Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Television

The above is only a summary of Wikipedia:Naming conventions (television) to cover most situations. For the most current guideline and expanded examples, refer to that page.

The structure of television articles, season/series articles, and episode articles should generally follow the suggested formatting outlined below. The basic order of these pages tends to follow: Lead, plot, cast lists, production, broadcast and home media, and reception, with any other miscellaneous sections coming afterward. If a section consisting of an article-spanning table (i.e. the "Episodes" section with {{Episode table}}) is being pushed down by the infobox creating a large amount of whitespace (example), then that section can be moved further down in the article. However, if said section contains plot or episode summaries, it should ideally be as high up the page as possible, since Wikipedia uses plot information as context for understanding the real world information to follow in the article. This is the same setup used on WikiProject Film articles, which have a similar structure as television articles.

Infobox

Below are the three main infoboxes to use across the project with the code to copy: {{Infobox television}} for parent articles; {{Infobox television season}} for season articles; and {{Infobox television episode}} for individual episode articles. For any questions or problems with these templates, please consult each template's documentation or start a discussion at the corresponding talk page(s). All parameters are not meant to be used on every article, as some are not relevant to many television articles.

If multiple entries are required for any individual field, for example for the starring parameter, {{Plainlist}} or {{Unbulleted list}} should be used, over <br />. Additionally, if any individual field becomes excessively long, again using the starring parameter as an example, it may be beneficial to link readers to a corresponding section of the article (in this case, the "Cast", "Characters", or "Cast and characters" section) instead. As well, flag icons should not be used for countries in the infobox.

{{Infobox television
| image                = 
| image_upright        = 
| image_size           = 
| image_alt            = 
| caption              = 
| alt_name             = 
| native_name          = <!-- {{Infobox name module|language|title}} or {{Infobox name module|title}} -->
| genre                = <!-- Must be reliably sourced -->
| creator              = 
| based_on             = <!-- {{Based on|title of the original work|creator of the original work|additional creator(s), if necessary}} -->
| inspired_by          = <!-- {{Based on|title of the original work|creator of the original work|additional creator(s), if necessary}} -->
| developer            = 
| writer               = 
| screenplay           = 
| story                = 
| director             = 
| creative_director    = 
| presenter            = <!-- Organized by broadcast credit order, with new main cast added to the end of the list -->
| starring             = <!-- Organized by broadcast credit order, with new main cast added to the end of the list -->
| judges               = <!-- Organized by broadcast credit order, with new main cast added to the end of the list -->
| voices               = <!-- Organized by broadcast credit order, with new main cast added to the end of the list -->
| narrated             = 
| theme_music_composer = 
| open_theme           = 
| end_theme            = 
| composer             = 
| country              = 
| language             = 
| num_seasons          = <!-- Or num_series. Increment when new seasons/series begin. See template documentation for more info. -->
| num_episodes         = <!-- Value is incremented when new episodes air. See template documentation for more info. -->
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = 
| producer             = 
| news_editor          = <!-- Content editor or editors of a current affairs/political show such as Newsnight. -->
| location             = <!-- Nation the series was primarily filmed in, if different from the nation of origin. -->
| cinematography       = 
| animator             = 
| editor               = <!-- Film editors -->
| camera               = <!-- Either Single-camera or Multi-camera -->
| runtime              = <!-- Reliable source required -->
| company              = <!-- Production companies only -->
| budget               = 
| network              = 
| picture_format       = 
| audio_format         = 
| first_aired          = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} or |released= {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}}, but not both -->
| last_aired           = <!-- {{End date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| related              = <!-- To be used only for remakes, spin-offs, and adaptations -->
}}

{{Infobox television season
| bg_colour            = <!-- Colours used must meet the contrast requirements of WP:COLOR. -->
| image                = 
| image_alt            = 
| caption              = 
| starring             = 
| country              = 
| num_episodes         = <!-- Value is incremented when new episodes air. See template documentation for more info. -->
| network              = 
| released             = <!-- {{Start date|yyyy|mm|dd|df=y}} - Only use this template once-->
| first_aired          = <!-- {{Start date|yyyy|mm|dd|df=y}} - Only use this template once -->
| last_aired           = <!-- {{End date|yyyy|mm|dd}} -->
| episode_list         = 
}}

{{Infobox television episode
| series         = <!-- without italics or formatting. -->
| image          = <!-- bare filename only. Wikilinking, "File:", and pixel size not required. -->
| image_size     = <!-- raw number. "px" not required. -->
| image_alt      = 
| caption        = 
| season         = 
| series_no      = 
| episode        = 
| director       = 
| writer         = 
| story          = 
| teleplay       = 
| based_on       = 
| narrator       = 
| presenter      = 
| producer       = 
| music          = 
| photographer   = 
| editor         = 
| production     = 
| airdate        = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
| length         = 
| guests         = 
| prev           = 
| next           = 
| season_article = 
| episode_list   = 
}}

