Sometimes, writers are imaginative. They think up the most amazing Plot Twists, the funniest dialogue, the best characters possible for their episode.
And then they have to think up an episode title. Sometimes with Idiosyncratic Episode Naming it's easy, but most shows don't have that, so the writer is forced to make it up themself. And sometimes, they turn to the Stock Episode Title.
What makes a Stock Episode Title? Well, the minimum requirement is five separate shows using it (and not just one writer using it over and over again, like Aaron Sorkin does with "What Kind of Day Has It Been?
"note ). For example, the episode title "My Brother's Keeper" has been used sixty times over the yearsnote , probably because it's a Literary Allusion Title from The Bible. Most Stock Episode Titles are either Literary Allusion Titles or simple, single word titles. A great many Stock Episode Titles relate to weddings.
Because a writer may be able to write a great episode, but will still bang their head against the wall when trying to think up a title.
See also Stock Subtitle, The Joy of X.
A chart of the most popular Stock Episode Titles. Note: Two- or three-part episodes have been counted as one.
Further note: While the pilot episode of a show is very commonly called "Pilot" - over 1,700 times, in fact - it doesn't really count, does it?note
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Over 150
| # of Episodes | Title | Notes / See Also / Not to Be Confused with |
| 367 | "Finale" / "The Finale" | Grand Finale; Stock Series Finales |
| 334 | "Reunion" / "The Reunion" | Survivor uses the exact title 3 times (2 not counted) as well as numerous times with Colon Cancer, as of 7 August 2020. However, many viewers consider reunion shows to be part of the preceding episode. |
| 279 | "Homecoming" / "The Homecoming" | The Homecoming (Harold Pinter play) |
| 262 | "Wedding" / "The Wedding" | Wedding and Engagement Tropes, as of 9 June 2021 |
| 247 | "Revelation" / "The Revelation" / "Revelations" | Five examples of "Révélations" and two of "Révélation" counted |
| 243 | "Return" / "The Return" | |
| 240 | "Party" / "The Party" | Counting one episode called "P.A.R.T.Y.", as of 7 August 2020 |
| 215 | "Second Chance" / "Second Chances" | Second Chance, as of 9 June 2021 |
| 211 | "Aftermath" / "The Aftermath" | Includes two multi-part episodes from Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and A Country Practice |
| 204 | "Lost and Found" | Includes the Lost episode "...And Found", and three different two-part episodes |
| 201 | "Halloween" | All Hallows' Eve (holiday), Halloween (film series); one example of "Halowe'en" counted, as of 16 June 2011 |
| 200 | "Double Trouble" | As of 15 January 2020 |
| 200 | "The Morning After" | What Did I Do Last Night? |
| 200 | "Home" | As of 25 May 2020 |
| 196 | "Secrets" | The Secret Index |
| 192 | "Legacy" / "The Legacy" | As of 7 August 2020 |
| 190 | "Runaway" / "The Runaway" / "Runaways" / "The Runaways" | The Runaway, Runaways (comic book), The Runaways (band), Runaway ~Aisuru Kimi no Tame ni~ |
| 187 | "The Beginning" | |
| 186 | "Family" | |
| 185 | "Christmas" | Christmas Tropes |
| 184 | "Love" | Love Tropes |
| 183 | "Betrayal" / "The Betrayal" | Betrayal Tropes |
| 180 | "Dream" / "Dreams" / "The Dream" | |
| 176 | "Trapped" | The Trapped Trilogy (flash games) |
| 168 | "Family Affair" / "A Family Affair" | Family Affair (TV series) |
| 165 | "Judgment Day" / "Judgement Day" | Includes 4 two-part episodes |
| 164 | "Valentine's Day" | Valentine's Day (film) |
| 162 | "The End" | The End |
| 160 | "Home Sweet Home" | Home Sweet Home |
| 159 | "No Place Like Home" / "There's No Place Like Home" | There's No Place Like Home |
| 158 | "Hide and Seek" | Hide and Seek (film); includes two multi-part episode from Dog the Bounty Hunter and Degrassi: The Next Generation, a subtitled multi-part episode of Jackanory, and a half-episode example from Phineas and Ferb. |
| 157 | "Escape" | |
| 156 | "Blind Date" / "The Blind Date" | Blind Date |
| 154 | "Arrival" / "The Arrival" | Includes a multi-part episode from The Jeffersons listed under "partial matches" |
| 154 | "The Gift" | The Gift, as of 7 August 2020 |
| 153 | "Confession" / "The Confession" | Confessional |
101- 150
| # of Episodes | Title | Notes / See Also / Not to Be Confused with |
| 150 | "Revenge" | Revenge, Revenge Tropes, Revenge (series) |
| 144 | "Birthday" / "The Birthday" | Birthday Tropes |
| 141 | "Awakening" / "The Awakening" / "Awakenings" | The Awakening (novel), Awakenings (film); contains five multi-part episodes from Doctor Who, Spider-Man: The Animated Series, Amazing Extraordinary Friends, The Lazarus Man and Gargoyles listed under "partial matches" |
