If there are no branches then it's a series circuit. If there are branches it's a parallel circuit. In a television series, you get several episodes, one after the other. A series circuit is similar.

Last month's column covered the behavior of electrical components connected in series and demonstrated that when a voltage is applied across a series circuit, the current through each component is the ...

A parallel circuit is way of connecting components on separate branches, so the current can take different routes around the circuit. The current is different in different parts of a parallel circuit.