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An anthology series is: a written series, radio, television, film,/video game series that presents a different story. And a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a different cast in each episode. But several series in the: past, such as Four Star Playhouse, employed a permanent troupe of character actors who would appear in a different drama each week. Some anthology series, such as Studio One, began on radio and then expandedββto television.
Etymologyβ»
The word comes from Ancient Greek αΌΞ½ΞΈΞΏΞ»ΞΏΞ³Ξ―Ξ± (anthologΓa, "flower-gathering"), from αΌΞ½ΞΈΞΏΞ»ΞΏΞ³ΞΟ (anthologΓ©Ε, "I gather flowers"), from αΌΞ½ΞΈΞΏΟ (Γ‘nthos, "flower") + Ξ»ΞΞ³Ο (lΓ©gΕ, "I gather, "pick up," collect"), coined by, Meleager of Gadara circa 60 BCE, originally as Ξ£ΟΞΟΞ±Ξ½ΞΏΟ (ΟΟΞΟΞ±Ξ½ΞΏΟ (stΓ©phanos, "garland"))ββto describe a collection of poetry, later retitled anthology β see Greek Anthology. Anthologiai were collections of small Greek poems and "epigrams," because in Greek culture theββflower symbolized the "finer sentiments that only poetry can express."
Radioβ»
Many popular old-time radio programs were anthology series. On some series, such as Inner Sanctum Mysteries, the only constant was the host, "who introduced and concluded each dramatic presentation." One of the earliest such programs was The Collier Hour, broadcast on the NBC Blue Network from 1927 to 1932. As radio's first major dramatic anthology, it adapted stories and serials from Collier's Weekly in a calculated move to increase subscriptions and compete with The Saturday Evening Post. Airing on the Wednesday prior to each week's distribution of the magazine, the program soon moved to Sundays in order to avoid spoilers with dramatizations of stories simultaneously appearing in the magazine.
Dramaβ»
- Academy Award Theater
- Arch Oboler's Plays
- The Campbell Playhouse
- Cavalcade of America
- CBS Radio Workshop
- Earplay
- Family Hour of Stars
- Four Star Playhouse
- Lux Radio Theater
- Hollywood Star Time
- The Mercury Theatre on the Air
- The Screen Guild Theater
- Stars over Hollywood
Genre seriesβ»
Radio anthology series provided a format for science fiction, horror, suspense, and mystery genres (all produced in the US, unless noted):
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- Listed in order of first broadcast
- Mystery House (1929βc. 1944)
- The Witch's Tale (1931β38) (written by Alonzo Deen Cole)
- Lights Out (1934β47) (written by Wyllis Cooper/Arch Oboler)
- The Hermit's Cave (1935βc. 1945)
- Famous Jury Trials (1936β49)
- Dark Fantasy (1941β42) (written by Scott Bishop)
- Inner Sanctum Mysteries (1941β52) (created by Himan Brown)
- The Whistler (1942β55)
- Suspense (1942β62)
- The Mysterious Traveler (1943β52) (written by Robert Arthur, Jr. and narrated by Maurice Tarplin)
- Creeps by Night (1944)
- Mystery Playhouse (1944) (hosted by Peter Lorre)
- The Strange Dr. Weird (1944β45) (15-minute shorts, written by Robert Arthur, Jr. and narrated by Maurice Tarplin)
- The Haunting Hour (1944β46)
- The Sealed Book (1945) (written by Robert Arthur, Jr.)
- Mystery in the Air (1945β47) (starring Peter Lorre)
- The Weird Circle (1946β47)
- Murder at Midnight (1946β50)
- Quiet, Please! (1947β49) (written by Wyllis Cooper, starring Ernest Chappell)
- Escape (1947β54)
- The Unexpected (1948) (15-minute shorts)
- Destination Freedom (1948β50), written by Richard Durham
- Murder by Experts (1949β51)
- The Hall of Fantasy (1949β53)
- 2000 Plus (1950β52) (the first adult science fiction series on radio)
- Dimension X (1950β51) (featured adapted stories by authors including Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Kurt Vonnegut)
- ABC Mystery Theater (1951β54), anthology, crime and mystery series
- Sleep No More (1952β56) (featured Nelson Olmsted narrating his own adaptations of stories)
- Theater 10:30 (1955) (Canadian)
- X Minus One (1955β58) (revival and continuation of Dimension X)
The final episode of Suspense was broadcast on September 30, 1962, a date that has traditionally been seen as marking the end of the old-time radio era. However, genre series produced since 1962 include:
- The Black Mass (1963β67)
- The Creaking Door (1964β65) (South African)
- Beyond Midnight (1968β69) (South African)
- The Zero Hour (1973β74) (hosted by Rod Serling)
- Mystery Theater (1974β82) (created by Himan Brown of Inner Sanctum Mysteries)
- Nightfall (1980β83) (Canadian)
- The Cabinet of Dr. Fritz (1984β85) (broadcast in "3D-Sound" stereo)
- 2000X (2000) (literary adaptations)
- The Twilight Zone (2002β03)
Televisionβ»
In the history of television, live anthology dramas were especially popular during the Golden Age of Television of the 1950s with series such as The United States Steel Hour and The Philco Television Playhouse.
