Crossover

From TeeVeePedia, the Internet TV Encyclopedia.

A crossover is an attempt by creators of popular television shows to get people to watch episodes of their show by way of other, more money-hungry creators' television shows.

Noted crossovers include:

• The Today Show
• Conviction
• Kung Fu
• That episode of The Love Boat where the Fonz got loose on the ship and taught Capt. Stubing a lesson about love
• The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour
• The Robin Williams In A Strange Suit/Penny Marshall & Cindy Williams/Siskel & Ebert Hour

Producers must be extremely careful when employing a crossover. Incorrect usage outside of a controlled environment can have adverse effects on the television continuum, as happened when an ill-advised Simon & Simon-Whiz Kids crossover inadvertantly destoyed 1/3 of the CBS primetime line-up in the early 80s.