I'm referring to shows that have two distinct storylines going. It's sort of two separate shows, in a sense. I'm not referring to two different sets, but two different storylines with different actors, running simultaneously.


The Steve Harvey Show - A show I've just discovered, and I love it. There's always a storyline involving the adults -- Steve, Regina, Cedric, Lovita, etc. Meanwhile, there's a subplot, or often a main storyline, involving the students -- Romeo, Bullethead, Lydia, etc. I personally prefer the adult storylines. Often times, they inter-mingle the two stories.

Sister, Sister - Yet another recent discovery for me that I adore. The twins, Tia and Tamera, always have their little drama going on, while their parents, Lisa and Ray, have a dilemma of some sort.

Becker - The show had two main settings, the diner and Dr. Becker's office. I enjoyed the diner better because Bob cracked me up, and he was never part of the office. For the most part, they were separate.

Friends always had multiple storylines going on. Even in wedding episodes and baby episodes, other characters had their things going on as well. Perfect example being Chandler and Monica hooking up at Ross' non-wedding to the British girl (the name escapes me at the moment)

That '70s Show - Usually the teens would have a storyline and the parents would have a storyline.

The Golden Girls usually had two subplots involving different girls. In one episode, they even had 3 different plots going!

Barney Miller always had two, sometimes three, plots per episode.

Corner Gas always has three distinct, but often somehow related sub-plots going; they tend to mix up the eight main characters in different combinations every episode.

I'd say Full House, Reba, Still Standing

well i'm not sure if i'm right but Full House because usually it has something going on with the girls D.J., Stephanie and Michelle and something usually going on with Danny, Joey, Jesse and Becky, I said Reba because usually it has different things happening between Barbra Jean and Brock and Van and Cheyenne etc. and i said Still Standing because usually there are things going on with the kids Brian, Lauren and Tina and things going on with the aunt or with Bill and Judy. I'm sure there are other shows too i could of said but i can't think of them right now.

Two And A Half Men, they often had 2 or more story lines going on, either with Charlie & his many dates, or Alan and his ex-wife or something with Jake.

Boy Meets World - especially in the later seasons, usually it would be a storyline revolving around Cory and Topanga or Cory and Shawn, and then another storyline revolving around Eric and Jack, etc.

Drew Carey Show - usually it was Drew, and then a different storyline with Oswald and Lewis.

The Brady Bunch usually had 2 plots.

Most sitcoms ussauly did.

Friends always had multiple storylines going on. Even in wedding episodes and baby episodes, other characters had their things going on as well. Perfect example being Chandler and Monica hooking up at Ross' non-wedding to the British girl (the name escapes me at the moment)
her name was Emily.

"CHEERS" did, and so did "SIENFELD"-but that's why that show was so funny. The very early episodes didn't however, and some of those weren't very good.

I always liked shows more without the mutliple storylines. Normally, the best shows had a straight storyline for every episode. Ones like this included Mary Tyler Moore, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Three's Company, and a lot of other shows, especially before the 80's.

^ Bewitched only had 1 plot per episode. So did Sanford & Son, Bob Newhart Show, Good Times, etc.

30 Rock has 3 plotlines - 1 main plotline, then 2 B plots. the main plotline usually features Liz dealing with either her personal life or the crazy chaos at work, and the other two usually are one with Kenneth and Tracy and then another with Jack.

Boy Meets World usually had one with Cory and his friends and then Eric and his parents in earlier seasons, and in later seasons usually it was various couples with different storylines.

^ Bewitched only had 1 plot per episode. So did Sanford & Son, Bob Newhart Show, Good Times, etc.

Most 70's shows only had 1 plotline the entire episode. I always thought those were the best kinds of episode - straight to the point, but still involving all the characters of the show without having to create a B-storyline.

i always like it when there's a few plotlines and then they all tie together somehow. i think thats kind of a unique thing to do, especially if it's unexpected.

i always like it when there's a few plotlines and then they all tie together somehow. i think thats kind of a unique thing to do, especially if it's unexpected.

