Want to Increase your Moral Awareness? Go binge-watching!

Popular drama series, such as The Sopranos, House of Cards or Breaking Bad, increasingly revolve around "moral misfits", such as criminals, fraudsters, addicts or cheats. Whereas classic TV shows made clear-cut distinctions between “right” and “wrong”, nowadays many popular series lack this moral certainty and explicitly discuss characters’ controversial moral deliberations. These morally complex series are like "laboratories" that can stimulate moral reflection, empathy and self-understanding. But does that apply to all viewers? For example, do prisoners give a morally different interpretation of The Sopranos to police officers? And do first-year medical students judge the behaviour of dr. House (House M.D.) differently than experienced medical specialists?

Merel van Ommen teaches communication science at Radboud University. She loves finding beauty in visual culture and believes in the power of stories. Van Ommen is a freelance writer for several Dutch magazines.