Review by Choice Review
Exploring gender construction and female imagery in the context of cultural and political milieu, the 11 contributors to this volume examine contemporary television series such as Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, The X-Files, Xena: The Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Trek: Voyager, etc. Helford (Middle Tennessee State Univ.) envisioned the volume as an effort to "draw some tentative conclusions about what speculative genres offer viewers, especially those invested in a more egalitarian, just, feminist future." The essays are consistent in quality and approach, and for the most part yield astute if not necessarily novel or groundbreaking readings of the various programs. However, because so much of the analysis in each essay depends on the reader's familiarity with discrete episodes of individual series, the arguments may fall short of inspiring interest or conviction for any but avid viewers. Rather than setting up the theoretical issues for a provocative discourse as i t should, Helford's introduction essentially surveys changing women's roles on television. In addition, she does not effectively rationalize her organization of the material into three sections (the present, the fantastic, and the future). Most useful in large academic collections serving upper-division undergraduates through faculty and technical-study programs. L. Armstrong Central Washington University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