Dick Powell came up with an idea for an anthology series, Four Star Playhouse, with a rotation of established stars every week, four stars in all. The stars would own the studio and the program, as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had done successfully with Desilu studio. Powell had intended for the program to feature himself, Charles Boyer, Joel McCrea, and Rosalind Russell. When Russell and McCrea backed out, David Niven came on board as the third star. The fourth star was initially a guest star. CBS liked the idea. And Four Star Playhouse made its debut in fall of 1952. It ran on alternate weeks only during the first season, alternating with Amos 'n' Andy. It was successful enough to be, renewed and became a weekly program from the second season until the end of its run in 1956. Ida Lupino was brought on board as the de facto fourth star, though unlike Powell, Boyer, and Niven, she owned no stock in the company.
American television networks would sometimes run summer anthology series which consisted of unsold television pilots. Beginning in 1971, the long-run Masterpiece Theatre drama anthology series brought British productions to American television.
In 2011, American Horror Story debuted a new type of anthology format in the U.S. Each season, rather than each episode, is a standalone story. Several actors have appeared in the various seasons, but playing different rolesβin an echo of the Four Star Playhouse format.
The success of American Horror Story has spawned other season-long anthologies such as American Crime Story and True Detective.
American dramaβ»
- The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955β57)
- ABC Movie of the Week (1969β75)
- ABC Stage 67 (1966β67)
- Academy Theatre (1949)
- Actors Studio (1948β50)
- Alcoa-Goodyear Theatre (1957β58)
- The Alcoa Hour (1955β57)
- Alcoa Premiere (1961β63)
- American Crime (2015β17)
- American Crime Story (2016βpresent)
- American Horror Story (2011βpresent)
- American Film Theatre (1973β75)
- American Playhouse (1981β94)
- The American Playwrights Theater: The One Acts (1989β90)
- The American Short Story (1974β80)
- Appointment with Adventure (1955β56)
- Armstrong Circle Theatre (1950β57)
- The Barbara Stanwyck Show (1960β61)
- Behind Closed Doors (1958β59)
- The Best of Broadway (1954β55)
- The Best of the Post (1960β61)
- Betty Crocker Star Matinee (1951β52)
- The Bigelow Theatre (1950β51)
- The Billy Rose Show, also known as Billy Rose's Playbill (1950β51)
- Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963β67)
- The Bold Ones (1969β73)
- Broadway Television Theatre (1952β54)
- Buick-Electra Playhouse (1959β60)
- Cameo Theatre (1950β55)
- Camera Three (1955β79)
- The Campbell Playhouse, also known as Campbell Soundstage and Campbell Summer Soundstage (1952β54)
- Cavalcade of America (1952β57)
- CBS Playhouse (1967β70)
- CBS Summer Playhouse (1987β89)
- CBS Television Workshop (1952)
- CBS Workshop, also known as CBS Repertoire Workshop (1960)
- Celanese Theatre (1951β52)
- Celebrity Playhouse (1955β56)
- Center Stage (1954)
- Cheer Television Theatre (1954)
- The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre also known as Chevrolet on Broadway (1948β50)
- Chevron Hall of Stars (1956)
- Chevron Theatre (1952β53)
- Climax! (1954β58)
- Colgate Theatre (1949β50)
- Colgate Theatre (1958)
- Conflict (1956β57)
- Conrad Nagel Theater (1955)
- Cosmopolitan Theatre (1951)
- Crown Theatre with Gloria Swanson (1952β55)
- Curtain Call (1952)
- Damon Runyon Theater (1955β56)
- Danger (1950-1955)
- The Danny Thomas Hour (1967β68)
- The David Niven Show (1959)
- Deadline (1959β61)
- Death Valley Days (1952β70)
- Decision (1958)
- Demi-Tasse Tales (1953)
- The Dick Powell Show (1961β63)
- Dispatches from Elsewhere (2020)
- Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents, also known as Rheingold Theatre (1953β57)
- Drama at Eight (1953)
- DuMont Royal Theater (1951β52)
- The DuPont Show of the Month (1957β61)
- The DuPont Show of the Week (1961β64)
- The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959β61)
- The Elgin Hour (1954β55)
- The Errol Flynn Theatre (1956β57)
- Ethel Barrymore Theatre (1956)
- Faith Baldwin Romance Theatre (1951)
- Fargo (2014βpresent)
- Feud (2017βpresent)
- Fireside Theater (1949β58)
- The First Lady (2022)
- Footlights Theater (1952β53)
- Ford Star Jubilee (1955β56)
- Ford Television Theatre (1952β57)
- Ford Theatre (1948β51)
- Four Star Playhouse (1952β56)