I could see it being fun if they all tied together, but in most cases, the B-storyline is basically there to fulfill the actors contract. Most are pointless.

dont forget about family matters they always have like 2 or 3 storylines going on at once one involving the parents steve laura eddie waldo or others.

Most sitcoms ussauly did.
That's true, but not what I had in mind when making this thread. I meant shows that are sort of split in half, so to speak. I'm having a hard time explaining it, but the three examples I gave in the first post say it best. That 70s Show is another good example.

"MASH" always had two storys. All 3 "CSI"s have 2.

Law & Order. They have two sets of characters -- the detectives who investigate the crime, and the DA and his team, who prosecute.

The Simpsons Some of the recent "Simpsons" season eps. had this happen, especially in that one ep. where it foreshadowed how the entire Simpsons family had started their day out, only to conlcude w/ them all being in Ms. Hoover's class.

Malcolm in the Middle in the later seasons 95% of the time often had this happen and it became more evident once Francis went to Alaska.

The Sopranos

Hill Street Blues - especially in its final seasons post-Michael Conrad

Cagney & Lacey - sometimes this show had this happen whenever C&L were not on the job.

Mission: Impossible (TV Series) - although it culminates on one plot, each ep. bascially had the cast doing much different things, which would all lead up to the end of the mission.

Taxi - some eps. did this also, especially the S1 ep. "Remembering Cab 804" and about two or three other eps.

don't all shows have three storylines- one being in regards to the friendship, 2) the work lives of the character and 3) the romantic element involving the two main characters of the show

Soap had two or more storylines going, same with Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

don't all shows have three storylines- one being in regards to the friendship, 2) the work lives of the character and 3) the romantic element involving the two main characters of the show
You're right, and again, that's not the topic of this thread. The thread title asks that question, but my first post explained what I meant. I think I have to chalk this one up to a failed thread on my part, as I can't find the words to get my point across. I would never start a thread asking which shows had multiple storylines, as I know all shows do. I was looking for something very specific, and I have nobody to blame but myself, since I can't word the question properly to convey what I mean.

Soap had two or more storylines going, same with Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

Soap had numerous storylines, but that's also hard to explain, because it was similar to a soap opera, that had multiple season storylines.

King of Queens: Usually Carrie and Doug have one storyline going on while Carrie's father has one going on, and sometimes the two storylines mingle, sometimes they don't.

Corner Gas always has 3 distict storylines going on EVERY show..its kind of its trademark

Corner Gas always has three distinct, but often somehow related sub-plots going; they tend to mix up the eight main characters in different combinations every episode.
Rob put it better than I did!~:lol: (But, im at the Library and making as many posts as i can in the 27 mins I have left :( )

and here i am again! (9 mins remaining)

Yes, many sitcoms use the subplot formula.

Family Matters often had one storyline focusing on Steve and one or two other regulars and then another storyline focusing some of the other regulars.

Sister Sister often had one storyline focusing on the girls and another one focusing on the parents.

That's so Raven often had one storyline focusing on Raven and one or two other regulars and another one focusing on some of the other regulars.

Step by Step probably followed the same formula too. But I haven't seen the show for a while now, so I can't swear that was the case.

Shows not following this formula (or not as often as others, anyway) also include "Alf", "The Cosby Show" and "The fresh prince of Bel Air".

*My 700th post!*

The Shield (http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=523) - This current cop show always has more than one storyline, with even the story of the pilot episode returning in the sixth season and most likely in the seventh and final season.

most of the time "C.S.I.", C.S.I.: New York", and "C.S.I.: Miami" have more than one.

most of the time "C.S.I.", C.S.I.: New York", and "C.S.I.: Miami" have more than one.
Yeah, it's only occasionally that CSI:NY has only one crime going on. Last week they did, but they still had the second plot of Danny dealing with Ruben's death. It intermingled with the other plot a couple times, but very slightly. And only because Lindsay was worried about Danny not showing up for work, and then Mac asking where he was.

Anyway, they usually split the team up between two crimes.