Citing a television show in MLA format can feel surprisingly tricky, especially since the rules differ depending on whether you are citing an entire series, a single episode, or a specific performance. Practically speaking, this guide will walk you through the exact steps to cite a TV show in MLA style, complete with real-world examples, in-text citation formats, and answers to common questions. Unlike citing a book or a journal article, a TV show involves multiple contributors—writers, directors, actors, and creators—which often confuses students and researchers. Even so, mastering this skill is essential for producing credible academic work. By the end, you will be able to confidently cite any episode or series you reference in your research But it adds up..
The Core Elements of an MLA TV Show Citation
Before diving into specific examples, it is crucial to understand the fundamental building blocks of an MLA citation. According to the 9th edition of the MLA Handbook, a standard citation for a television episode includes the following elements, listed in this order:
- Author or Creator: The person primarily responsible for the content. This is usually the show's creator or the writer of a specific episode.
- Episode Title: The title of the specific episode, placed in quotation marks.
- Series Title: The title of the overall show, italicized.
- Season and Episode Number: Abbreviated as "season" and "episode" (e.g., season 2, episode 5).
- Director or Showrunner: The director of the episode or the executive producer, depending on what information is available.
- Publisher/Production Company: The company that produced the show.
- Broadcast Date: The original air date of the episode or the copyright date of the series.
- Streaming Service or Network: The platform where you accessed the show (e.g., Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, or a network like AMC).
- URL (if applicable): For streaming services, include the full URL.
Not every citation will include all these elements. You only include the information that is available and relevant to the source you are citing.
How to Cite an Entire TV Series in MLA
When you want to cite the entire show as a whole—for example, if you are discussing overarching themes or the series' narrative arc—you should cite the series as a single work. In this case, the citation begins with the creator's name Turns out it matters..
Format:
Last Name, First Name of Creator, creator. Series Title. Season number, Production Company, Year of original release Still holds up..
Example:
Simon, David, creator. The Wire. Season 1, Blown Deadline Productions, 2002 Worth keeping that in mind..
Example with a streaming service:
Simon, David, creator. The Wire. Season 1, Blown Deadline Productions, 2002. HBO Max, www.hbomax.com/series/urn-hbo:series:GVK7RjQ3ZtJvDwgIAAK. Accessed 15 Oct. 2023.
Notice that when citing the entire series, you do not include episode titles. You are treating the series as a single container, similar to citing a book.
How to Cite a Specific Episode in MLA
Citing a specific episode is the most common requirement for research papers, especially when you are analyzing a particular plot point, character development, or directorial choice. Here, the episode title takes precedence, and the series title becomes the container Easy to understand, harder to ignore..
Format:
Last Name, First Name of Writer, writer. "Episode Title." Series Title, season number, episode number, Production Company, Broadcast Date. Streaming Platform, URL It's one of those things that adds up..
Example (with a writer and director):
Moffat, Steven, writer. "The Day of the Doctor." Doctor Who, season 7, episode 13, BBC, 23 Nov. 2013. BBC iPlayer, www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b010mmj9/the-day-of-the-doctor.
Example (with a director instead of a writer):
Nutter, David, director. "The Mountain and the Hound." Game of Thrones, season 4, episode 8, written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, HBO, 1 June 2014. HBO Max, www.hbomax.com/series/urn-hbo:series:GVK7RjQ3ZtJvDwgIAAK.
Important Note: In MLA style, you should prioritize the role that is most relevant to your research. If you are discussing the writing, cite the writer. If you are discussing the direction, cite the director. If both are equally important, you can include both, as shown in the example above.
Citing a TV Show from a Streaming Service (Netflix, Hulu, etc.)
Streaming services have changed how we consume media, and they also have specific citation rules. The key difference is that you must include the streaming service as the publisher and the URL. Additionally, you should include an access date if the content is not stable or could be removed Less friction, more output..
Format for a Netflix Original:
Last Name, First Name, creator. Series Title. Netflix, Production Company, Year. Netflix, URL No workaround needed..
Example:
Milch, David, and Eric Roth, creators. Mindhunter. Denver and Delilah Productions, 2017. Netflix, www.netflix.com/title/80114855.
Format for a specific episode on Hulu:
Last Name, First Name, writer. "Episode Title." Series Title, season number, episode number, Production Company, Broadcast Date. Hulu, URL And it works..
Example:
Armstrong, Gillian, director. "Pilot." Big Little Lies, season 1, episode 1, written by David E. Kelley, HBO, 19 Feb. 2017. Hulu, www.hulu.com/watch/1234567.
In-Text Citations for TV Shows
In-text citations are just as important as the Works Cited entry. For MLA, you typically use the author's last name and a timestamp or time range to direct the reader to the specific moment you are referencing Simple, but easy to overlook. Surprisingly effective..
Format:
(Last Name of Creator or Writer hh:mm:ss)
Example:
(Moffat 00:23:45)
If you are citing a specific quote or scene, include the timestamp in hours, minutes, and seconds. If you are citing a broad concept from the entire episode, you can omit the timestamp Most people skip this — try not to..
Example of a broad citation:
(Simon)
