American Science Fiction TV: "Star Trek", "Stargate" and Beyond (Popular TV Genres)

Science fiction TV and the American psyche.From "The Next Generation" and "The X-Files" to "Farscape" and "Enterprise," science fiction television shows have millions of devoted fans. American Science Fiction TV is the first full-length study of this popular genre. Writing with the clarity of a scholar and the enthusiasm of a fan, Jan Johnson-Smith shows how science fiction television has displaced the Western in the American cultural imagination. As advances in special effects have made science fiction television technically feasible on a more lavish scale than ever before, visual style has become as important as narrative―sometimes even more important―in expressing the meaning of the genre. The main part of the book uses case studies of several key science fiction series, including "Space: Above and Beyond," "StarGate SG-1," and "Babylon 5," to exemplify particular narrative patterns and visual styles. The case studies explore themes such as politics, ideology, race and ethnicity, gender difference, militarism, and the use of science fiction narratives as allegories of present-day social and political concerns. American Science Fiction TV opens an important new area of genre studies and will be of interest to scholars and fans alike. Science fiction TV and the American psyche. From "The Next Generation" and "The X-Files" to "Farscape" and "Enterprise," science fiction television shows have millions of devoted fans. American Science Fiction TV is the first full-length study of this popular genre. Writing with the clarity of a scholar and the enthusiasm of a fan, Jan Johnson-Smith shows how science fiction television has displaced the Western in the American cultural imagination. As advances in special effects have made science fiction television technically feasible on a more lavish scale than ever before, visual style has become as important as narrativesometimes even more importantin expressing the meaning of the genre. The main part of the book uses case studies of several key science fiction series, including " Above and Beyond," "StarGate SG-1," and "Babylon 5," to exemplify particular narrative patterns and visual styles. The case studies explore themes such as politics, ideology, race and ethnicity, gender difference, militarism, and the use of science fiction narratives as allegories of present-day social and political concerns. American Science Fiction TV opens an important new area of genre studies and will be of interest to scholars and fans alike. From "The Next Generation" and "The X-Files" to "Farscape" and "Enterprise," science fiction television shows have millions of devoted fans. American Science Fiction TV is the first full-length study of this popular genre. Writing with the clarity of a scholar and the enthusiasm of a fan, Jan Johnson-Smith shows how science fiction television has displaced the Western in the American cultural imagination. As advances in special effects have made science fiction television technically feasible on a more lavish scale than ever before, visual style has become as important as narrative--sometimes even more important--in expressing the meaning of the genre. The main part of the book uses case studies of several key science fiction series, including "Space: Above and Beyond," "StarGate SG-1," and "Babylon 5," to exemplify particular narrative patterns and visual styles. The case studies explore themes such as politics, ideology, race and ethnicity, gender difference, militarism, and the use of science fiction narratives as allegories of present-day social and political concerns. American Science Fiction TV opens an important new area of genre studies and will be of interest to scholars and fans alike. --Publisher From'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 '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 Genre Expands The Myth Of The Western Frontier Into Deep Space. Science Fiction -- Histories : The American West, Television And Televisuality -- Yesterday's Enterprise : Representation, Ideology And Language In Star Trek -- The Sacrifice Of Angels : Military History And Ideology -- Wormhole X-treme! Images Of Time And Space -- Babylon 5 : Between The Darkness And The Light. Jan Johnson-smith. Based On A Ph. D. Thesis Entitled Between The Candle And The Star--bournemouth University, 2001. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. From Star Trek to Farscape and Stargate SG-1, and the epic series Babylon 5, Jan Johnson-Smith shows how, in line with national political upheavals in the 1960s, this vibrant and perplexing genre set about developing the myth of the Western frontier into deep space. Looking at the sense of wonder that infuses science fiction, she traces the genre back to the heroic journeys of the Classical epic as well as to the notion of the sublime so deeply embedded in the American consciousness. Drawing on Caldwell's notion of televisuality, she shows how sfx and cgi technologies have made it possible to.