• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Screenwriting.io

Screenwriting.io

Answering basic questions about screenwriting.

  • Answers
  • About
  • Ask
  • Index
Generic filters
Exact matches only

How many acts does a TV show have?

Tagged: formatting, length, screenplay, screenwriting, script, scriptwriting, structure, TV

As of 2011, the typical hour-long drama has an open, plus six acts. This is up from just a few years ago, where the norm was four acts.

Half-hour multicamera comedies typically have an open, two acts, and a tag, while single-camera half-hour comedies can have either two or three acts sandwiched between the open and tag, depending on the show.

The “open” or “cold open” is the short segment you often see before the opening credits, which usually either sets up the plot directly or is completely unrelated to the upcoming episode — one extreme or the other. The “tag” is the short segment after an episode, which typically recaps what happened, wraps everything up, and/or has a joke relating to an earlier moment from the episode. Tags often play under credits.

More from johnaugust.com

  • Television scripts vs. screenplays
  • Film vs. TV writers
  • The TV spec of the season

Answer Index

script scriptwriting screenwriting screenplay formatting terms film presentation structure business writing software TV WGA Final Draft guild characters length credits FDX FDR union scene headings dramatic theory outlines arbitration adaptations fountain pdf highland producers managers Celtx guru Movie Magic rights agents awards pitching short film festival iPhone iPad directors prelap

Primary Sidebar

Switching from Final Draft to Highland 2

Switching from Final Draft
to Highland 2 – Get the PDF

© 2025 Screenwriting.io — All Rights Reserved.

  • Answers
  • About
  • Ask
  • Index