes.) This is called narrative arc e.g 13 Reasons Why and The Killing where the mystery spans the series.
- Ensemble cast (characters with own storylines). Sometimes an episode will focus more on one character e.g. in LOST.
- Specific technical codes e.g. realistic lighting and editing for social dramas to keep it gritty.
- Use of stereotypical characters to get messages across quickly.
- Narrative formula that is always followed e.g. Casualty (3 Strand); Homeland (multi-strand narrative).
- Common use of flashback, point of view shots, dialogue and voice over, enigma and action codes throughout.
Reminder - Science Fiction conventions (NCIS):
Narrative
- Alien invasion
- Scientific advancement
- Artificial intelligence
- Time travel
- Mutation
- Post-apocalyptic struggles to survive
- Chemical poisoning
- Advanced technology
- Experimentation
- Disease / Contamination
- Space travel
Characters
- Doubles / Doppelgangers / Clones
- Aliens who look like humans
- Aliens who look different
- New species
- Scientists
- People with advanced / superior intelligence
- Robots and advanced AI e.g. computers who can think
Iconography
- Futuristic hair and clothing
- Military uniforms
- Spaceships
- Space suits and helmets
- Futuristic weapons (light sabers / laser guns)
- Laboratories and experimental props
- Prosthetics / make-up
- Colours- blue, silver, grey, green
- Time machines / advanced computers/gadgets
Settings
- Futuristic worlds
- Parallel universes / alternate dimensions
- Different time periods
- Space or other planets
- Dystopian or post-apocalyptic environments
- Laboratories
- Contaminated or toxic environments
Class: An introduction
Class is a spin-off series from Doctor Who and was shown on BBC3 and iPlayer in 2016.
The story focuses on five of the students and staff at Coal Hill Academy (which is the same school featured in Episode 1: An Unearthly Child - an example of intertextuality) who are tasked by the Doctor to deal with alien threats while trying to deal with their personal lives.
Class is aimed specifically at a young adult audience and contains sexual content, violence and language above the level allowed on the parent series.
The premise of series one is that some characters are the last survivors of an alien war (with the Shadow Kin) and are hiding on Earth after being rescued by the Doctor. The Doctor appoints Miss Quill and the pupils as protectors of the school, noting that it has become a beacon throughout space-time. Until that moment a normal student, April is left sharing a heart with the Shadow Kin king, Corakinus, after a short fight in the first episode.
The narrative structure in each episode and across the series is built using a multi-strand narrative which means that there are a range of plots building across each episode and narrative arcs which span the whole series.
Characters
Charlie Smith, an alien posing as a human student. He is the gay prince of the Rhodians, and the last of his species.
Ram Singh, a tough, antisocial student and gifted football player. Lost his leg in a fight with Corakinus on S1 Ep1. Key episode Ep2.
April MacLean, an ordinary, unremarkable student whose life is forever changed when she encounters the king of the Shadow Kin, Corakinus. She shares a heart with him in Ep1 [which is key to understanding Ep4].
Andrea Quill, real name Andra'ath, the physics teacher at Coal Hill Academy. Like Charlie, she is secretly an alien and the last of her species, the Quill, long-time war enemies of the Rhodians.
Tanya Adeola, a child prodigy of Nigerian origin who moved up three years at due to her cleverness. Key episode Ep3
Corakinus, the evil king of the Shadow Kin. Shares a heart with April. Travels through time/space tear at Coal Hill.
Episode 1: For Tonight We Might Die
This is NOT the CSP that will come up in the exam but is useful to introduce the characters, setting and main themes of the show. You can find out details on the episode (and the rest of the series) on the BBC3 Class episodes page but unfortunately the programme is no longer on iPlayer.
Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart
Charlie Smith, an alien posing as a human student. He is the gay prince of the Rhodians, and the last of his species.
Ram Singh, a tough, antisocial student and gifted football player. Lost his leg in a fight with Corakinus on S1 Ep1. Key episode Ep2.
April MacLean, an ordinary, unremarkable student whose life is forever changed when she encounters the king of the Shadow Kin, Corakinus. She shares a heart with him in Ep1 [which is key to understanding Ep4].
