Fantastic Acting and Science Fiction Television

Focusing on the long-running series Doctor Who and Star Trek, Fantastic Acting examines the non-naturalistic techniques and approaches employed by actors to realize non-human, alien, or monstrous characters on the small screen.

The book draws upon a combination of detailed textual analysis, archive material, and original interviews with actors and directors to unpack the processes required to portray a variety of science fiction archetypes, from the non-human humanoid (humanoid aliens, androids, "possessed"/duplicate humans), through the demonstrably alien or monstrous (other-worldly characters for which prosthetics or visual effects are incorporated as part of the performance) to the robotic or mechanical (for which voice acting plays a more significant role, often in combination with props or CGI). Examining the relationship between this long-established genre and its associated acting styles, Fantastic Acting fills a major gap in the emerging field of television performance studies, shining a much-needed light on a key, yet little-considered aspect of the screen actor’s craft.

Utilising long-running television series from both the UK and the US – both of which have now arguably become global phenomena – avoids placing the focus on one particular national performance style. The result is the serious examination of what an actor does with their body, face, and voice to accomplish the fantastic. Ultimately, this study unpacks the relationship between genre and performance in two of television’s longest-running and most popular science fiction franchises.