It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. (Discuss)

Serial is a term, originating in literature, for a format by which a story is told in contiguous installments in sequential issues of a single periodical publication. More generally, serial is applied in library and information science to materials "in any medium issued under the same title in a succession of discrete parts, usually numbered (or dated) and appearing at regular or irregular intervals with no predetermined conclusion."^[1] By extension, serial also came to apply to a film issued in the same installment manner over a period of sequential weeks at a single movie house. Image File history File links Derived from public domain images featured at: http://commons. ... This article is about the magazine as a published medium. ... Library and information science (LIS) is the study of issues related to libraries and the information fields. ... Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ...

In recent times, the term has been used for a radio or television production with a continuously evolving, unified plot and set of characters spread over multiple episodes and sometimes years (see, e.g., soap opera). The unity of plot and contiguity across numerous episodes distinguishes a radio or television serial from a radio or television series. In British television, it is also synonymous with the American term "miniseries", meaning a short run series where one overarching story is told across several episodes and concluded in the final instalment. 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... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... British television broadcasting has a range of different broadcasters, broadcasting multiple channels over a variety of distribution media. ... A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ...

Print

During the 19th century, many popular writers earned a living from writing stories in serial form for popular magazines of the day. Many of Charles Dickens' novels were originally published in this manner, for example, and this is the reason many of them are so long — the more chapters he wrote, the longer the serial continued in the magazine and the more money he was paid. Other famous writers who wrote serial literature for popular magazines include Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who created the Sherlock Holmes stories originally for serialisation in The Strand magazine; Wilkie Collins, creator of the English detective novel and author of "The Moonstone"; and the Polish writer, Bolesław Prus, author of several serialized novels, including the historical novel, Pharaoh. Literature of the nineteenth century is, for the purpose of this article, literature written from (roughly) 1799 to 1900. ... Dickens redirects here. ... Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (May 22, 1859 - July 7, 1930) is the British author most famously known for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction. ... Sherlock Holmes as imagined by the seminal Holmesian artist, Sidney Paget, in The Strand magazine. ... The Strand Magazine was a monthly fiction magazine founded by George Newnes. ... The Moonstone (1868) by Wilkie Collins is a 19th-century epistolary novel, generally considered the first detective novel in the English language. ... BolesÅ‚aw Prus BolesÅ‚aw Prus (pronounced: [bÉ”lεswaf prus]; August 20, 1847 – May 19, 1912), born Aleksander GÅ‚owacki, was a Polish journalist, short-story writer, and novelist. ... A historical novel is a novel in which the story is set among historical events, or more generally, in which the time of the action predates the lifetime of the author. ... Pharaoh (Polish: Faraon) is the fourth and last of the major novels by BolesÅ‚aw Prus. ...

See also:

• Romanzo d' appendice
• Feuilleton

Romanzo dappendìce (Italian for Feuilleton) was a popular genre in literature, which originated in England and France, in the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th. ... Feuilleton (a diminutive of French feuillet, the leaf of a book) was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers. ...

Film

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with movie serial. (Discuss)

Poster for The Perils of Pauline (1914)

A serial, or cliffhanger, was a popular form of movie entertainment that dated back to Edison's What Happened to Mary? of 1912. There do appear to be older serials, however, such as the 1910 Deutsche Vitaskop 5 episode "Arsene Lupin Contra Sherlock Holmes," based upon the Maurice LeBlanc novel "Arsene Lupin Contre Herlock Sholmes," and a possible, but unconfirmed Raffles serial in 1911 (according to information from Silent Era[1]). Usually filmed with low budgets, serials were action-packed stories that usually involved a hero (or heroes) battling an evil villain and rescuing a damsel in distress. The villain would continually place the hero into inescapable deathtraps and situations, or the heroine would be placed into a deathtrap and the hero would bravely come to her rescue, usually pulling her away from certain death only instants before she met her doom. The hero and heroine would face one trap after another, battling countless thugs and lackeys, before finally defeating the villain "once and for all"...even though the villain would almost always get away at the end, to return at a future date. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Movie serials were short subjects originally shown in theaters in conjunction with a feature film. ... Poster for The Perils of Pauline (1914) This work is copyrighted. ... Poster for The Perils of Pauline (1914) This work is copyrighted. ... The Perils of Pauline was a silent movie serial which debuted in 1914. ... From the Greek , in mythology and folklore, a hero (male) or heroine (female) usually fulfills the definitions of what is considered good and noble in the originating culture. ... One popular concept of the villain, meant to mimic the purposely distinctive visage of villains from silent films of the early 20th century. ... A poster for The Perils of Pauline (1914). ...

