American Science Fiction TV: Star Trek, Stargate and BeyondFrom "The Next Generation" and "The X-Files", to "Farscape" and "Enterprise", sci-fi television series in the US have multiplied since the 1980s. Jan Johnson-Smith shows how, in line with national political upheavals, this vibrant and perplexing genre set about expanding the myth of the Western frontier into deep space. She looks at the "sense of wonder" or sublime that infuses much Frontier art and science fiction, and traces a possible historical precedent to the genre in the fabulous and heroic journeys of the Classical epic. She discusses narrative styles and their influences, from the overarching narrative of "Babylon 5" to the episodic formula of "The Outer Limits", considers how experimental series such as "Twin Peaks" challenge conventional structures, and how and why sci-fi television has adopted new technologies. She also explores the juxtaposition of arcane language and technological jargon in modern American sci-fi television, revealing the extraordinarily alien, yet curiously familiar arena it creates. |
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Page vi
... Enterprise: Representation, Ideology and Language in Star Trek The series Gender in space Race in space Echoes of the West: Native Americans Aliens Utopian futures Star Trekking: Narrative Language Imagery Nautical families Narrative ...
... Enterprise: Representation, Ideology and Language in Star Trek The series Gender in space Race in space Echoes of the West: Native Americans Aliens Utopian futures Star Trekking: Narrative Language Imagery Nautical families Narrative ...
Page 10
... Enterprise is a tendency not only to draw on the past and present for inspiration, but also to look backwards with a desire to rewrite the past – not unlike the Western. There is a clear fascination with those staples of sf: time travel ...
... Enterprise is a tendency not only to draw on the past and present for inspiration, but also to look backwards with a desire to rewrite the past – not unlike the Western. There is a clear fascination with those staples of sf: time travel ...
Page 31
... Enterprise (2001–) relies upon this, only half-heartedly charting the problems in its database development. The opening credits in Farscape's later seasons are initially presented in an alien language before morphing 31 SCIENCE FICTION.
... Enterprise (2001–) relies upon this, only half-heartedly charting the problems in its database development. The opening credits in Farscape's later seasons are initially presented in an alien language before morphing 31 SCIENCE FICTION.
Page 52
... Enterprise may be welcome consistent elements, but other components within the narrative must create new challenges, otherwise it fails as sf. Nevertheless, much of the pleasure in television drama comes from 'the non-story ... the ...
... Enterprise may be welcome consistent elements, but other components within the narrative must create new challenges, otherwise it fails as sf. Nevertheless, much of the pleasure in television drama comes from 'the non-story ... the ...
Page 58
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action actually alien allows American ancient appears articulated associated audience Babylon become called Centauri challenge characters comes command concept concerns consider context continuity create crew cultural Dark Deep Space Delenn demonstrates diegesis Earth effect Enterprise epic episode equally established example existence experience exploration film final forces frontier future genre human idea identified ideology images individual issues John language later light lives London Maquis McQueen means military Minbari narrative nature Nine occurs offers original parallel past perhaps planet political potential present Press problem programmes question races reality reference remarkable says science fiction season sense Shadows Sheridan ship shows Sinclair Star Trek Stargate station story Sublime suggests television tells texts turn universe Vietnam visual Voyager Western whilst wormhole