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" - 1715 times, in factnote - 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 |
| 347 | "Finale" / "The Finale" | Grand Finale; Stock Series Finales |
| 327 | "Reunion" / "The Reunion" | Survivor uses the exact title 3 times (2 not counted) as well as numerous times with Colon Cancer, as of 15 January 2020. However, many viewers consider reunion shows to be part of the preceding episode. |
| 275 | "Homecoming" / "The Homecoming" | The Homecoming (Harold Pinter play) |
| 259 | "Wedding" / "The Wedding" | Wedding and Engagement Tropes, as of 15 Janurary 2020 |
| 233 | "Revelation" / "The Revelation" / "Revelations" | Five examples of "Révélations" and two of "Révélation" counted |
| 229 | "Party" / "The Party" | Counting one episode called "P.A.R.T.Y.", as of 16 June 2011 |
| 206 | "Return" / "The Return" | |
| 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 |
| 201 | "Second Chance" / "Second Chances" | Second Chance, as of 16 June 2011 |
| 200 | "Aftermath" / "The Aftermath" | Includes two multi-part episodes from Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and A Country Practice |
| 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 |
| 188 | "Runaway" / "The Runaway" / "Runaways" / "The Runaways" | The Runaway, Runaways (comic book), The Runaways (band), Runaway ~Aisuru Kimi no Tame ni~ |
| 187 | "Secrets" | The Secret Index |
| 183 | "Legacy" / "The Legacy" | As of 8 June 2011 |
| 180 | "Betrayal" / "The Betrayal" | Betrayal Tropes |
| 176 | "Christmas" | Christmas Tropes |
| 175 | "Dream" / "Dreams" / "The Dream" | |
| 172 | "Love" | Love Tropes |
| 171 | "The Beginning" | |
| 168 | "Trapped" | The Trapped Trilogy (flash games) |
| 164 | "Family Affair" / "A Family Affair" | Family Affair (TV series) |
| 157 | "Valentine's Day" | Valentine's Day (film) |
| 155 | "Family" | |
| 154 | "Arrival" / "The Arrival" | Includes a multi-part episode from The Jeffersons listed under "partial matches" |
| 153 | "Home Sweet Home" | Home Sweet Home |
101- 150
| # of Episodes | Title | Notes / See Also / Not to Be Confused with |
| 150 | "Judgment Day" / "Judgement Day" | Includes 4 two-part episodes |
| 149 | "The Gift" | The Gift, as of 16 June 2011 |
| 149 | "No Place Like Home" / "There's No Place Like Home" | There's No Place Like Home |
| 148 | "Escape" | |
| 147 | "Blind Date" / "The Blind Date" | Blind Date |
| 146 | "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. |
| 143 | "Revenge" | Revenge, Revenge Tropes, Revenge (series) |
| 142 | "Confession" / "The Confession" | Confessional |
| 141 | "Birthday" / "The Birthday" | Birthday Tropes |
| 141 | "The End" | The End |
| 140 | "Showdown" / "The Showdown" | Includes one multi-part episode from WMAC Legends listed under "partial matches" |
| 137 | "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" |
| 137 | "Witness" / "The Witness" | As of 16 June 2011 |
| 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" |
| 131 | "Mother's Day" | Includes one example of "Mothers Day" |
| 127 | "Father's Day" | Includes one example of "Fathers Day" and one example of "Fathers' Day" |
| 126 | "Lights, Camera, _____!" | Includes 32 examples of the exact title "Lights, Camera, Action!" |
| 125 | "Ghosts" | |
| 124 | "Happy Birthday" | "Happy Birthday to You!" (song) |
| 122 | "Ties That Bind" / "The Ties That Bind" | |
| 120 | "Double Date" / "The Double Date" | Double Date |
