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 vii
... 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 CONTENTS.
... 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 CONTENTS.
Page 1
... visual imagery. American Science Fiction Television: 'Star Trek', 'Stargate' and Beyond offers a starting point for the correction of this extraordinary oversight. SCIENCE FICTION In 1948, the famous sf author and pulp Introduction.
... visual imagery. American Science Fiction Television: 'Star Trek', 'Stargate' and Beyond offers a starting point for the correction of this extraordinary oversight. SCIENCE FICTION In 1948, the famous sf author and pulp Introduction.
Page 3
... visually, as well as speculatively, science fiction has a lot more to compete with, since science 'fact' is fast catching up in popular discourse. TELEVISION Since the mid 1980s, sf television has risen to the challenge, not always ...
... visually, as well as speculatively, science fiction has a lot more to compete with, since science 'fact' is fast catching up in popular discourse. TELEVISION Since the mid 1980s, sf television has risen to the challenge, not always ...
Page 4
... Visual sf needs to manifest images of those concepts convincingly, and at some level sf television narratives must compete with the immense pyrotechnics of cinema and the often less immediately gratifying realities of prosaic scientific ...
... Visual sf needs to manifest images of those concepts convincingly, and at some level sf television narratives must compete with the immense pyrotechnics of cinema and the often less immediately gratifying realities of prosaic scientific ...
Page 6
... visual narrative is accepted without question; bizarrely, in film and television – also visual media – it is still the action-narrative with which we are primarily concerned. Cinema offers spectacular mise-en-scène, but as we gaze ...
... visual narrative is accepted without question; bizarrely, in film and television – also visual media – it is still the action-narrative with which we are primarily concerned. Cinema offers spectacular mise-en-scène, but as we gaze ...
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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