Editing Episode

{{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 [[drama]]tic work or [[documentary]] production, such as a [[serial (radio and television)|series]] intended for [[radio]], [[television]] or [[Streaming media|streaming]] consumption.

==Etymology== 
The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Greek term ''epeisodion'' ({{Langx|grc|ἐπεισόδιον}}).<ref>{{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}}</ref> It is abbreviated as ''[[wikt:ep|ep]]'' (''plural'' eps).

==Taxonomy==
An episode is also a narrative unit within a ''continuous'' larger [[drama]]tic work. It is frequently used to describe units of television or radio [[serial (radio and television)|series]] that are broadcast separately in order to form one longer series.<ref>{{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]]}}</ref> An episode is to a sequence as a [[Chapter (books)|chapter]] is to a [[book]]. Modern series episodes typically last 20 to 50 minutes in length.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Narrative sub-units{{anchor|Segment (radio and television)}}==<!-- "Segment" tv|radio|television Episode serial|season|series  -->
Narrative sub-units of episodes are called segments, bounded by [[interstitial television show|interstitials]], such as commercials ([[Radio advertisement]]s and [[Television advertisement]]s), continuity announcements, or other segments not direct continuations of the prior segment.<ref name="teleprompter/make-tv">{{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}}</ref><ref name="wvu/Citation/Video">{{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}}</ref><ref name="laist/airtalk">{{cite web |title=AirTalk |url=https://laist.com/shows/airtalk |website=[[LAist]] |access-date=18 April 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="pbs/show">{{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}}</ref><ref name="gallupsun/15957">{{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]]}}</ref><ref name="dailylocal/show-segment">{{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}}</ref><ref name="cbs/shows/video/vMdyYu">{{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}}</ref><ref name="npr/science-friday/podcast/episodes">{{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}}</ref><ref name="smith.edu/dyketv">{{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 ...}}</ref><ref name="KMAN/The-Game-4-17-25">{{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;}}</ref>

[[Carpool Karaoke]] is a television show segment that is now a [[Spinoff (media)|spin-off]] television series.<ref name="tvseriesfinale/carpool-karaoke-">{{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.}}</ref>

''Stacking a show'' is a phrase newscast broadcasters use to describe putting segments together for a newscast episode.<ref name="nyfa/stack-a-news-show">{{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}}</ref>

==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 ==
{{Wiktionary}}
* [[Serial (radio and television)]]
* [[List of most-watched television episodes]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Ancient Greek theatre]]
[[Category:Episodes| ]]
[[Category:Television terminology]]


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