A drama program usually features a set of actors playing characters in a historical or contemporary setting. The program follows their lives and adventures. Except for soap opera-type serials, many shows especially before the 1980s, remained static without story arcs, and the main characters and premise changed little.
If some change happened to the characters’ lives during the episode, it was usually undone by the end. Television programs may be fictional (as in comedies and dramas), or non-fictional (as in documentary, news, and reality television). It may be topical (as in the case of a local newscast and some made-for-television movies), or historical.
Television Movie
Broadcast may be called a “special”, or particularly in the UK a “special episode”. A television film (“made-for-TV movie” or “television movie”) is a film that is initially broadcast on television rather than released in theaters or direct-to-video. A program can be either recorded, as on video tape, other various electronic media forms.
The show hires a stable of writers, who usually work in parallel: the first writer works on the first episode, the second on the second episode, etc. When all the writers have been used, episode assignment starts again with the first writer. On other shows, however, the writers work as a team.
Electronic Media Forms
A program can be either recorded, as on video tape, other various electronic media forms. Broadcast may be called a “special”, or particularly in the UK a “special episode”. A television film (“made-for-TV movie” or “television movie”) is a film that is initially broadcast on television rather than released in theaters or direct-to-video.
When all the writers have been used, episode assignment starts again with the first writer. On other shows, however, the writers work as a team. The show hires a stable of writers, who usually work in parallel: the first writer works on the first episode, the second on the second episode, etc.
Source: Wikipedia.