Fantasy Girls Gender in the New Universe of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television

by Helford, Elyce Rae; Badley, Linda; Barr, Marleen S.; Kanar, Hanley E.; Matthews, Nicole; Mendlesohn, Farah; Ney, Sharon; Ono, Kent A.; Projansky, Sarah; Roberts, Robin A.; Royer, Jessica A.; Sciog-Lazarov, Elaine M.; Vande Berg, Leah R.; Wilcox, Rhonda V.

• ISBN13: 9780847698356
• ISBN10: 0847698351
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-05-30
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Summary

A new collection on women in American television in the 90s uncovers a cultural obsession with tough yet sexy heroines in mythical pasts, the "girl power" present, and utopic futures. Xena, Buffy, Sabrina, and a host of other characters have become household words, as well as icons of pop culture 'feminism.' Their popularity makes for successful programming, however, how much does this trend truly represent a contemporary feminist breakthrough? And what does it mean for feminism in the next few decades? Fantasy Girls: Navigating the New Universe of Science Fiction and Fantasy Television seeks to explore as well as challenge the power and the promises of this recent media phenomenon. Such TV programming offers the exciting opportunity to rethink established gender norms, but how far is it really pushing the limits of the status quo? Amidst the exuberant optimism of fanzines and doting fan websites, the contributors to this volume endeavor to provide us with a much needed critical analysis of this contemporary trend. These essays explore the contradictions and limitations inherent in the genre, forcing readers to take a fresh and critical look through a variety of lenses including girl power, postfeminism, cyborg feminism, disability politics, queer studies, and much more. Programs covered are Babylon 5, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Disney's Cinderella, Lois and Clark, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Star Trek: Voyager, The X-Files, Third Rock from the Sun, and Xena: Warrior Princess.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Introduction	1	(12)
Elyce Rae Helford
Part I: Speculating on the Present
Sabrina, the Teenage ...?: Girls, Witches, Mortals, and the Limitations of Prime-Time Feminism	13	(28)
Sarah Projansky
Leah R. Vande Berg
The Cartesian Novum of Third Rock from the Sun: Gendering Human Bodies and Alien Minds	41	(20)
Nicole Matthews
Farah Mendlesohn
Scully Hits the Glass Ceiling: Postmodernism, Postfeminism, Posthumanism, and The X-Files	61	(30)
Linda Badley
Lois's Locks: Trust and Representation in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman	91	(24)
Rhonda V. Wilcox
Part II: Dabbling in the Fantastic
What's Happening on Earth?: Mystery Science Theater 3000 as Reflection of Gender Roles and Attitudes toward Women	115	(20)
Jessica A. Royer
Feminism, Queer Studies, and the Sexual Politics of Xena: Warrior Princess	135	(28)
Elyce Rae Helford
To Be a Vampire on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Race and (``Other'') Socially Marginalizing Positions on Horror TV	163	(24)
Kent A. Ono
Biology Is Not Destiny; Biology Is Fantasy: Cinderella, or to Dream Disney's ``Impossible''/Possible Race Relations Dream	187	(16)
Marleen S. Barr
Part III: Projecting the Future
Science, Race, and Gender in Star Trek: Voyager	203	(20)
Robin A. Roberts
The Construction of Feminine Identity in Babylon 5	223	(22)
Sharon Ney
Elaine M. Sciog-Lazarov
No Ramps in Space: The Inability to Envision Accessibility in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine	245	(20)
Hanley E. Kanar
Index	265	(6)
About the Contributors	271