Exam Q5

Social context can influence a lot in television programs these days. It is very easy to tell that this is set at a much earlier time, with things like the way people speak, 'didn't think so boy'. The different kind of humor they have, John Steed lights one of the characters mustache on fire, and humor now would have been represented a lot differently. This show also has a very different way in which they represent things, for back when this was first released it was probably seen as being a lot more serious where as now some of the serious parts may be seen as humorous.

One of the largest social contexts that influence this TV programme is definitely the war, even though it was 20 or so years later, which shows just how important the second world war is in history. One of the main characters, John Steed, constantly has flashbacks to when he participated in the war, especially when he visited the abandoned air field, which obviously would have been used during the war. It also has other references such as model fighter planes hanging in the the hotel where they stayed and also there is use of an underground bunker under the town, which would have been used to protect the citizens from bombs during the war.

Something that very obviously hints at the time when this was set is the fashion sense and the way the different genders are treated. John Steed wears an old-fashioned suit and also a steel-rimmed top hat. Mrs Peel also wears a cat suit, which is very uncommon for someone to wear casually nowadays. Also due to when it was set, having a women playing a lead role especially in the particular context of spies, was very perculier and was one of the very first instances. This is still shown by the ways in which John Steed treats Mrs Peel, for example playfully hitting her on the backside.