• 3-minute read
• 21st July 2021

How to Cite a TV Show in MLA Referencing

If you are writing about a TV show, or you simply need to refer to a single episode, it is important to cite it correctly in an academic paper. As such, this post will show you how to cite a TV show in MLA referencing.

Citing a TV Show in MLA Referencing

To cite a specific episode from a TV show in MLA referencing, you simply need to give the title of the episode within quotation marks in brackets:

Barry Allen discovers the villain’s name in episode 16 (‘Trajectory’).

If you would like to refer to a specific part of an episode, or quote something directly, include a timestamp after the episode title:

In episode 16 of the third season, Barry is urged by Harrison Wells to fight the temptation to cut corners (‘Trajectory’ 21:30).

In the example above, for instance, we’re citing a specific point 21 minutes and 30 seconds into the episode. A reader would then be able to look this up if required.

If you would like to cite an entire TV series, on the other hand, you should give the italicised name of the show in brackets instead:

He has also played a man who can run faster than sound (The Flash).

TV Shows in an MLA Works Cited List

Any reference made to a TV show in MLA referencing should also be added to a Works Cited list. If citing a specific episode, the format is as follows:

‘Episode Title’. TV Show Title, created by Creator’s Name, season number, episode number, Production Company or Distribution Company, Year.

If you are, however, citing a TV show in its entirety, the correct format would be:

TV Show Title. Created by Creator’s Name, Production Company, Start Year–End Year.

Note that this includes the full range of years the show was produced, up to the latest year of production. You can see example references in both formats below:

‘Trajectory’. The Flash, created by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, season 2, episode 16, Warner Bros. Television, 2016.

The Flash. Created by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, Warner Bros. Television, 2016–2021.

Additionally, for both single episodes and full series, you should include a half-inch (1.27 cm) hanging indent for all lines after the first in each entry.

Expert MLA Proofreading

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