American Science Fiction TV: Star Trek, Stargate and Beyond (Paperback - 2004)

About the Book
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.