- GE True (1962β63)
- G.E. Summer Originals (1956)
- General Electric Theater (1953β62)
- Genius (2017βpresent)
- Goodyear Television Playhouse (1951β57)
- Goodyear Theatre (1957β60)
- Great Performances (1971βpresent)
- Gruen Playhouse, also known as Gruen Guild Theatre (1951β53)
- The Gulf Playhouse (1952β53)
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951βpresent)
- The Haunting (2018βpresent)
- Hollywood Premiere Theatre, also known as Hollywood Theatre Time (1950β51)
- International Playhouse (1951)
- John Waters Presents Movies That Will Corrupt You (2006)
- The Joseph Cotten Show, also known as On Trial (1956β59)
- Joseph Schildkraut Presents (1953β54)
- The Kaiser Aluminum Hour (1956β57)
- Kraft Television Theatre (1947β58)
- Law & Order True Crime (2017βpresent)
- The Lloyd Bridges Show (1962β63)
- The Loretta Young Show (1953β61)
- Lottery! (1983β84)
- Love Story (1954)
- Love Story (1973β74)
- Lux Playhouse (1958β59)
- Lux Video Theater (1950β59)
- The Magnavox Theatre (1950)
- The Mail Story (1954)
- Masterpiece Contemporary (2008β11)
- Masterpiece Playhouse (1950)
- Masterpiece Theatre (1971βpresent)
- Matinee Theatre (1955β58)
- Max Liebman Spectaculars, also known as Max Liebman Presents (1954β56)
- Medallion Theatre, also known as Chrysler Medallion Theatre (1953β54)
- MGM Parade (1955β56)
- The Millionaire (1955β60)
- Monodrama Theater (1953)
- The Motorola Television Hour (1953β54)
- Mr. Citizen (1955)
- The Nash Airflyte Theater (1950β51)
- NBC Presents (1949β50)
- NBC Television Opera Theatre (1950β64)
- NET Playhouse (1964β72)
- New York Television Theatre (1965β70)
- Night Editor (1954)
- Nine Thirty Curtain (1953β54)
- The O. Henry Playhouse (1957)
- One Man's Experience (1952β53)
- One Woman's Experience (1952β53)
- Orient Express (1953)
- The Passerby (1951β56)
- The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (1953β55)
- Personal Appearance Theater (1951β52)
- The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse (1948β56)
- The Philco Television Playhouse (1948β55)
- The Philip Morris Playhouse (1953β54)
- The Play of the Week (1959β61)
- Playhouse 90 (1956β60)
- Playwrights '56 (1956)
- Plymouth Playhouse also known as ABC Album (1953β54)
- Ponds Theater, also known as Kraft Television Theater (1953β57)
- Premiere (1968)
- Preview Tonight (1966)
- Producers' Showcase (1954β57)
- Program Playhouse (1949)
- Prudential Family Playhouse (1950β51)
- Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (1950β52)
- Pulse of the City (1953β54)
- Pursuit (1958β59)
- The Revlon Mirror Theater (1953)
- The Richard Boone Show (1963β64)
- The Robert Herridge Theatre (1960β61)
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950β57)
- Romance, also known as Theatre of Romance (1949β50)
- Romance Theatre (1982β83)
- Room 104 (2017β20)
- The Schaefer Century Theatre (1952)
- Schilling Playhouse (1959β60)
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951β59)
- Scream (2015β19)
- Screen Associates Films (1952β53)
- Screen Director's Playhouse (1955β56)
- The Seven Lively Arts (1957β58)
- Short Short Dramas (1952β53)
- The Silver Theatre (1949β50)
- Sneak Preview (1956)
- Somerset Maugham TV Theatre (1950β51)
- Stage 7 (1955β56)
- The Star and the Story (1955β56)
- Star Stage (1955β56)
- Star Tonight (1955β56)
- Starlight Theatre (1950β51)
- Stars Over Hollywood (1950β51)
- Startime (1959β60)
- Studio One (1948β58)
- Studio 57 (1954β58)
- Summer Playhouse (1964β67)
- Sunday Showcase (1959β60)
- Sweepstakes (1979)
- Telephone Time (1956β58)
- Television Playhouse (1947β48)
- Television Theatre (1950)
- Theatre Hour (1949β50)
- Theatre of the Mind (1949)
- Theatre '62 (1961β62)
- Tonight on Broadway (1948β49)
- The Trap (1950)
- TriBeCa (1993)
- True Detective (2014βpresent)
- TV Reader's Digest (1955β56)
- The United States Steel Hour (1953β63)
- The White Lotus (2021-present)
- Unsolved (2018βpresent)
- Vacation Playhouse (1963β67)
- Visions (1976β80)
- Warner Bros. Presents (1955β56)
- The Watcher (1995)
- Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958β60)
- Willys Theatre Presenting Ben Hecht's Tales of the City (1953)
- Windows (1955)
- Your Favorite Story (1953β55)
- Your Jeweler's Showcase (1952β53)
- Your Show Time (1949)
- Your Story Theatre (also known as Story Theatre and Durkee Story Theatre) (1950β51)
Animeβ»
- GokujΕ!! Mecha Mote IinchΕ (2009-2011)
- The Grimm Variations (2024)
- Hakken Taiken Daisuki! ShimajirΕ (2008-2010)
