# Plex merges episode with wrong show
**URL:** https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-merges-episode-with-wrong-show/728046
**Category:** Plex Media Server
**Tags:** server-windows
**Created:** [July 11, 2021, 10:06am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-merges-episode-with-wrong-show/728046 "2021-07-11T10:06:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@m\_figman\_gmail\_com](https://forums.plex.tv/u/m_figman_gmail_com)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2021, 10:06am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-merges-episode-with-wrong-show/728046/1 "2021-07-11T10:06:01Z")
Server Version#: 1.23.3.4707
layer Version#: 4.60.3
I can’t seperate an episode for 2 different shows with the same name but different years. I have each TV show folder labled with their year in brackets but the episode only appears for the older show.
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### Author:  [@Elijah\_Baley](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Elijah_Baley)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2021, 12:14pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-merges-episode-with-wrong-show/728046/2 "2021-07-11T12:14:54Z")
Plex will NOT work correctly with your naming. You need to place the year in parenthesis ( ) and all the extra stuff in square brackets.
naming like:
Series name (year) - SxxEyy - episode title [anything that is not series name or title].mkv
while other naming “might” work Plex also “might” change background processing and bad naming that works could suddenly not work.
It is the old “garbage in garbage out.”
* * *
TV Shows ← The TV library points here
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ShowName (year)
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Season 01
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ShowName (year) - s01e01 - Optional Name.ext
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ShowName (year) - s01e02 - Optional Name.ext
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_and so on for the shows in season 01
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Season 02 ← just like Season 01
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Season 03 ← and so on for each season
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_Season 00 ← or “Specials”
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ShowName (year) - s00e01 - Optional name
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ShowName (year) - s00e02 - Optional name
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_and so on for each special
Note 1: the eXX part of the specials must match EXACTLY what is found in TheTVDB
Note 2: The (year) may be omitted for shows that do not have more than one occurrence throughout the years.
There are many other structures and naming systems that work but this is the one I use and it just works.
For a mass rename I use FileBot with this format string {n.replaceTrailingBrackets()} - {s00e00.lower()} - {t}
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### Author:  [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2021, 3:07pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-merges-episode-with-wrong-show/728046/3 "2021-07-11T15:07:22Z")
The 2021 version of Gossip Girl is brand-new. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Plex metadata server still doesn’t know about this.
Wait a few days, then perform the [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-incorrectly-identifying-tv-episodes/100265/4 "Plex Dance") with the new show.
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### Author:  [@rb\_rb\_mk](https://forums.plex.tv/u/rb_rb_mk)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2021, 4:13am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-merges-episode-with-wrong-show/728046/4 "2021-07-16T04:13:03Z")
Thanks for this, it fixed my issue perfectly.
I have never had this issue with a rebooted show before, so I was stumped.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2021, 4:13am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-merges-episode-with-wrong-show/728046/5 "2021-10-14T04:13:59Z")
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