Many famous clichés of action-adventure movies had their origins in the serials. The popular term cliffhanger was developed as a plot device in film serials (though its origins have been traced by some historians to the Sherlock Holmes stories of Arthur Conan Doyle), and it comes from the many times that the hero or heroine would end up hanging over a cliff, usually as the villain gloated above and waited for them to plummet thousands of feet to their deaths. Other popular clichés included the heroine being tied to a railroad track; being lashed to a log in a sawmill, lying on a conveyor belt and approaching a gigantic whirling sawblade; or being trapped in an abandoned mine shaft, watching as the burning fuse of a nearby bundle of dynamite sparked and sputtered its way towards the deadly explosive. The popular Indiana Jones movies are a well-known, romantic pastiche of the serials' clichéd plot elements and devices. A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in which a movie, novel, or other work of fiction contains an abrupt ending, often leaving the main characters in a precarious or difficult situation. ... A plot device is a person or an object introduced to a story to affect or advance the plot. ... Sherlock Holmes as imagined by the seminal Holmesian artist, Sidney Paget, in The Strand magazine. ... Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, DL (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a Scottish author most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, which are generally considered a major innovation in the field of crime fiction, and the adventures of Professor Challenger. ... Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones Dr. Henry Indiana Jones, Jr. ...

The serials were filmed in separate parts, and each chapter (a typical serial usually had as many as fifteen of them) would be screened at the same theater for one week. The serial would end with a cliffhanger, as the hero and heroine would find themselves in the latest perilous situation from which there could be no escape. The audience would have to return the next week (and pay admission) to find out how the hero and heroine would escape and battle the villain once again. Serials were especially popular with children, and for many youths in the first half of the 20th century, a typical Saturday at the movies included a chapter of at least one serial, along with cartoons, newsreels, and two feature films. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999...

Silent era

Famous American serials of the silent era include The Perils of Pauline and The Exploits of Elaine made by Pathé Frères and starring Pearl White. Another popular serial emerged that year, the 119 episode The Hazards of Helen made by Kalem Studios and starring Helen Holmes for the first forty-eight episodes then Helen Gibson for the remainder. Other major studios of the silent era produced them, such as Vitagraph and Essanay, as did Warner Bros., Fox, and Universal. Several independent companies (for example, Mascot Pictures) made Western serials. Four silent Tarzan serials were also made. Europe had its own serials, notably the French Judex and the German Homonculus. The Perils of Pauline was a silent movie serial which debuted in 1914. ... The Exploits of Elaine is a 1914 film serial in the genre of The Perils of Pauline, and even outgrossed that serial in ticket sales. ... Pathé or Pathé Frères is the name of various businesses founded and originally run by the Pathé Brothers of France. ... Pearl Fay White, born March 4, 1889 in Green Ridge, Missouri, United States - died August 4, 1938 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, was a singer and star of silent film. ... The Hazards of Helen, episode # 44 The Hazards of Helen is an American adventure film serial of 119 twelve minute episodes released over a span of slightly more than two years by the Kalem Company between November 7, 1914 and February 24, 1917. ... Kalem Studios and Hollywood staff, 1915 The Kalem Company was an American film studio founded in New York City in 1907 by Frank J. Marion, Samuel Long, and George Kleine. ... Helen Holmes, c. ... Helen Gibson Helen Gibson (August 27, 1892 - October 10, 1977) was an American rodeo rider and film actress. ... American Vitagraph was a United States movie studio, founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Alfred E. Smith in 1897 and bought by Warner Brothers in 1925. ... Essanay Studios was a motion picture company founded in Chicago, Illinois by George K. Spoor and Bronco Billy Anderson under the name Essanay (S and A). It produced silent films with such stars as Ben Turpin, Wallace Beery, Francis X. Bushman, Gloria Swanson and Charlie Chaplin. ... Warner Bros. ... Fox Plaza, the company headquarters. ... The current Universal Studios logo Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures), a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the major American film studios that has production studios and offices located at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City, California, an unincorporated area of Los Angeles County between Los... i like western films The Western is an American genre in literature and film. ... James H. Pierce and Joan Burroughs Pierce starred in the 1932-34 Tarzan radio series Tarzan, a character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1914 novel Tarzan of the Apes, and then in twenty-three sequels. ... Judex is the title of a 1914 silent movie serial created by Louis Feuillade and Arthur Bernède. ... Hartsoekers homunculus The concept of a homunculus (Latin for little man, sometimes spelled homonculus) is often used to illustrate the functioning of a system. ...