- Mewkledreamy Mix! (2020-2021)
- Miracle! Mimika (2006-2009)
- ShimajirΕ Hesoka (2010-2012)
- ShimajirΕ no Wow! (2012-present)
- ShΕ«kan Storyland (1999-2001)
British dramaβ»
- Armchair 30 (1973)
- Armchair Theatre (1956β74)
- Armchair Mystery Theatre (1960, 1964, 1965)
- Armchair Thriller (1978β81)
- BBC Play of the Month (1965β83)
- BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950β59)
- BBC2 Playhouse (1973β83)
- Beasts (1976)
- Black Mirror (2011β)
- A Choice of Coward (1964)
- City '68 (1967β68)
- The Canterbury Tales (2003)
- Creeped Out (2017β)
- Drama (1977)
- Escape (1957)
- Gaslight Theatre (1965)
- Hammer House of Horror (1980)
- Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense (1984)
- H.M. Tennent Globe Theatre (1956)
- Hour of Mystery (1957)
- Inside No 9 (2014β)
- ITV Play of the Week (1955β74)
- ITV Playhouse (1967β82)
- ITV Sunday Night Theatre (1969β74)
- ITV Sunday Night Drama (1959β80)
- Festival (1963β64)
- Late Night Theatre (1972β74)
- Love Story (1963β74)
- London Playhouse (1955β56)
- Moving On (2009β)
- Mystery and Imagination (1966)
- National Theatre Live (2009β)
- Orson Welles' Great Mysteries ( 1973β74)
- Performance (1991β98)
- Play for Today (1970β84)
- Play for Tomorrow (1982)
- Playhouse Presents (2012β14)
- Saturday Playhouse (1958β60)
- Second City Firsts (1973β78)
- Screen One (1989β93)
- Screen Two (1985β94)
- Skins (2007β13)
- Stage 2 (1971β72)
- Tales of the Unexpected (1979β88)
- Theatre Night (1985β90)
- Theatre Parade (1936β37)
- Theatre 70 (1960β61)
- Theatre 625 (1964β68)
- Theatre Royal (1955β56)
- Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965β73)
- Thursday Theatre (1964β65)
- The Afternoon Play (2003β07)
- The Wednesday Play (1964β70)
- Wales Playhouse (1990β96)
- Weekend Playhouse (1984)
Canadian dramaβ»
- First Performance (1955β58)
- General Motors Theatre (1953β61)
- Encounter (1958)
- Norman Corwin Presents (1972)
- On Camera (1954β58)
- Plan B (2023-present)
- Playdate (1961β64)
- Virage (2021-present)
Indian dramaβ»
- Aahat (1995β15)
- Bible Ki Kahaniya (1993β95)
- Gumrah: End of Innocence (2012β16)
- Hoshiyarβ¦ Sahi Waqt, Sahi Kadam (2016β17)
- Ishq Kills (2014)
- Kabhie Kabhie (2003 TV series) (2003)
- Katha Sagar (1986)
- Kaun Hai? (2018β)
- Kirdaar (1993β94)
- Koi Aane Ko Hai (2009)
- Khidki (2016)
- Kya Hadsaa Kya Haqeeqat (2002β04)
- Laal Ishq (2018 TV series) (2018β)
- MTV Big F (2015β17)
- Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya (TV series) (2014β)
- Rishtey (TV series) (1997β2001)
- Robi Thakurer Golpo (2015β16)
- Saturday Suspense (2018β20)
- Star Bestsellers (1999β2000)
- Stories by Rabindranath Tagore (2015β)
- Teri Meri Love Stories (2012)
- Twist wala love
- Yeh Hai Aashiqui (2013β16)
- Yule Love Story (1993β95)
Pakistani dramaβ»
- Kitni Girhain Baaki Hain (2011β14)
- Sasural Ke Rang Anokhay (2012β13)
- Shareek-e-Hayat (2014β15)
- Kitni Girhain Baqi Hain! Phir Se (2016β17)
- Ustani Jee (2018)
- Kabhi Band Kabhi Baja (2018)
- Choti Choti Batain (2019)
Philippine dramaβ»
- Maalaala Mo Kaya (1991β2022)
- Magpakailanman (2002β07, 2012βpresent)
- Wansapanataym (1997β2005, 2010β19)
Thai dramaβ»
- Girl from Nowhere (2018βpresent)
Animatedβ»
- Adventures from the Book of Virtues (1996β2000)
- Andersen Monogatari (1971)
- Animal Stories (1998β2001)
- Animated Tales of the World (2001β03)
- Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales (2006)
- The Bob Clampett Show (2000β2001)
- Bugs 'n' Daffy (1995β98)
- The Bugs Bunny Show (1960β2000)
- The Busy World of Richard Scarry (1993-97)
- A Bunch of Munsch (1991β92)
- Cartoon Alley (2004β07)
- The Cartoonstitute (2010)
- The Cat&Birdy Warneroonie PinkyBrainy Big Cartoonie Show (1999β2000)
- CB Bears (1977β78)
- The Chuck Jones Show (2001β02)
- CinΓ© si (1989)
- The Comic Strip (1987)
- Cream Lemon (1984β87)
- DC Nation Shorts (2011β14)
- Donald Duck Presents (1983β92)
- Donald's Quack Attack (1992β2000)
- Dragons et princesses (2010)
- Fabulous Funnies (1978β79)
- The Fairytaler (2002β03)
- Famous Classic Tales (1970β84)
- Festival of Family Classics (1972β73)
- Fix & Foxi and Friends (2000-02)
- Force Five (1980β89)
- Freaky Stories (1997β2000)
- Fred Flintstone and Friends (1978β79)
- Funpak (2005)
- General Electric Fantasy Hour (c. 1960s)
- Good Morning, Mickey! (1983β92)
- The Great Book of Nature (1999β2000)
- Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics (1987β88)
- Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (2000β12)
