The Backwards Episode
Encyclopedia
Quite a number of television shows have had episodes which were narrated in reverse chronology
, due possibly to narrative style, some sort of time travel
mechanism, or a character (or society) who perceives time passing in the opposite direction. These are not simply episodes which allow a character to travel back in time, and relive the period forward; rather they are episodes where the period of time is either experienced or recounted from the chronological end to the chronological beginning. Those incorporating a time travel mechanism may or may not allow characters to break out of their destiny
. Various backwards episodes include:
Reverse chronology
Reverse chronology is a method of story-telling whereby the plot is revealed in reverse order.In a story employing this technique, the first scene shown is actually the conclusion to the plot...
, due possibly to narrative style, some sort of time travel
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
mechanism, or a character (or society) who perceives time passing in the opposite direction. These are not simply episodes which allow a character to travel back in time, and relive the period forward; rather they are episodes where the period of time is either experienced or recounted from the chronological end to the chronological beginning. Those incorporating a time travel mechanism may or may not allow characters to break out of their destiny
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
. Various backwards episodes include:
- "As Time Goes By" (SlidersSlidersSliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
) - "BackwardsBackwards (Red Dwarf episode)"Backwards" is the first episode of science fiction sitcom Red Dwarf Series III, and the thirteenth in the series run. It premiered on the British television channel BBC2 on 14 November 1989...
" (Red DwarfRed DwarfRed Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
) - "Before and AfterBefore and After (Star Trek: Voyager)"Before and After" is an episode of the science-fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, and the 21st episode of the third season. It has an average fan rating of 4.1/5 on the official Star Trek website as of September 2009 and foreshadows events seen in a later episode, "Year of...
" (Star Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
) - "The BetrayalThe Betrayal"The Betrayal" is the 164th episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. This was the eighth episode for the ninth and final season. It aired on November 20, 1997. The episode is colloquially referred to as The Backwards Episode due to its use of reverse chronology, starting with the final scene and playing...
" (SeinfeldSeinfeldSeinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
) - "Blood of the Father, Heart of Steel" (The Venture Bros.The Venture Bros.The Venture Bros. is an American animated television series that premiered on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim on February 16, 2003. The series mixes action and comedy together while it chronicles the adventures of the Venture family: well-meaning but incompetent teenagers Hank and Dean Venture; their...
) - "Redrum" (The X-FilesThe X-FilesThe X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
) - "My Cheatin' Heart" (Home MoviesHome Movies (TV series)Home Movies is a dialogue-driven American animated series that originally aired from 1999 to 2004. The plot surrounds eight-year-old Brendon Small , who makes films with his friends Melissa Robbins and Jason Penopolis in his spare time...
) - "Hindsight" (ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
) - "Shrabster" (Sealab 2021Sealab 2021Sealab 2021 is an American animated television series. It was shown on Cartoon Network's adult-oriented programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 23, 2000 and the final episode aired on April 25, 2005...
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