Television

Rosie and Jim — British children's series about two adventurous rag dolls Rosie and Jim Rosie and Jim is a British live-action children's programme from Ragdoll Productions about two rag dolls on a narrowboat who come to life to explore the canals and learn about the…

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In: format, cast, and cultural influence Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In Concise encyclopedia entry on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968–1974): its fast-paced sketch format, recurring bits and catchphrases, ensemble cast and guests, social impact, decline…

RTL Television — German commercial television channel RTL Television RTL Television is a German private television channel launched on 2 January 1984. Part of the RTL Group, it offers news, entertainment, drama and popular reality formats across Ger…

Rugrats: overview, history, characters, films and cultural impact Rugrats An encyclopedia-style account of Rugrats, the Nickelodeon animated series about toddlers' adventures, covering premise, production history, films, spin-offs, themes, and its broade…

Rules of Engagement (TV series) Rules of Engagement is an American sitcom (2007–2013) that contrasts dating, engagement and marriage through the lives of two couples, a single friend and his assistant in New York…

RuPaul's Drag Race: overview, format, history and cultural impact RuPaul's Drag Race American reality-competition series created and hosted by RuPaul that helped bring drag performance into mainstream media; known for its distinctive challenges, judging, spin-offs…

Russell Brand's Ponderland British comedy series (2007–2008) in which Russell Brand pairs stand-up monologues with curated archive clips to explore a single theme per episode.

RT (Russia Today): Russian state-funded international television network Russia Today RT (Russia Today) is a state-funded international broadcasting network based in Moscow offering news, analysis and opinion programming in several languages; it has wide reach and c…

S4C — Welsh-language public-service television channel S4C S4C is Wales’s public-service television channel broadcasting primarily in Welsh. Launched in 1982, it produces and commissions Welsh-language drama, news, children’s and cultural…

Saam Daam Dand Bhed (TV series) Indian political-revenge drama produced by Shakuntalam Telefilms. Premiered on Star Bharat on 28 August 2017, it adapts Western political-thriller conventions to local settings and…

Sailor Mouth (SpongeBob SquarePants episode) Sailor Mouth A second-season SpongeBob episode that satirizes profanity and censorship, notable for its use of sound effects in place of swear words and for drawing widespread attention after b…

Salem (TV series) Salem is an American supernatural drama series created by Brannon Braga and Adam Simon. Premiering in 2014 on WGN America, it reimagines the Salem witch trials with horror, politic…

Sam & Cat American teen sitcom and crossover spin-off pairing Sam Puckett and Cat Valentine as roommates and babysitters; aired on Nickelodeon from 2013 to 2014 and noted for its mixed recep…

Sam and Friends (early Jim Henson puppet series) Sam and Friends Short-form puppet show created by Jim Henson in the 1950s; introduced an early Kermit and developed techniques that led to the Muppets. Many episodes are lost; a few survive in arc…

Samurai Pizza Cats Samurai Pizza Cats is the English adaptation of the Japanese anime Kyatto Ninden Teyandee (1990–1991). Known for its slapstick, pop-culture gags and a heavily rewritten English scr…

Sanctuary (TV series) Sanctuary is a Canadian science fiction–fantasy television series created by Damian Kindler, notable for evolving from an eight‑part web series into a four‑season TV show starring…

Sanjay and Craig (animated television series) Sanjay and Craig An American animated comedy that follows the adventures of a boy and his talking pet snake; created by Jim Dirschberger, Andreas Trolf and Jay Howell for Nickelodeon.

Santa Clarita Diet Netflix horror-comedy series (2017–2019) about a suburban family coping with the wife’s unexpected transformation into a flesh‑eating condition; praised for leads and dark humor, n…

Sarah Jane Smith Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional companion from the British TV series Doctor Who, played by Elisabeth Sladen. An investigative journalist who became a beloved heroine and the focus…

Satellite (natural and artificial) Satellite Overview of satellites: natural moons, human-made orbiters, their types, history, uses in communications and observation, and related concepts such as quasi-satellites and politica…

Satellite television Television distribution method that transmits channels via spaceborne communications satellites to ground dishes and receivers; used for direct‑to‑home service, distribution, and p…

Saturday Night Live A long-running American live sketch comedy television show, created by Lorne Michaels and airing from New York on NBC since 1975; known for sketches, guest hosts, musical acts and…

Saturday Night's Main Event Prime-time professional wrestling specials that brought the World Wrestling Federation to network television, notable for huge ratings and landmark matches such as the 1987 Hogan–A…

Saturdays of Thunder (The Simpsons episode) Saturdays of Thunder Episode from season 3 of The Simpsons first broadcast November 14, 1991. A father–son story built around a soapbox derby; notable for its emotional core, cultural references and th…

Satyameva Jayati (Bengali television series) Satyameva Jayati Satyameva Jayati is a Bengali daily soap that premiered in April 2018 on Colors Bangla. Produced by Eye Wash Productions, it features Raja Goswami and Rupsha Chakraborty and is ada…