| 118 | "Hero" / "The Hero" | The Hero, as of 15 January 2020 |
| 118 | "The Interview" | |
| 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 | "Survivor" / "Survivors" / "The Survivor" / "The Survivors" | Survivor Dogs by Erin Hunter and Survivors (TV series) |
| 116 | "Trial" / "The Trial" | The Trial (Franz Kafka) |
| 115 | "Nightmare" / "The Nightmare" | |
| 115 | "Til Death Do Us Part" / "Till Death Do Us Part" | Until Death Do Us Part (manga) |
| 112 | "Rescue" / "The Rescue" | |
| 112 | "Secrets and Lies" | |
| 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 Date" | |
| 107 | "Great Expectations" | Great Expectations (novel), includes 3 two-part episodes |
| 107 | "Money" | |
| 107 | "Survival" | Includes two multi-part episodes from Doctor Who and Alienators: Evolution Continues listed under "partial matches" |
| 106 | "Fire" / "The Fire" | Includes a multi-part episode of Magkaribal and a multi-part episode of Jackanory listed under "partial matches" |
| 106 | "Sacrifice" / "The Sacrifice" | Used twice (episodes 25 and 153) in the English dub of Dragon Ball Z. |
| 106 | "The Secret" | The Secret (book) |
| 105 | "Surprise" | |
| 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 | "Game Over" | Game Over |
| 103 | "One" | |
| 103 | "Reckoning" / "The Reckoning" | |
| 103 | "Unfinished Business" | Unfinished Business |
| 101 | "Crossroads" |
81- 100
71- 80
| # of Episodes | Title | Notes / See Also / Not to Be Confused with |
| 80 | "Death" | |
| 80 | "Heroes" | Heroes, Heroes (TV series) |
| 80 | "Hunted" / "The Hunted" | The Hunted (film) |
| 80 | "Strange Bedfellows" | Enemy Mine; includes one multi-part episode from Cheers listed under "partial matches" |
| 79 | "Fire and Ice" | Fire and Ice |
| 79 | "War" | War (band) |
| 78 | "Hit and Run" | The Simpsons: Hit & Run |
| 78 | "Mirror, Mirror" | allusion to fairy tale "Snow White"; Mirror, Mirror (TV series) |
| 78 | "Family Business" | |
| 78 | "My Brother's Keeper" | Includes one two part episode, and a "Brother's Keeper, My", as of 15 January 2020 |
| 77 | "Prologue" | |
| 76 | "A Friend in Need" | A Friend in Need, includes two different multi-part episodes |
| 76 | "Changes" | |
| 76 | "Countdown" | Includes a multi-part episode from Police Story listed under "partial matches" |
| 76 | "The Hunt" | |
| 76 | "Sink or Swim" | |
| 76 | "Vengeance" | |
| 75 | "The Kiss" | |
| 75 | "A Star Is Born" | A Star Is Born (1937) (film) |
| 74 | "Manhunt"/"The Manhunt" | Manhunt (game series); includes a multi-part episode of The Littlest Hobo listed under "partial matches" |
| 74 | "Power Play" / "Powerplay" | Includes a multi-part episode from A Country Practise listed under "partial matches" |
| 73 | "Beauty and the Beast" | Allusion to fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" |
| 73 | "Crush" / "The Crush" | |
| 73 | "First Day" / "The First Day" | |
| 73 | "Last Dance" / "The Last Dance" | The Last Dance |
| 73 | "The Stranger" | The Stranger (novel) |
| 73 | "The Truth" | |
| 73 | "Two" | |
| 72 | "The Beginning of the End" | |
| 72 | "Best Friends" | |
| 72 | "Faith" | |
| 72 | "Enemy Within" / "The Enemy Within" | Enemy Within |
| 71 | "Deadline" / "The Deadline" | Includes two multi-part episodes from Bognor and Murder Call listed under "partial matches" |
| 71 | "End of the World" / "The End of the World" | As of 15 January 2020 |
| 71 | "Three" |
61- 70
51- 60
41- 50
31- 40
21- 30
11- 20
5- 10
"Seriously, what's with all these episodes about pilots? ...Wesley?"
