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The first in the Routledge Television Guidebooks series, Science Fiction TV offers an introduction to the versatile and evolving genre of science fiction television, combining historical overview with textual readings to analyze its development and ever-increasing popularity.
J. P. Telotte discusses science fiction's cultural progressiveness and the breadth of its technological and narrative possibilities, exploring SFTV from its roots in the pulp magazines and radio serials of the 1930s all the way up to the present. From formative series like Captain Video to contemporary, cutting-edge shows like Firefly and long-lived popular revivals such as Doctor Who and Star Trek, Telotte insightfully tracks the history and growth of this crucial genre, along with its dedicated fandom and special venues, such as the Syfy Channel. In addition, each chapter features an in-depth exploration of a range of key historical and contemporary series, including:
-Captain Video and His Video Rangers
-The Twilight Zone
-Battlestar Galactica
-Farscape
-Fringe
Incorporating a comprehensive videography, discussion questions, and a detailed bibliography for additional reading, J. P. Telotte has created a concise yet thought-provoking guide to SFTV, a book that will appeal not only to dedicated science fiction fans but to students of popular culture and media as well.
List of contents
Introduction: Why SFTV? 1. A Brief History of American SFTV Key Series: Captain Video and the Development of a SFTV Audience 2. SFTV: Industrial and Narrative Models Key Series: The Twilight Zone and the Plastic Anthology Mode 3. Cultural Issues and SFTV Key Series: Battlestar Galactica: A New Wagon Train and Its Baggage 4. SFTV Audiences Key Series: Farscape: Character and Audience 5. Boundary Crossings: SFTV in a Hybrid Mode Key Series: Fringe: Narrative at the Borders Conclusion: New Directions for SFTV
About the author
J. P. Telotte is a professor of film and media studies and former Chair of the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech. He is the author of more than 100 scholarly articles on film, television, and literature, and has published eleven books, including The Science Fiction Film (Cambridge, 2001), The Essential Science Fiction Television Reader (Kentucky, 2008), and Science Fiction Film, Television, and Adaptation: Across the Screens (Routledge, 2012).
