Television show

TV show or simply referred to as a television programme, any material that is generated for viewing on a television set and that may be broadcast by over-the-air, satellite, or cable. This definition does not include breaking news, advertising, or teasers that are frequently put between broadcasts. Television programmes are often planned for broadcast far in advance and may appear on electronic guides or other types of TV listings; however, streaming services frequently make them accessible for watching at any time. The material that is shown on a television programme may have been created using a number of techniques, such as animation, prerecorded variety shows broadcast live from a television studio stage, or a wide range of cinematic productions, ranging from feature films to television series. Shows that are not produced on a television studio stage are often farmed out to suitable production firms or licenced to be developed by such production organisations.

Television programmes may either be seen in real time (live), recorded on a home video or digital video recorder for later watching, accessed on demand using a set-top box, or streamed over the internet. Live viewing is the most common option.

The term "television show" may also refer to what is known as a "television programme" (British English: programme), particularly when the show does not have a linear storyline.

Typically, a television series will be broadcast in the United States and Canada in the form of individual episodes that are organised into distinct seasons and adhere to a predetermined storyline. In the United Kingdom, a television series is defined as a yearly or semiannual group of new episodes of a preexisting show. (In practise, what is known as a "series" in the United Kingdom is equivalent to what is known as a "season" in the United States and Canada.)

The term "miniseries" may also be used to refer to a "limited series," which is another name for a tiny collection of episodes. "TV special" or "limited series" are both terms that may be used to refer to a compilation of episodes that are shown just once. A motion picture, usually known as a movie, that is intended for transmission on television is originally shown in this format rather than being transferred directly to video or being shown on a conventional movie theatre screen.