Episode#Narrative sub-units
{{Short description|Part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio drama}}
{{Other uses}}
An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption.
==Etymology==
The noun episode is derived from the Greek term epeisodion ({{Langx|grc|ἐπεισόδιον}}).{{Cite web |title=Episode (defined) |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/episode |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817225508/https://www.etymonline.com/word/episode |archive-date=17 August 2018 |access-date=17 August 2018 |website=Online Etymology Dictionary}} It is abbreviated as ep (plural eps).
Taxonomy
An episode is also a narrative unit within a continuous larger dramatic work. It is frequently used to describe units of television or radio series that are broadcast separately in order to form one longer series.{{Cite web |title=Episode (definition and synonyms) |url=https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/episode |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308144032/https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/episode |archive-date=8 March 2021 |access-date=5 March 2020 |work=Macmillan Dictionary}} An episode is to a sequence as a chapter is to a book. Modern series episodes typically last 20 to 50 minutes in length.{{Cite book |last1=Walch |first1=Rob |url=https://archive.org/details/tricksofpodcasti00walc |title=Tricks of the Podcasting Masters |last2=Lafferty |first2=Mur |date=22 May 2006 |publisher=Que Publishing |page=78 |isbn=9780789735744 |quote=episode length 20–40 minutes |access-date=5 September 2019 |url-access=registration}}
==Narrative sub-units{{anchor|Segment (radio and television)}}==
Narrative sub-units of episodes are called segments, bounded by interstitials, such as commercials (Radio advertisements and Television advertisements), continuity announcements, or other segments not direct continuations of the prior segment.{{cite web |title=A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Make a TV Show |url=https://www.teleprompter.com/blog/a-step-by-step-guide-on-how-to-make-a-tv-show |website=Teleprompter |access-date=18 April 2025 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Fonseca |first1=Catherine |title=Chicago Citation Style Guide: TV & Video (Web) |url=https://libguides.wvu.edu/c.php?g=418946&p=2856549 |website=Research Guides |publisher=Libraries, West Virginia University |access-date=18 April 2025 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=AirTalk |url=https://laist.com/shows/airtalk |website=LAist |access-date=18 April 2025 |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Common Ground with Jane Whitney |url=https://www.pbs.org/show/common-ground-jane-whitney/ |website=pbs.org |access-date=18 April 2025 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=The Colt Balok show evolves; adds new segment ‘Game Changer’ |url=https://gallupsun.com/index.php?option=com_content&id=15957:the-colt-balok-show-evolves-adds-new-segment-game-changer |access-date=18 April 2025 |work=Gallup Sun |publisher=Gallup Sun Publishing |location=Gallup, New Mexico}}{{cite web |title=Hit TV show ‘Pawn Stars’ to air segment on West Chester visit |url=https://www.dailylocal.com/2022/10/27/hit-tv-show-pawn-stars-to-air-segment-on-west-chester-visit/ |website=Daily Local |publisher=MediaNews Group |access-date=18 April 2025 |date=27 October 2022}}{{cite web |title=Watch The Talk: Save the Day #11 Segment - Full show on CBS |url=https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/vMdyYuPtLR4yc5yokJe8Apr0dIVUB_Te/ |website=CBS .com |access-date=18 April 2025 |language=en |date=20 December 2024}}{{cite web |title=podcast episodes |url=https://www.npr.org/podcasts/583350334/science-friday |website=Science Friday |publisher=NPR |access-date=18 April 2025 |language=en |date=17 April 2025}}{{cite web |title=Video: Dyke TV 1993 |url=https://media.smith.edu/departments/ssc/dyketv/dyketv1993_playlist.html |website=Sophia Smith Collection |publisher=Smith College |access-date=18 April 2025 |quote=The half-hour weekly, nation-wide cable tv show featured a five-minute news segment covering issues relevant to lesbian lives from a lesbian perspective ...}}{{cite web |last1=Fortner |first1=Mitch |title=The Game - 4/17/25 |url=https://1350kman.com/2025/04/the-game-4-17-25/ |website=News Radio KMAN |access-date=18 April 2025 |language=en |date=17 April 2025 |quote=Full Show; Segment 1 – 2025 wing Ashton Magee decommits from K-State; Segment 2 – TE coach Luke Wells with media & TE touchdown over/under; Segment 3 – Lee Corso announces retirement; Segment 4 – Ask Us Anything;}}
Carpool Karaoke is a television show segment that is now a spin-off television series.{{cite web |last1=Pena |first1=Jessica |title=Carpool Karaoke: CBS Shopping Series Based on James Corden Segment |url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/carpool-karaoke-cbs-shopping-series-based-james-corden-segment/ |website=TV Series Finale |access-date=18 April 2025 |date=10 March 2016 |quote=Carpool Karaoke wouldn't be the first late show segment to nab its own spin-off series.}}
Stacking a show is a phrase newscast broadcasters use to describe putting segments together for a newscast episode.{{cite web |title=How To Stack A News Show |url=https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/how-to-stack-a-news-show/ |website=New York Film Academy |access-date=18 April 2025 |date=21 March 2016}}
Other contexts
The noun episode can also refer to a part of a subject, such as an "episode of life" or an "episode of drama".
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Category:Ancient Greek theatre
Category:Television terminology
{{Theat-stub}}
{{Tv-stub}}