Narrative Memory in Machines: Multi-agent Arc Extraction in Serialized TV

Serialized television narratives present significant analytical challenges due to their complex, temporally distributed storylines that necessitate sophisticated information management. This paper introduces a multi-agent system (MAS) designed to extract and analyze narrative arcs by implementing principles of computational memory architectures. The system conceptualizes narrative understanding through analogues of human memory: Large Language Models (LLMs) provide a form of semantic memory for general narrative patterns, while a vector database stores specific arc progressions as episodic memories. A multi-agent workflow simulates working memory processes to integrate these information types. Tested on the first season of Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, 2005-), the MAS identifies three arc types: Anthology (self-contained), Soap (relationship-focused), and Genre-Specific. These arcs and their episodic developments are stored in a vector databases, facilitating structured analysis and semantic comparison. To bridge automation with critical interpretation, a graphical interface enables human oversight and refinement of the system’s narrative memory. While demonstrating strong performance in identifying Anthology Arcs and character entities, the system’s reliance on textual paratexts (episode summaries) revealed limitations in discerning overlapping arcs and opaque dynamics, underscoring the challenges in computational memory consolidation versus human holistic understanding. This memory-centric approach highlights the potential of combining AI-driven memory processing with human expertise. Beyond television, it offers promise for serialized written formats where narrative is entirely text-based. Future work will focus on integrating multimodal inputs to enrich episodic memory, refining memory integration mechanisms within the MAS, and expanding testing across diverse genres.