TV Episode Titles "Off By One"

[hinder90]

I have stumbled upon a very odd problem that seems to be specific to Plex Server’s TV episode browser. For reasons unknown, in the middle of a TV season the Plex browser shows the the episode title (and description) incorrectly as the title (and description) of the next episode of the series. The episode number and episode artwork remain correct. Also, the media info for the episode is also correct. I don’t know if the media info that is shown with you click “Info” is Plex’s metadata that is pulled from TVDB or if this is data gleaned from the file itself from the “Scan” phase and is then used to pull metadata for Plex, but this data is correct while the metadata’s title for a given TV episode is displayed by Plex Server is “one episode off”.

Let me attempt to clarify:

Again, this problem only manifests itself in the Plex browser and only with certain seasons of certain TV shows as if the data that it gets from TVDB causes Plex’s metadata scan to get messed up. Therefore, when I say the title shown is the title of the “next episode” I mean the next episode as would be found in TVDB, not the next episode alphabetically that I happen to have on file in the season’s directory. This mismatch is then the case for all subsequent episodes in the season whether there are episode gaps or not.

For example, I am looking at Rifftrax, a show where I don’t actually have every episode in what TVDB calls Season 01. Here, episode 283 which is ‘Stranger Things - Season 1 Episode 1’ - the Plex browser shows it having the title of episode 284 which is “Santa’s Summer House”. This continues for the rest of the season. The media information, episode number and artwork remain correct, but the title and description show by Plex Server are from the next episode in that season. This includes episodes that follow “gaps” of missing episodes. For instance, after serveral missing episodes I have episode 287 ‘Yor, the Hunter from the Future’ which is shown with the title “Killers from Space” which is episode 288, an episode I don’t even have. As I pointed out, media info for the episodes still show up correctly as would be expected since the files and directories have all be set up by FileBot in accordance to the “Plex” naming scheme. I don’t know why the media info (when you click “Info” is correct while Plex Server shows the metadata incorrectly, but I am assuming these data comes from different sources. Also, I should point out that whether I am viewing the episode list in a web browser or on some version of the Plex media player for either AppleTV, Roku, or iOS, the problem manifests itself in the exact same way.

What is extra weird is that this is not the first time I have seen this. I am also seeing this behavior in Mystery Science Theatre, Season 01! I have no idea why this problem would be happening to a television show and subsequent web series that just so happens to be produced by mostly the same people, but it is exactly the same behavior. For MST, it starts with S01E4 - ‘Women of the Prehistoric Planet’ which shows its title as ‘The Corpse Vanishes’ (S01E05) and this continues for each episode until the end of the season. Again, media info and artwork for all episodes remains correct.

I have not seen this for any other TV shows yet. I would like to look at logs for indications as to why this happens but I wouldn’t even know where to begin. Since the media data is correct for each episode I couldn’t tell you if the problem is with the metadata itself (I thought that the media data you see with you click “info” was the metadata but maybe that’s incorrect) or if it is a bug/incompatibility between TVDB and Plex Server. It’s weird as all get out.

Anyway, I have server version#: 1.15.3.876 running on Ubuntu 18. It affects every Plex client that I have tried so it appears to be specific to the server. Hopefully I am not the first person to see this super bizarre behavior. Since the files metadata appears to be correct (according to the media info) the only way I can imagine this problem being detected in running Plex in debug mode.

[OttoKerner]

Employ the help of a metadata editor to inspect your files for embedded metadata.
Perhaps the faulty descriptions and titles are already embedded in your files?
You can check quickly if you disable the Local Metadata Assets line under
Settings - Server - Agents - TV Shows - TheTVDB
and then Refresh Metadata on this whole show. This should only allow metadata from TheTVDB to get through.

If afterwards the order is still off by one, it might simply be a disagreement between the episode numbers of your files and the numbers at TheTVDB.
Sometimes, numbers become shifted in one list because of special episodes getting aired inbetween. Or because sometimes an episode is a double-episode, which is listed as one item in one list, but as two in another.

Always verify the numbers by looking up your show at TheTVDB.
Sometimes your files do follow the numbering and order of a DVD/BR release, which might be better/more correct than the original “airing order” (which is “the law” at TheTVDB).

If TheTVDB get their website in order at some time in the future, you might be able to see if they also have a “DVD order” listed for a particular show. Which you then can compare to the numbering of your files. If they do match, you can edit the show in Plex and set it to “DVD ordering”.

[hinder90]

I am pretty sure this is a bug in Plex since this occurs in at least two episodes. I can’t see any other reason for this happening in this kind of pattern. The TVDB info is correct. It’s just that in the middle of a season, Plex stars showing the metadata for an episode from the following episode while the metadata for that episode in “Get Info” is still correct. Since this info is what comes from TVDB it would seem that the data it gets by the agent is correct… it’s just one episode off. Why the artwork is still correct is another mystery.