Image

Depending on the article in question, a different image should be used in the infobox, based on Non-free content criteria:

• For a show's main article, an intertitle shot of the show (i.e., a screenshot capture of the show's title) or a promotional poster used to represent the show itself should be used. Failing that, a home media cover may be used. If a show has multiple intertitles throughout its run, the one most representative of the show should ideally be used; the intertitle does not need to be updated each time a new version is used.
• For season articles, a season-specific promotional poster or home media cover should be used, or possibly a season-specific title card if one exists.
• Individual episode articles are less likely to have an infobox image, but if a promotional poster or image exists then it may be used. Other options include an episode-specific title card or home media cover (if the episode received an individual release), or a screenshot of a significant moment or element from the episode. The latter may only be used if it meets the Non-free content criteria, i.e., (typically) if it is required to illustrate the object of explicit, sourced analytical commentary, and where that commentary is in need of a visual support to be understood.

Additional images in an article outside of the infobox must also comply with Non-free content criteria (again to illustrate the object of explicit, sourced analytical commentary, and where that commentary is in need of a visual support to be understood) and should always strive to use free images whenever possible. Free images can be used from Wikimedia Commons. (Examples of when not to include non-free content can be seen at WP:Non-free content § Images.)

After uploading a suitable image, which can be done with the

• On the file's description page, add a short description of the image (e.g., "This image is the current opening title for the series."), a source of where the image was found, the copyright holder (the network the series aired on or its production company), a
  image copyright tag
  .
• Fair use rationales templates include:
  • {{Non-free use rationale title-card}}, for title cards/intertitles
  • {{Non-free use rationale poster}} for posters
  • {{Non-free use rationale video cover}} for home media covers
  • {{Non-free media data}} and {{Non-free media rationale}} for screenshots
• Image copyright tags include:
  • {{Non-free title-card}} for title cards/intertitles
  • {{Non-free poster}} for posters
  • {{Non-free video cover}} for home media covers (Blu-ray, DVD, VHS, etc.)
  • {{Non-free television screenshot}} for other screenshots

Example images that meet the criteria

• Title card/intertitle – File:Cheers intro logo.jpg
• Season home media cover – File:The Big Bang Theory Season 5.jpg
• Season promotional poster - File:Agent Carter season 2 poster.jpg
• Episode promotional image – File:Doctor Who Nightmare In Silver title card.jpg
• Episode promotional poster – File:WandaVision "Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience" poster.jpg
• Screenshot – File:Legends of the Hidden Temple (assembling monkey).jpg, File:The Bus from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.png

Lead paragraphs

The lead paragraphs of an article should serve both as a quick introduction to the topic, and as a concise overview of the article itself, as per the

A series's nationality (country of origin) should be referenced by reliable sources, directly if possible, but otherwise by referencing the country or collaboration within which principal creative control was exercised. If singularly defined, it should be identified in the opening sentence. If the nationality is not singular or cannot be supported by appropriate citation, omit the information from the introductory sentence and cover the different national interests later, where these can reliably be referenced.

A good example of a first paragraph:

The Simpsons is an American

American culture, society

as a whole, and television itself.

The lead should also summarize the major points of the rest of the article: premise, basic production information (e.g. where the show is filmed), principal cast of the show, critical reception, influences, place in popular culture, major awards, and anything else that made the show unique. The appropriate length of the lead section depends on the total length of the article. The length of the lead should conform to readers' expectations of a short, but useful and complete, summary of the topic. (For appropriate-length guidelines, please see WP:Manual of Style/Lead section § Length.) A rule of thumb is to write at least one sentence on each section of the article, though this will depend on the article itself. Information summarized in the lead should always be given due weight, so if an article has twice as much information on writing the series as it does filming it, the lead should also emphasize the writing.

The lead should avoid peacock words and superlatives. The phrase "award-winning" should not be used since it provides insufficient context to the reader; major awards and accolades received by the television show may be mentioned in the lead using no more than a single sentence.

References to the show, and its characters and locations, should always be in the present tense, as the show will still exist even after it is no longer airing new episodes (e.g. "The Dick Van Dyke Show is a show that aired from 1961 to 1966."). In the case of some defunct non-fiction and live programs, most production and broadcast information should be referred to in past tense. However, the program's existence should still be in present tense (e.g. "The Afternoon Show is a British talk show which was broadcast by Channel 1 between 2008 and 2011. The programme was hosted by Susan Jones and John Smith and recorded in London...").

