American Science Fiction TV--Star-Trek, Stargate, and Beyond.American Science Fiction TV--Star-Trek, Stargate, and Beyond Jan Johnson-Smith Wesleyan U. Press 215 Long Lane, Middletown, CT 06459 selliott@wesleyan.edu ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0819567388 $22.95 308+vii pp. Johnson-Smith, a lecturer in film and TV at an English university, reaches the conclusion that unlike earlier periods of science fiction, "modern American sf fiction is neither utopian or dystopian dys·to·pi·an adj. 1. Of or relating to a dystopia. 2. Dire; grim: "AIDS is one of the dystopian harbingers of the global village" Susan Sontag. Adj. ...it enforces a critique of the Western mythos my·thos n. pl. my·thoi 1. Myth. 2. Mythology. 3. The pattern of basic values and attitudes of a people, characteristically transmitted through myths and the arts. whilst renegotiating its finer aspects." This Western mythos centers on the desire for exploration. This desire was seen as far back as the Gilgamesh myth of the ancient Babylonians; and it emerged in American culture especially in Westward expansion and the related romance of the West. It entails a sense of wonder and the hope of encounter with the Sublime--elements undeniably evident in modern TV sci-fi, which are a major reason for their appeal. But imparting im·part tr.v. im·part·ed, im·part·ing, im·parts 1. To grant a share of; bestow: impart a subtle flavor; impart some advice. 2. this sense of wonder and picturing the Sublime sublime /sub·lime/ (sub-lim´) to volatilize a solid body by heat and then to collect it in a purified form as a solid or powder. became possible only when TV technology improved from its first days. Only in recent years has TV arrived in an "era where far-seeing 'tele-vision' can finally live up to its name" by making use of "brilliant colors and dynamic motion" to enhance sf narratives. Today's TV science-fiction shows, notably "Star-Trek," are contrasted with earlier ones such as "Twilight Zone twilight zone - [IRC] Notionally, the area of cyberspace where IRC operators live. An op is said to have a "connection to the twilight zone". " creating an atmosphere mainly by suggestion, leaving much to the viewer's imagination. The author identifies a new era in science-fiction TV and analyzes the bases of its themes and popular appeal. |
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