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Recap sequence

April 13, 2024

Not to be confused with Narration.

A recap sequence (or recap, often announced as "Previously on...") is a narrative device used by many television series to bring the viewer up to date with the current events of the stories' plot.[1][2] It is usually a short (between 20 and 40 seconds) montage of important scenes cut directly from previous episodes, usually short bursts of dialogue, which serve to lay the background for the following episode.[3]

These devices are predominantly seen on episodic series where every installment furthers the plot, but otherwise are used for plot arcs, that is, when an episode is going to pick up on a storyline initiated several episodes ago.[4] A recap will almost always be present in an episode that picks up from a cliffhanger. Recap sequences are most prevalent in dramatic television series (though daytime serials are usually excluded) and reality programs, whereas situation comedies and other scripted genres typically use recap sequences only for two-part or in rare cases, multi-part episodes.[2][5]

These montages are inserted as the first thing into an episode so that viewers who had not seen the previous episodes or who do not remember what happened can understand from where the current episode will begin, also so that the viewers may decide to catch up on missed episodes, usually buying the DVDs.[3][6] They usually begin with a voiceover or subtitle proclaiming, "Last week on... [the show's name]", "Last night on... [the show's name]", "Previously on... [the show's name]" or "Last time on... [the show's name]". Many shows have begun to use a main character's voice for this voiceover rather than a neutral narrator (Chuck), and some series such as Boston Legal and Stargate Atlantis alternate which main character says "Previously on... [the show's name]". Some shows also have a full season recap sequence that usually begins with "This season on... [the show's name]".[2][7][1]

On the Fox show 24, the main character, Jack Bauer's voiceover "Previously on 24..." is followed by scenes from prior episodes of the current season, not necessarily from the very last episode, that concern major plot points of the current episode.[8] This was carried over into 24: The Game, where, once a player completes a mission, all cutscenes prior to that mission can be viewed in the manner of the TV show. The playable scenes are not shown, as the player is given the opportunity to replay them to get a higher score.[9]

On the NBC show ER, main cast members rotate turns saying the phrase "Previously on ER..." which is then followed by scenes from previous episodes which are pertinent to the current episode.[1]

In some cases, the scene leading up to the previous episode's ending is shown instead of a montage. This was common on British television shows from the 1950s to 1990s, although now most adopt a recap montage. An example of this is Doctor Who, which during its original run (1963–1989) used the final scene of the previous episode to begin the next, whereas from the series relaunch (2005–present) the recaps are made up of a collection of short clips.[10]

Recaps are also used for several soap operas, most notably in Australia. The Australian prison soap opera Prisoner (commonly known as Prisoner: Cell Block H) used a recap sequence throughout its eight-season run. In the early years it only showed the final scene of the previous episode before the opening credits. However, in later years it began to show several select cuts from the previous episode during the recap sequence, often, a new scene would directly follow the recap before the opening credits.[11] In the early years of Australian soaps Home and Away, Neighbours and Sons and Daughters a recap showed directly after the opening credits, which may have been confusing for viewers who would have started watching them, not realizing they were viewing a recap sequence and not a new opening scene.[1][12] The layout was changed in later years as recaps for Home and Away and Neighbours started before the credits, but currently they again show after the credits in such a way not to confuse the viewer. British soap operas, apart from Hollyoaks, do not use a recap sequence, however, they may be relevant.

In the English dubs of various episodic anime series that were edited for time or censorship reasons, recaps are sometimes extended or introduced where they did not exist originally, to cover any shortfalls in running time. Some examples where this occurs are Robotech, the FUNimation English dub of Dragon Ball Z, and the 4Kids English-language version of One Piece. The original Japanese version of One Piece did not always have recaps, though many episodes did have recaps as the first scene following the opening credits.[13]

There is some debate as to whether these recaps should be considered as part of the episode whole. Some home video and DVD releases of shows that use recaps include them, some do not, and some seem to randomly use or omit them for different episodes within the same collection. A few also place the segment as a full chapter that can easily be skipped if the viewer is viewing the series in a marathon form.[14][15]