- The Hanna-Barbera New Cartoon Series (1962β63)
- HannaβBarbera's World of Super Adventure (1979β84)
- Hans Fischerkoesen's commercial films (1949β69)
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995β2000)
- The Harveytoons Show (1950β62)
- HBO Storybook Musicals (1987β93)
- House of Mouse (2001β03)
- Infinity Train (2019β21)
- The Ink and Paint Club (1997β98)
- KaBlam! (1996β2000)
- Kideo TV (1986β87)
- The Kwicky Koala Show (1981β82)
- Late Night, Black and White (1996β2003)
- Legends of Bikini Bottom (2011)
- A Little Curious (1999β2000)
- Manga Sekai Mukashi Banashi (1976β79)
- The Marvel Super Heroes (1966)
- The Merrie Melodies Show (1972)
- Merrie Melodies Starring Bugs Bunny & Friends (1990β92)
- Mickey Mouse and Friends (1994β95)
- Mickey Mouse Works (1999β2000)
- Mickey's Mouse Tracks (1992β95)
- Mighty Mouse Playhouse (1955β67)
- Mononoke (2007)
- The Mouse Factory (1972β73)
- The Moxy Show (1993β95)
- My Little Pony (1986β87)
- The New Woody Woodpecker Show (1999β2002)
- O Canada (1997β2002)
- Oh Yeah! Cartoons (1998β2001)
- Peanuts (2016)
- The Pink Panther Show (1969β80)
- The Popeye Show (2001β03)
- The Porky Pig Show (1964β67)
- Princes et princesses (1989)
- Random! Cartoons (2008β09)
- Raw Toonage (1992β93)
- Right Now Kapow (2016β17)
- The Road Runner Show (1966β72)
- Rumic Theater (2003β04)
- Saturday Supercade (1983β84)
- Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories (1992β93)
- Short Circutz (1994β96)
- Shorts in a Bunch (2007β08)
- Shorty McShorts' Shorts (2006β07)
- Super Sunday (1985β86)
- Super Why! (2007β16)
- Tales From the Cryptkeeper (1993β2000)
- The Tex Avery Show (1996β2002)
- Timeless Tales from Hallmark (1990β91)
- ToonHeads (1992β2003)
- Toon In with Me (2021βpresent)
- Totally Tooned In (1999β2000)
- Two More Eggs (2015β17)
- The Wacky World of Tex Avery (1997)
- What a Cartoon! (1995β97)
- The Woody Woodpecker Show (1958β59)
- The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends (1992β95)
- Zootopia+ (2022βpresent)
Adult animationβ»
- The Boys Presents: Diabolical (2022)
- Cake (2019β2021)
- Cartoon Sushi (1997β98)
- Greatest Party Story Ever (2016)
- Jokebook (1982)
- Like, Share, Die (2015)
- Liquid Television (1991β94)
- Love, Death & Robots (2019βpresent)
- Mad (2010β13)
- Off the Air (2011βpresent)
- Party Legends (2016β17)
- Robot Chicken (2005βpresent)
- Spicy City (1997)
- Sunday Pants (2005β06)
Children and familyβ»
- ABC Afterschool Special (1972β97)
- ABC Weekend Special (1977β97)
- CBS Afternoon Playhouse (1978β83)
- CBS Children's Film Festival (1967β78)
- CBS Children's Mystery Theatre (1980β82)
- CBS Schoolbreak Special (1984β96)
- CBS Storybreak (1985β87)
- Disneyland (1954β58)
- Dramarama (1983β89)
- Faerie Tale Theatre (1982β87)
- The Fox Cubhouse (1994β96) (contains Johnson and Friends, Jim Henson's Animal Show, Rimba's Island, Magic Adventures of Mumfie and Budgie the Little Helicopter)
- It's Itsy Bitsy Time (1999) (contains Budgie the Little Helicopter, 64 Zoo Lane, The Animal Shelf, Tom and Vicky and Charley and Mimmo)
- Jackanory (UK, 1972β85)
- Kaboodle (1987β90)
- Lift Off (1992β95)
- NBC Children's Theatre (1963β73)
- Noddy (1998β2000)
- Off to See the Wizard (1967β68)
- Once Upon a Classic (1976β80)
- Power Rangers (1993-2023) (after consistent retools/renames starting season 4 the show finally embraced a "seasonal" anthology format of rotating the story and cast completely starting season 7, this would then become "biannual" starting season 18 until season 28 with the final three seasons being "triennial")
- Shining Time Station (1989β93)
- Shirley Temple's Storybook (1958β61)
- Special Treat, also known as NBC Special Treat (1975β86)
- Tall Tales and Legends (1985β87)
- Walt Disney Presents (1958β61)
- Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961β69)
- The Wonderful World of Disney (1969β2009)
- WonderWorks (1984)
- The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss (1996β98)
Comediesβ»
- The Comic Strip Presents... (1982β2015)
- Carol and Company (1990β91)
- Cilla's Comedy Six (UK, 1975)
- Cilla's World of Comedy (UK, 1976)
- Comedy Lab (1998β)
- Comedy Playhouse (UK, 1961β2014)
- Comedy Playhouse (US, 1971)
- The Comedy Spot (1960β62; titled Comedy Spotlight during 1961)
- Comedy Theater (1981)
- Comedy Theatre (1976 & 1979)
- Comedy Time (1977)
- Dear Uge (2016β)
- Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible (2001)
- The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre (1955)