Per @OttoKerner suggestion, I did change my agent settings for “Shows → The TVDB”: to be as follows:

However, I already had TVDB listed ahead of local media but I unchecked it just in case. There was no change, predictably.

If I could find out exactly were the metadata that shows up under “Get Info” actually comes from, it would be easier to determine where this foul-up is talking place. If that is indeed the metadata in Plex’s database, there must be a bug Plex displays the metadata the is viewed in the graphical browser. Since episode art doesn’t come from TVDB, perhaps this is just an issue with how Plex scans TVDB, like it is putting an errant record delimiter where it shouldn’t or something.

To see exactly what I am talking about, pictures might help. If you look at MST3K Season 01. Here is a screen shot of the series index where you can obviously see the problem starting at Episode 04:

The artwork correctly shows “Women of the Prehistoric Planet” as does the metadata when I click “Get Info” for that episode, Everything else as pulled from TVDB is from the following episode. This is the pattern for the rest of the season.

Here is the metadata as shown in “Get Info”:

I have looked through the documentation to confirm where this metadata comes from but I so far haven’t found anything. If anyone can answer this problem, I can at least file a proper bug report.

Thanks.

[JuiceWSA]

This has been a problem for YEARS.

I checked my MST3Ks just now to find them exactly like yours. Exactly. Here’s part of the problem:
Sometime between the time we added S01 and now, TVDB decided the order wasn’t right and they ‘fixed’ it. Well, there’s no arguing with them over it, so that’s just the way it is, but the problem is Plex’s TVDB proxy may go to TVDB to get the proper artwork, but it never removes the bad artwork nor changes it’s ‘priority status’, so it’s always selected for you. For some reason.

I also checked my filenames with FileBot (oooo, boy, that was easy enough) and good ol Filebot found all (well, some of them certainly, but FB is way too fast for me to have seen what it did exactly) of them off by one episode (let’s just say some of the filenames were off and now they’re not).

Refresh Metadata after my fix, of course, did nothing, so I Plex Danced Moon Zero 2 (not shown in your library) with it’s brand new filename - and still no joy. Moon Zero Two still picks up the wrong artwork from the Plex Proxy ('cause the proxy never went to get an update and if it did that first artwork is now written in stone).

The fix? Well, you can pretty much guess what that is by now, right? Yea, hand edit and select the correct artwork… it’s right there, but Plex can’t select it for you. For some reason.

I’m going to Plex Dance a few more, just to see what happens, but here’s another example of the same thing:
Anyone who has ever dealt with Great Performances at TVDB knows the pain and suffering involved in the TVDB Patented ‘Two Week Switcheroo’ where in two weeks after the initial listing, TVDB decides it’s wrong (or it really is wrong - who knows?), but the Plex Proxy can’t seem to do anything about it and you’ll know about it when your artwork and filenames are off by one or more episodes.

The only fix at that point is to FileBot a new set of filenames which will gather the correct info and wrong artwork - and, yup, you fix the artwork manually 'cause no amount of Plex Dancing will fix it for you.

Now how does the wrong artwork survive a Plex Dance with a Bundle Clean? The Short answer is it don’t, but when the wrong artwork is on the Proxy and you can’t get it from anywhere else automatically - there’s the issue, or at least a big part of it.

[OttoKerner]

Try flushing out the local cache for TheTVDB.
https://support.plex.tv/articles/202967376-clearing-plugin-channel-agent-http-caches/

[JuiceWSA]

I will. I’m also going to try (to find a ‘small season’) Plex Dancing a entire season after a filebot name fix (if required) to see if I can draw up some correct info automatically.

Well, shucks - the small season I found has 3 eps in it, but they’re all correct - artwork and descriptions. I’ll work on the season shown instead, perhaps not immediately.

I’ll do the cache clean in the Plex Dance before adding the season back in. That should tell us something.

[hinder90]

Wait wait… I think my situation is the reverse. It must be because I have newer versions of these files which I added within the last 18 months. The files as FileBot named them are in fact correct… in other words, based on what you said, TVDB cleaned up the problem or at least the data scraped from TVDB matches the files because I played them and they are in fact the files that the “Get Info” (and artwork) says they are. It is only Plex’s metadata that’s wrong. It sounds like for you the opposite is true.

Can you tell me what the metadata that is in “Get Info” is taken from? As I said, it matches the file (I played it and it indeed matches as well as what the artwork is). It would help to know where it comes from so I can maybe start trying to figure out where the breakdown is since the TVDB info matches the filename and the filename matches what the actual file is.

[JuiceWSA]

This confusing issue persists:

Season 01 just got PDed (as Thumb-Gen clearly indicates - lol). It’s brand new along with the TVDB cache.

We can also see the wrong artwork - that shouldn’t even exist (in a perfect world) - is there and auto-selected:

Anything else to test?

[OttoKerner]

Is this show set to DVD-Order?

