David, C. Wright, Jr. Austin, A.W. (2010) Space and Time: Essays on Visions of History in Science Fiction and Fantasy Television, Macfarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers.
This collection of essays was particularly useful for examining the range of possibilities in Science Fiction, with essays on Star Trek and the concepts of time in fantasy and Science Fiction. However the standout section was ‘The Battle for History in Battlestar Galactica’, wherein the humans shown show links to Greek (and Egyptian also in the original) culture yet their goal is stated as finding a mythical world called Earth, their safe haven. This concept of returning to the past is highlighted by the fact that their enemies – in the most recent reboot – are in fact their own creations, the robot race The Cylons. This reimagining of a common trope, man being undone by his creation, is reinforced by mankind’s only real option of salvation being their return home to a world they not only don’t know, but cannot find. These concepts I found very useful in my work for portfolio and I especially found the points about the mythical names of the first version of Battlestar Galactica being recycled in the new version as pilot call signs.
Matt sHERIDAN'S rESEARCH AND eNQUIRY 