Sound era

The arrival of sound technology made it costlier to produce serials, so that they were no longer as profitable on a flat rental basis. Further, the Great Depression made it impossible for many of the smaller companies which had turned out serials to upgrade to sound, and they therefore went out of business. Only one serial specialty company, Mascot Pictures was in fact able to make the transition from silent to sound filmmaking: Universal Pictures also kept its serial unit alive through the transition. The Great Depression an economic downturn which started in 1929 (although its effects were not fully felt until late 1930) and lasted through most of the 1930s. ... Universal Pictures is the main motion picture production/distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC Universal. ...

In the early 1930s a handful of independent companies tried their hand at making serials, but managed only two or three, including the once-prolific Weiss Brothers. The Weisses bought a little time when Columbia Pictures decided to take a try at serials, and contracted with them (as Adventure Serials Inc.) to make three chapterplays. They were successful enough that Columbia then established its own serial unit and the Weisses essentially disappeared from the serial scene. This was in 1937, and Columbia was probably inspired by the previous year's serial blockbuster success at Universal, Flash Gordon, the first serial ever to play at a major theater on Broadway; and by the success of that same year of the newly-created Republic Pictures, which dedicated itself to a program of serials and westerns, eschewing major productions in their favor. The creation of Republic involved the absorption of Mascot Pictures, so that by 1937, serial production was now in the hands of three companies only - Universal, Columbia and Republic, with Republic quickly becoming the acknowledged leader in quality serial product. Each company turned out four to five serials per year, of 12 to 15 episodes each, a pace which they all kept up until the end of World War II when, in 1946, Universal dropped its serial unit along with its b-picture unit and renamed its production department Universal-International Pictures. Republic and Columbia continued unchallenged, with about 4 serials per year each, Republic fixing theirs at 12 chapters each while Columbia fixed at fifteen. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Flash Gordon is a 1936 film serial which tells the story of three people from Earth who travel to the planet Mongo to fight the evil Emperor Ming the Merciless. ... Republic Pictures Corporation (aka Republic Entertainment) is an independent film, television, and video distribution company that was originally a movie production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, best known for its specialization in quality B pictures, westerns and movie serials. ...

By the mid-50s, however, episode television series and the sale of older serials to TV syndicators by all the current and past major sound serial producers, together with the loss of audience attendance at Saturday matinees in general, made serial-making a losing proposition.

Machinima

Many films created using machinima, the art of using pre-existing consumer-level three-dimensional rendering engines to create computer-generated imagery, have been distributed in serial format. According to Hugh Hancock of Machinima.com, three to five minutes is an optimal length for videos downloaded over the Internet. As a result, a serial composed of multiple short videos can be an effective way of telling a longer story in this medium. Red vs. Blue: The Blood Gulch Chronicles — an ongoing comedy series by Rooster Teeth Productions with a continuous, single plot spanning more than 70 episodes — popularized this distribution method.^[2] Many Red vs. Blue episodes end with cliffhangers, and Rooster Teeth Productions has in fact acknowledged that the series is similar to older film serials in this regard.^[3] Another notable machinima production, Edgeworks Entertainment's The Codex, is a self-contained film, but was nonetheless released as a serial in 20 episodes between February and August 2005. A scene from the popular machinima series Red vs. ... A 3D rendering with raytracing and ambient occlusion using Blender and Yafray 3D computer graphics are works of graphic art that were created with the aid of digital computers and specialized 3D software. ... A photorealistic rendered image created by using POV-Ray 3. ... Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the application of the field of computer graphics (or more specifically, 3D computer graphics) to special effects. ... Red vs. ... Rooster Teeth Productions is an award-winning production group from Buda, Texas that specializes in the creation of machinima, or films created using real-time, interactive engines from computer and video games. ... Edgeworks Entertainment is a machinima production group created by Alexander Winn and Ryan Luther. ... The Codex is a 20 episode online machinima series, set in the Halo video game universe following the story of a Covenant invasion of a Human world in order to recover a Forerunner artifact, and the story of the Humans resisting that invasion. ...

Peak form

The classic sound serial, particularly in its Republic format, has a first episode of about 30 minutes (approximately three reels in length, and begins with reports of a masked, secret, or unsuspected villain menacing an unspecific part of America. This episode traditionally has the most detailed credits at the beginning, often with pictures of the actors with their names and that of the character they play. Often there follows a montage of scenes lifted from the cliffhangers of previous serials to depict the ways in which the master criminal was a serial killer with a motive. In the first episode, various suspects or "candidates" who may, in secret, be this villain are presented, and the viewer often hears the voice but does not see the face of this mastermind commanding his "spearpoint villain," similar to a sergeant, whom the viewer will see in just about every episode. A reel may also refer to a type of dance and its accompanying music. ...

