An episode is a part of a story within a larger show, movie, or documentary. These episodes are found in series that are broadcast on radio, television, or streamed online.

Etymology

The word "episode" comes from the Greek term "epeisodion" (Ancient Greek: ἐπεισόδιον). It is shortened to "ep," and the plural form is "eps."

Taxonomy

An episode is a part of a longer story or show. It is often used to describe individual parts of a TV or radio series that are broadcast separately to create a full series. An episode is like a chapter in a book. Today's TV and radio episodes usually last between 20 and 50 minutes.

Narrative sub-units

Narrative parts of episodes are called segments. These segments are separated by short breaks, such as commercials (radio or television advertisements), continuity announcements, or other sections that are not direct continuations of the previous segment.

Carpool Karaoke is a television show segment that has become a separate television series.

"Stacking a show" is a term used by newscast broadcasters to describe the process of arranging segments together to create a newscast episode.

Other contexts

The word "episode" can mean a specific part of something. For example, it can describe a part of life or a part of a dramatic story.