The format and treatment of recaps may also vary depending on the commissioning broadcaster.[14] For example, while most HBO series have recaps before each episode when aired on linear television, the recaps are usually treated as distinct from the episode proper, airing prior to the content rating card and HBO "static angel" production logo. On streaming (i.e. HBO Max) and other releases like DVDs, these recaps are usually excluded from the episode video, but are sometimes provided as bonus content.[16]

Recaps can also refer to entire episodes, where such explain a backstory or plot point the viewer has not seen up to that point. Such episodes usually happen after a plot twist, for the recap to explore what led up to that point that the viewer does not know.[4][17]

Television series which use a recap sequence edit

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Australia edit

  • Doctor Doctor
  • Home and Away (shown after the opening credits from 1988–1999, 2009–present; shown before the opening credits 2000–2008)
  • McLeod's Daughters (the recap sequence was shown before a cold open and the opening credits for the first seven seasons. The cold open was later removed and the recap was shown after the opening credits for its eighth and final season)
  • Neighbours
  • Prisoner (also known as Prisoner: Cell Block H; the recap was shown before the opening credits for the majority of its eight-season; it was shown only in episode 2 after the opening credits; episode 290 was the only episode not to show a recap, when it was replaced with a cold open)
  • Sons and Daughters (recap shown after the opening credits throughout its six-season run)
  • Wentworth

United Kingdom edit

United States edit

Other countries edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Previously on…". TV Tropes. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  2. ^ a b c "What does recap sequence mean?". www.definitions.net. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  3. ^ a b "Montages". TV Tropes. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  4. ^ a b "Recap". Vocabulary.com. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  5. ^ "Read after watching: How episode recaps became part of our TV experience". Connecticut Public. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  6. ^ "What is a Montage? Definition & Examples | Boords". boords.com. 2022-10-24. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  7. ^ "Clip Show". TV Tropes. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  8. ^ Allrath, Gaby; Gymnich, Marion (2005). "Narrative Strategies in Television Series". Academia.edu.
  9. ^ "What is the section at the beginning of many TV series episodes called where clips from the last episode are replayed?". Movies & TV Stack Exchange. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
  10. ^ Doctor Who, retrieved 2023-11-28
  11. ^ Bliss, Laura (2015-02-04). "Previously On: In Praise of the Television Recap Sequence". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  12. ^ "Spoiler Opening". TV Tropes. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  13. ^ Le, Kathy. "The Questionable and Paradoxical English Dub of the Japanese Anime Television Series 'Yu-Gi-Oh! GX'". The Science Survey. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  14. ^ a b Herman, Alison (2018-07-31). "Previously On: How Recaps Changed the Way We Watch Television". The Ringer. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  15. ^ ""Previously on": Recaps in the Age of Binge Watching, PopMatters". PopMatters. 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2023-11-30.
  16. ^ Wojda 🤖, Igor (2018-10-26). "HBO GO — UX failures". NYC Design. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
  17. ^ "Recap Episode". TV Tropes. Retrieved 2023-11-28.

