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In contemporary film and television studies, there is a growing concern with the nature of audiences and with the ways in which individuals make sense of the programmes they watch. This book offers an analysis of some of the issues raised by the reception of television programmes. Wilson uses concepts drawn from the philosophical traditions of hermeneutics and phenomenology - concepts such as horizon, identification and life-world - to explore the interaction between programmes and viewers. The result is not only a systematic theoretical account of watching television, but also a set of practical guidelines for the analysis of programmes and contexts of reception. The analysis is illustrated throughout with examples from well-known TV serials and dramas.