In the succeeding weeks (usually eleven to fourteen) thereafter, an episode nearer 20 minutes (approximately two reels) in length was presented, in which the "spearpoint villain" and lesser thugs commit crimes in various places, fight the hero, and trap someone to make the ending a cliffhanger. Many of the episodes have clues, dialogue, and events to lead the viewer to think that any of the candidates were the mastermind. As serials were made by writing the whole script first and then slicing it into portions filmed at various sites, often the same location would be used several times in the serial, often given different signage, or none at all, just being referred to differently. There would often be a female love interest of the male hero, or a female hero herself, but as the audience was mainly children, there was no hugging and kissing. A reel may also refer to a type of dance and its accompanying music. ...

One episode, near the end of this run, was often an "economy episode" in which the characters reminisce about their adventures so as to introduce showing those scenes again. This type of episode usually had a cheap, mechanical cliffhanger, like a time bomb rather than being unconscious in a runaway vehicle.

The last episode was sometimes a bit longer than most, for its tasks were to unmask the head villain (who usually was someone completely unsuspected), wrap up the loose ends, and end with a triumphal proclamation, followed by a joke -- and sometimes a kiss (provided that the story supplied a heroine to receive it).

Production practices

The firms saved money by reusing the same cliffhangers over the years. Mines or tunnels flooded often, even in Flash Gordon, and the same model cars and trains went off the same cliffs and bridges. Republic had a Packard limousine and a Ford Woodie station wagon used in serial after serial so they could match the shots with the stock footage from the model or previous stunt driving. Three different serials had them chasing the Art Deco sound truck, required for location shooting, for various reasons. Male fistfighters all wore hats so that the change from actor to stunt double would not be caught so easily. This was achieved by placing a rubber liner on the hatband of the stunt man's fedora. The rubber would make a seal on the stuntman's head and stay on during a "fight". Flash Gordon is a science fiction comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond, first published on January 7, 1935. ... Packard red hexagon symbol made its debut in 1905, with the color red added in 1913 Packard was a United States based brand of luxury automobile built by the Packard Motors Company of Detroit,Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana. ... Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and the worlds third largest automaker based on vehicle sales in 2005. ... A woodie is a wooden roller coaster. ... Asheville City Hall. ...

Exposition of what led up to the previous episode's cliffhanger was usually displayed on placards with a photograph of one of the characters on it. In 1939, Universal brought the first "scrolling text" exposition to the serial, which George Lucas used in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1977. As this would have required subcontracting the optical effects, Republic saved money by not using it. 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... George Walton Lucas, Jr. ... This movie poster for Star Wars depicts many of the films important elements, such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, X-Wing and Y-Wing fighters Star Wars, retitled Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1981 (see note at Title,) is the original (and in chronological... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

Stylistic differences between the studios

The major difference between the serials made by the various firms lay in that the minor studios had their own retinue of actors and writers, their own prop department, existing sets, stock footage, and music library. The early independent studios had none of these, except for being able to rent the sets of independent Western features. As the serials were bought sight-unseen by the lesser theaters for an audience of children, their product often had the worst acting and scripts, the least capable direction, and the most monotonous music ever screened: worse than any film that got reviewed in print.

The Adventures of Captain Marvel, one of the most celebrated serials for both Republic Pictures and of the sound era in general.

Although Republic was not even a minor studio, the serials they produced have been hailed as some of the best, especially those directed by John English and William Witney who are widely considered among the most talented directors in the form. In addition to screenwriting many critics thought was quite capable, the firm also introduced choreographed fistfights which often included their stuntmen throwing things in desperation at one another in every fight to heighten the action. In addition, their productions were praised for their production values such as convincing explosions and other disasters as well as more fantastic visuals such as Captain Marvel flying. However, they were also somewhat hampered with limited shooting facilities, such as lacking their own backlot and props. This often prompted repeated use of familiar cars and locations from generic settings like identical warehouses, stairwells, offices and specialized locations like a certain speedboat rental pier. They were able to get the rights to the newspaper comic character Dick Tracy, the radio character The Lone Ranger, and the comic book characters Captain America, Captain Marvel, and Spy Smasher. DVD front cover for the film serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel. ... DVD front cover for the film serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel. ... The Adventures of Captain Marvel is an acclaimed film serial directed by John English and William Witney for Republic Pictures in 1941. ... Republic Pictures Corporation (aka Republic Entertainment) is an independent film, television, and video distribution company that was originally a movie production-distribution corporation with studio facilities, best known for its specialization in quality B pictures, westerns and movie serials. ... Dr. John English is a Canadian academic who has also been very active in Canadian public life. ... Screenwriting refers to the art and craft of writing screenplays. ... For other uses, see Captain Marvel. ... A backlot is an area behind or adjoining a movie studio with permanent exterior sets for outdoor scenes in motion picture and/or television productions. ... Dick Tracy is a comic strip detective and a popular character in American pop culture. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Captain America, the alter ego of Steve Rogers (in some accounts Steven Rogers), is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... Spy Smasher (real name Alan Armstrong) is a DC Comics superhero, formerly owned by Fawcett Comics. ...

