# Plex not recognizing TV shows

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194>\
**Category:** Metadata & Adding Files\
**Tags:** library-management\
**Created:** [February 1, 2022, 10:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194 "2022-02-01T22:57:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![steffan8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@steffan8](https://forums.plex.tv/u/steffan8)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2022, 10:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/1 "2022-02-01T22:57:02Z")

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Hey, I realize this is a common issue, and unsure if this is the right forum as there was no general ‘help’, but Plex isn’t getting my TV shows right. What’s even worse, is I thought I could just organize it by folder. SO I just go in the folder, maybe plex thinks breaking bad is boston public, but I know that I’m in the breaking bad folder and just play the episodes–sure it says boston public, but it’s the breaking bad folder in my external. What’s even weirder is I’ll play it and it will be neither boston public nor breaking bad but another show entirely. There is no way for me to view what I want. I know fixing metadata is meant to help. I’ve organized it properly \>TV\>Name\>Season 1/2/3/4 etc\>Episodes. What is a good tool to mass fixing metadata? Is there a way for me to just view the folder tree as if I was on my computer so I don’t have to do all this fixing? Ugh…

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**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2022, 11:50pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/2 "2022-02-01T23:50:07Z")

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Let’s start with your exact file and folder names inside the folder linked to your library.  
Usually those common issues can be linked to some severe deviation from the naming schema or how folders are linked to a library.

It might also be helpful if you can share what version of Plex Media Server you have installed on and on what platform – also what agent you’re using for this tv-show library.

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**Author:** ![steffan8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@steffan8](https://forums.plex.tv/u/steffan8)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2022, 12:43am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/3 "2022-02-02T00:43:23Z")

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Thank you for replying. I am legit retarded so undoubtedly I’ve messed up somewhere.

This is how I organize everything

[[Album] imgur.com ![](https://i.imgur.com/SBhskJR.png?fb "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/a/CctRBFr)

Genre \> Show \> Seasons \> Eps

I’m on windows 10 home 64bit and I have plex Version 1.25.3.5409

Platform? Just desktop and I use the app on my sony bravia.

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**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2022, 12:51am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/4 "2022-02-02T00:51:43Z")

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Make sure you follow Plex naming requirements:  
[Your Media](https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/your-media/) → [TV Show Files (Naming and Organizing)](https://support.plex.tv/articles/categories/your-media/naming-and-organizing-tv-shows/).

  

Did you add d:\media\tv to the Plex library?

If so, the problem is the Genre folder. Plex does not support such structure.

You have a two choices:

1. Put all your TV shows in one folder, without the Genre folder
2. Have multiple TV Show libraries, one for each genre.

Option 1

```auto
/Media
   /TV Shows <-- Library points here
    /Lost In Space
      /Season 01
        /Lost In Space - s01e01.mkv

```

Option 2

```auto
/Media
   /TV Shows 
    /Drama <-- Drama TV library points here
    /Humor <-- Humor TV library points here
    /Science Fiction <-- Sci Fi TV library points here
      /Lost In Space
        /Season 01
          /Lost In Space - s01e01.mkv
    /Uncategorized <-- "catch all" for uncategorized shows

```

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**Author:** ![steffan8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@steffan8](https://forums.plex.tv/u/steffan8)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2022, 1:06am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/5 "2022-02-02T01:06:09Z")

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Ok, I got you. Thank you this makes a lot of sense. I will do this. Is there an easy way to mass update metadata for like a whole show or season or genre so I don’t have to do each one?

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**Author:** ![dbirch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f19dbf/32.png) [@dbirch](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dbirch)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2022, 1:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/6 "2022-02-02T01:24:04Z")

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You will need to do the [plex dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064)

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**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2022, 4:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/7 "2022-02-02T04:18:49Z")

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> [@dbirch](#):
>
> You will need to do the [plex dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064)

Yes. Thanks for mentioning it.

> [@steffan8](#):
>
> Is there an easy way to mass update metadata

You do not have to update the metadata, just name and organize the files correctly. Plex does not read embedded metadata from MKV files. It can be configured to read or ignore embedded metadata in MP4 files on a per-library basis.

PowerRename in [Microsoft Power Toys](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/) can help with simple pattern replacement. For example, replace `0x` with `s00e0`, to change `0x1` to `s00e01`. It can change all files in a given directory including any subdirectories.

Many people use [FileBot](https://www.filebot.net/). It is a commercial program and licensing is $6 USD / year. It has built in Plex templates. I have not used it, but per other postings it could rename your entire library in a matter of minutes once you have it set up.

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**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2022, 4:56am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/8 "2022-02-02T04:56:13Z")

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> [@FordGuy61](#):
>
> You have a two choices:
> 
> 1. Put all your TV shows in one folder, without the Genre folder
> 2. Have multiple TV Show libraries, one for each genre.

Option 3):  
Add all genre subfolders individually to the same library.

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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:** [May 3, 2022, 4:57am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-not-recognizing-tv-shows/774194/9 "2022-05-03T04:57:12Z")

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