April 13, 2024
recap, sequence, confused, with, narration, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books,. Not to be confused with Narration This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Recap sequence news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message A recap sequence or recap often announced as Previously on is a narrative device used by many television series to bring the viewer up to date with the current events of the stories plot 1 2 It is usually a short between 20 and 40 seconds montage of important scenes cut directly from previous episodes usually short bursts of dialogue which serve to lay the background for the following episode 3 These devices are predominantly seen on episodic series where every installment furthers the plot but otherwise are used for plot arcs that is when an episode is going to pick up on a storyline initiated several episodes ago 4 A recap will almost always be present in an episode that picks up from a cliffhanger Recap sequences are most prevalent in dramatic television series though daytime serials are usually excluded and reality programs whereas situation comedies and other scripted genres typically use recap sequences only for two part or in rare cases multi part episodes 2 5 These montages are inserted as the first thing into an episode so that viewers who had not seen the previous episodes or who do not remember what happened can understand from where the current episode will begin also so that the viewers may decide to catch up on missed episodes usually buying the DVDs 3 6 They usually begin with a voiceover or subtitle proclaiming Last week on the show s name Last night on the show s name Previously on the show s name or Last time on the show s name Many shows have begun to use a main character s voice for this voiceover rather than a neutral narrator Chuck and some series such as Boston Legal and Stargate Atlantis alternate which main character says Previously on the show s name Some shows also have a full season recap sequence that usually begins with This season on the show s name 2 7 1 On the Fox show 24 the main character Jack Bauer s voiceover Previously on 24 is followed by scenes from prior episodes of the current season not necessarily from the very last episode that concern major plot points of the current episode 8 This was carried over into 24 The Game where once a player completes a mission all cutscenes prior to that mission can be viewed in the manner of the TV show The playable scenes are not shown as the player is given the opportunity to replay them to get a higher score 9 On the NBC show ER main cast members rotate turns saying the phrase Previously on ER which is then followed by scenes from previous episodes which are pertinent to the current episode 1 In some cases the scene leading up to the previous episode s ending is shown instead of a montage This was common on British television shows from the 1950s to 1990s although now most adopt a recap montage An example of this is Doctor Who which during its original run 1963 1989 used the final scene of the previous episode to begin the next whereas from the series relaunch 2005 present the recaps are made up of a collection of short clips 10 Recaps are also used for several soap operas most notably in Australia The Australian prison soap opera Prisoner commonly known as Prisoner Cell Block H used a recap sequence throughout its eight season run In the early years it only showed the final scene of the previous episode before the opening credits However in later years it began to show several select cuts from the previous episode during the recap sequence often a new scene would directly follow the recap before the opening credits 11 In the early years of Australian soaps Home and Away Neighbours and Sons and Daughters a recap showed directly after the opening credits which may have been confusing for viewers who would have started watching them not realizing they were viewing a recap sequence and not a new opening scene 1 12 The layout was changed in later years as recaps for Home and Away and Neighbours started before the credits but currently they again show after the credits in such a way not to confuse the viewer British soap operas apart from Hollyoaks do not use a recap sequence however they may be relevant In the English dubs of various episodic anime series that were edited for time or censorship reasons recaps are sometimes extended or introduced where they did not exist originally to cover any shortfalls in running time Some examples where this occurs are Robotech the FUNimation English dub of Dragon Ball Z and the 4Kids English language version of One Piece The original Japanese version of One Piece did not always have recaps though many episodes did have recaps as the first scene following the opening credits 13 There is some debate as to whether these recaps should be considered as part of the episode whole Some home video and DVD releases of shows that use recaps include them some do not and some seem to randomly use or omit them for different episodes within the same collection A few also place the segment as a full chapter that can easily be skipped if the viewer is viewing the series in a marathon form 14 15 The format and treatment of recaps may