Columbia was the firm that got the most of these name-brand heroes. From newspaper comics, they got Brenda Starr, Terry and the Pirates, Mandrake the Magician, and The Phantom; from the comic books, Blackhawk, Congo Bill, a time traveller named Brick Bradford, and Batman and Superman; from radio, Jack Armstrong, Hop Harrigan, and The Shadow; from the British novelist, Edgar Wallace, the first archer superhero: The Green Archer; and even from television: Captain Video. Columbia substituted animation for more expensive special effects and showed the audience that the cliffhanger would not kill the hero by having a reassuring announcer pose the next episode's menace at the end of the episode. Their scripts had more humor than the others, often to the point of being far more absurd. And even though this was an important studio in comparison to the independent ones, it merely released serials which were subcontacted out to units outside their main production system. Brenda Starr is a comic strip about the title character, a glamorous, adventurous reporter. ... Terry and the Pirates is the title of: a comic strip created by Milton Caniff; see: Terry and the Pirates (comic strip) a radio serial, based on the comic strip; see: Terry and the Pirates (radio serial) a television series, also based on the comic strip; see: Terry and the... Mandrake the Magician is a U.S. comic strip created in 1934 by Lee Falk (also creator of The Phantom) and mainly appearing in syndication in newspapers. ... The Phantom is an American comic strip created by Lee Falk (also creator of Mandrake the Magician), recounting the adventures of the titular costumed crime-fighter. ... Blackhawk #12 (Autumn, 1946), Quality Comics. ... Congo Bill was a long running DC Comics adventure comic strip, first published in More Fun Comics #56 (June, 1940). ... The Brick Bradford movie, based upon the comics Brick Bradford was a science fiction comic that began in 1933 created by writer William Ritt (a journalist based from Cleveland, Ohio) and artist Clarence Gray that was originally distributed by Cetral Press Associations, a subsidiary of King Features. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still sometimes as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... Superman is a fictional character and one of the most famous and popular comic book superheroes of all time. ... This is the sports announcer. ... Hop Harrigan first appeared in All American Comics #1 created by Jon Blummer (Fighting Yank, Little Boy Blue) as one of the first aviation heroes in comic history (Hop appeared before Tailspin Tommy, Barney Baxter, Connie Kurridge and others). ... Who knows what evil lurks. ... Edgar Wallace pictured on a 1929 cover of Time The Mixer (1927), 1962 Arrow paperback edition. ... The Video Ranger and Captain Video in space suits at the controls of the X-9 Captain Video and His Video Rangers was an American science fiction television series. ...

Universal was the studio with the most available resources. It had the best writing, so they made the best use of their contracted actors. The start of some of their episodes has the exposition of the cliffhanger given in conversation, rather than appearing on placard stills. They were able to get the characters Green Hornet and Ace Drummond from radio, and Smilin' Jack, Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon from newspaper comics. The Green Hornet (above) and Kato (below). ... Ace Drummond was a comic strip drawn by Clayton Knight and written by Eddie Rickenbacker. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... This entry is for the science fiction character Buck Rogers. ... Flash Gordon is a science fiction comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond, first published on January 7, 1935. ...

Universal also signed on four of Warner Brothers' Dead End Kids to star in three serials. Although Bela Lugosi started working for Universal, his frustration at the greater celebrity of Boris Karloff made him act in several independent serials, but only one for Universal. The Dead End Kids were five young actors and one ex-plumbers assistant, from New York who appeared in Sidney Kingsleys play Dead End in 1935 on Broadway. ... Bela Lugosi as Dracula United States stamp. ... Boris Karloff (November 23, 1887 in East Dulwich, London, England – February 2, 1969) was an English actor best known for his roles in horror films. ...

Radio and television

With the advent of television and the decline of the moviegoing audience, production of serials ceased due to the decreasing audience (and revenues). But the serial lived on, moving instead to the small screen and the world of TV reruns.