Plot section

Plot sections should summarize the core storyline(s), but not offer a scene-by-scene sequence of everything that happens, or attempt to evaluate, interpret or analyze it. Avoid minutiae like dialogue, scene-by-scene breakdowns, individual jokes, technical detail, as well as any information that belongs in other sections, such as actors' names. Overly detailed summaries are unencyclopedic and summaries copied verbatim from other sources can risk a breach of US copyright law. Furthermore, plot summaries may not be copied from elsewhere unless their license is compatible with Wikipedia use. Also note that Wikipedia's content disclaimer and guideline on spoilers is that all of an episode's important events should be outlined without censoring details considered spoilers, and without disclaimers or warnings.

Plot summaries, and other aspects of a program's content, such as its credits, may be sourced from the works themselves, as long as

For main series articles, plot summaries of no more than 200 words per episode should ideally be presented in a table using {{Episode table}} and {{Episode list}} (such as State of Affairs). If appropriate, these articles could instead include a prose plot summary of no more than 500 words per season (such as Scouted) instead of an episode table, but an article should not have both an episode table with summaries and a prose plot summary. If the plot summaries are moved to a separate list of episodes (such as with Outlander) or to individual season articles (such as with Monk), then the plot summary at the series article should be replaced with a simple overview or premise section that allocates around 100 words per season (such as a logline for each season in non-copyrighted language). This may lead to articles about long-running series having quite long premise sections; it is highly recommended that these be cut down, as this should be a brief overview that avoids redundancy with the more detailed plot summaries that have been split off. Individual season articles should use either episode tables with no more than 200 words per episode (such as Smallville (season 1)), or a prose summary of no more than 500 words, not both. Episode articles should have a prose plot summary of no more than 400 words.

For non-fiction series, such as talk shows, game shows, news programming, or reality shows, a "plot summary" may be interpreted as an outline of the show's format or gameplay rules; in such cases, the heading for this section may be changed to "Format" or "Gameplay" as appropriate. This will likely be enough for such shows as news programming or talk shows. However, some non-scripted reality series, for example, may require similar summaries as scripted series, in which case they should follow the guidelines noted in the paragraph above.

Cast and characters information

Generally, information about cast and characters should be presented in one of two ways:

• Cast list: In a section labeled "Cast" or "Cast and characters", indicate the name of the cast member and their noteworthy role(s), followed by a brief description of the character. Example: Fringe (TV series); see also Jonny Lee Miller example below
• Characters list: In a section labeled "Characters" or "List of characters", indicate noteworthy characters, including the name of their portrayer, followed by a brief description of the character. Example: Mutant X (TV series); see also Frasier Crane example below

In accordance with the

• Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes: a former Scotland Yard consultant
• Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer), a radio psychiatrist
• Michael Gaston as Mark Sampson (season 3; recurring season 1; guest season 2), a Jewish friend of Frank's living in San Francisco, who later relocates to the Neutral Zone

In some cases, such as unscripted programs with few cast members, or series where the cast frequently changes, it may be more appropriate to include cast information in prose form. It could be presented in an appropriately titled section (e.g. "Presenters") or as a subsection of the "Production" section (such as at

Remember to follow the notability guidelines when creating a cast list: not every fictional character ever created deserves to be listed and far fewer will deserve an individual article (the average TV series has no characters that need stand-alone articles). It may be appropriate to split the cast listing by "Main" and "Recurring" cast or characters. If the series is long-running, and has a large number of recurring guest stars, it may be better to create a separate list of characters articles (see below for style guidelines on "List of ..." pages).

The cast listing should be ordered according to the original broadcast credits, with new cast members being added to the end of the list.^{[n 1]} Articles should reflect the entire history of a series, and as such cast members remain on the list even after their departure from the series. Please keep in mind that though "main" cast members are determined by the series producers (not by popularity, screen time, or episode count) and generally have a set order in the credits, recurring and guest stars will not necessarily be credited in the same order in each episode in which they appear, so their place in the list should be based on the order of credits in the first episode that they appear. The cast listing should not contain an episode count, e.g. (6 episodes) or (episodes 1–6), to indicate the number of episodes in which the actor or character appeared. If an actor misses an episode due to a real-world occurrence, such as an injury that prevents them from appearing, this info can be noted in the character's description or "Production" section with a reliable source. New casting information for forthcoming characters should be added to the bottom of the list, with their position readjusted if necessary based on the method defined above.