Andrea Quill, real name Andra'ath, the physics teacher at Coal Hill Academy. Like Charlie, she is secretly an alien and the last of her species, the Quill, long-time war enemies of the Rhodians.
Tanya Adeola, a child prodigy of Nigerian origin who moved up three years at due to her cleverness. Key episode Ep3
Corakinus, the evil king of the Shadow Kin. Shares a heart with April. Travels through time/space tear at Coal Hill.
Episode 1: For Tonight We Might Die
This is NOT the CSP that will come up in the exam but is useful to introduce the characters, setting and main themes of the show. You can find out details on the episode (and the rest of the series) on the BBC3 Class episodes page but unfortunately the programme is no longer on iPlayer.
Class: Co-owner of a Lonely Heart
Episode analysis
Narrative: multi-strand narrative
There are a number of narrative strands running through this episode. They include:
- April's story
- Corakinus's story
- New Headteacher at Coal Hill Academy
- Flower petal invasion/danger
Representations
Diversity in Class
Much has been made of the diverse casting for Class, as well as the LGBT lead which was touted by the BBC prior to Class’ release. Do you think these representations and narratives are executed well?
RACE & CLASS: The actors are from a range of ethnic and social class backgrounds, and it seems as though more may be to come about that in future episodes, since the premiere seemed to hint at some difficulties between Ram and his father.
SEXUALITY: The homosexual kiss that Charlie shares with his date is normalised due to his role as an alien who only follows feelings and has no preconceptions of sexuality.
GENDER: Tanya (a member of the BAME community) and April have intelligence and an academic prowess that they’re rightfully proud of, and Ram has emotions that he’s not afraid to show or speak about. Miss Quill is presented as an unemotional leader. These facts show that Class is trying to break barriers and subvert previous media stereotypes.
DISABILITY: April has a mother who is disabled and their relationship is explored.
AGE: The Doctor and Miss Quill are both powerful, older characters and the young characters are seen displaying maturity and making tough decisions. On the other hand, some characters (e.g. Tanya's Mum) reinforce stereotypes of the strict parent and some aspects of the main characters also reinforce teen stereotypes.
Class: Language and Representation blog tasks
Create a new blogpost called 'Class: Language and Representation blog tasks' and work through the following tasks:
Language and close-textual analysis
1) Write an NCIS analysis for the episode - using 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, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
Co-owner of a Lonely Heart
Narrative:
Character:
Iconography:
Setting:
2) How does Todorov's theory of equilibrium apply to Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Try and use the expanded version of Todorov's theory: Equilibrium - Disruption - Recognition - Reparation - New equilibrium.
3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do each of the main characters in Class fit into? Alternatively, you may wish to discuss how characters do not fit Propp's character types.
4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience?
Representations
1) How is gender represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted?
2) How is age (e.g. teenagers; older people like teachers or parents) represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people?
3) How is race and ethnicity represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted?
4) How is sexuality represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? How does this reflect the BBC's remit to represent modern Britain?
5) How is disability represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Why are disabled people generally under-represented in the media and how does Class try to address this?
Create a new blogpost called 'Class: Language and Representation blog tasks' and work through the following tasks:
Language and close-textual analysis
1) Write an NCIS analysis for the episode - using 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, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
Co-owner of a Lonely Heart
Narrative:
Character:
Iconography:
Setting:
2) How does Todorov's theory of equilibrium apply to Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Try and use the expanded version of Todorov's theory: Equilibrium - Disruption - Recognition - Reparation - New equilibrium.
3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do each of the main characters in Class fit into? Alternatively, you may wish to discuss how characters do not fit Propp's character types.
4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience?
Representations
1) How is gender represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Are gender stereotypes reinforced or subverted?
2) How is age (e.g. teenagers; older people like teachers or parents) represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Does the show reinforce or challenge stereotypes about young people?
3) How is race and ethnicity represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Are stereotypes reinforced or subverted?
4) How is sexuality represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? How does this reflect the BBC's remit to represent modern Britain?
5) How is disability represented in Class - Co-owner of a Lonely Heart? Why are disabled people generally under-represented in the media and how does Class try to address this?
Your due date for this first Class blog task will be set on Google Classroom.
