An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars. Episodes of news programs are also known as editions. This does not cite any references or sources. ... Serials in television and radio are series, often in a weekly prime time slot, that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a serial fashion, episode by episode. ... Popular press redirects here; note that the University of Wisconsin Press publishes under the imprint The Popular Press. Mass media is a term used to denote a section of the media specifically envisioned and designed to reach a very large audience such as the population of a nation state. ... This article is about the series. ... For other uses, see News (disambiguation). ... In printmaking, an edition is a set of prints off one plate, composing a limited run of prints. ...

Episodes which end in the middle of a climatic moment are often called cliffhangers, after the name used for early movie serials. Such episodes can be nearly daily occurrences in soap operas and are frequently used in season finales of many prime time shows. The climax (or turning point) of a narrative work is its point of highest tension or drama in which the solution is given. ... For other uses, see Cliffhanger (disambiguation). ... DVD front cover for The Adventures of Captain Marvel, one of the most celebrated serials for both Republic Pictures and of the sound era in general. ... The first TIME cover devoted to soap operas: Dated January 12, 1976, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes of Days of our Lives are featured with the headline Soap Operas: Sex and suffering in the afternoon. A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of fiction, usually broadcast on television... Prime time is the block of programming on television during the middle of the evening. ...

Episodes can be part of a larger story arc stretched out over a time period covering one or more seasons, or even an entire series run. This is true for some science fiction series such as Babylon 5, Stargate SG-1 and Star Trek. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Babylon 5 is an epic American science fiction television series created, produced, and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. ... Stargate SG-1 (often abbreviated as SG-1) is a science fiction television series, part of the Stargate franchise. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment series and media franchise. ...

Shows usually have numbers or codes (aka, Production codes/numbers) for each episode. The X-Files, for example, assigned a code in the format "sXnn", with 's' identifying the season number and 'nn' being a two-digit number for each show, starting with '01'. Some programs, such as The Simpsons, use numbering systems that are hard for anyone outside the production company to understand. The X-Files is a Peabody- and Emmy Award-winning science fiction television series created by Chris Carter, which first aired on September 10, 1993, and ended on May 19, 2002. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... The following is an episode list for the Fox animated television series The Simpsons. ...

Some series often give episodes their own titles which usually refer to the content of the episode, giving both producers and fans a simple identification,these will usually have a pattern such as being a pun on a known item (such as a phrase or title of a of some other media) or follow some naming convention of the series:

• Episode titles of Monk always begin with "Mr. Monk "
• Episode titles of Friends almost all begin with "The one with" or "the one where"
• Episode titles of Scrubs usually begin with "My" as they are narrated by J.D., the main character. They are sometimes called "His Story" or "Her Story", followed by a roman numeral when narrated by another character.
• Later seasons of Diagnosis: Murder usually included "Murder" in their titles.
• All episodes of Ed, Edd n' Eddy have the word Ed in their titles.

In addition, the word episode can also refer to a portion, or stasimon, of a tragic play; this usually being associated with those of the ancient Greeks. Monk is an Emmy Award winning television show about the private detective Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub), afflicted by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and multiple phobias. ... For friendship, see friendship. ... This article is about the US sitcom. ... John Dorian (portrayed by Zach Braff) Dr. Jonathan Michael Dorian (most commonly referred to as J.D.) is a fictional character played by Zach Braff in the American sitcom Scrubs. ... The system of Roman numerals is a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, and was adapted from Etruscan numerals. ... Ed, Edd n Eddy is an American animated television series created by Danny Antonucci and produced by a. ... For other uses, see Word (disambiguation). ...

See also

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• List of most-watched television episodes