Using the latest Plex server on the latest unraid os.
Bear with me, this can seem a bit confusing at first.
I am trying to figure out why Plex isn’t getting the correct metadata for certain multi-episode shows.
For instance, the tv show “Arthur” has two episodes for every half-hour program. The TVDB labels each file as two episodes (ie. Arthur - S01E01-02, etc), but when Plex gets the metadata information it only seems to see each show as a single episode (ie. S01E01 (which would be the first and second cartoons in the show. And then, S01E02 is the 3rd and 4th cartoon, etc). Therefore:
S01E01-02 would be episode 1 information which is correct but…
S01E03-04 would actually be metadata information for the file S01E05-06 because it sees that file as the 3rd episode.
Therefore, it doesn’t see any of the even numbered episodes.
It’s totally screwed up and I don’t know how to fix it.
I’ve tried scraping info from TVDB and then redoing it via the Movie Database…but neither works. I REALLY don’t want to have to hand type out all the episodes…for TWENTY seasons of shows…
Any ideas of how to help? Please?!
How are you naming your files? If you are using S01E01-02, then you should have 2 entries in Plex. They will both point to the same file so playing ep2 will start at ep1, but the metadata should be correct.
This is how they are named:
Arthur - S01E01-02 - Arthur’s Eyes + Francine’s Bad Hair Day
The naming is coming directly from TVDB via Sonarr.
If Plex did like you are saying, that would be kind of ridiculous. What I would expect is that it would show one entry showing the names of both episodes.
Either way, it isn’t doing either.
As far as I can tell, the file names are correct.
Can you provide me a screen shot of the season and the xml for that episode?
Here you go.
If you notice, it goes 1, 3, 5 like you might think it should. But The actual episodes are 1and2, 5and6, 9and10.
As you will notice here from this listing of Arthur season 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Arthur_episodes#Season_1_.281996.29
Ah sorry. For the filenaming you also need the E for the second episode number.
S01E01-E02
Now to figure out why the files don’t match up. Can you provide the xml for the supposed episodes 3 and 5?
Here are the files you requested. Thanks for your help, MovieFan.
So, if I add that E for the second episode will it, like you say, place an episode one AND and episode two in plex? I was really hoping it would just see that there were two episodes in one file and put a single episode in plex stating that it is episode one and two.
Everything looks fine to me. Episode 3 references the file “Arthur - S01E03-04 …” and Episode 5 points to “Arthur - S01E05-06 …”. I don’t see what’s wrong.
I must be explaining it wrong. It can be a bit confusing.
Attached you will find a picture of how some of the files in the first season are named (this is actually how they are all named).
If you look here you will see that it corresponds to every episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Arthur_episodes#Season_1_.281996.29
What plex is doing is this: The first show of arthur is correct. It has episode 1 “arthur’s eyes” and episode 2 “francine’s bad hair day”.
But after that, things get wonky. The next show says it is the third show and it says the shows are: Episode 5 “D.W. All Wet” and Episode 6 “Buster’s Dino Dilemma”. But in actuality when you play it, it is Episode 3 “Arthur and the real Mr Rathburn” and Episode 4 “Arthur’s Spelling Trubble.”
And this continues for every episode thereafter essentially.
The confusing part is this: Is each 30 minute show of arthur comprised of 2 episodes…or is it 1 episode with 2 cartoons in it? The TVDB via Sonaar maps it as 2 episodes in a single file. But Plex is seeing them as single episodes with two shows in them, I think. And I don’t know what to do.
BTW, thanks for your help.
Shoot. Here is that picture I promised you of the actual files and their names:
