Editorials
Why We Should All Want More (And Better) Episodic Television Shows
I started watching Cowboy Bebop in the last few months. I’m not yet through the series, and I’ve enjoyed it so far, but something that has caught my attention since I began watching it has been the conversations I’ve had surrounding it.
“I started Cowboy Bebop last night.”
“Oh, nice! I like that show. It doesn’t really have an overarching story but it’s still pretty good.”
“I can’t hang today, I’m watching Cowboy Bebop right now.”
“Oh, I watched that but it’s pretty episodic.”
Why does the quality of this show seem to come with a disclaimer that it’s episodic?
Cowboy Bebop/Sunrise Inc
Serialization has taken over television in the past two decades and is fairly synonymous with the rise of the Golden Age of TV. With this rise in serialization, episodic television started to crumble; specifically the dissolution of how episodic television is perceived.
The word “episodic,” in many cases, is currently seen as an automatic con. The word “procedural” makes some TV fans run away in disgust, rushing to their favorite show to cleanse their minds with some sweet serialization. What is it about serialization that is so great? And what about episodic that is so wrong?
Episodic television provides singular stories within each episode that often don’t connect to each other in any significant way. Whether that’s solving a new mystery each week or getting into a new crazy situation with the gang, each episode stands alone. Due to their bite-sized nature and adherence to a status quo, major plot lines don’t move forward very quickly, if there are even any at all. Common complaints towards episodic television are its repetitiveness and lack of build to any major climax – two issues that serialization can solve quite nicely.
Serialization provides an opportunity for consistent character development, multiple intriguing plots, and major changes in the status quo – all ingredients to create an engrossing story from start to finish. It’s easier to get sucked into the story because each episode plays as a chapter within a larger plot, begging you to hit play on the next episode to find out what happens next. Cliff hangers and plot twists galore! Now THAT’s entertainment. They also provide something that episodic television shows don’t get to benefit from – a crutch.
Serialized television means that the story doesn’t end at the conclusion of an episode. This promise of a continued story lures viewers into watching the next episode based on what might happen, instead of being solely dependent on the quality of previous episodes. Serialized shows can lean on this crutch to help carry their stories and audiences with them throughout the series. You have to watch them all because each episode matters by its relation to what’s come before and what will happen next.
Episodic television doesn’t have this crutch. Instead, they have to go through the difficult process of making each episode matter on its own terms. Creating meaning for singular episodes is not easy, but when done correctly episodic television shows can provide a wider (and in some ways deeper) exploration of character and themes.
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To highlight the power of episodic television, let’s once again turn to my favorite beautiful mess of a series: Lost. Viewers got hooked on Lost due to its intriguing characters and tantalizing mysteries, and many fans stuck with the series until the end just to see how it all ended, despite falling out of love with the show long before. Each season ended with a massive cliffhanger that kept viewers checking their calendars for the return of the show, and even today encourages binge-watching with its serialized “find out what happens next” format.
And yet the series’ most acclaimed episode, “The Constant,” is one of the most stand-alone episodes of the series. It uses characters and plot threads from previously established episodes, sure, but the story of a man hopping back and forth through time and reconnecting with his long lost love is very self-contained. The logistics of the plot-line are all explained and concluded within the episode, and the love story is told in a way that first-time viewers can immediately identify with. The contained story also helps keep this potentially convoluted time-hopping plot clean and centered, forcing the story to be as lean as possible and not giving it a chance to overstay its welcome.
Lost/ABC
When episodic television is taken full advantage of, wild and risky story-telling techniques can be attempted without threatening to derail the series. As episode counts for seasons get shorter, I fear that these riskier episodes will be tossed aside in favor of consistent storytelling for a long-form narrative. An episode like Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s brilliant “Hush” doesn’t seem as likely to be green-lit if that means 10% of the season is going to be dialogue-less. Episodes like Breaking Bad’s “Fly” will become less and less acceptable the further we get from episodic storytelling, and you don’t have to go much further than the split reaction to that episode to understand why.
“Fly” is the most unique episode of Breaking Bad for many reasons. Its plot-line is razor-thin, its cinematography is much more experimental, and it doesn’t move the main plot along at all. But this experiment allows us an in-depth look at Walt’s mental state and the thematic resonance the fly represents to his world. The changes to the usual structure of Breaking Bad proved to be too much of a departure for many fans, though. This wasn’t the Breaking Bad they had signed up for.
This is ironic because, as I stated before, one of the biggest criticisms of episodic television is its repetitive nature and adherence to a status quo. Tune in, solve a mystery with your favorite characters, and see you next week, folks! It’s almost like comfort food (which in some circles is somehow seen as a bad thing).
I’d argue that serialized formatting encourages the “comfort food” idea even more, despite its ability to change its characters and status quos, because serialization requires consistency – consistency in writing, direction, character choices, musical score, etc. The world and characters may change each episode, but the structure normally does not.
Episodic television doesn’t have this limit. It allows for structural changes. Characters can be explored not just through varying situations, but through varying storytelling techniques. You can look at an apple with the naked eye, but you’ll see it differently under the lens of a microscope, or through a window, or in a mirror. This is what episodic television can provide when taken advantage of – completely different approaches to the story and characters, or perhaps even completely different characters!
Yet today the format is ignored by many outside of comedies. For some reason, singular episodes are just fine for providing us laughs, but not for drama. Perhaps this is a result of too many episodic shows resting on their laurels and just repeating what works, or maybe it’s the result of some of the greatest dramas ever created pushing serialization to its finest peaks.
Columbo/NBC Universal
However, I hope the conversation around episodic television changes, and instead of dismissing the format audiences instead begin pushing for series that actually take full advantage of what an episode structure can provide in terms of storytelling. Some of the most inspirational series ever created were episodic (The Twilight Zone, Columbo, The X-Files), and I hope the format lives on, both on its own and within serialized stories, and receives the respect it deserves.
What do you all think of episodic television versus serialized? Am I totally out of touch and all of your friends love episodic TV and hate serialization? Let us know in the comments below!
(As I was editing this article, I came about this quote from an interview on IO9 about Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop remake: “Another reason for making tweaks to Bebop’s story is that the team behind the show wanted to broaden out Spike’s story into a longer narrative in and of itself…”
So it seems as though even the episodic show that inspired this article will be remade to be more serialized. Take that as you will!)
Berlin is the Money Heist spinoff we never knew we needed… but we’re so glad it’s almost here.
Since Berlin (Pedro González Alonso) was hands-down the most captivating (and problematic) character in the Spanish heist drama, fans always wanted to get to know more of him, especially after he sacrificed himself in the season 1 finale for his team, largely due to his terminal illness, redeeming himself in the process.
Quickly rising the ranks as a fan-favorite, the writers kept Berlin’s spirit alive in the following seasons via flashbacks, noting that he always had a hand in the planning of the heists, even if he wasn’t around to see them through. And it became more and more clear that there was an unsatiable thirst from audiences to explore additional parts of the character’s origin story; thus, a prequel to Money Heist focusing solely on Berlin’s prior escapades only made sense.
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As seen in the later season of Money Heist, or La Casa de Papel, Berlin garnered even more intrigue when his son, Rafael (Patrick Criado) joined the heist. The former Electronics Engineer from MIT is Berlin’s prodigal son, whose only request was not to end up a thief like his father, also drew attention after entering a relationship with his father’s wife, Tatiana. It’s a lot to unpack, clearly, but it’s also proof that there was nothing boring or mediocre about Berlin’s life in the slightest, at any point.
So, again, it warrants a spinoff that digs even deeper into this complex, charismatic, and morally questionable character we’ve all come to love.
When he joined the Professor’s group in the series, he was already one of the most seasoned robbers of the bunch, having a plethora of experience mapping out and executing heists of ranging scales.
With Berlin: Money Heist, we’re not only going to get to see one of those previous heists in action, but we’re also going to get a sense of the man he was before attempting the biggest heist in history, which made him the beloved criminal we’ve come to know.
Capitalizing on the love already established for the series—one of Netflix’s most popular shows of all time—the prequel finds Berlin, in all his glory as Andrés de Fonollosa, the mastermind behind a heist targeting the biggest auction house in Paris to steal €44 million.
The series trails the planning of a new heist as he recruits his crew: “Michelle Jenner (Isabel) plays Keila, an eminence in electronic engineering; Tristán Ulloa (Fariña) goes into the skin of Damián, a philanthropic professor and Berlin’s confidant; Begoña Vargas (Welcome to Eden) plays Cameron, a kamikaze who always lives on the edge; Julio Peña Fernández (Through My Window) brings to life Roi, Berlin’s faithful squire; and Joel Sánchez plays Bruce, the relentless man of action in the gang.”
While it’s mostly an all-new cast, we’ll see a few familiar faces with Alicia Sierra (Najwa Nimri) and Raquel Murillo (Itziar Ituno) appearing at some point, though it’s unclear what their connection is to the storyline. Is it possible that their paths have always crossed and Berlin was always on their radar way prior to the action at the Royal Mint?
We may not be getting the version of Berlin from the original series, but don’t fret, as the teaser trailer evidenced, he’s still as ruthless, dapper, and flirtatious as ever, meaning that they really did this character–and prequel—justice. The fact that it hails from the original showrunner, Alex Pina, is also a sign that it won’t let the fandom down.
“It’s a trip through the golden age of the character, when he robbed around Europe crazy in love,” Pina previously told TUDUM, adding, “That’s the most surprising, the comedy. You’re going to make people laugh a lot.”
Berlin in his prime, in love, and flexing his comedic bone? As the beloved criminal says in the trailer, “it’s all the things worth living for.”
The full synopsis for the series reads:
“There are only two things that are sure to turn a bad day into a great one: love, and a payday worth millions. They’re what keep Berlin going through his golden years, a time when he still has no inkling of his illness and hasn’t gotten trapped like a rat in the Spanish Mint. This is where he starts preparing one of his most extraordinary heists: making jewels worth 44 million disappear like some sort of magic trick. To do it, he’ll enlist the help of one of the three gangs he’s ever stolen with.”
Watch the Berlin trailer below:
Berlin arrives a few days prior to New Year’s Eve on Dec. 29, 2023, which means you’ll have plenty of time to binge watch while counting down to 2024.
To prepare, you can stream Money Heist on Netflix and read our coverage here.
It’s been a month since The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 2 wrapped up, and naturally, I’ve been replaying all of the best moments (read: the ones that give you butterflies) between Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah, to fill the void.
TSITP hinges on a love triangle between the two brothers and their longtime family-friendly, and when romance is the main focus of a young adult drama, well, you can anticipate that the series will have its fair share of hot and steamy makeout moments, along with plenty of heartbreak… more on that here.
With two seasons currently available to binge-watch on Prime Video—and we patiently await the third season—we’re breaking down all the steamiest moments on the show thus far.
Conrad and Belly Visit the Cousins House in the Winter
The moment when Conrad and Belly let their love totally consume them takes the top spot simply because of how intimately romantic and pure it is. Conrad showed so much care for Belly, making sure that she felt safe and ready. Nothing mattered except for the love and passion they felt for each other in that very moment; the world could melt away as they spent the evening together, cuddled up warmly by the fire. It’s one of the most pivotal Conrad and Belly scenes because it’s followed by so much anger and heartbreak as their relationship takes a nosedive and ends with an explosive argument at Conrad’s mother’s funeral.
Belly and Jeremiah Decide to Be Together
Okay, this kiss, was undeniably hot because it came from such a place of happiness and fullfillment. Belly knew what she wanted, and she went after it. They’d been skirting around their feelings for much of season 2, but there was nothing standing in their way anymore, so they both finally embraced their lust and completely gave themselves over to it. The little tug on his sweater indicated how crazy Belly was about him and how badly she wanted him, making everyone’s heart skip a beat while watching at home. The scene was delivered and executed perfectly by the duo (they understood the assignment)—but the Beyonce soundtrack simply elevated it into one of the most monumental romantic moments on television. It was a dream kiss, so even if you’re not Team Jeremiah, you couldn’t help but be completely enamored by this scene.
@mariannabdeoliveira I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS THE END #thesummeriturnedprettyedit #tsitp #tsitpseason2 #bellyconklin #fyp #foryou #trending#conradfisher#jeremiahfisher#tsitpshow
Belly and Conrad’s First Kiss on the Beach
There are so many romantic parts to this scene—the apology, Conrad’s honesty about needing and wanting Belly, and Taylor Swift’s “This Love (Taylor’s Version),” all culminating in the moment she’s dreamt of forever—the first kiss during a sunrise on the beach. After putting Belly through such an emotional rollercoaster through the whole season, Conrad made up for it with an absolutely perfect moment.
Belly and Jeremiah’s Makeout
With Conrad, it’s romantic and sensual, but with Jeremiah, it’s passionate, hot and charged. It’s almost as if Belly and Jeremiah cannot wait to get their hands on each other—and in this case, Jeremiah was waiting. He was waiting for his time with Belly to come, and when it did, he bared his soul to her about his feelings before they embraced in a hot and heavy pool makeout session that’s on every girl’s summer bucket list.
Belly and Jeremiah’s First Kiss in the Car
After Belly’s skinny dipping incident, Jeremiah and Conrad come to the rescue, but she makes it a point to go back home with Jere so she can apologize for ditching him during the volleyball tournament and to thank him for picking her up. In place of their usual playful vibe, there’s an intense chemistry that builds up to their first kiss. Sparks fly in a moment that feels both safe and right, because it’s Jeremiah, but also extremely hot and dangerous, because it’s Jeremiah. Jere checks in on her, proving that he values her and cares for her, while Belly boldly makes the first move, placing his hand on her chest, as her heart pounds in a way that indicates a strong and indescribable connection & attraction—it’s a sign that their romance-to-be was inevitable in season 2.
Belly and Jeremiah on Conrad’s Car
Listen, this scene did a lot of damage to both fandoms, in good and bad ways. They couldn’t hold off on those feelings anymore, simply embracing each other in the heat of the moment, but man, it was poor timing. Conrad walked in on them locking lips on his car, at his college, while he was taking a test. It wasn’t ideal, but it had to happen so that Belly and Conrad could put their relationship behind them (for now) and Jeremiah could finally, officially get his moment. Also, it continues on the “hot and heavy” trend for these two, and despite being Team Conrad, I can’t argue that I see the appeal of Jelly because of their raw and real chemistry and longing for one another.
Steven and Taylor Car Hood Makeout
When you’re young and in love, you make out on and in cars a lot, as evidenced by TSITP. Shortly after Belly and Conrad’s controversial car makeout, Steven and Taylor declared their love for each other in a cute lip-locking moment that came on the heels of a very vulnerable one; Taylor pushing Steven away because, for the first time in her life, she actually cared as much as the person she was in a relationship with. Not only are they both forcing each other out of their comfort zones, but their relationship built up to this moment organically, and it’s so adorable that we can’t help but ship them.
The fall TV season is upon us, and with the ongoing strikes from the WGA and SAG-AFTRA putting many scripted shows on an indefinite hiatus, the schedule is leaning heavily on reality television and game shows.
Now, if you’re a fan of competition shows, this is music to your ears as it means that there will be plenty for you to watch throughout the fall and winter months.
We’re breaking down our favorite new and returning programs that have made it onto your 2023 fall TV lineup!
2023 Fall TV Schedule—Here are the 17 Shows That Need to Be on Your Radar
The Masked Singer – Sept. 10 on FOX
Season 10 of the reality singing competition already kicked off, unleashing its biggest name to date—spoiler alert—with Anonymouse unmasked as vocal powerhouse Demi Lovato. And there’s plenty more where that came from for the rest of the season, which includes the return of celeb panelists Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger, Robin Thicke, and Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg along with host Nick Cannon.
Name That Tune – Sept. 19 on FOX
The iconic music guessing game is back in full swing as it resumes season 3. Contestants must compete to correctly identify the songs that are being played by the orchestra or band, sometimes with only a few notes to work with.
Kitchen Nightmares – Sept. 28 on FOX
Gordon Ramsey is back in the 8th season of the series, as he steps foot into restaurants and locales in desperate need of some saving. Throughout the 10 episodes, he will renovate 10 restaurants throughout the New York and New Jersey area.
The Voice – Sept. 28 on NBC
The popular singing competition enters season 24 with a new, yet familiar face, as country icon Reba McEntire replaces Blake Shelton alongside coaches John Legend, Gwen Stefani and Niall Horan, in their 8th, 7th, and 2nd season, respectively. Carson Daly also returns as host.
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test – Sept. 28 on FOX
Season 2 is putting a new crop of celebrities to the test that’s unlike any other. It’s survival of the fittest as they attempt training exercises led by an elite team of ex-Special Forces operatives who are showing no mercy in the mountains of New Zealand. Celebrities taking on the task this year includeDez Bryant, Tyler Cameron, Savannah Chrisley, Blac Chyna, Brian Austin Green, Robert Horry, Erin Jackson, Bode Miller, Jack Osbourne, Tara Reid, Kelly Rizzo,Tom Sandoval, JoJo Siwa and Nick Viall.
