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 v
... Creating worlds Formalism and Realism Defamiliarisation and estrangement The novum Postmodernism Metalinguistics and neologisms Themes The Gothic and the Sublime 25 29 30 34 36 Two 39 41 Histories: The American West, Television and ...
... Creating worlds Formalism and Realism Defamiliarisation and estrangement The novum Postmodernism Metalinguistics and neologisms Themes The Gothic and the Sublime 25 29 30 34 36 Two 39 41 Histories: The American West, Television and ...
Page vi
... and Beyond 133 Colonialism 135 Genre: Science fiction or war? 137 Representation and character 138 Learning from military history 142 143 Defining moments Predestination and free will Creating an ideological VI AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION TV.
... and Beyond 133 Colonialism 135 Genre: Science fiction or war? 137 Representation and character 138 Learning from military history 142 143 Defining moments Predestination and free will Creating an ideological VI AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION TV.
Page vii
... Creating an ideological break 147 150 Five 153 154 157 161 Wormhole X-Treme! Images of Time and Space Space travel Parallel worlds Farscape Looking backwards Rewriting history Event horizons SFX and CGI Shifting modes 166 171 173 178 ...
... Creating an ideological break 147 150 Five 153 154 157 161 Wormhole X-Treme! Images of Time and Space Space travel Parallel worlds Farscape Looking backwards Rewriting history Event horizons SFX and CGI Shifting modes 166 171 173 178 ...
Page 7
... create a universe of majesty and awe – curiously alien and yet simultaneously reassuringly familiar. The very nature of sf demands that we renegotiate at every step; in doing so, we are made aware of our own inconsistencies as well as ...
... create a universe of majesty and awe – curiously alien and yet simultaneously reassuringly familiar. The very nature of sf demands that we renegotiate at every step; in doing so, we are made aware of our own inconsistencies as well as ...
Page 17
... create and predict the possibility of a better world. In sf, this better world will be created and predicted though science and technology; scientific exploration and technological innovations are political acts leading to world ...
... create and predict the possibility of a better world. In sf, this better world will be created and predicted though science and technology; scientific exploration and technological innovations are political acts leading to world ...
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Common terms and phrases
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