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. |
From inside the book
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Page vii
... and visual imagery The Sublime Titles and music A new epic, a new ideology 216 218 222 227 230 235 240 242 245 Conclusion 251 Notes 255 Bibliography 285 Index 299 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mythanks to everyone who has helped me to write VII ...
... and visual imagery The Sublime Titles and music A new epic, a new ideology 216 218 222 227 230 235 240 242 245 Conclusion 251 Notes 255 Bibliography 285 Index 299 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Mythanks to everyone who has helped me to write VII ...
Page 5
... epic journeys that blend together to form what we recognise as ancient mytho-history and the more recent dominant mytho-history of the USA – the story of the frontier, the 'Wild West'. Records of epic journeys, part genuine exploration ...
... epic journeys that blend together to form what we recognise as ancient mytho-history and the more recent dominant mytho-history of the USA – the story of the frontier, the 'Wild West'. Records of epic journeys, part genuine exploration ...
Page 7
... epic speculative fictions of old with the ideas of scale and perspective offered by Pascal and de Chardin. It also considers images of America's own dominant mytho-historical epic: the concept of the frontier, the role of the Sublime ...
... epic speculative fictions of old with the ideas of scale and perspective offered by Pascal and de Chardin. It also considers images of America's own dominant mytho-historical epic: the concept of the frontier, the role of the Sublime ...
Page 10
... epic offering a powerful future history and political intrigue by the bucketful. Its five-year, pre-planned closed story arc challenges traditional television narrative structures and binary ideologies, its stunning 10 AMERICAN FICTION ...
... epic offering a powerful future history and political intrigue by the bucketful. Its five-year, pre-planned closed story arc challenges traditional television narrative structures and binary ideologies, its stunning 10 AMERICAN FICTION ...
Page 16
... epic, fable and romance – indeed by default every story we have today must in some way be connected to ancient early stories.7 Nor is it hard to draw from the shadows of the gothic, fantasy and the land of Faerie. Broderick sees sf as ...
... epic, fable and romance – indeed by default every story we have today must in some way be connected to ancient early stories.7 Nor is it hard to draw from the shadows of the gothic, fantasy and the land of Faerie. Broderick sees sf as ...
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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