Media Representation Typeit

Throughout the 1950s, Britain was still recovering from the damage of World War , leading to a decade of economic austerity. London was both politically and socially , offering very little culture or vibrancy. However, a huge cultural shift occurred throughout the 1960s in which a new generation of teenagers helped change Britain’s cultural landscape forever. A huge part of Britain’s transformation in the 1960s was down to music. While  ’n’ roll music had gained popularity during the 50s, bands such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones began to encompass a movement known as British . For the first time ever, popular music was encouraging teenagers to adopt progressive ideas and rebel against authority figures. This period, in which youth took control, is now referred to as the sixties.

In spite of this shift, 'An Unearthly Child' represents London as the dull, post-war city from the previous decade. As a public service broadcaster, the BBC was obliged to make sure the majority of its content appealed to a -friendly audience. In fact, Doctor Who was originally intended as an program with lessons about history fused into the narratives. As a result, the episode reflects many of the old-fashioned, traditionalist values that preceded the radical decade to come.

In the 1960s, schools enforced stricter rules than they do today. Students would receive (physical) punishment for misbehaving and would rarely speak to their teacher in an informal manner. This is certainly reflected in 'An Unearthly Child' through the way in which Susan speaks to her teachers. She apologises to both teachers for playing the music and continues to address them in a formal manner. While Susan is shown in flashbacks to reject her teacher’s knowledge, this disagreeable behaviour appears to stem from her intelligence. A less rational classroom outburst such as  in 'Co-owner of a Lonely Heart' would have been far more shocking to a 1960s audience, particularly demographics targeted by the BBC. Furthermore, Susan is shown to be submissive to her grandfather (the doctor). Their relationship mirrors the society of the early 1960s in which all power and influence were granted to elderly, wealthy white men, particularly father figures. Many argue that society still operates in this way. Susan does listen to rock ’n’ roll music (specifically John Smith and the Common Men) and her sense of style is fairly typical for the period, from her long-sleeved vintage dress to her short, tussled, pixie hairstyle.

The release of 'An Unearthly Child' preceded the bulk of the civil movement, the second wave of and a brief era in which working-class culture was celebrated. The BBC was, therefore, still suffering from a complete lack of ethnic, regional and class . All major characters in the episode are white and middle-class, speaking in (posh southern accents). The complete absence of homosexual characters reflects the fact that it was still a criminal offence to be gay in the UK until 1967.