A cast member or character appearing in more than one episode, or in two or more consecutive episodes, does not necessarily mean that character has a "recurring" role. An actor or character may simply have a guest role across several episodes, rather than a recurring story arc throughout the show. If reliable sources cannot adequately distinguish between recurring or guest roles, then local consensus should determine their status.

All names should be referred to as credited, or by common name supported by a reliable source. For unscripted shows where cast are referred to in a program by a stage name or first name only, that name should be used in episode descriptions, but their full proper name (where available) should be used in cast lists. In subsequent sections dealing with real-world information, their surname should be used.

Cast tables (such as the one found at The Killing (American TV series) § Cast) can be used as a visual representation of cast duration for multi-season programs but should not be used for programs with fewer than three seasons or where cast changes are minimal. Only cast members who have been part of the main cast for at least one season should be included. If a program has a separate article about casting, the table should only appear in that article or in the parent article but not both. A separate cast table for recurring cast can be included in articles listing characters and cast but should never be included in parent television series articles.

Try to avoid using the section as a repository for further "

Contestant progress tables

In articles about elimination-style reality television programs, by default progress of contestants should be presented in a table, but there are circumstances that may justify excluding a table, and such tables should comply with

Background and production

Whether for the main article, season, or episode article, this section could contain the following parts:

• Development: This section can cover the development of a series, season, or episode, such as what lead to its creation, production entities behind the project, as well as its format (such as with a game show or reality series).
• Casting: This section can cover the hiring of actors or personalities associated with the series or episode.
• Writing: This section can include notable writers and the development of any scripts.
• Production design: This section could highlight information about set design or special features that make up a set or scene, or other design elements such as costumes, makeup and practical effects, or title sequences.
• Filming: This section can cover aspects related to filming, such as locations, single-camera vs. multi-camera format, equipment used, and filming dates.
• Visual effects: This section could include individuals or companies related to the visual effects of a program, and how the effects were developed and incorporated in the show.
• Music: This section could include involved composers and how any scores or themes were developed and recorded. The template {{Infobox album}} can be used for the score or the collection, although cover images of the albums are discouraged. Given that album covers are generally visually similar to posters and other material for a series, season or episode, having cover images for the album is considered extraneous. If an album is notable enough for a stand-alone article (see notability guidelines for albums), one should be created, and an album infobox with a cover image can exist in the new article. Tracks from the score can be identified and discussed in prose, or used with the {{Track listing}} template.
• Cancellation and future: This section may address details that led to a program's cancellation or the status of any future plans for a program.

This section should be structured to fit the available content and the type of article being written. Not all television shows will have information on each of these elements. For example, if there is sufficient material about each topic, the section could be organized into subsections by the parts above, or it may be more beneficial to have some material combined (i.e. a "Development and writing" or "Filming and visual effects" section).

This section should not be an indiscriminate collection of information about the production, but provide context for what is included. For example, it should not simply list crew members, film locations, or dates of events (e.g. David Nutter was an associate producer) but instead be relevant in context (e.g. John and James Smith left their roles as executive producers in 2007 after a falling out with the studio, with Susan Doe taking over for the series' eighth season. Doe would leave after one year so that she could produce a new show for the network.)

Themes and analysis

Themes are unifying or dominant ideas and motifs in a television show's elements (such as plot, dialogue, photography, and sound) conveying a position or message about life, society, and human nature. Most themes are implied rather than explicitly stated, regardless of whether their presence is the conscious intent of the producer, writer, or director. Inclusion of a treatment of a shows's themes –

A section titled "Release" can be added if information exists for two or more of the following subsections. If only one of those below is able to be used, do not use any subsections under "Release" to avoid single subsections. It may be beneficial to forgo the inclusion of this section if the only information available results in a single sentence such as "[Series] aired on [Network] from [Date 1] to [Date 2].", as this information can be noted in a preceding section.

Broadcast

This subsection should cover broadcast and release information about the series or season. This can include: the original network or streaming service of release in the country of production (i.e. the British network for a British series such as Doctor Who, or the American and British networks for a co-production such as Sherlock); a change in network throughout the run, such as with Futurama; start and end dates; and discussion of technical data such as picture and audio format, when it is accompanied by critical commentary. Days or timeslots are not inherently notable, but if covering a series that switches these during its run, it may be helpful to note them for each season. Please note that if episodes are released all at once on a streaming service (e.g. Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, Amazon Prime), it may be more appropriate to title this section "Release" rather than "Broadcast". Any syndication deal can also be noted.

As

For a good character list example, see Characters of Kingdom Hearts, although it is not a television-related article: