Wondering whether to use italics or quotation marks for a TV show title? You’re not alone. Writers, students, and content creators often pause mid-sentence, unsure if Stranger Things should be slanted or placed in quotes. That's why the short answer depends on which style guide you follow, but most modern academic and publishing standards treat television series as standalone works, which means they generally receive italics. Understanding the difference between italics and quotation marks isn’t just about following arbitrary rules; it’s about presenting your writing with clarity, professionalism, and consistency. In this guide, we’ll break down when to italicize a TV show title, when quotation marks are appropriate, and how major style guides handle the debate.
Do You Italicize TV Show Titles? The Quick Answer
If you are writing for school, a blog, or a professional publication, the safest default is to italicize the title of a complete television series. Think of a TV show as a complete creative work, similar to a book, a movie, or an album. Because the series exists as a unified body of work, most style guides classify it alongside other long-form media Still holds up..
For example:
- Correct: I binge-watched The Crown over the weekend.
- Correct: Breaking Bad remains one of the most critically acclaimed dramas of the twenty-first century.
That said, if you are following Associated Press (AP) style—common in journalism and news writing—the rules shift. Worth adding: aP style generally places TV show titles in quotation marks rather than italics. This distinction is why you might see different formats across different websites and newspapers.
Italics vs. Quotation Marks: The General Rule
The broader principle behind this punctuation choice comes down to the size and scope of the work. Italics are typically reserved for longer, standalone works, while quotation marks are used for shorter works or parts of a larger collection That's the part that actually makes a difference..
Use italics for:
- Television series
- Films
- Books
- Albums
- Podcasts (as a series)
- Video games
Use quotation marks for:
- Individual TV episodes
- Short stories
- Poems
- Songs
- Articles
- Book chapters
Applying this logic, a full TV show is a “big” container, so it earns italics. An episode is a “small” piece inside that container, so it goes in quotation marks.
What the Major Style Guides Say
Not every style manual agrees, which is where much of the confusion originates. Below is how the most influential guides handle TV show titles.
MLA Style
The Modern Language Association (MLA) style, widely used in humanities and liberal arts courses, instructs writers to italicize the titles of television series. MLA treats a TV show as a self-contained work, much like a novel or a feature film It's one of those things that adds up..
Example: The Wire explores institutional failure in urban America.
APA Style
The American Psychological Association (APA) style, common in social sciences, also recommends italics for television series titles. APA emphasizes consistency in formatting references and in-text citations, so once you choose italics for a show, you should maintain that format throughout your paper No workaround needed..
Some disagree here. Fair enough.
Example: In The Office, workplace dynamics are examined through a mockumentary lens And it works..
Chicago Manual of Style
The Chicago Manual of Style supports italics for television series in both its notes-and-bibliography and author-date systems. Chicago recognizes that a series functions as a complete work, regardless of how many seasons or episodes it contains Most people skip this — try not to..
Example: Game of Thrones redefined the scope of fantasy television.
AP Style
Associated Press style is the notable outlier. AP does not use italics for TV show titles; instead, it places them in quotation marks. This rule exists because AP content is often published across platforms where italics may not render properly, such as wire service transmissions and certain newsprint layouts It's one of those things that adds up..
Example: "The Mandalorian" returned for its third season last spring It's one of those things that adds up..
If you are unsure which guide to follow,
