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
... Wormhole X-Treme! Images of Time and Space Space travel Parallel worlds Farscape Looking backwards Rewriting history Event horizons SFX and CGI Shifting modes 166 171 173 178 180 Six 185 190 193 195 198 203 209 212 Babylon 5: Between ...
... Wormhole X-Treme! Images of Time and Space Space travel Parallel worlds Farscape Looking backwards Rewriting history Event horizons SFX and CGI Shifting modes 166 171 173 178 180 Six 185 190 193 195 198 203 209 212 Babylon 5: Between ...
Page 10
... wormholes and parallel universes, subjects that predominate in the longer sf stories reaching our screen and new means of creating sfx and cgi allow them to be manifested with remarkable detail and plausibility. The most famous early ...
... wormholes and parallel universes, subjects that predominate in the longer sf stories reaching our screen and new means of creating sfx and cgi allow them to be manifested with remarkable detail and plausibility. The most famous early ...
Page 23
... it is quite as wondrous as Ellison feels it.'38 In television, we have the iris shielding the gate in Stargate SG-1 (1997–), the event horizon itself, and the wormholes of Farscape (1999–2003), Sliders (1995–2000) 23 SCIENCE FICTION.
... it is quite as wondrous as Ellison feels it.'38 In television, we have the iris shielding the gate in Stargate SG-1 (1997–), the event horizon itself, and the wormholes of Farscape (1999–2003), Sliders (1995–2000) 23 SCIENCE FICTION.
Page 24
... wormholes of Farscape (1999–2003), Sliders (1995–2000) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999). They are not 'doorways' as we recognise the everyday concept, yet we accept them within the sf context. Delany calls this shift between ...
... wormholes of Farscape (1999–2003), Sliders (1995–2000) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1999). They are not 'doorways' as we recognise the everyday concept, yet we accept them within the sf context. Delany calls this shift between ...
Page 33
... also allows us to concretise futuristic visions, a 'wormhole' can be manifested for our benefit – thus, although both words and images are abstractions, visual sf offers other potentials and faces 33 SCIENCE FICTION.
... also allows us to concretise futuristic visions, a 'wormhole' can be manifested for our benefit – thus, although both words and images are abstractions, visual sf offers other potentials and faces 33 SCIENCE FICTION.
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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