Before the term was coined in the USA in the early 1970s, the ongoing episodic form was always called a "serial", just as a novel appearing in episodes in successive editions of magazines or newspapers is called a serial.
Sebelumnya istilah ini diciptakan di Amerika Serikat pada awal 1970-an, berupa episodik yang sedang berlangsung selalu disebut "serial", seperti novel muncul di episode dalam edisi berturut-turut majalah atau koran disebut serial.