Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2008 August 3

= August 3 =

TV Show With Most Episodes
Of all the TV shows that have ever ben made, in all genres or countries, which TV show has the most number of episodes? --Ye Olde Luke (talk) 01:39, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Don't know for certain but my bet is on Guiding Light with over 15,000 episodes, though I don't know if that includes the radio episodes... the intro to the article says that these are just the televised episodes. Dismas |(talk) 03:03, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Perhaps a news show which broadcasts several times a day (like BBC News) could beat that ? It would probably come down to which show you consider to still be the same show since they started broadcasting.  After all, the format, cast, name, and network may well have changed over a half century or more on the air.  StuRat (talk) 03:23, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * I do know that the longest-running scifi show is Doctor Who. I'd expect Countdown (game show) is likely in contention after news programmes are removed. That being said, it would probably be a soap opera which would win. -mattbuck (Talk) 09:03, 3 August 2008 (UTC)

Excluding BBC News, which has had a least one episode every day since 1922, SportsCenter looks like the winner at 30166 episodes. Here is a short list of some of the other longest-running shows I found:
 * SportsCenter - 30166
 * The Today Show - 20718
 * The Guiding Light - 15478
 * Meet the Press - 4783
 * Countdown - 4627
 * Blue Peter - 4214
 * The Bill - 2246
 * WWE Monday Night RAW - 792
 * Doctor Who - 751
 * Gunsmoke - 633
 * Lassie - 588
 * Death Valley Days - 452
 * Ozzie and Harriet - 435
 * Bonanza - 430
 * Scooby-Doo - 350
 * 20I.170.20 (talk) 20:27, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Sesame Street has at least 4,160 episodes, so they belong on that list too. StuRat (talk) 22:34, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * We do have a List of television programs by episode count but it only lists "primetime" shows. Dismas |(talk) 20:31, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Coronation Street must be on that list somewhere, too - it's been running twice weekly since 1960. (According to its article it has had 6873 episodes.) Grutness...wha?  23:27, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Days of our Lives has had 10,879. Neighbours has only been around since 1985, but it's on 5 days a week and is up to 5,510 episodes. --  JackofOz (talk) 00:17, 4 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Since you asked about any show in any genre or country, here's a few from Japan:
 * Sazae-san has over 1820 episodes (still running)
 * Doraemon has over 1300 episodes (still running)
 * Crayon Shin-chan has over 600 episodes (still running)
 * Pokémon has over 555 episodes (still running)
 * Detective Conan has over 510 episodes (still running)
 * Dragonball has 508 (if you include Dragonball Z and Dragonball GT as part of the same series)
 * There are likely some others I may have missed as this was just off the top of my head. ··· 日本穣 ? · Talk to Nihonjoe 05:11, 4 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Here are a few others:
 * Star Trek has 726 episodes through all its incarnations
 * The Stargate series has over 324 episodes so far, and it's still running
 * One Piece has 363 episodes (still running)
 * So, it looks like Doraemon may actually be the longest running scifi show out there, by almost 600 episodes. Granted, it's aimed at kids, but it's still about a robot cat from the future. ··· 日本穣 ? · Talk to Nihonjoe 05:28, 4 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Doctor Who is the longest-running, but Doraemon has more episodes (Doctor Who's being going - intermittently - for 45 years). Grutness...wha?  05:56, 4 August 2008 (UTC)


 * I forgot the Mobile Suit Gundam series, which currently has 505 episodes and is still running. ··· 日本穣 ? · Talk to Nihonjoe 05:41, 4 August 2008 (UTC)

Shortland Street is another in the club - it aired its 4000th episode in June this year. Grutness...wha?  05:56, 4 August 2008 (UTC)

Worth an honourable mention: The Sky at Night, its only broadcast once a month but it is one of the longest running TV programmes in the World, its been broadcast continuously since 1957 and it still has the same presenter as well! - X201 (talk) 17:49, 4 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Just found out its 668 edition of it so far. 668 editions with the same presenter and format, that has got to win some kind of prize. - X201 (talk) 17:55, 4 August 2008 (UTC)

The Dark Knight
Does Rachel Dawes die in this film? David Pro (talk) 17:25, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * It's in the page for The Dark Knight. I don't want to say here in case there are others who've yet to see the film. Cliff smith (talk) 17:31, 3 August 2008 (UTC)
 * As well as the page for Rachel Dawes. Dismas |(talk) 20:28, 3 August 2008 (UTC)

Mortal Kombat II
Is true that the US release of the SNES version of Mortal Kombat II had two different versions released? Can somebody tell the differences? David Pro (talk) 21:54, 3 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Yes, according to the Mortal Kombat II article. See the Super Nintendo Entertainment System section for more info. This site also has "a detailed comparison of the different cartridge versions" 20I.170.20 (talk) 22:04, 3 August 2008 (UTC)
 * SNES has no blood. Genesis version did - but with a code ABACABB... still remember it 15 years later. I rule.--Endless Dan 12:43, 4 August 2008 (UTC)
 * But that was in the first MK, not in the second. 200.50.38.33 (talk) 21:41, 6 August 2008 (UTC)

What are the odds of a Mariners/ Nationals world series?
You laugh, but the Nationals just swept the Reds. Take that Cincinnati! Now go cry into your commemorative Big Red Machine coffee cups! And Seattle? Well, they do have an active volcano in thier state so maybe we should cut 'em some slack.

What are the odds that something like this could happen? I'm intrigued by the idea that two teams in the standings cellar could come back in August to win it all. Happens that way in all those "team of misfits beat all the odds to win the championship" type movies. I can see it now-Mariners win the World Series for thier town that was wiped out by Mount St. Helens and a meteor in the same day. Then they'll get a BIG PARADE for thier...heroism?Baseball and and and Popcorn Fanatic (talk) 22:13, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * The chances of this happening are extremely slim. Seattle has a marginally better record, but actually has a tougher shot due to the fact that the Angels are actually a good team, while Philly is only fair. To simplify things, let's say that the AL West only has two teams: the Angels and M's. In order to beat the Angels, the M's would have to go on one of the hottest winning streaks ever seen in sports (28 games over .500, 39-11 to finish a respectable 82-80) while the Angels would have to choke as few teams ever have (28 games under .500, 11-39 to finish 81-81). The odds of either happening are extremely unlikely. Now toss in the fact that the A's and Rangers really are in the division and playing, well, not great but tons better than the Mariners. I don't know what the schedule is like for those teams, but it may be that the M's are mathematically eliminated due to the fact that not every team in the division can lose ALL its games - simply because they play one another. In practice, no chance. Matt Deres (talk) 12:42, 5 August 2008 (UTC)

Street Fighter II
How many Street Fighter II: Champion Edition arcade hacks exist? David Pro (talk) 22:25, 3 August 2008 (UTC)


 * Street Fighter 2' Champion Edition Accelerated part 2 and Street Fighter 2' Champion Edition Red Wave among others. 200.112.28.135 (talk) 21:33, 4 August 2008 (UTC)