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 5
... examples of the American sublime occur from the mid 1800s in literature, painting and film representations of the western frontier: aspects of these are examined here briefly as context and precursors to preoccupations prevalent in sf ...
... examples of the American sublime occur from the mid 1800s in literature, painting and film representations of the western frontier: aspects of these are examined here briefly as context and precursors to preoccupations prevalent in sf ...
Page 6
... offering spectacle only as a delusional or phenomenological experience sf television uses it to provide a location for interrogation and analysis. The clearest examples of this televisual experience have 6 AMERICAN FICTION TV SCIENCE.
... offering spectacle only as a delusional or phenomenological experience sf television uses it to provide a location for interrogation and analysis. The clearest examples of this televisual experience have 6 AMERICAN FICTION TV SCIENCE.
Page 7
... examples of this televisual experience have occurred in series such as Babylon 5, Stargate SG-1 and Farscape, where the use of real space imagery is combined with imagination to create a universe of majesty and awe – curiously alien and ...
... examples of this televisual experience have occurred in series such as Babylon 5, Stargate SG-1 and Farscape, where the use of real space imagery is combined with imagination to create a universe of majesty and awe – curiously alien and ...
Page 10
... example of the desire to rewrite history, but it played fast and loose with temporal physics on many occasions. Seven Days and Odyssey 5 are both utterly dedicated to the changing of the past events via time travel, while Early Edition ...
... example of the desire to rewrite history, but it played fast and loose with temporal physics on many occasions. Seven Days and Odyssey 5 are both utterly dedicated to the changing of the past events via time travel, while Early Edition ...
Page 11
... example of the possibilities of sf at the level of domestic television as well as the potential for television narrative itself. However, whilst Babylon 5 epitomises the remarkable combination of visual and verbal artistry in television ...
... example of the possibilities of sf at the level of domestic television as well as the potential for television narrative itself. However, whilst Babylon 5 epitomises the remarkable combination of visual and verbal artistry in television ...
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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