also vary depending on the commissioning broadcaster 14 For example while most HBO series have recaps before each episode when aired on linear television the recaps are usually treated as distinct from the episode proper airing prior to the content rating card and HBO static angel production logo On streaming i e HBO Max and other releases like DVDs these recaps are usually excluded from the episode video but are sometimes provided as bonus content 16 Recaps can also refer to entire episodes where such explain a backstory or plot point the viewer has not seen up to that point Such episodes usually happen after a plot twist for the recap to explore what led up to that point that the viewer does not know 4 17 Contents 1 Television series which use a recap sequence 1 1 Australia 1 2 United Kingdom 1 3 United States 1 4 Other countries 2 See also 3 ReferencesTelevision series which use a recap sequence editThis is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources Australia edit Doctor Doctor Home and Away shown after the opening credits from 1988 1999 2009 present shown before the opening credits 2000 2008 McLeod s Daughters the recap sequence was shown before a cold open and the opening credits for the first seven seasons The cold open was later removed and the recap was shown after the opening credits for its eighth and final season Neighbours Prisoner also known as Prisoner Cell Block H the recap was shown before the opening credits for the majority of its eight season it was shown only in episode 2 after the opening credits episode 290 was the only episode not to show a recap when it was replaced with a cold open Sons and Daughters recap shown after the opening credits throughout its six season run Wentworth United Kingdom edit Alys Back to Life Bad Girls The Bill Brookside used only in final year Fleabag Footballers Wives Hollyoaks Outnumbered Primeval used until the second season The Professionals Sugar Rush Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps United States edit 24 Alias All American up until Season 2 Episode 10 Andi Mack Avatar The Last Airbender Awkward Battlestar Galactica Black Lightning Ben 10 2005 only during two part episodes Ben 10 Alien Force only during two part episodes Ben 10 Ultimate Alien only during two part episodes The Big Bang Theory Blindspot Bob Hearts Abishola The Boys used since the second season Breaking Bad Buffy the Vampire Slayer Doctor Who only during multi part episodes Deception Desperate Housewives ER these are preceded by a short stylized logo sequence and followed by the episode s title however on the DVD releases and occasionally in syndicated reruns the recaps are edited out leaving only the logo sequence and the title The Falcon and the Winter Soldier The Flash 2014 up until Season 6 Episode 11 Fringe Game of Thrones these only appear on the HBO airings in syndication and on DVDs the recaps are excluded Glee The Good Doctor Hawkeye iCarly only on specials Invincible used since the fourth episode Jane the Virgin K C Undercover only during multi part episodes Loki Lost Lucifer The Mandalorian Marvel s Agents of S H I E L D used since the tenth episode Masters of Sex Mom Moon Knight Ms Marvel Nip Tuck Once Upon A Time The Originals Power Book II Ghost Pretty Little Liars Prison Break Riverdale Sliders Soap Sons of Anarchy Star Trek Discovery Switched at Birth Suits Supernatural Third Watch Turner amp Hooch The Vampire Diaries Veronica Mars The Walking Dead WandaVision Weeds The West Wing X Men Young Sheldon Other countries edit The Amazing Race Big Brother The Heart Has Its Reasons Ninjago Squid Game Survivor Yu Gi OhSee also editClip show Cliffhanger Montage Voice overReferences edit a b c d Previously on TV Tropes Retrieved 2023 11 28 a b c What does recap sequence mean www definitions net Retrieved 2023 11 28 a b Montages TV Tropes Retrieved 2023 11 28 a b Recap Vocabulary com Retrieved 2023 11 28 Read after watching How episode recaps became part of our TV experience Connecticut Public Retrieved 2023 11 28 What is a Montage Definition amp Examples Boords boords com 2022 10 24 Retrieved 2023 11 28 Clip Show TV Tropes Retrieved 2023 11 28 Allrath Gaby Gymnich Marion 2005 Narrative Strategies in Television Series Academia edu What is the section at the beginning of many TV series episodes called where clips from the last episode are replayed Movies amp TV Stack Exchange Retrieved 2023 11 30 Doctor Who retrieved 2023 11 28 Bliss Laura 2015 02 04 Previously On In Praise of the Television Recap Sequence The Atlantic Retrieved 2023 11 28 Spoiler Opening TV Tropes Retrieved 2023 11 28 Le Kathy The Questionable and Paradoxical English Dub of the Japanese Anime Television Series Yu Gi Oh GX The Science Survey Retrieved 2023 11 28 a b Herman Alison 2018 07 31 Previously On How Recaps Changed the Way We Watch Television The Ringer Retrieved 2023 11 28 Previously on Recaps in the Age of Binge Watching PopMatters PopMatters 2016 05 04 Retrieved 2023 11 30 Wojda Igor 2018 10 26 HBO GO UX failures NYC Design Retrieved 2023 11 28 Recap Episode TV Tropes Retrieved 2023 11 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Recap sequence amp oldid 1211350628, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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