Fantasy Girls

<I>Fantasy Girls</I> seeks to explore as well as challenge the power and the promises of this recent media phenomenon. Such TV programming offers the exciting opportunity to rethink established gender norms but how far is it really pushing the limits of the status quo? Amidst the exuberant optimism of fanzines and doting fan websites the contributors to this volume endeavor to provide us with a much needed critical analysis of this contemporary trend. These essays explore the contradictions and limitations inherent in the genre forcing readers to take a fresh and critical look through a variety of lenses including girl power postfeminism cyborg feminism disability politics queer studies and much more. Programs covered are <I>Babylon 5</I> <I>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</I> <I>Disney's Cinderella</I> <I>Lois and Clark</I> <I>Mystery Science Theater 3000</I> <I>Sabrina the Teenage Witch</I> <I>Star Trek: Voyager</I> <I>The X-Files</I> <I>Third Rock from the Sun</I> and <I>Xena: Warrior Princess.</I>