The television serial format as we know it today actually originated in radio, in the form of daily 15-minute programs known as soap operas (so-called because many of these shows were sponsored by soap companies, such as Colgate-Palmolive and Procter & Gamble), and children's adventure shows. Soap operas were specifically engineered to appeal to women (clearly to entice them to buy more soap). They usually ran from Monday through Friday at exactly the same time every day. A show called The Smith Family which ran only one night a week on WENR in Chicago during the early 1930s was credited as the "great-granddaddy of the soap operas" by radio historian Francis Chase, Jr. One of the other shows that helped pioneer the daytime soap opera/serial was The Guiding Light, which debuted on NBC radio in 1937, and is still airing today on CBS Television (where Guiding Light has been since 1952). Some of the characters in soap operas have been portrayed as long-suffering (a common theme even in some of today's serials along with the social and economical issues of the day). Children's adventure serials were more like film serials, with continuing characters involved in exploits with episodes that often ended in a cliffhanger situation. 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... Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE: CL) is a multinational corporation in the business of the provision of products such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products such as toothpaste and toothbrushes. ... Procter & Gamble Co. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... It has been suggested that NBC, NBC Radio City Studios, NBC Studios be merged into this article or section. ... CBS (an abbreviation for Columbia Broadcasting System, its former legal name) is one of the largest television networks, and formerly one of the largest radio networks, in the United States. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Guiding Light and such other daytime serials such as As the World Turns (premiered in 1956), General Hospital (premiered in 1963), Days of Our Lives (premiered in 1965), One Life to Live (premiered in 1968), All My Children (premiered in 1970), and The Young and the Restless (premiered in 1973) were popular in the Golden and Silver Ages of television and still are today. As the World Turns (ATWT) is the second longest-running American television soap opera, airing each weekday on CBS. It debuted on Monday, April 2, 1956 at 1:30pm. ... General Hospital is the longest-running daytime soap opera on the American ABC television network, and is also the longest-running soap opera produced in Hollywood (having been taped at the Prospect Avenue ABC Television Center West since its inception). ... Days of our Lives is a long-running American soap opera. ... One Life to Live is an American soap opera which has been broadcast on the ABC television network since July 15, 1968. ... All My Children is an American soap opera that has been broadcast Monday through Friday on the ABC TV network since January 5, 1970. ... The Young And The Restless (commonly abbreviated to Y&R) is an American soap opera that takes place in Genoa City, Wisconsin (named after a vacation spot that series creators William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell visited annually). ...

Aside from the social issues, the style and presentation of these shows have changed. Whereas in the 1950s and 1960s the drama was underscored with traditional organ music, and in the 1970s and the 1980s a full orchestra provided the score, the daytime dramas of today use cutting-edged synth-driven music (in a way, music for soaps has come full-circle, from the keyboard to the keyboard).

The nighttime serials are a different story, though the concept is also nothing new. In the 1960s, ABC aired the first real breakthrough nighttime serial, Peyton Place, inspired by the novel and theatrical film of the same name. After its cancellation, the format went somewhat dormant until the mid-1970s when ABC themselves brought it back with, of all things, a comedy soap (aptly called Soap). Although the show was controversial for its time (with a homosexual character among its cast roster), it was (and still is today) a cult classic. Peyton Place was Americas first long-running nighttime soap opera. ... Comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humour with an intent to provoke laughter in general). ... Soap was a sitcom which ran on the ABC network from 1977 through 1981. ...

The era of "primetime soaps" (as they are often called) really began to reach its peak when CBS began to air Dallas (which propelled Larry Hagman to stardom) in 1978. It was with this show that defined the end-of-season cliffhanger (with its "Who Shot J.R.?" and "Bobby in the Shower?" storylines) that is still utilized in many oftoday's series (whether serials or not). CBS (an abbreviation for Columbia Broadcasting System, its former legal name) is one of the largest television networks, and formerly one of the largest radio networks, in the United States. ... The Southfork Ranch, home of the Ewing family The original cast of Dallas. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in which a movie, novel, or other work of fiction contains an abrupt ending, often leaving the main characters in a precarious or difficult situation. ...

In the 1980s, there werre other nighttime soaps as Dynasty (ABC's answer to Dallas), Knots Landing, The Yellow Rose, and Falcon Crest. There were some serial shows such as Hill Street Blues and St. Elsewhere that did not officially fit into this category, but were nonetheless ratings hits season after season. As the 1990s came to a close, the primetime soap as an official format slowly passed into the sunset, where it largely seems to remain as of the middle of the first decade of the 21st century in the U.S. Dynasty was an American primetime television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 12th, 1981 to May 10th, 1989. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Falcon Crest was an American primetime television soap opera about the feud between the Channings and the Giobertis, two separate rich wine families in West Central California, around San Francisco in a fictional town, Tuscany Valley. ... Hill Street Blues was a serial police drama that first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. ... St. ...

