Science Fiction Audiences: Watching Star Trek and Doctor Who (Popular Fiction) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Nineteen-ninety-one was a landmark year in the history of what popular journalists call 'the Star Trek phenomenon'..." (more)
Key Phrases: unified interpretive position, female fan writers, powerless elite, Star Trek, The Monster of Peladon, Star Wars (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

...as Spock would say:`fascinating'.
–Nicholas J. Cull, University of Birmingham ...recommended to those interested in fandom, audience studies and genre television

`A comprehensive and user-friendly publication, easy to get into and once you are in, easy to use. It will remain a unique and invaluable part of the library of any individual or institution. - Library Association Record on Handbook of Educational Ideas and Practices

`A mine of information. Make sure it is ordered by your local library!. - Scientific & Medical Network on Companion to the History of Modern Science

`A must for all libraries in higher education, schools and larger public libraries. - Library Review on An Encyclopaedia of Language

`A useful and impressive acquisition to any linguists bookshelf. - Language Monthly on The Worlds Major Languages

`An important contribution to an overlooked area of cultural studies. - Ian Inglis, Northumbria Univ

`An irreplaceable source of reference for many years to come. - Religious Studies on The Worldss Religions

`Deserves to find a place in every reference library. - Times Higher Education Supplement on An Encyclopaedia of the History of Technology

`Every public library as well as every university, college and school library should have a copy on its shelves. - Times Higher Education Supplement on An Encyclopaedia of Philosophy

Product Description

Science Fiction Audiences examines the astounding popularity of two television institutions - the series Doctor Who and ^Star Trek. Both of these programmes have survived cancellation and acquired an following that continues to grow. The book is based on over ten years of research including interviews with fans and followers of the series. In that period, though the fans may have changed, and ways of studying them as audiences may have also changed, the programmes have endured intact, with Star Trek for example now in its fourth television incarnation.
John Tulloch and Henry Jenkins dive into the rich fan culture surrounding the two series, exploring issues such as queer identity, fan meanings, teenage love of science fiction, and genre expectations. They encompass the perspectives of a vast population of fans and followers throughout Britain, Australia and the US, who will continue the debates contained in the book, along with those who will examine the historically changing range of audience theory it presents. and continue to attract a huge community of fans and followers. Doctor Who has appeared in nine different guises and Star Trek is now approaching its fourth television incarnation.Science Fiction Audiences examines the continuing popularity of two television 'institutions' of our time through their fans and followers.
Through dialogue with fans and followers of Star Trek and Dr Who in the US, Britain and Australia, John Tulloch and Henry Jenkins ask what it is about the two series that elicits such strong and active responses from their audiences. Is it their particular intervention into the SF genre? Their expression of peculiarly 'American' and 'British' national cultures. Their ideologies and visions of the future, or their conceptions of science and technology?
Science Fiction Audiences responds to a rich fan culture which encompasses debates about fan aesthetics, teenage attitudes to science fiction, queers and Star Trek, and ideology and pleasure in Doctor Who. It is a book written both for fans of the two series, who will be able to continue their debates in its pages, and for students of media and cultural studies, offering a historical overview of audience theory in a fascinating synthesis of text, context and audience study.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (April 24, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415061415
• ISBN-13: 978-0415061414
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,213,067 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Insightful but overly academic, August 25, 2000

By A Customer

An academic, though interesting look at the opinions of various viewers in regards to the world's two most famous sci-fi television shows, Doctor Who and Star Trek. The Doctor Who section explores viewer reactions to (if I'm not mistaken) the Jon Pertwee story "The Monster of Peladon", an odd choice as it is not generally considered one of the more popular Doctor Who adventures. The story was chosen for analysis as it features strong social and political commentary, including the subjects of worker's rights, unionization, and women's liberation. As the book is a scholarly look at the average science-fiction viewer, it tends to be somewhat dry and difficult to follow at times. Overall an interesting oddity, though probably not for the average reader.