Bonus question: For both guest stars and season regulars, and for both uncredited and credited roles, does appearing in the small intro/opening music count as making an appearance on an episode? I'm assuming no, right? Here is that intro.

Regarding your first question, I personally would add them at strictly the episodic level, not as season regulars.

I agree with your assumption regarding the second question: If someone appears in a series' routine (always remains the same throughout a season) musical "title" opening, but doesn't otherwise appear in a particular episode, they shouldn't be credited at all.

I guess what I'm really asking is, is there such a thing as an uncredited season regular (in TMDB's eyes, that is)? @genplant29 is saying no...

So that means that in order for a cast member to be given the season regular credit they have to:

a) be credited (on-screen) in x number of episodes

b) "x" must equal at least half of the total episodes in the season

c) an on-screen credit has only been given to an actor if the actor's name appears with or without their role at anytime during the episode (usually in the opening or ending sequence), or, the actor's name and/or role appears while they are being featured on screen.

Am I right? Did I get something wrong?

My understanding of what constitutes a season regular is an actor/participant who appears all throughout the season and who receives credit, either in print on screen or via spoken identification, in every episode that they appear in; they should be, imo, actors/participants of whatever extent of significance.

People warranting the Season Regular designation are the ongoing actors/participants who viewers are readily familiar with. In other words the main and primary-supporting cast type people.

I don't know if this helps any, but actors are not usually credited unless they have a speaking part, even if it is very brief. Otherwise just about every non-speaking extra would get a credit, which would be ridiculous. For example, the great director Alfred Hitchcock appeared in 38 films and one TV episode of Lux Video Theatre ("To Each His Own"). The latter TV episode was the only property in which he received a credit, because it was a speaking part. The rest were all cameos.

EDIT: Btw, there are some exceptions to the credit rule that an actor must have at least one line in order to receive a credit. Producers sometimes break this rule, e.g., for humanitarian reasons. For example, Ray Collins, who played Lt. Tragg in the original Perry Mason series, filmed his last episode in 1963 (because of failing health), but still received on-screen credit through the 1964-65 season. As Wikipedia notes: "In October 1963, Collins filmed his last Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Capering Camera", broadcast January 16, 1964. Although clearly Collins would not return to work on the series, his name appeared in the opening title sequence through the eighth season, which ended in May 1965. Executive producer Gail Patrick Jackson was aware that Collins watched the show every week and did not wish to discourage him."

If an actor is a season regular (if it makes a difference, I'm currently looking at a Reality genre web series) but is uncredited, can you still add them as a season regular (with the "(uncredited)" thing added, of course)? Or should you just add them as a guest star to (all or most- the ones they appeared in) the individual episodes?

It would help if you explained the situation a bit more... But why do you assume an actor is a "series regular" if they have no on-screen credits?

is there such a thing as an uncredited season regular

I don't think so? The only exception I can think of is webseries without normal series credits - the last episode sometimes has the credits for the whole series. I never counted those as uncredited credits though. I think it's safe to assume every single series regular has 'name has to be credited in the (opening) screen credits' in their contract.

For both guest stars and season regulars, and for both uncredited and credited roles, does appearing in the small intro/opening music count as making an appearance on an episode? I'm assuming no, right?

I agree with @genplant29, that one is a hard no.

@genplant29 said:

My understanding of what constitutes a season regular is an actor/participant who appears all throughout the season and who receives credit, either in print on screen or via spoken identification...

Really? Spoken identification counts? So, an actor can be considered to have gotten an on screen credit even though there is no visual text that appears on the screen (name or role)? That makes things dicey...

@banana_girl said:

is there such a thing as an uncredited season regular

I don't think so? The only exception I can think of is webseries without normal series credits - the last episode sometimes has the credits for the whole series. I never counted those as uncredited credits though. I think it's safe to assume every single series regular has 'name has to be credited in the (opening) screen credits' in their contract.

Oh, so if a web series has no normal credits (and also no credits on the last episode)- cast can be given the season regular credits- despite no on screen (visual text) credits- (with the "(uncredited)" attribution, of course)?

The web series I'm currently looking at (although this question about credits applies to many more series) is a Reality web series called Reality Gamemasters. The cast consists of two "co-hosts" ("co-host" is taken from here and here), a sideline corresspondent ("sideline corresspondent" is taken from here), some other guy haha (taken from here), and contestants. The contestants- none of them have been given season regular credits (as I've been told contestants on reality series should be given guest star roles to the episodes they appeared in- even if they appear in the majority of the episodes- which all of the contestants in this web series do). I've not given the contestants the "(uncredited)" attribution as all the contestants have an on-screen credit in the first episode. I've given the other four cast members a season regular credit as they appear in at least half (in this case, all) episodes. Dalton Ross, has not been given the "(uncredited)" attribution because he is credited (his name pops up on screen) in episode one. The other three, including the other "co-host" has been given the "(uncredited)" attribution.

Now, all of these credits have been given in the idea that an "on screen credit" only refers to visual text- i.e. a name and/or role popping up (visually) on screen. It has not been made with the idea that an on screen credit can be auditory; "spoken identification".

@tmdb24407783 said:

@genplant29 said:

My understanding of what constitutes a season regular is an actor/participant who appears all throughout the season and who receives credit, either in print on screen or via spoken identification...

Really? Spoken identification counts? So, an actor can be considered to have gotten an on screen credit even though there is no visual text that appears on the screen (name or role)? That makes things dicey...

I meant spoken identification solely if a production doesn't, during its episodes, include any on-screen credits. In other words if the only identification of participants comes from an announcer or narrator stating names as the participants appear.

I can't personally think of, and don't know of, any productions that are like that, that are seasonal series; I mentioned "via spoken identification" for in case there might be some such productions out there.

My earlier statement is what I consider the rule, where who justifiably is a "proper" Season Regular is concerned:

My understanding of what constitutes a season regular is an actor/participant who appears all throughout the season and who receives credit...in every episode that they appear in; they should be, imo, actors/participants of whatever extent of significance.

People warranting the Season Regular designation are the ongoing actors/participants who viewers are readily familiar with. In other words the main and primary-supporting cast type people.

Definitely contestants, in a competition series, should be added strictly episodically - never as Season Regulars - even when a contestant lasts all the way through to the finale.

@genplant29 said:

I meant spoken identification solely if a production doesn't, during its episodes, include any on-screen credits. In other words if the only identification of participants comes from an announcer or narrator stating names as the participants appear.

I can't personally think of, and don't know of, any productions that are like that, that are seasonal series; I mentioned "via spoken identification" for in case there might be some such productions out there.

Actually, spoken identification instead of a visual credit was not uncommon in some 1950s U.S. TV comedy show episodes, and occasionally in a few series later on, e.g., "Also appearing on tonight's program were . . . ." usually after the visual end-credits.