Social context influences television programmes a lot these days. Language is a big part of what defines what the TV show is like, when it was made or when it was set. In the Avengers, social context is a big clue as to what the year is (1961). The setting also gives us some clue as to the context. In the Avengers we see a squadron bunker (air force crew) which has no walls, rusted beds and scraps of photos and paperwork on the floor. This shows that the war passed a while ago during the time of this programme.
Old fashioned language is also used throughout the episodes, showing that it had to of been set somewhere between the war and a couple of decades ago. Language examples include 'old boy' and 'sugar or lemon'.
Actions are also hints at the time zone. In the Avengers there are countless actions that show the time zone without obviously saying it. The first action I noticed was that they boarded a steam train, a train that they would use in olden days before more modern technology was created. Then, whilst on the train, they had 'afternoon tea' which is something our grandparents may have but it is not common in the modern times. Another example would be Emma Peel's outfits. Whilst she is exploring the school she is wearing a shiny, black, leather bodysuit, along with a head-Shaw, she collorates it in classic black and white.
Mark 3 out of 10
ReplyDelete1. You draw attention correctly to the national social anxieties caused by the recent war 'the enemy within' and the sinister conspiracies.
2. You should notice that Emma Peel is represented as an intelligent career woman on equal terms with Steed.
3. You could have explained other issues: ethnic inequalities; assumption of heterosexuality; 60's generation gap between Peel and Steed; contested social values between 'swinging London and duty to Queen and country