Saved by the Bell (American television sitcom) Saved by the Bell Saved by the Bell is an American teen sitcom that aired on NBC from 1989–1993, set at the fictional Bayside High and notable for its ensemble cast, Saturday-morning format, and cul…

Scared Shrekless — 2010 Shrek Halloween television special Scared Shrekless Scared Shrekless is a 2010 Halloween television special featuring characters from the Shrek franchise. It aired on NBC and presents a family-friendly anthology of spooky stories an…

Scaredy Squirrel (TV series) Animated Canadian children’s series adapted from Mélanie Watt’s books. A comedic show about a cautious squirrel who confronts fears through routines, planning, and reluctant advent…

Scene (British television series) Scene (British TV series) Scene was a BBC anthology of 30-minute dramas and documentaries made for teenagers and schools (1968–2002), using contemporary writers and actors to explore social issues and stimu…

Schoolhouse Rock! — American educational animated music shorts Schoolhouse Rock! Schoolhouse Rock! is a series of short animated musical films that taught children grammar, math, science, history, civics, and economics through catchy songs and simple visuals.

Scientific American Frontiers — PBS science documentary series Scientific American Frontiers PBS documentary series (1990–2005) produced with Scientific American magazine. Hosted first by Woodie Flowers and then Alan Alda, it brought scientific research and the people behi…

Scooby-Doo: Overview, Characters, History, and Cultural Impact Scooby-Doo Animated franchise about a talking Great Dane and four teen sleuths. Begun in 1969, it spans TV series, films, comics and merchandise and remains influential in popular culture.

Scooby-Doo (fictional character) Scooby-Doo (character) Scooby-Doo is a talking Great Dane and the cowardly, food-loving mascot of Mystery Inc., famed for his catchphrase, loyalty to Shaggy, and long-running role in animated TV series,…

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: 1969 animated mystery-comedy series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! Original late-1960s animated series that introduced Scooby-Doo and the teen sleuths; created by Hanna-Barbera and the foundation of a long-running multimedia franchise.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated A serialized, character-driven take on the classic Scooby-Doo franchise that blends mystery-of-the-week episodes with a long-form conspiracy centered on the town of Crystal Cove.

Scrabble (game show): television adaptation of the word board game Scrabble (game show) A television adaptation of the Scrabble board game that aired in the 1980s and early 1990s, hosted by Chuck Woolery; it adapted tile-based play into a fast-paced studio contest.

Scratchy and Co — 1990s CITV Saturday morning children's series Scratchy and Co British children's television show that aired on CITV in the mid‑1990s, starring Mark Speight and Elliot Henderson‑Boyle; notable for rubber wigs, distinctive jackets and a Max Hea…

Scream Queens (American TV series) Scream Queens Scream Queens is an American black comedy–horror series created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. It aired on Fox in two seasons (2015–2016), blending slasher tropes wi…

Screen One — British anthology drama series (1989–1998) Screen One Screen One was a BBC anthology of single-episode television films shown on BBC1 between 1989 and 1998. Sixty films were produced across six series, plus later one-off specials.

Screen Two (BBC television anthology series) Screen Two Screen Two was a BBC anthology drama strand of feature-length single dramas broadcast on BBC2 from 1985–1994, notable for commissioning standalone plays and influencing later BBC d…

Screenless (The Simpsons episode) Screenless “Screenless” is the 15th episode of The Simpsons season 31 (aired March 8, 2020). It focuses on Marge’s effort to reduce family screen time and is dedicated to James Lipton.

Scrooge McDuck Scrooge McDuck is a fictional Disney duck known for immense wealth, the Money Bin, adventures in comics and TV, and a personality mixing thrift, courage, and complex family loyalty…

Scrubs (TV series) Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama that follows the lives of hospital staff. Known for surreal fantasy sequences, a distinctive narrator, and a blend of humor and heartfelt…

Sea Hunt (1958–1961 television series) Sea Hunt Sea Hunt is an American adventure TV series (1958–1961) starring Lloyd Bridges as a professional diver. The show popularized recreational scuba and featured underwater action and r…

Season finale (television) Season finale A season finale is the last episode of a television season. It often resolves or heightens storylines, may end on a cliffhanger, and is crafted to sustain audience interest until t…

Season premiere (television) Season premiere The season premiere is the first episode of a renewed television season. This article explains its purpose, scheduling patterns, types, history, and how streaming has changed the p…

Second City Television (SCTV) Second City Television Second City Television (SCTV) is a Canadian sketch-comedy series born from The Second City troupe; it ran in the late 1970s–early 1980s and launched the careers of several prominen…

Secret Diary of a Call Girl (British TV series) Secret Diary of a Call Girl British television drama starring Billie Piper as 'Belle', adapted from the anonymous Belle de Jour blog; explores the life of a high‑class London escort and sparked public debate…