How come some scripted TV series so not show titles of their episodes onscreen (at the beginning of the said episode or otherwise)? NCIS and its Los Angeles spinoff have done it. Are there any other examples of a scripted TV show that shows their episode titles onscreen?

Designing Women did, and I think Evening Shade did as well. Don't know about Hearts Afire, but it was the same producers.

Also, the final season of Get Smart had on-screen titles.

The Incredible Hulk, Bonanza and Star Trek are just a few shows that always had on-screen titles.

I like when shows do this. It was years before I even knew episodes had titles. It was because of "Designing Women" that I started noticing the titles.

I think most cartoons show them and so does "Baywatch", "Murder, She Wrote", "The Munsters", & "Matlock".

I'm not sure if "The Addams Family" does or not.

Knot's Landing used to air their titles yet Dallas never did.

Little House of the Prairie did.

Now, even if the title doesn't appear on-screen during the airing of the show, it is usually included in the show's description on your cable system's TV listings. So if your curious, look there first.

If I remember correctly ER did. I also believe Touched by an Angel did too. I own Dr. Quinn on DVD and I do believe it did as well.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia does!

Bachelor Father
Perry Mason
The Dick Van Dyke Show (some seasons)

If I remember correctly, Rawhide and Wagon Train as well.

This was an extremely common practice throughout the 70's and 80's, and continued with some series in the 1990's, but seems to have fallen out of practice since the mid-90's.

I always enjoyed seeing episode titles on-screen and wish they would do it more today. It always helped me identify my favorite episodes.

I believe Quantum Leap did.

Dexter does this too.

That Girl did it for a couple of seasons. Sam & Cat does it now.

A few more with onscreen episode titles:

Superman (1950s series)
Batman (1966 series)
The Green Hornet

I believe Wilfred on fx displays it's episode titles too. I wish all tv shows would do this.

QUANTUM LEAP did it, so did all the STAR TREK series.

Another show with onscreen episode titles is Blossom, albeit for a very brief while. The first six episodes of its third season (1992-93), from "Runaway" to "Kids".

Also, the 7th and last season of Designing Women (1992-93), actually, did not have onscreen episode titles.

The German version of the Cosby Show has the episode titles displayed in German at the beginning of each episode.

Barney Miller would only show them in the case of two-parters, and even then, not every time (based on what I've seen from Shout!'s release).

I think with early series from before the late 80's you would be better off listing which shows DIDNT show episode titles. :P

Original Five-O had its titles onscreen too.

Didn't MacGyver also have the episode titles before each one?

MacLeaper probably knows. LOL

Gunsmoke, starting at the end of season 12 and the rest of the series, F Troop did, Wild, Wild West did, Mister Ed did starting at the end of season 4, Laredo did, Iron Horse did.

The Twilight Zone (1960's)

1st season - No titles
2nd season - Titles during closing credits
3rd -5th seasons - Titles after Rod's intro & during closing credits

Love Boat and Fantasy Island have them...

Didn't MacGyver also have the episode titles before each one?

MacLeaper probably knows. LOL

Actually, yes, they did (outside of the pilot).

An example from a new show: Son of Zorn, the new live-action/animated comedy series on FOX-TV, depicts its episode titles on its title card.

China Beach
Perry Mason
Little House on the Prairie
all had the episode titles on the screen.

"The Waltons" always displayed the episode titles, if I remember correctly, as did "The Dick Van Dyke Show" from the latter half of the second season onward.

"Supernatural" does onscreen episode titles. At least, it did when I was watching it 10 years ago.

The entire "Degrassi" series has done onscreen episode titles, including the current series, "Degrassi: Next Class."

"Nanny and the Professor" and "Julia" had their episode titles shown on-screen.

A couple early episodes of The Simpsons have titles, but I think it's maybe <5 at most.

Falcon Crest used titles...early seasons even had a copyright date, as did most Lorimar drama series, except for Dallas.

Remington Steele displayed titles, usually always incorporating the name Steele into it. In fact, I think most detective shows of the 70s and 80s showed the name of the episode. Like someone else mentioned, it would be easier to name a show that didn't practice this.

There's also the Quinn Martin shows, which announced the title of the episode at the end of the opening credits.

Falcon Crest used titles...early seasons even had a copyright date, as did most Lorimar drama series, except for Dallas.


I think also that Knots Landing had them, and I believe that the copyright date was on all episodes under the episode title throughout the series, unless I'm mistaken.

I think also that Knots Landing had them, and I believe that the copyright date was on all episodes under the episode title throughout the series, unless I'm mistaken.
Correct. KL did it for the entire series. FC stopped by season 3 or 4.

Sidenote: I know the topic is scripted shows, but I hate that unscripted ("reality") shows now use episode titles. I mean...most reality shows are fake anyway, but adding episode titles is really corny to me, for some reason.

I just noticed this week that Code Black on CBS has episode titles at the start of each episode, just after the opening credits.

Alfred Hitchcock tv shows have a episode title and who is in the show. Maybe more rotating star type show were more to have a title.