Episodennummer

Episodennummer is a term used in television, radio, podcasting and other serialized media to denote the position of an individual installment within a series. It identifies where a particular episode sits in relation to others and is commonly used in program guides, databases and distribution metadata.

Common formats for episodic numbering include season-episode notation (for example S01E05 or 1x05), sequential or absolute numbering that counts episodes across all seasons (e.g., Episode 58), and production codes assigned during creation that may differ from broadcast order. Metadata systems and electronic program guides (EPG) often combine a season number (Staffelnummer) and an episode number (Folgenummer) for clarity. Industry and fan communities also use abbreviations such as E01 or simply #12.

Differences between production order, narrative order and broadcast order can create discrepancies in episode numbering; specials, double-length episodes, unaired pilots and region-specific edits further complicate consistent labeling. Databases and registries (for example TV listing services and crowdsourced catalogues) adopt policies to resolve these differences, sometimes listing multiple orders.

Accurate episodic numbering is important for syndication, archiving, rights management and viewer navigation. It also influences subtitle/subtitle file matching, streaming platform metadata, and citation in criticism and scholarship. Cultural conventions vary by region and medium, but the core function remains to uniquely identify a single installment within a serialized work.