But the primetime serial constructure can still be seen today in such contemporary U.S. shows as E.R., The West Wing, 24, Alias, Lost and Veronica Mars. The term "serial" has become outdated, however, and viewers now speak in terms of these shows making use of "story arcs." In addition, it has been noted that the use of cliffhangers is still prevalent in adventure shows, its just that they are now typically used just before a commercial break and the viewer need only wait a few minutes to see its resolution. In addition, 24 and Alias, as well as other series such as Star Trek: Enterprise have also extensively made use of the traditional end-of-episode cliffhanger format. This often applies to their season finales which often end in a cliffhanger that would only be resolved in the next season's premiere. Current cast of ER ER is a popular NBC serial drama primarily set in a teaching hospitals emergency room, the fictional County General Hospital (based loosely off Cook County General, a real hospital) on Division Street in Chicago, Illinois. ... The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast from 1999 to 2006. ... 24 (twenty four) is a current U.S. television action/drama series, produced by the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide. ... Alias was an American Spy-fi television series created by J. J. Abrams that aired on ABC from September 30, 2001 to May 22, 2006. ... Lost is an American serial drama television series that follows the lives of a group of plane crash survivors (and their pasts via flashbacks) on an extremely mysterious tropical island, somewhere in the South Pacific. ... Veronica Mars is a critically acclaimed American teen drama/mystery-neo-noir series which premiered on UPN on September 22, 2004, airing its first two seasons on the network before changing to The CW Television Network on October 3, 2006. ... The starship Enterprise (NX-01) Star Trek: Enterprise is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. ... A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program. ...

In British television, the term 'serial' is usually used to cover what American audiences would more commonly call a 'miniseries'. Many British television serials tend to be high-profile dramas, either costume drama such as Pride and Prejudice (BBC One, 1995) or contemporary social drama such as Our Friends in the North (BBC Two, 1996). In addition, Doctor Who's stories have a limited serial format with the typical episode running around four parts, though some stories like "The Dalek Master Plan" ran as long as twelve. However, the revived series has abandoned the format for standard self-contained episodes with some two-parters along with an overall plot arc. British television broadcasting has a range of different broadcasters, broadcasting multiple channels over a variety of distribution media. ... A miniseries (sometimes mini-series), in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... A costume drama is a period piece in which elaborate costumes, sets and properties are featured in order to capture the ambience of a particular era. ... Pride and Prejudice is a 1995 British television drama serial, adapted from Jane Austens novel of the same name, originally published in 1813. ... BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the primary channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The opening titles sequence of Our Friends in the North. ... BBC Two (or BBC2 as it was formerly styled) was the second UK television station to be aired by the BBC and Europes first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour (from 1967), envisaged as a home for less mainstream and more ambitious programming. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... This article is becoming very long. ... In episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books and comic strips a story arc is an extended or continuing storyline. ...

