American Science Fiction TV: Star Trek, Stargate, and Beyond

The show, based on a space station located in neutral space territory, employs a complex narrative structure that is both episodic and serial, often leading to more questions than answers, and in the process deals in sophisticated ways with problems of leadership, race relations, the urban space, and history. In its utopian leanings, complex narratives, and dynamic use of visuals and sound, the five-season show consistently foregrounded the science-fiction trope of "cognitive estrangement," a remarkable feat given the conservatism of network television: "Babylon 5 requires much the same degree of thought and attention externally, from its viewers, as it requires internally, from its characters, a risky, innovative strategy" (193).