Episode and season numbers with letters or decimals to place items in-between

Feature Suggestions
1

Allow seasons and episodes to take “numbers” which include letters or decimal points, e.g. Season 2.5, Episode 1a, Episode 1b. Display these in alphanumerical sort order.

Right now Plex forces a very strict Season X, Episode Y structure where X and Y must be positive integers. In addition you can have a faux “Season 0” but this must show up as “Specials” at the front of the season list only.

This makes it impossible to “insert” a season or episode into the play order without renumbering everything incorrectly.

For instance, it’s quite common that a show will release a special episode that takes place in-between seasons or even in-between episodes. So, the correct play order might be something like:

  1. Pre-show 2-part film
  2. Season 1
  3. 3 shorts that bridge the gap to Season 2
  4. Season 2 episodes 1-10
  5. Mid-season special episode
  6. Season 2 episodes 11-20

It would be annoyingly incorrect to force this play order by renaming Season 1 to Season 2, and Season 2 to Season 4. Ideally what we want here is the ability to do something like:

  1. Season 1a: two-part film
  2. Season 1b: Season 1
  3. Season 1c: 3 shorts
  4. Season 2:
    1. Episode 1-10: episodes 1-10
    2. Episode 10a: mid-season special
    3. Episode 11-20: episodes 11-20

or

  1. Season 0.5: two-part film
  2. Season 1: Season 1
  3. Season 1.5: 3 shorts
  4. Season 2: Season 2
  5. Season 2:
    1. Episode 1-10: episodes 1-10
    2. Episode 10.5: mid-season special
    3. Episode 11-20: episodes 11-20
2

I was under the impression that’s how specials are already queued in continue watching… even if you don’t give them alphabetic or decimal identifiers.

1 Like
3

I believe Tom is correct.

From what I understand the continue watching is actually triggered by release date for the episodes of your show, not a numerical order contained in the s01e01 format

These Doctor Who episodes would pop up in the continue watching like this

S07E13 The Name of the Doctor (May18, 2013)

S00e83 The Day of the Doctor (November 23, 2013)

S08E01 Deep Breath (August 23, 2014)

The same would be true for mid-season specials, shorts or Movies based on a TV series that also fit into a Specials format.

X-files movies are listed in the X-files tv show as specials for instance. They would be played wherever they belong in the correct chronological order in comparison to the TV show

4

Assuming the release date is correct (Originally Available on the episode edit screen) you can also build smart playlists which will do the right thing.

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Notice that it jumps from season 3, episode 20 to season 0, episodes 4 and 5 (specials) before moving on to season 4.