- El ChapulΓn Colorado (1973β79)
- Ripping Yarns (UK, 1978β79)
- George Burns Comedy Week (1985)
- Good Heavens (1976)
- The Guest Book (2017β18)
- High Maintenance (2012β15, 2016βpresent)
- Human Remains (2000)
- Inside No. 9 (2014β)
- Just for Laughs (1974)
- Love, American Style (1969β74)
- Miracle Workers (2019β23)
- Murder Most Horrid (UK, 1991β99)
- New Comedy Showcase (1960)
- Oboler Comedy Theater (1949)
- Premiere (1968)
- The Ronnie Barker Playhouse (UK, 1968)
- Seven of One (UK, 1973)
- Six Dates with Barker (UK, 1971)
- Summer Fun (1966)
- Undressed (1999β2002)
- Vacation Playhouse (1963β67)
- Westinghouse Preview Theatre (1961)
Crime dramasβ»
- Adventure Theater (1956)
- American Crime (2015β17)
- American Crime Story (2016β)
- Agatha Christie's Marple (UK, 2005β14)
- Agatha Christie's Poirot (UK, 1989β2014)
- The Big Story (1949β58)
- The Black Robe, also known as Police Night Court (1949β50)
- Crime Patrol (2003β)
- Fargo (2014β)
- FBI: The Untold Stories (1991β93)
- Gang Busters (1952, 1954β55)
- Lawbreakers (1963β64)
- The Man Behind the Badge (1953β55)
- Official Detective (1957β58)
- Police Call (1955)
- Police Story (1952)
- Police Story (1973β78)
- Tatort (1970β)
- The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (UK, 1971β73)
- They Stand Accused (1949β52, 1954)
- True Detective (2014β19)
- Underbelly (2008β)
- The Walter Winchell File (1957β58)
- The Whistler (1954β55)
- The Sinner (2017β21)
Educationalβ»
- Inside/Out (1972β73)
- Omnibus (US, 1952β61)
Historicalβ»
- Captain Newfoundland from the Tip of Atlantis/Captain Atlantis Late Night (Canada, 1972βpresent)
- The Great Adventure (1963β64)
- Our American Heritage (1959β61)
- Profiles in Courage (1964β65)
- Saga of Western Man (1963β69)
- You are There (1953β57)
Medicalβ»
- The Doctor, also known as The Visitor (1952β53)
- Medic (1954β56)
- Medical Story (1975β76)
Militaryβ»
- Flight (1958β59)
- Men of Annapolis (1957β58)
- Navy Log (1955β58)
- The Silent Service (1957β59)
- The West Point Story aka West Point (1956β57)
Mystery and suspenseβ»
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1955β65)
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985β89)
- Behind Closed Doors (1958 TV series) (1958β59)
- The Best in Mystery (1954)
- The Boris Karloff Mystery Playhouse (1949)
- Byline, also known as Adventures in Mystery and News Gal (1951)
- The Chevy Mystery Show (1960)
- The Clock (1949β52)
- Danger (1950β55)
- Dark of Night (1952β54)
- Darkroom (1981β82)
- Dow Hour of Great Mysteries (1960)
- The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre (US TV version of British theatrical second features, 1960β65)
- Escape (1950)
- Escape (1973)
- Espionage (1963β64)
- Eye Witness (1953)
- Fallen Angels (1993β95)
- George Sanders Mystery Theater (1957)
- Gun (1997)
- Hands of Mystery, also known as Hands of Destiny, Hands of Murder (1949β52)
- The Hitchhiker (1983β87)
- I Spy (1955β57)
- Inner Sanctum (1954)
- Invitation Playhouse: Mind Over Murder (1952)
- Kraft Mystery Theatre (Summer 1961, 1962, 1963)
- Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963β65)
- Mr. Arsenic (1952)
- Murder in Mind (2001β03)
- Murder Most Horrid (UK, 1991β99)
- Mystery! (1980β)
- Panic! (1957β58)
- Philip Morris Playhouse (1953β54)
- Rebound, also known as Counterpoint (1952β53)
- Scene of the Crime (1991β92)
- Stage 13 (1950)
- Sure as Fate (1950β51)
- Suspense (1949β54)
- Suspicion (1957β58)
- Target (1958)
- Twisted Tales (1996β97)
- Two Twisted (2006) (Sequel to Twisted Tales)
- The Vise (1955 TV series) (1955β57)
- Volume One (1949)
- The Web (1950β54)
- The Web, syndication title Undercurrent (1957)
- Your Play Time (1953β55)
Religiousβ»
Title | Started | Ended | Seasons | Episodes | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Catholic Hour | 1956 | 1967 | β | β | β |
Crossroads also known as Way of Life | 1955 | 1957 | 2 | 78 | β |
Family Theater | 1949 | 1958 | β | 540 | β |
Insight | 1960 | 1984 | 23 | 250 | β |
Lamp Unto My Feet | 1948 | 1969 | β | β | β |
Look Up and Live | 1967 | 1971 | β | β | β |
This is the Life also known as The Fisher Family | 1952 | 1988 | β | β |
Science fiction and horrorβ»
Title | Started | Ended | Seasons | Episodes | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond | 1959 | 1961 | 3 | 96 | β |
Amazing Stories (original series) | 1985 | 1987 | 2 | 45 | β |
Amazing Stories (reboot) | 2020 | 2020 | 1 | 5 | β |
