An Explorative Discussion and Delineation of Television Aesthetics and Evaluation of Twin Peaks: The Return
Author
Nielsen, Casper Lohmann
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2019
Submitted on
2019-07-03
Abstract
This thesis explores and clarifies the field of television aesthetics—an approach that brings philosophical aesthetics into television studies—by tracing its theoretical and methodological development, mapping key debates, and proposing a provisional working definition. It asks how television aesthetics challenges predominantly sociological and ideological analyses, why it remains controversial, whether transparent authorial engagement and explicit evaluative criteria can strengthen textual analysis, and how notions of “quality TV,” “good television,” and art cinema can inform its framework. The study proceeds as a concept- and literature-based inquiry drawing on prominent scholars, especially Sarah Cardwell, to synthesize points of convergence and contention; it delineates evaluative and stylistic practices and applies them in a concise assessment of Twin Peaks: The Return using the author’s own criteria. While not claiming a universal method, the thesis argues that evaluative criticism and close attention to style, mood, and form can add substantial value to television studies, and demonstrates this utility through the Twin Peaks example.
Dette speciale undersøger og afklarer tv-æstetik som felt – en tilgang, der kobler filosofisk æstetik med tv-studier – ved at skitsere dets teoretiske og metodiske udvikling, kortlægge centrale debatter og formulere en foreløbig arbejdsdefinition. Det spørger, hvordan tv-æstetik udfordrer konventionelle, primært sociologiske og ideologiske analyser, hvorfor tilgangen er omstridt, om gennemsigtigt forskerengagement og eksplicitte vurderingskriterier kan styrke tekstanalyse, og hvordan begreberne “quality TV”, “godt tv” og art cinema kan indgå i rammeværket. Undersøgelsen er en begrebs- og litteraturbaseret diskussion med afsæt i fremtrædende forskere, især Sarah Cardwell, som samler ligheder og stridspunkter; den afgrænser evaluative og stilistiske praksisser og anvender dem i en kort evaluering af Twin Peaks: The Return ud fra forfatterens egne kriterier. Specialet gør ikke krav på en universel metode, men argumenterer for, at evaluativ kritik og tæt opmærksomhed på stil, stemning og form kan tilføre tv-studier væsentlig værdi, og demonstrerer nytten gennem eksemplet Twin Peaks.
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