The point in a series where the story takes a sudden dramatic turn. Things will never be quite the same again.
When advertisements tease you with words such as "The most shocking episode of the season!", they're probably referring to this (unless they're not). This is the episode meant to radically alter the status quo, and in doing so send a major shock through the viewership.
Note that it's not a Wham Episode if it turns out that the shocking events were All Just a Dream, or if the changes are reversed with a Snap Back or Reset Button, or if the series has Negative Continuity. To count as a Wham Episode, the events must actually happen and become canon. When a series is already successful, and the writers decide to do this, it's very risky. The writers are making a bold move and risking losing a lot of their fans. The writers have balls. You might even say they have canon balls.
Almost always takes place at a Season Finale, and at times can even be a Grand Finale if it includes a high enough shock factor (which isn't always the case). Alternatively, it might come before the Season Finale, which then resolves the plot twist.
Important Notes
Just because an event is dramatic or has a reveal, that doesn't make it a Wham Episode. In order to qualify, the episode must:- Signify a shake-up in the status quo. What happens in this episode has to be presented as something of a significant impact. A character getting their hair cut isn't a big deal; a character getting an Important Haircut as part of a Heel–Face Turn is.
- Show that the change is not easily undone. Whatever causes a Wham Episode can't be something that gets resolved quickly and easily, if it can be resolved at all. It must be an event with long-lasting effects. For instance, a Character Death is sometimes a big deal, but not always. In a series where Death Is Cheap, it may just be a way to get the character out of the story for a while or into some sort of B-plot in the afterlife. The audience is thus assured that the character will still be around in some capacity. However, if the series has made it clear that there's no coming back from the dead in this universe, no matter what, a named character dying is a really big change because they're gone for good.
- Be felt by the characters within the series. This has to be something that the characters will be dealing with in their own ways. How the characters react to the big change, whatever it is, determines some of the impact to the audience. If the characters react like it's a big deal and have to apply significant effort to adapt to this change, the episode's likelihood of being a Wham Episode dramatically increases.As an example...
The term was coined by J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5, which is very liberally sprinkled with them.
It's not always done well, of course. Particularly poorly-done wham episodes almost invariably result in a Shocking Swerve.
Compare Genre Turning Point and Nothing Is the Same Anymore. Contrast with Breather Episode. Related to Drama Bomb. Complete opposite of Status Quo Is God. If this is the first episode and/or the prologue, it's a Downer Beginning. If the WHAM aspect is concentrated in a single line, it's a Wham Line. See also Ascended Fridge Horror, wherein some aspects of the series leave some viewers with reason to expect a tone shift, before they see it applied by the writers. Often the first warning that the viewer is dealing with a Deconstruction. Frequently caused by or contains a Gut Punch.
It also has nothing to do with a certain British 80s pop band with George Michael, or a JoJo villain named after said band.
Because real life is not scripted, do not add such examples.
Here be unmarked spoilers. Proceed at your own risk.
Examples
- Anime
- Comic Books
- Fan Works
- Film
- Literature
- Live-Action TV
- Music
- Podcasts
- Professional Wrestling
- Video Games
- Web Animation
- Webcomics
- Web Original
- Western Animation
