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
... political boundaries and sometimes explaining them. Just as the quest for eternal life in The Epic of Gilgamesh9 underpins Babylonian tales, so Scandinavians stir to echoes of Viking voyages across the perilous Atlantic to Vinland the ...
... political boundaries and sometimes explaining them. Just as the quest for eternal life in The Epic of Gilgamesh9 underpins Babylonian tales, so Scandinavians stir to echoes of Viking voyages across the perilous Atlantic to Vinland the ...
Page 9
... political establishment and its military forces represent something other than the honourable protection of land and liberty. The sinister narrative of Space: Above and Beyond makes a considerable effort to interrogate the standing of ...
... political establishment and its military forces represent something other than the honourable protection of land and liberty. The sinister narrative of Space: Above and Beyond makes a considerable effort to interrogate the standing of ...
Page 17
... political acts leading to world salvation. But without the tradition of the folktale, sf, if it existed at all, would be a literature of didactic tracts, blueprints for 'utopia'. Fortunately, the enlightened, rationalistic, utopian ...
... political acts leading to world salvation. But without the tradition of the folktale, sf, if it existed at all, would be a literature of didactic tracts, blueprints for 'utopia'. Fortunately, the enlightened, rationalistic, utopian ...
Page 40
... political. In the early 1960s, the influence and input of film-makers working outside the Hollywood system brought ... politicians after Watergate could only ever eventually surface in Hollywood, and the Western, the apparently ...
... political. In the early 1960s, the influence and input of film-makers working outside the Hollywood system brought ... politicians after Watergate could only ever eventually surface in Hollywood, and the Western, the apparently ...
Page 41
... political one, articulates aspects of the mystical and millennial significance East Asia early held in American myth.' He also notes that the progress of the once more United States of America is beautifully articulated by the building ...
... political one, articulates aspects of the mystical and millennial significance East Asia early held in American myth.' He also notes that the progress of the once more United States of America is beautifully articulated by the building ...
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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