Serial films

Buford and the Galloping Ghost was a 1978 Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, spun off from Yogis Space Race. ... DArtagnan and the Musketeers The Three Musketeers (Les Trois Mousquetaires) is a novel by Alexandre Dumas, père. ... Categories: Stub | Fictional characters ... The New Adventures of Tarzan is a 1935 American film serial in 12 episodes. ... The Phantom Empire starring Gene Autry, the Singing Cowboy, was a 12 chapter 1935 Mascot serial that combined western, musical, and science fiction genres. ... Flash Gordon is a science fiction comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond, first published on January 7, 1935. ... Title Screen of Undersea Kingdom (1936) Undersea Kingdom was film serial released in 1936 by Republic Pictures and starred Ray Crash Corrigan. ... Dick Tracy (1937) is a 15-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Ralph Byrd based on the Dick Tracy comic strip by Chester Gould. ... Zorro Rides Again (1937) is a 12-chapter Republic Movie serial. ... Secret Agent Corrigan a. ... Tim Tylers Luck was an adventure comic strip created by Lyman Young, older brother of Blondie creator Chic Young. ... Flash Gordons Trip to Mars is a 1938 film serial of 15 episodes, based on the comic strip Flash Gordon. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The Fighting Devil Dogs (1938) is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Lee Powell and Herman Brix. ... Mandrake the Magician is a U.S. comic strip created in 1934 by Lee Falk (also creator of The Phantom) and mainly appearing in syndication in newspapers. ... Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939) is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Charles Quigley and Charles Middleton. ... The Phantom Creeps was a 1939 serial, starring Bela Lugosi, about a mad scientists who created various elaborate inventions with the intention of ruling the world. ... Zorros Fighting Legion was 1939 Republic Pictures serial consisting of 12 chapters. ... The Green Hornet (above) and Kato (below). ... Drums of Fu Manchu (1940) is a 15-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Henry Brandon and Robert Kellard. ... The Adventures of Red Ryder (1940) is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Don Red Barry. ... King of the Royal Mounted is a fictional character created by Stephen Slesinger in 1936. ... Mysterious Doctor Satan is a 1940 film serial named after its chief villain. ... Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe is a 1940 twelve episode serial film about Flash Gordon. ... Who knows what evil lurks. ... Terry and the Pirates is the title of: a comic strip created by Milton Caniff; see: Terry and the Pirates (comic strip) a radio serial, based on the comic strip; see: Terry and the Pirates (radio serial) a television series, also based on the comic strip; see: Terry and the... Deadwood Dick was a character who from the pages of an 1800s Dime novel. ... The Adventures of Captain Marvel is an acclaimed film serial directed by John English and William Witney for Republic Pictures in 1941. ... Jungle Girl (1941) is a 15-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Frances Gifford. ... Current Coat of Arms of Poland Flag of Poland with Coat of Arms The Coat of Arms of Poland consists of a White Eagle on a red shield. ... 1941 Big Little Book Captain Midnight was a U.S. radio serial broadcast from 1938 to 1949. ... The Secret Code is an episode of NBC sitcom Seinfeld. ... Spy Smasher (real name Alan Armstrong) is a DC Comics superhero, formerly owned by Fawcett Comics. ... The Masked Marvel The Masked Marvel The Masked Marvel (1943) was a 12 chapter serial from Republic, who produced the best known of the serials. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... There were two Batman serials released in the 1940s, starring the DC Comics characters Batman and Robin. ... The Phantom is an American comic strip created by Lee Falk (also creator of Mandrake the Magician), recounting the adventures of the titular costumed crime-fighter. ... The Tiger Woman (1944) is a 12-Chapter Republic Movie Serial starring Allan Lane and Linda Stirling. ... Captain America, the alter ego of Steve Rogers (in some accounts Steven Rogers), is a fictional superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... Zorros Black Whip was a 1944 film serial starring Linda Stirling. ... Black Arrow was a British satellite launch vehicle based on the Black Knight rocket. ... The Crimson Ghost was a television serial (1946) about a hooded villains plot to steal a death ray device known as the cyclotrode. ... Hop Harrigan first appeared in All American Comics #1 created by Jon Blummer (Fighting Yank, Little Boy Blue) as one of the first aviation heroes in comic history (Hop appeared before Tailspin Tommy, Barney Baxter, Connie Kurridge and others). ... This is the sports announcer. ... The Sea Hound was a popular radio show that ran on the Blue Network from 1942 to 1944, Mutual from 1946 -47, and ABC in 1948. ... The Brick Bradford movie, based upon the comics Brick Bradford was a science fiction comic that began in 1933 created by writer William Ritt (a journalist based from Cleveland, Ohio) and artist Clarence Gray that was originally distributed by Cetral Press Associations, a subsidiary of King Features. ... Superman is a fictional character and one of the most famous and popular comic book superheroes of all time. ... Congo Bill was a long running DC Comics adventure comic strip, first published in More Fun Comics #56 (June, 1940). ... There were two Batman serials released in the 1940s, starring the DC Comics characters Batman and Robin. ... Atom Man vs. ... Radar Men from the Moon (Republic Studios, 1952) was the first Commando Cody serial, in 12 chapters, starring newcomer George Wallace (1917-2005) as Cody and Aline Towne as his sidekick Joan Gilbert, with serial veteran Roy Barcroft as the evil Retik, the Ruler of the Moon. ... Zombies of the Stratosphere (Republic Studios, 1952) was intended as the second serial featuring new hero Commando Cody and the third 12-chapter serial featuring the rocket-powered flying suit introduced in King of the Rocketmen (1949). ...

References

1. ^ Reitz, Joan M. (2004). Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science. Retrieved 15 March 2006
2. ^ Hancock, Hugh (November 23, 2004). Editorial - Serialise This!. Machinima.com. Retrieved 15 March 2006.
3. ^ Rooster Teeth Productions (2004). Audio commentary. In Red vs. Blue Season Two [DVD]. Buda, Texas: Rooster Teeth Productions.

March 15 is the 74th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (75th in Leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 15 is the 74th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (75th in Leap years). ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• The Serial Experience
• Serial Squadron
• Silent Era

See also

• Pulp magazine
• Webserial
• List of Film Serials