Narrative Ecosystems. Exploring Environmental Themes in Serial Television

This paper explores the concept of television series as narrative ecosystems and their capacity to engage with complex environmental and sustainability themes. Unlike standalone narratives, serial television allows for extended storytelling, making it theoretically well-suited to depict ecological issues. However, environmental themes remain underrepresented in serialized storytelling due to the plot-driven nature of the medium, which often struggles to integrate systemic and diffuse issues. Through a taxonomy of serial narratives, this study categorizes different approaches to environmental storytelling, ranging from central environmental themes to episodic and arc-specific engagements. While serial television’s structure can pose challenges to sustaining ecological narratives, its expansive storytelling potential offers alternative pathways for audience engagement. The paper concludes that, despite limitations, serial television can foster long-term environmental awareness, particularly when ecological themes are embedded within engaging, character-driven narratives.