Recapping is the art of writing a detailed scene-by-scene analysis of a television episode, movie, play, or book, complete with the personal opinions and observations of the writer. Frequently, these observations will be humorous, and contain a great deal of sarcasm (usually referred to in recapping circles as snark).

Websites that post recaps almost always limit themselves to recapping television shows, though there are a number of sites that recap movies. Sites that recap television shows include Television without Pity (the site generally credited with popularizing the art form), Recapist, Midseason Replacements, Too Much Free Time and TVgasm. Sites that recap movies include The Agony Booth, The Movie Spoiler, Jabootu and Filmsite.org.

Origins

Contrary to popular belief, recapping did not originate with the internet. Instead, recaps, or episode summaries from a fan-based perspective, would often appear in fandom 'zines, traded at conventions or read aloud to an audience.