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 10
... remarkable detail and plausibility. The most famous early episodic series is perhaps Quantum Leap, which failed to follow sf's common law of not changing the past – far from it, Dr Sam Beckett and his sidekick Al positively relished ...
... remarkable detail and plausibility. The most famous early episodic series is perhaps Quantum Leap, which failed to follow sf's common law of not changing the past – far from it, Dr Sam Beckett and his sidekick Al positively relished ...
Page 11
... remarkable combination of visual and verbal artistry in television sf, paradoxically, after such a rush of futuristic sf series in the mid to late 1980s through to the millennium, many of the series discussed here have either concluded ...
... remarkable combination of visual and verbal artistry in television sf, paradoxically, after such a rush of futuristic sf series in the mid to late 1980s through to the millennium, many of the series discussed here have either concluded ...
Page 34
... remarkable alliances forged by Gilgamesh; Stargate SG-1 predominantly uses Egyptian/Norse legends (although its seventh season shifts slightly, concluding as the fabled Atlantis rises). Along with Farscape and Star Trek: The Next ...
... remarkable alliances forged by Gilgamesh; Stargate SG-1 predominantly uses Egyptian/Norse legends (although its seventh season shifts slightly, concluding as the fabled Atlantis rises). Along with Farscape and Star Trek: The Next ...
Page 57
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Page 60
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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