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 10
... Voyager and Star Trek: 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 ...
... Voyager and Star Trek: 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 ...
Page 27
... Voyager (1995–2001) demonstrates this in the seasons 5 and 6 bridging episode 'Equinox'. Here, the crew of another Federation ship lost in the Delta Quadrant is draining aliens of their life force to create a faster means of reaching ...
... Voyager (1995–2001) demonstrates this in the seasons 5 and 6 bridging episode 'Equinox'. Here, the crew of another Federation ship lost in the Delta Quadrant is draining aliens of their life force to create a faster means of reaching ...
Page 65
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