How to Cite a TV Show in Chicago (17th edition)
Learn how to cite a TV show or series in Chicago format (17th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Chicago Bibliography Format
Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a tv show in your bibliography:
Writer Last Name, First Name, writer, and Director Last Name, First Name, dir. "Title of Episode." Series Title, season #, episode #. Network, Month Day, Year.
Chicago Example for a TV Show
A complete Chicago reference for a tv show, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Alvarez, Dario. 2023. Field Notes. Episode 3, “The Archive.” Aired November 7, on Public Broadcasting Network. TV series episode.
Matching in-text citation: (Alvarez 2023)
Chicago In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Creator Year)
Narrative
Creator (Year) depicts...
Key Chicago Formatting Rules
- Put the episode title in quotation marks.
- Italicize the series title.
- List writer and director with role abbreviations.
- Include network and broadcast date.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your tv show.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (17th edition) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: chicago.csl
Editorial sources
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a tv show in Chicago?
- To cite a tv show in Chicago (17th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Chicago format for a tv show citation?
- The Chicago format for a tv show is: Writer Last Name, First Name, writer, and Director Last Name, First Name, dir. "Title of Episode." Series Title, season #, episode #. Network, Month Day, Year.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a tv show in Chicago?
- In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is (Creator Year)
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