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 24
... say that on first appearances in sf stories just about everything is foreground and, as such, provides another means of creating the estrangement associated with the genre.42 Jameson's discussions of postmodernism and cognitive mapping ...
... say that on first appearances in sf stories just about everything is foreground and, as such, provides another means of creating the estrangement associated with the genre.42 Jameson's discussions of postmodernism and cognitive mapping ...
Page 26
... say that other genres cannot also encourage such a process, but it is a fundamental principle within sf, and Suvin's model thus stands in opposition to a passive or submissively uncritical acceptance of any ideology, religious or ...
... say that other genres cannot also encourage such a process, but it is a fundamental principle within sf, and Suvin's model thus stands in opposition to a passive or submissively uncritical acceptance of any ideology, religious or ...
Page 28
... says Ballard, 'it tries to deal with the largest issues facing us today, and attempts, however naively, to place some sort of philosophical framework around man's place in the universe.'57 Actor Ben Browder makes a similar point in a ...
... says Ballard, 'it tries to deal with the largest issues facing us today, and attempts, however naively, to place some sort of philosophical framework around man's place in the universe.'57 Actor Ben Browder makes a similar point in a ...
Page 30
... says that one of the best things about science fiction is that: at least theoretically – it is a place where the ancient dualities disappear. Day and night, up and down, 'masculine' and 'feminine' are purely specific, limited phenomena ...
... says that one of the best things about science fiction is that: at least theoretically – it is a place where the ancient dualities disappear. Day and night, up and down, 'masculine' and 'feminine' are purely specific, limited phenomena ...
Page 42
... says, in John Ford's 1962 film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – 'When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.' CREATING A DESTINY The writings and lectures of Frederick Jackson Turner in the late 1880s and 1890s rearticulated the ...
... says, in John Ford's 1962 film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – 'When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.' CREATING A DESTINY The writings and lectures of Frederick Jackson Turner in the late 1880s and 1890s rearticulated the ...
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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