Presence and representation of mental health in fiction TV series: King George in «Queen Charlotte» (Netflix, 2023)

Abstract

The representation of disabled people in TV series remains limited, and characterised by stereotypical portrayals. However, over the past decade VOD platforms have promoted a qualitative and quantitative increase in the production of series featuring such characters. This can be attributed to the enhanced visibility of mental health in contemporary society, as well as the obligation of television to serve as a reflection and socialisation instrument. This paper presents a review of the presence and representation of disability in television fiction series produced in the United States. The main objective of this research is to determine the mental health representation in the character of King George III in the TV series Queen Charlotte. A Bridgerton Story (Netflix, 2023). From a qualitative methodology, we review the related literature and conduct an in-depth textual analysis of the character as a person, role, and actant. Moreover, we examine the scenes which reveal the symptoms of the king’s mental health. The findings show the historical licences adopted by the fiction in favour of the narrative. The symptoms expressed by the king are indicative of a Bipolar I Disorder and Dissociative Identity Disorder: anxiety, verbiage, “races of thoughts,” and identity crisis. In conclusion, this representation stands out for a creative and effective purpose, rather than for being realistic. However, it contributes to the visibility of cognitive disability in contemporary audiovisual projects.