TV show citation generator
Cite a whole TV series or a single episode, in any citation style.
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How to cite a TV show
A TV citation takes three steps. Most students cite one episode, so the form starts there.
Step 1
Search for the show
Type the title and pick the show. We fill in its network or streaming service, its years and its executive producers.
Step 2
Pick the episode
Choose the season and episode from the lists. We fill in the episode’s title, air date, writers and director. To cite the whole series, switch to A whole series.
Step 3
Copy your citation
Add the reference entry to your list, and add a timestamp for a quotation.
How to cite a TV episode in APA
APA cites an episode by its writers and director, and a whole series by its executive producers.
Episode format
Writer, W. W. (Writer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (Year, Month Day). Title of episode (Season #, Episode #) [TV series episode]. In E. Producer (Executive Producer), Series title. Production Company.
Episode
Gilligan, V. (Writer & Director). (2008, January 20). Pilot (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In V. Gilligan (Executive Producer), Breaking bad. AMC.
One person who wrote and directed the episode is named once, as Writer & Director.
In-text citation
Parenthetical: (Gilligan, 2008)
Narrative: Gilligan (2008)
A series that has ended
Gilligan, V. (Executive Producer). (2008–2013). Breaking bad [TV series]. AMC.
A series still running
Groening, M. (Executive Producer). (1989–present). The simpsons [TV series]. FOX.
How to cite a TV show in MLA
MLA starts with the episode title in quotation marks, then the series in italics, its creator, the season and episode, the network and the date.
Episode format
“Title of Episode.” Series Title, created by Name, season #, episode #, Network, Day Month Year.
Episode
“Pilot.” Breaking Bad, created by Vince Gilligan, season 1, episode 1, AMC, 20 Jan. 2008.
Whole series
Breaking Bad. Created by Vince Gilligan, AMC, 2008–13.
How to cite a TV show in Chicago
Chicago starts with the series, then the season, episode and episode title, the director and the air date.
Bibliography
Breaking Bad. Season 1, episode 1, “Pilot.” Directed by Vince Gilligan, written by Vince Gilligan. Aired January 20, 2008, on AMC.
Footnote
Breaking Bad, season 1, episode 1, “Pilot,” directed by Vince Gilligan, written by Vince Gilligan, aired January 20, 2008, on AMC.
How to cite a Netflix series or episode
For a streaming original, the streaming service is the production company. You don’t need to say where you watched it.
APA
Duffer, M. (Writer & Director), & Duffer, R. (Writer & Director). (2016, July 15). Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers (Season 1, Episode 1) [TV series episode]. In M. Duffer & R. Duffer (Executive Producers), Stranger things. Netflix.
MLA
“Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers.” Stranger Things, created by Ross Duffer and Matt Duffer, season 1, episode 1, Netflix, 15 July 2016.
For a film rather than a series, use the movie citation generator. For a video on YouTube, use the YouTube citation generator, and for a podcast, the podcast citation generator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a TV episode in APA?
Give the writer and director with their roles in parentheses, the air date, the episode title with its season and episode number, [TV series episode], In and the executive producers, the series title in italics, and the production company.
How do I cite a whole TV series in APA?
Give the executive producers, the years it ran, the series title in italics, [TV series], and the production companies. A series still running ends its years with present.
How do I cite a TV show in MLA?
Start with the episode title in quotation marks, then the series in italics, created by and the creator’s name, the season and episode numbers, the network and the date.
How do I cite a Netflix show?
Cite it like any series, with Netflix as the production company. APA and MLA don’t add where you watched it.
How do I cite a quotation from an episode?
Add the timestamp where the quotation starts: (Gilligan, 2008, 12:30) in APA.
Is this TV show citation generator free?
Yes. It’s free with no signup, and your citations go into the same list as the main Citation Generator.