This article addresses the question of how engagement with fictional entertainment can enable audiences to function as citizens. It argues that existing theoretical perspectives assume spurious links between the use of fictional entertainment and politics. This article mobilizes the theoretical perspective of public connection to show how audience’s engagement with fictional entertainment can forge manifest links to the sphere of politics. The article presents five functions that capture the main varieties of how the engagement with TV series enables public connection. These functions are conceptualized as ‘Charging’, ‘Deepening’, ‘Affinitive motivation’, ‘Introduction/Extension’ and ‘Solidification’. These functions are theoretically qualified and empirically grounded in extensive qualitative research into people’s use of TV series in Norway. The article argues that these functions also apply to the engagement with other forms of fictional entertainment, including film and fiction literature.

中文翻译：

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从享乐到政治：看电视剧的五个功能

本文解决了参与虚构娱乐如何使观众发挥公民作用的问题。它认为现有的理论观点假设虚构娱乐的使用与政治之间存在虚假联系。本文运用公共联系的理论视角来展示观众对虚构娱乐的参与如何与政治领域建立明显的联系。本文介绍了五个函数，它们捕捉了与电视剧的互动如何实现公共联系的主要种类。这些功能被概念化为“充电”、“深化”、“亲和动机”、“介绍/扩展”和“固化”。这些功能在理论上是合格的，并以对挪威人们使用电视剧的广泛定性研究为基础。