| 140 | "Showdown" / "The Showdown" | Includes one multi-part episode from WMAC Legends listed under "partial matches" |
| 138 | "Witness" / "The Witness" | As of 7 August 2020 |
| 137 | "Sacrifice" / "The Sacrifice" | Used twice (episodes 25 and 153) in the English dub of Dragon Ball Z. |
| 134 | "Father's Day" | Includes one example of "Fathers Day" and one example of "Fathers' Day" |
| 133 | "Mother's Day" | Includes one example of "Mothers Day" |
| 132 | "The Interview" | |
| 131 | "End Game" / "Endgame" | Includes four multi-part episode from Waking the Dead, Beast Machines, Transformers: Animated and Wild C.A.T.S. listed under "partial matches" |
| 130 | "Happy Birthday" | "Happy Birthday to You!" (song) |
| 128 | "Ghosts" | |
| 126 | "Double Date" / "The Double Date" | Double Date |
| 126 | "Lights, Camera, _____!" | Includes 32 examples of the exact title "Lights, Camera, Action!" |
| 124 | "Survivor" / "Survivors" / "The Survivor" / "The Survivors" | Survivor Dogs by Erin Hunter and Survivors (TV series) |
| 123 | "Ties That Bind" / "The Ties That Bind" | |
| 122 | "Hero" / "The Hero" | The Hero, as of 15 January 2020 |
| 122 | "Trial" / "The Trial" | The Trial (Franz Kafka) |
| 118 | "Rescue" / "The Rescue" | |
| 117 | "Blast from the Past" / "A Blast from the Past" | Blast from the Past (film); includes three multi-part episodes from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Street Legal and Webster |
| 117 | "Money" | |
| 116 | "Nightmare" / "The Nightmare" | |
| 115 | "Game Over" | Game Over |
| 115 | "Til Death Do Us Part" / "Till Death Do Us Part" | Until Death Do Us Part (manga) |
| 114 | "Secrets and Lies" | |
| 113 | "Fire" / "The Fire" | Includes a multi-part episode of Magkaribal and a multi-part episode of Jackanory listed under "partial matches" |
| 113 | "One" | |
| 112 | "The Date" | |
| 111 | "Reckoning" / "The Reckoning" | |
| 111 | "Survival" | Includes two multi-part episodes from Doctor Who and Alienators: Evolution Continues listed under "partial matches" |
| 110 | "Great Expectations" | Great Expectations (novel), includes 3 two-part episodes |
| 110 | "Surprise" | |
| 108 | "Crossroads" | |
| 108 | "Sins of the Father" / "The Sins of the Father" | Sins of Our Fathers; one example of "Sins of Our Father" and one of "The Sins of Our Father" not counted. |
| 107 | "The Secret" | The Secret (book) |
| 106 | "Lost" | Lost (TV series) |
| 106 | "Missing" | |
| 106 | "Unfinished Business" | Unfinished Business |
| 104 | "_____ to the Rescue" | Manually counted, only counting variations upon (Noun) to the Rescue, and not including episodes titled "To the Rescue" or "Race to the Rescue". |
| 104 | "The Great Escape" | Great Escape |
| 102 | "Duel" / "The Duel" | |
| 102 | "Eye for an Eye" / "An Eye for an Eye" | |
| 102 | "The Show Must Go On" | The Show Must Go On |
| 102 | "Under Pressure" | |
| 101 | "Chase" / "The Chase" | Cha$e, The Chase, Chase Scene |
81- 100
71- 80
| # of Episodes | Title | Notes / See Also / Not to Be Confused with |
| 80 | "Family Business" | |
| 80 | "The Beginning of the End" | |
| 79 | "A Star Is Born" | A Star Is Born (1937) (film) |
| 79 | "Sink or Swim" | |
| 78 | "Beauty and the Beast" | Allusion to fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" |
| 78 | "Best Friends" | |
| 78 | "Last Dance" / "The Last Dance" | The Last Dance |
| 78 | "Manhunt"/"The Manhunt" | Manhunt (game series); includes a multi-part episode of The Littlest Hobo listed under "partial matches" |
| 78 | "Mirror, Mirror" | allusion to fairy tale "Snow White"; Mirror, Mirror (TV series) |
| 78 | "The Kiss" | |
| 77 | "A Friend in Need" | A Friend in Need, includes two different multi-part episodes |
| 77 | "Crush" / "The Crush" | |
| 76 | "Checkmate" | |
| 76 | "Countdown" | Includes a multi-part episode from Police Story listed under "partial matches" |
| 76 | "Faith" | |
| 76 | "The Stranger" | The Stranger (novel) |
| 76 | "The Truth" | |
| 75 | "Fight or Flight" | |
| 74 | "End of the World" / "The End of the World" | As of 8 August 2020 |
| 74 | "Into the Woods" | Into the Woods (musical) |
| 74 | "Power Play" / "Powerplay" | Includes a multi-part episode from A Country Practise listed under "partial matches" |
| 73 | "Full Circle" | |
| 73 | "Trial by Fire" | |
| 72 | "Enemy Within" / "The Enemy Within" | Enemy Within |
| 72 | "The One That Got Away" | |
| 71 | "Deadline" / "The Deadline" | Includes two multi-part episodes from Bognor and Murder Call listed under "partial matches" |
| 71 | "Destiny" |
61- 70
51- 60
41- 50
31- 40
21- 30
11- 20
5- 10
"Seriously, what's with all these episodes about pilots? ...Wesley?"
