This article proposes
a philosophical framework for understanding television series, building on but
moving beyond traditional film philosophy. While TV studies are well
established in Anglophone contexts, French research often neglects the
philosophical dimensions of series, despite their deep integration into
everyday life. Television series influence how we see the world and engage
morally with it, not through abstract ideas but through familiar, ongoing
relationships with characters. These relationships foster care and attention,
not on the basis of identification, but through repeated, intimate encounters.
Drawing on Cora Diamond’s notion of moral
expressiveness, the article argues that series highlight the moral significance
of gestures, speech, and daily interactions. This "texture of being"
shapes moral perception, revealing what matters in human lives beyond
conventional ethical categories.
Stanley Cavell’s concept of cinema as a form of
companionship and subjective education is extended to TV series, which offer a
shared, autobiographical mode of experience. Their importance lies not just in
content, but in their place within everyday social practices. Ultimately, the
article argues that TV series deserve recognition as a serious form of moral
and philosophical inquiry, offering unique insights into contemporary life and
ethical understanding.
