Time lords and star cops : British science fiction television in the 1970s-80s / Philip Braithwaite.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Braithwaite, Philip, Dr., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Science fiction television programs--Great Britain--History and criticism.

Science fiction television programs.

Television--Political aspects--Great Britain--History--20th century.

Television.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (237 pages) : digital file(s).

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Manchester, UK : Manchester University Press, 2023

Language Note:

In English.

System Details:

data file

Biography/History:

Philip Braithwaite is a lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire.

Summary:

British science fiction television of the 1970s and 1980s is full of Machiavellian protagonists and fatalistic endings. It presents a complex world of moral and ethical dilemmas, appropriate to the emerging political landscape of Thatcherite Britain. This book analyses the science fiction series of the period – including Blake’s 7, Doctor Who and Sapphire & Steel – alongside Britain’s transition from social-democracy to neoliberal economics and the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. It examines the abrupt shifts in themes and tone that these series often exhibit compared to their predecessors, highlighting comparisons to the similarly abrupt change in Britain’s political landscape.

Contents:

Front Matter

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1 British science fiction television in the consensus era

2 ‘Wealth is the only reality’

3 Sapphire & Steel

4 Rewriting the Doctor

5 ‘A precarious existence’

6 ‘It Won’t be Easy’

Conclusion

Television programmes discussed

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on publisher-supplied metadata, and e-publication viewed on March 4, 2024.

ISBN:

9781526163387

1526163381

OCLC:

1388641442