Higher, faster, more expensive: At the latest since the era of the insurgent streaming wars, excess has become a leitmotif of modern television culture (cf. Maeder 2021, 11–14). As an "oversized audiovisual narrative" (Bandirali/Terrone 2021, 14), series indulge in dramatic opulence, preferably becoming entangled in a dynamic of exposed exaggeration, trying to compete not only with other shows but also with themselves (cf. Sudmann 2017). In this context, excess seems inevitably linked to the discourse of narrative quality, which increasingly demonstrates that "size matters" (Jahn-Sudmann/Kelleter 2012, 209).

In their race for distinction, series spare neither expense nor effort: they map out hyperdiegetic narrative worlds in the style of Westeros and Essos (Game of Thrones, 2011-2019), lure viewers with huge casts (Orange Is the New Black, 2013-2019), expand their reach with countless spin-offs (The Walking Dead, 2010-2022) or vie for the audience's favour with enormous production budgets (Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, since 2022). As recent studies show, this calculation also seems to work for the academic perspective: The series analysed are mainly those dedicated to excess (cf. Philipov 2023).

While the rapid increase of new series during the peak TV era has often been stylised as a phase of unrestrained growth, it has largely gone unnoticed that a counter-movement of shortening and reduction seems to have been underway for a long time. According to Lehmann (2016, 53), things are being scaled down on many levels, with cinematic spectacle being countered by an intimate theatrical aesthetic: Mini-series are celebrated as events, promising a predictable end rather than indefinite duration, while low-budget 'instant fiction' series sometimes reduce episode length to just a few minutes (e.g. Bref, 2011). In the face of streaming overload, Hauptmann, Pabst and Schallenberg (2022, 12) conclude that smaller, more self-contained formats are 'just right' for the needs of many viewers – one reason why not only the anthology series format but also the short-form scripted serial drama (cf. Danielpour 2023) has become increasingly popular in recent years. These formats are no longer necessarily consumed on the TV; smaller screens such as the smartphone display also serve as a venue for serial content.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the dominance of excessive production styles, series can also stand out from the crowd with an ascetic aesthetic (cf. Sudmann 2023). However, minimalism is not a predetermined formula, whether it be a slowed-down narrative style (Rectify, 2013-2016), the depiction of de-dramatised everyday life (High Maintenance, 2016-2020), a (supposedly) 'plotless' storyline (State of the Union, 2019-2022), a low-budget aesthetic (Die Discounter, since 2021), an intimate dramaturgy (Der Tatortreiniger, 2011-2018) and the associated reduction of locations and personnel (In Treatment, 2008-2010; 2021), a sterile setting (Severance, since 2022) or a black-and-white retro-look (Ripley, 2024).

It also went unnoticed that the excesses of peak TV had already been 'cushioned' by simultaneous reductions. Efforts to expand the market for series were primarily 'absorbed' by shortening the narrative structure of series. Whereas in the network era viewers could look forward to 20 to 24 episodes of their favourite shows, the number of episodes released per season has shrunk significantly in the streaming era (see Parrot Analytics 2024). There have also been cuts and reductions behind the camera, for example when writing teams have been reduced to so-called 'mini-rooms'. Reduction thus appears not only as a figure of contrast, but also as an enabler of excess, although these 'downsides' of the Golden Age of Television often remain unnoticed (Caldwell 2025).

While Andreas Sudmann (2017, 267) had already identified the systematic investigation of reductionist aesthetics in US television as an urgent desideratum of television studies in 2017, since then there has been at best marginal encouragement to actually realise such a project (cf. e.g. Wells-Lassagne/Bataille/Cabaret 2024). 

For this reason, the publication described here aims to fill this gap by focusing on contemporary strategies of reduction, shortening and condensation (as well as their possible interdependencies with the motif of excess). While the focus will be on streaming and television series, papers updating other minimalist media forms are also welcome: from the short story and comic strip, to miniature painting and short film, sketch and one-act play, as well as the genuinely new development of phenomena characterised by a decidedly social media aesthetic ("Tinder Stories", "Twitter Poetry", Instagram Reels, TikTok videos, etc.).

Information on submitting paper proposals for the planned collection of essays:

Proposals for contributions dealing with minimalisms and reductionisms in TV and streaming series are preferred, but perspectives on photography, architecture, literature, music, etc. are also encouraged, as is comparative media studies.

Please send your proposal (in the form of an abstract of 300-500 words) and a short biographical information by email to

eric.dewald@uni-saarland.de

The deadline for abstracts is 1 June 2025.

Submissions from young researchers are particularly welcome!

The selection of papers will be made by 15 June 2025, and full papers of 30,000-45,000 characters (including spaces) must be submitted by 30 November 2025. The volume will be published as part of the book series "Medienkomparatistik" (Nomos Verlag).

We look forward to receiving your contribution!