Written by Becky Yarwood
Artwork from Pickpik
Television often explores the complexities of solitude, portraying it in ways that resonate deeply with viewers. Of note, BoJack Horseman depicts the experiences of the titular character, a deeply flawed washed-up sitcom celebrity that rose to fame in the 90s. The tragicomedy follows BoJack’s return to the public eye while navigating his misanthropic, narcissistic, and self-destructive tendencies. Each of the main characters grapples with solitude in different forms, but BoJack’s experience is particularly striking. BoJack himself swings between spending much of his time isolating himself from others in physical solitude, and then surrounding himself with shallow Hollywoo(d) connections throwing parties at his mansion. Even in these crowded settings, BoJack often feels emotionally disconnected, highlighting how the loneliness that can taint our solitude sometimes follows us into the company of others. Shows like BoJack Horseman illustrate the multifaceted nature of solitude—it can be positive, negative, or a mixture of both—inviting us to reflect on our own experiences of being alone.
Television doesn’t just show solitude—it also shapes how we experience it. As technology evolves, so do the ways we spend time alone. Unlike texting or talking on the phone, watching TV fits well with being on your own because it doesn’t require a response from anyone else. In fact, for many of us, TV can be one of the best ways to enjoy some quiet time—it’s relaxing, entertaining, and feels like a natural part of being alone. It’s no surprise that as people spend more time by themselves, watching TV has become a big part of that trend.
But is TV’s influence on our experience of solitude limited to the time we spend in front of the screen—or does it go deeper?
The reasons we turn to television often reveal much more about our relationship with being alone. Beyond simply enjoying our favorite shows, people watch TV for a variety of motivations. One study breaks these down into four categories: coping/escapism, emotional enhancement, enrichment, and social. Interestingly, while watching TV is often a solitary activity, it’s a ubiquitous part of the connections we build with other people in our social circles. This is through things like accepting show recommendations from others, feeling valued from being knowledgeable about a show, and to relate to others and provide conversation topics.
When it comes to solitude, TV serves different roles. It can complement positive experiences of being alone, sparking creativity or offering time for personal growth. At the same time, it can be compensatory, helping to ease feelings of isolation or loneliness. In both cases, television plays a key part in how we enjoy our me-time and how we cope with being alone. Television seems to play an important role both in the way we can enjoy me-time, and cope with loneliness.
Television’s role in how we navigate solitude goes beyond simply being a companion in the moment—it can create emotional bonds that linger long after the screen goes dark. Take the final episode of Friends, for example. Many viewers reported increased feelings of loneliness after it aired. Why is that? Research suggests that watching TV to feel a sense of companionship is often linked to higher levels of loneliness. Loneliness also appears to predict binge-watching behaviors, especially when viewers strongly identify with characters. Findings such as these support the idea that many of us experience a kind of imagined closeness with characters in media. This phenomenon is referred to as a ‘parasocial relationship’.
The relationship between parasocial interactions and solitude is complex. Positive experiences of solitude can strengthen parasocial relationships, suggesting that emotional investment in characters and plotlines might foster creativity and personal transformation. At the same time, negative solitude experiences like loneliness can deepen parasocial relationships with favored TV characters. This may lead to stronger personal identification with those characters, forming attachments as a way to cope with feelings of isolation or loss.
While parasocial relationships can be beneficial, factors like relationship anxiety or poor-quality real-life connections may cause these attachments to fictional characters to make people feel worse. Instead of easing loneliness, they might amplify it by highlighting what’s missing in real life.
The relationship we have with fictional characters on TV is an interesting one. We laugh with them, watch them grow, and even grieve their losses. But it raises an intriguing question: when we’re watching TV and feel a sense of kinship with the people on screen, are we truly alone? Or is our solitude something else entirely?
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