Beyond The Binge- The Viewers' Competence As A Democratic Issue

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.