Dancing with the Stars – Sept. 26 on ABC
Your favorite ballroom dancing competition is back with a handful of new celebrity contestants ready to hit the dance floor and show off their moves in hopes of winning the coveted Mirrorball Trophy. You can see the full list of contestants for season 32 here.
Celebrity Jeopardy – Sept. 27 on ABC
As Mayim Bialik takes a step back in solidarity with the union strikes, Ken Jennings taps in to host this season of the game show featuring celebrities putting their knowledge to the test.
CELEBRITY JEOPARDY! – Key Art. (ABC)
Survivor – Sept. 27 on CBS
Entering its 45th season, veteran host Jeff Probst brings 18 castaways to Fiji, as the new season introduces risky elements to the competition for those who will battle it out for $1 million and the title of Sole Survivor.
Celebrity Wheel of Fortune – Sept. 27 on ABC
Pat Sajak (in his final season) and Vanna White will host the starry primetime offshot of American’s beloved game show, which will include appearances from All That’s Kel Mitchell, NCIS Hawai’i’s Noah Mills, Ghosts Danielle Pinnock, Gabriel “Flurry” Iglesias, Wednesday’s Luis Guzman and ’80s pop star Debbie Gibson, amongst many more, for its 4th season.
CELEBRITY WHEEL OF FORTUNE – “London Hughes, Fortune Feimster and Bobby Berk” – Hosted by pop-culture legends Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” takes a star-studded spin on America’s Game® by welcoming celebrities to spin the world’s most famous Wheel and solve puzzles for a chance to win more than $1 million. All the money won by the celebrity contestants will go to a charity of their choice, SUNDAY, DEC. 11 (9:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. (ABC/Christopher Willard)
BOBBY BERK, FORTUNE FEIMSTER, VANNA WHITE, PAT SAJAK, LONDON HUGHES
The Amazing Race – Sept 27. on CBS
Phil Keoghan hosts a supersized 35th season of the long-running reality-adventure series that finds 13 teams trekking the globe in hopes of landing the major $1 million prize, with the journey kicking off at the Hollywood sign and spanning a total of 23,800 miles, including the country of Slovenia for the first time. As usual, the teams that fall the furthest behind will get eliminated, while the group that makes it to their destination first will take the W.
$100,000 Pyramid – Sept. 27 on ABC
Michael Strahan jumps in as host for the 7th season of the word-association game show that finds a contestant pairing with a celebrity partner to solve the phrase before time runs out.
THE $100,000 PYRAMID – Key Art. (ABC)
Golden Bachelor – Sept. 28 on ABC
Bachelor in Paradise – Sept. 28 on ABC
Favorites—and least favorites—from the Bachelor franchise get together in paradise for another shot at love in the 9th season. Jesse Palmer hosts as Wells Adams returns to the bar. Brayden Bowers, Brooklyn Willie, Jess Girod and Kylee Russell, Blake Moynes, Rachel Recchia, and more will hit the beach.
House of Villains – Oct. 12 on E!
The tagline iconicly states: “What if you put 10 of reality television’s most iconic and infamous supervillains together under one roof?” The series, hosted by Joel McHale, aims to do just that as it brings together 10 contestants considered villains like Jax Taylor, Omarosa, and Tiffany Pollard into direct competition for a cash prize and the title of America’s Ultimate Supervillain.
FBoy Island – Oct. 16 on The CW
After Max canceled the season after just 2 seasons, it’s getting a new life on The CW. It’s described as an “innovative and modern twist on the reality dating genre,” and finds three women in paradise joined by 26 men, with half who consider themselves “nice guys” looking for love and half as “Fboys” who just want some money. Can the romantic leads figure out whose who? The series is hosted by Nikki Glaser.
Weakest Link – Nov. 16 on NBC
You are the weakest link… goodbye. In its 12th season total, and third on NBC, the series hosted by Glee’s Jane Lynch finds 8 contestants who are strangers working together to bank the most amount of money in each round. They take turns answering general knowledge questions to build chains of correct answers, with incorrect ones breaking the chain and costing them. At the end, they vote to eliminate the contestant they deem is “the weakest” link.
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