Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
#1
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Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
The main time I ever see an episode title is either here, or DVR, or when I get the episode online. But how many shows these days actually include it in the show itself? It's odd as well, because sometimes the title is (for comedies) a good joke about the content, or something like that.
#3
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
Heroes used to show them, from what I remember...
Last edited by windom; 03-11-11 at 04:41 PM.
#5
DVD Talk God
Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
"Damages" episode titles were normally part of a piece of dialogue in the show.
"CSI" had an episode title last season called "The Panty Sniffer" which got a few laughs here, but was actually about the freaks who like to smell panties.
"Hawaii Five O" episode titles are various Hawaiian words and most of the time the translation doesn't make any sense with what the episode is about.
"CSI" had an episode title last season called "The Panty Sniffer" which got a few laughs here, but was actually about the freaks who like to smell panties.
"Hawaii Five O" episode titles are various Hawaiian words and most of the time the translation doesn't make any sense with what the episode is about.
Last edited by DJariya; 03-11-11 at 04:47 PM.
#6
DVD Talk God
Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
I would say more than half the time an episode title has some significance to the storyline of the episode.
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#11
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Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
Showing episode titles is more common on science fiction series than other series. I think Farscape did, too.
All of the Star Trek series showed the episode titles, as did Babylon 5.
X-Files and Buffy/Angel didn't.
All of the Star Trek series showed the episode titles, as did Babylon 5.
X-Files and Buffy/Angel didn't.
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Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
Venture Bros shows them at the end from what I've seen.
I always thought Friends handled the whole "not seeing episode titles" thing in a pretty clever way.
I always thought Friends handled the whole "not seeing episode titles" thing in a pretty clever way.
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Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
Both The O.C. and Seinfeld titled every episode with "The", like "The Contest" or "The Model Home", but neither show ever revealed them on screen.
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Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
#21
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Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
I'm pretty sure Monk showed the episode titles. Also, Naked City from the early 60's.
#22
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
Tons of shows have on screen episode titles
Hawaii Five-0
Lost In Space
Voyage To Bottom of Sea
Batman
Green Hornet
Wild Wild West
Munsters (first season)
Bonanza
Virginian
Babylon 5
Lawman
Dick Van Dyke Show
Wagon Train
Rawhide
Cheyene
Maverick
Ironside
Mannix
Hawaii Five-0
Lost In Space
Voyage To Bottom of Sea
Batman
Green Hornet
Wild Wild West
Munsters (first season)
Bonanza
Virginian
Babylon 5
Lawman
Dick Van Dyke Show
Wagon Train
Rawhide
Cheyene
Maverick
Ironside
Mannix
#23
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Thread Starter
Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
What I'm saying is you don't really see much of them today, on current shows. They are listed by name on the DVD, stuff like that, but much of the time they are unlisted when the show airs.
Good usage of on The Wire though.
Good usage of on The Wire though.
#24
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Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
Hell, you're lucky if you see opening credits anymore. There are so many characters on television that I have no idea what their real name is. Granted, that's also because I'm DVRing.
#25
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Episode Titles: They exist...but when do we ever see them?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...Episode_titles
It's sometimes odd to think that shows could have episode titles that the audience is completely unaware of, especially before home video, but before home video there really wasn't a need for the audience to be aware of an episode title. People tuned in to watch the show, not a particular episode, and didn't have a way to save or review an episode unless it re-aired. If you discussed a show with someone, you either discussed the latest one that aired, or just used a vague description, i.e. "the one with....", to specify an episode.
I think episode titles were mainly a way for the writers and production crew to keep a handle on what episodes they were currently working on, and possibly just due to writers having a tendency to create titles. If they're clever, they were probably originally intended just to make the rest of the crew laugh.
Now that DVD home video and on-demand has made older episodes more immediately accessible, and the internet has allowed people to discuss episodes over a longer period of time, audiences are becoming more aware of these episode titles. But that doesn't mean they need to be shown in the episode itself.