Series have become an ordinary cultural gesture
Watching a series is no longer just an evening pastime. It has become a shared cultural reflex, to the point of influencing how many French people understand the world, others, and sometimes themselves.
This evolution is part of a broader change in cultural practices. The Ministry of Culture points out that digital practices have taken on an increasingly important role in everyday life, with series among the most consumed cultural goods online. In 2022, 86% of French internet users said they consumed cultural goods online, with series being among the most frequent uses.
A work of fiction, but also a way to read reality
The starting point is simple: what does a series do to its viewer? Recent studies on fictional reception suggest that series are not just for entertainment. They also serve as a framework for interpretation. They help recognize situations, express emotions, and articulate social relationships that are sometimes vague. This approach focuses less on the plot and more on the audience’s experience.
The book dedicated to this topic is based on major surveys of French cultural practices and a specific qualitative survey conducted in 2022. Its interest lies in this: it does not assume that the meaning of a work is fixed once and for all. It observes what viewers actually do with it.
The first observation is significant. In 2022, 68.5% of French people said they watched a series episode at least once a week. In other words, series have become part of the daily lives of the majority. They are no longer just for a niche audience but a common practice, similar to other forms of mass culture.
This normalization matters. When a cultural object becomes so widespread, it is no longer just a time-filler. It shapes conversations, common references, and taste judgments. It also provides entry points to heavier topics: family relationships, work, inequality, violence, sexuality, mental health. Fiction then becomes a tool for interpreting reality.
What this changes in cultural life
The second lesson is more political in a broad sense: series show that culture is no longer limited to traditional institutions. The television screen is still important, but consumption also shifts to connected screens and platforms. Arcom emphasizes that consuming audiovisual content now happens within a broader digital environment.
This transformation has several effects. First, it changes the relationship with time. Series are watched continuously, on replay, sometimes binge-watched. It also alters the relationship with knowledge: the viewer does not receive a single message, but constructs an interpretation, often based on personal experience. Finally, it blurs the line between “legitimate” and “popular” culture. A series can be consumed for relaxation but also for thought.
The third lesson concerns the circulation of references. A series not only triggers emotions but also creates a common language. Certain characters, scenes, dialogues become shared reference points. This is a social force. It can also become a filter. People compare their own lives to portrayed narratives, sometimes with clarity, sometimes to excess.
The role of platforms remains central in this evolution. In 2024, Netflix celebrated ten years since its launch in France, emphasizing how drastically it has changed French households’ television habits since 2014. This lasting presence has contributed to normalizing series as a daily object and a central cultural product.
Between mirror effect and framing effect
One sensitive question remains: does the series reflect reality or distort it? In practice, it does both. It provides visibility to situations that many recognize but also simplifies, sometimes dramatizes, and makes them more understandable than in real life. This is precisely why it affects its viewers. It does not impose a moral but offers frameworks for understanding.
The authors cited in the survey emphasize reception. The same program can be seen as pure entertainment, realistic fiction, a mirror of oneself, or a platform for debate. The meaning does not solely reside in the work itself but is constructed through use, discussion, and the viewer’s experience. This is a reminder that a series is valuable not just for its plot but for what it circulates in society.
This analysis helps understand why series now hold such a significant place in French cultural life. They do not replace books, cinema, or theater. They add to them, with their own power of engagement. And this power lies as much in their availability as in their ability to portray lives, conflicts, and emotions that viewers can recognize, discuss, or challenge.
An area to monitor: the evolution of uses
The topic is not closed. The next stage will play out in the uses themselves: what place will series hold against short videos, new digital formats, and competition between platforms? Future surveys will reveal if this practice remains dominant or begins to fragment. It will be the true test of its role in everyday culture.
