# Matching against TheTVDB

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/matching-against-thetvdb/168721>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Created:** [November 28, 2016, 10:58am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/matching-against-thetvdb/168721 "2016-11-28T10:58:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![lokipo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lokipo/32/1702_2.png) [@lokipo](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lokipo)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 10:58am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/matching-against-thetvdb/168721/1 "2016-11-28T10:58:47Z")

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Hi,

I am having a weird problem matching against TheTVDB.

Yesterday I added a new show to my plex (Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life) but I am unable to match it, no matter how I search, plex never finds anything else then “Gilmore Girls” (or totally unrelated shows).

As I understand there is no way to force a specific TheTVDB-ID (which exists)?

Best regards,

Tilman

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**Author:** ![JuiceWSA](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/juicewsa/32/12253_2.png) [@JuiceWSA](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JuiceWSA)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 11:15am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/matching-against-thetvdb/168721/2 "2016-11-28T11:15:26Z")

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Gilmore Girls A Year in the Life: [Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life - TheTVDB.com](http://thetvdb.com/?tab=series&id=311987)  
and as such:

A TV Show Library/  
…Gilmore Girls A Year in the Life/  
…Season 01/  
…Gilmore Girls A Year in the Life - S01E01 - Winter.XXX  
…Gilmore Girls A Year in the LIfe - S01E02 - Episode Name Optional.XXX

Filebot could have handled that lookup and naming almost instantly (link in my signature).

Caveat:  
If using MP4/M4V files bogus embedded nonsense in the Title Field will result in a bogus match. The solution is to remove said nonsense from MP4/M4V files or simply Move Local Media Assets to the bottom of every Agent List you can lay your hands on (drag and drop to the bottom of the Agent Lists):  
[https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200241558-Agents](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200241558-Agents)

For best results:

The [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064)®:

1. remove show from library
2. update library
3. clean bundles
4. empty trash  
[https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200392106-Library-Actions](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200392106-Library-Actions) \<------ update libraries, clean bundles, empty trash
5. rename/restructure Show/Episodes
6. replace show into library
7. update libraries

… as my test file sits in a TV Show Library:  
F:\MCEB-TV\Gilmore Girls A Year in the Life\Season 01\Gilmore Girls A Year in the Life - S01E01 - Winter.mp4

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**Author:** ![lokipo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lokipo/32/1702_2.png) [@lokipo](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lokipo)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 12:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/matching-against-thetvdb/168721/3 "2016-11-28T12:23:13Z")

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Done exactly that. Same result. For some weird reason Plex is not able to pick up the show in the TVDB, although it exists and the files are correctly named. I cannot even find it by matching manually.  
Is there no way to set the ID by hand?

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**Author:** ![lokipo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/lokipo/32/1702_2.png) [@lokipo](https://forums.plex.tv/u/lokipo)\
**Post date:** [November 28, 2016, 12:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/matching-against-thetvdb/168721/4 "2016-11-28T12:24:58Z")

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I matched it using the movie db… Weird…

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**Author:** ![nerual13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/74df32/32.png) [@nerual13](https://forums.plex.tv/u/nerual13)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/matching-against-thetvdb/168721/5 "2016-12-23T01:32:04Z")

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Going to dredge this thread back up, because I’m stuck in the same hole. I tried the things listed, named the files exactly the same and still no joy!

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/matching-against-thetvdb/168721/6 "2020-01-07T22:18:04Z")

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