American Horror Story | 2011 | Present | 11 | 114 | β |
American Horror Stories | 2021 | Present | 1 | 7 | β |
Are You Afraid of the Dark? | 1990 | 2000 | 7 | 91 | β |
Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | 1997 | 2002 | 4 | 45 | β |
Black Mirror | 2011 | Present | 6 | 27 | UK series |
Castle Rock | 2018 | 2019 | 2 | 20 | β |
Channel Zero | 2016 | 2018 | 4 | 24 | β |
Chiller | 1995 | 1995 | 1 | 5 | β |
Darknet | 2013 | 2014 | 1 | 6 | β |
Dark Realm | 2001 | 2001 | 1 | 13 | β |
Deadtime Stories | 2012 | 2013 | 1 | 11 | β |
Dimension 404 | 2017 | 2017 | 1 | 6 | β |
Electric Dreams (2017 TV series) | 2017 | 2018 | 1 | 10 | β |
Exposure | 2000 | 2002 | 2 | 42 | β |
Fantasy Island | 1977 | 1984 | 7 | 152 | Includes 2 Movies |
Fear and Fancy | 1953 | 1953 | 1 | 15 | β |
Fear Itself | 2008 | 2008 | 1 | 13 | β |
The Fearing Mind | 2000 | 2000 | 1 | 12 | β |
Freddy's Nightmares β A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Series | 1988 | 1990 | 2 | 44 | β |
Ghost Stories | 1997 | 1998 | 1 | 44 | β |
Ghost Story | 1972 | 1973 | 1 | 22 | 23 total includes 1 Pilot |
Goosebumps | 1995 | 1998 | 4 | 74 | β |
Great Ghost Tales | 1961 | 1961 | 1 | 12 | β |
A Haunting | 2005 | Present | 10 | 105 | Stopped in 2007 and returned in 2012 |
The Haunting | 2018 | 2020 | 2 | 19 | - |
Historias para no dormir | 1966 | 1982 | 3 | 29 | β |
The Hunger | 1997 | 2000 | 2 | 44 | UK/Canadian Series |
Infinity Train | 2019 | Present | 4 | 40 | β |
Inside No 9 | 2014 | Present | 8 | 49 | β |
Into the Dark | 2018 | 2021 | 2 | 24 | β |
Journey to the Unknown | 1968 | 1969 | 1 | 17 | β |
Lee Martin's The Midnight Hour | 2008 | 2015 | β | ||
Lights Out | 1946 | 1952 | β | ||
Lore | 2017 | 2018 | 2 | 12 | β |
Love, Death & Robots | 2019 | Present | 3 | 35 | β |
Masters of Horror | 2005 | 2007 | 2 | 26 | β |
Masters of Science Fiction | 2007 | 2007 | 1 | 6 | β |
MΓ©tal Hurlant Chronicles | 2012 | 2014 | 2 | 12 | β |
Monsters | 1988 | 1991 | 3 | 72 | β |
Mystery and Imagination | 1966 | 1970 | 5 | 24 | UK series |
Night Gallery | 1970 | 1973 | 3 | 43 | β |
Night Visions | 2001 | 2001 | 1 | 13 | β |
The Nightmare Room | 2001 | 2002 | 1 | 13 | β |
Nightmare Cafe | 1992 | 1992 | 1 | 6 | β |
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King | 2006 | 2006 | 1 | 8 | β |
Out of the Unknown | 1965 | 1971 | 4 | 49 | UK series |
Out of This World | 1962 | 1962 | 1 | 13 | UK series |
Out There | 1951 | 1952 | 1 | 12 | β |
The Outer Limits | 1963 | 1965 | 2 | 49 | β |
The Outer Limits | 1995 | 2002 | 7 | 154 | β |
Perversions of Science | 1997 | 1997 | 1 | 10 | β |
Play for Tomorrow | 1981 | 1981 | 1 | 6 | UK series |
Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected | 1977 | 1977 | 1 | 8 | Not to be confused with the UK series (below) |
The Ray Bradbury Theater | 1985 | 1992 | 6 | 65 | β |
R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour | 2010 | 2014 | 4 | 76 | β |
Room 104 | 2017 | Present | 2 | 24 | β |
Science Fiction Theatre | 1955 | 1957 | 2 | 78 | β |
Scream | 2015 | 2019 | 3 | 30 | β |
Slasher | 2016 | Present | 3 | 24 | β |
Strange Stories | 1956 | 1956 | β | β | β |
Tales from the Darkside | 1984 | 1988 | 4 | 89 | Plus 1 Pilot |
Tales from the Crypt | 1989 | 1996 | 7 | 93 | β |
Tales of Mystery | 1961 | 1963 | 3 | 29 | β |
Tales of Mystery and Imagination | 1995 | 1995 | 1 | 13 | β |
Tales of the Unexpected | 1979 | 1988 | 9 | 112 | UK series unconnected with the Quinn Martin series (above) |
Tales of Tomorrow | 1951 | 1953 | 2 | 85 | β |
The Terror | 2018 | 2019 | 2 | 20 | β |
Thriller | 1960 | 1962 | 2 | 67 | β |
Trapped | 1950 | 1951 | β | β | β |
The Twilight Zone (original series) | 1959 | 1964 | 5 | 156 | β |
The Twilight Zone (first reboot) | 1985 | 1989 | 3 | 65 | β |
The Twilight Zone (second reboot) | 2002 | 2003 | 1 | 43 | β |
The Twilight Zone (third reboot) | 2019 | 2020 | 2 | 20 | β |
The Unexpected | 1952 | 1952 | β | β | β |
Urban Gothic | 2000 | 2001 | 2 | 22 | β |
The Veil | 1958 | 1958 | 1 | 11 | β |
Way Out | 1961 | 1961 | 1 | 14 | β |
Welcome to Paradox | 1998 | 1998 | 1 | 13 | |
What If...? | 2021 | Present | 2 | 18 | |
Star Wars: Visions | 2021 | Present | 1 | 18 |
Westernsβ»
Title | Started | Ended | Seasons | Episodes | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frontier Theatre | 1950 | 1950 | β | β | No episodes are known to have survived. |
Death Valley Days | 1952 | 1970 | 18 | 452 | β |
Frontier | 1955 | 1956 | 1 | 31 | β |
Zane Grey Theater | 1956 | 1961 | 5 | 149 | β |
Cheyenne | 1957 | 1962 | 7 | 107 | β |
Dead Man's Gun | 1997 | 1999 | 2 | 44 | β |
Filmβ»
Anthology film series are rare compared to their TV and radio counterparts. There have been several attempts within the horror genre to have a franchise with an anthology format, such as with the Halloween franchise where the third film, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, was meant to be the beginning of a series of anthology horror films, but due to negative reception that plan was shelved.
Drama seriesβ»
Title | Started | Ended | Instalments | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cities of Love | 2006 | N/A | 5 |
Genreβ»
Title | Started | Ended | Instalments | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Carry On... | 1958 | 1992 | 31 | Comedy series which used the same roster of comedic actors and comedians |
Shinobi no Mono | 1962 | 1970 | 9 | Composed of five unrelated stories/characters. Story 1 (films #1β3), story 2 (films #4β5, 7), story 3 (film #6), story 4 (film #8), story 5 (film #9). |
The Bloodthirsty Trilogy | 1970 | 1974 | 3 | |
The Ninja Trilogy | 1981 | 1984 | 3 | Composed of Enter the Ninja, Revenge of the Ninja, and Ninja III: The Domination. |
Shake, Rattle & Roll | 1984 | 2023 | 16 | |
Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 | 1987 | 1988 | 10 | The series of syndicated animated television films produced by Hanna-Barbera, as part of The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera programming block. |
Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy | 2004 | 2013 | 3 | |
Cloverfield | 2008 | N/A | 3 |
Video gamesβ»
Anthology video games have been very rare since the 1980s.
Title | Started | Ended | Installments | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Final Fantasy | 1987 | N/A | 16 | |
Silent Hill | 1999 | N/A | 9 | Each game presents a different story and main characters, but in the same titular town of Silent Hill. |
The Dark Pictures Anthology | 2019 | N/A | 4 | It is planned to consist of eight games, with one entry per year. |
Fears to Fathom | 2021 | N/A | 4 | An episodic psychological horror game where each episode unveils a short story narrated by the ones who survived. |
See alsoβ»
Referencesβ»
- ^ "Anthology series changing television". UWIRE Text: 1. 23 October 2015 – via General OneFile.
- ^ "Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Sterling, Rob (2015). "About Writing for Television". Patterns. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1505707465. Archived from the original on 26 August 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio (Revised ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 163β164. ISBN 978-0195076783. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
- ^ Widner, James F & Frierson III, Meade. Science Fiction on Radio: A Revised Look At 1950β1975. Birmingham, Alabama: A.F.A.B. Publishing. p. 20
- ^ Chimes, Art. "Last Radio Drama". National Public Radio. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
- ^ Kraszewski, Jon (Fall 2006). "Adapting Scripts in the 1950s: The Economic and Political Incentives for Television Anthology Writers". Journal of Film and Video. 58 (3): 3β21. JSTOR 20688526.
- ^ Simon, Ron (2013). Riggs, Thomas (ed.). "Philco Television Playhouse". St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. 4 (2nd ed.). St. James Press: 144β145.
- ^ Ray Bradbury on Film and TV: Starlight Summer Theater (1954) Archived October 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ American Horror Story, retrieved 19 April 2019
- ^ Malone, Michael (2 May 2016). "Anthology format gets a 'true' rebirth: AMC is the latest of many nets modeling shows after True Detective and Fargo". Broadcasting & Cable. Vol. 146, no. 17. p. 24 – via Academic OneFile.
- ^ Images Staff (20 February 2017). "PEMRA issues notice to Hum TV drama 'Kitni Girhain Baki Hain' for homosexual content". Images. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ Haq, Irfan Ul (12 March 2018). "In Angeline Malik's new TV series, a psych professor is the neighbourhood hero". Images. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "'Berlin, I Love You' Trailer: Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren Star in Fourth 'Cities' Anthology Film". /Film. 20 January 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ "The Ninja Trilogy Blu-ray from Eureka Video". Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 5 August 2019.