[JuiceWSA]

Negative:

[JuiceWSA]

Yes, but we don’t know at this point who is holding onto that ‘wrong’ artwork that Plex is auto-selecting. TVDB shows us only the one ‘correct’ grab:

so as I sit here (with a strong urge to shave) all I can see is the correct artwork. Does TVDB have some wrong artwork the proxy stupidly downloaded and auto-selected, or does the Proxy have some wrong artwork (it hasn’t gotten rid of), along with the right artwork (it can’t select, for some reason).

Confused?
I am.

[hinder90]

I hate to ask the obvious, but did you actually play one of the files to see if the show matches the metadata or the artwork? Also, does the metadata in “Get Info” show the same or different titles?

[JuiceWSA]

While irrelevant, it is a good question and my episodes don’t match their names now (fixing that).

What is relevant is that perfect wrong thumb somebody has (Plex Proxy, TVDB, or Me) can’t be generated automatically right on the exact frame (astronomical odds) so it can’t have come from my actual (now wrong)video. I’ve had that thumb for years and so has the Proxy.

My files weren’t screwed up until just a moment ago and when I fix them and put them back Plex won’t care much - after that analysis. It’s still gonna use the wrong thumb one of us has.

Even though I Plex Danced Season 01, that wrong thumb could still exist in a show bundle I didn’t clean by dancing s01.

No, I’m not going to dance 12 seasons of MST3K to find out what happens… lol
(but I am PDing S01 yet again - after Plex Dancing the WRONG filenames the first time a second dose was necessary to fix the WRONG Preview Thumbs - and the wrong artwork still exists, to be fixed manually)

Oh, and ‘Get Info’ shows what the file is called now and before (regardless of the actual content of the file, of course), but the artwork is off by one after e02 now and before.

[hinder90]

I would be more than happy to to show how this phenomenon manifests. It’s super weird with both screenshots, info data, what TVDB has, and raw filename data itself. I really would like to contribute something useful to this project even if it isn’t code.
One thing I do need is to know while will help solve a mystery is if the file info as shown in Plex (using "get Info) is coming from the file metadata, if it is Plex metadata, if it is Plex data that was extracted from the file data (a copy). That would help me be specific in telling you what is happening and would save you testing. I can’t imagine that MST3K is the only place this happens especially since TVDB and file art remain correct. It’s wacky.

If you or the Plex team feel this is too edge-case to both with, fine. I think that would be a bad call as who knows what’s causing it. If I can test exhaustively so you or others can trace the output (and when things go sideways) I am sure it will save devs a lot of time. I am more than happy to contribute to the betterment of plex.

[ChuckPa]

Can I be of some help here?

There seems to be controversy about the need for proper naming versus relying on strictly what’s in the metadata in the file.

Please allow me to be clear: Proper file naming is required.

Bad metadata in those file types which PMS does read metadata from worsens matching success.

@hinder90

I would very much like to see the file name you are using for one season which is showing up incorrectly / offset. A pwd; ls -la works great. If you would copy paste that please ?

[hinder90]

All of my files are renamed with FileBot simply using the {Plex} format with literally no exceptions. I use TVDB and The Movie DB for the first choice for all metadata, both in Filebot and in Plex. Below is a directory listing of the season which I have been using as the example in my previous updates.

$pwd
/Volumes/PlexMedia/TV Shows/Mystery Science Theater 3000/Specials
$ls -la
total 40053880
drwsrwxr--@ 1 mlitwin  staff        1656 Oct 22 01:59 .
drwsrwxr--@ 1 mlitwin  staff         466 Oct 22 01:59 ..
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    74892578 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E00 - The Green Slime.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff  1038210375 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E01 - Invaders from the Deep.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   739356024 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E02 - Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   734603264 Sep 16 18:05 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E04 - Gamera vs. Barugon
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   730765312 Sep 16 18:05 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E05 - Gamera
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   732207104 Sep 16 18:05 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E06 - Gamera vs. Gaos
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   717072384 Sep 16 18:05 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E07 - Gamera vs. Zigra
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   719198208 Sep 16 18:05 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E08 - Gamera vs. Guiron
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   709242880 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E09 - Phase IV.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff      127504 Aug 22 16:13 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E10 - Cosmic Princess.en.srt
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   716286170 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E10 - Cosmic Princess.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   626387913 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E11 - Humanoid Woman.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   521135477 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E13 - SST Death Flight.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff     2562715 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E134 - ConventioCon ExpoFest-a-Rama.mpg
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff     2577798 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E135 - ConventioCon ExpoFest-a-Rama.mpg
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   731244544 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E136 - The Home Game.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   278786048 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E137 - The Home Game.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   580098048 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E138 - Mike Nelson on Slasher Movies.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    42121216 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E139 - Mystery Science Theater Hour Wraps For The Giant Gila Monster.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    52406272 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E140 - Mystery Science Theater Hour Wraps For Hercules Unchained.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    46819328 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E141 - Mystery Science Theater Hour Wraps For Hercules Against The Moon Men.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   469351173 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E15 - Superdome.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   642536956 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E16 - City on Fire.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff  1310295938 Sep 17  2017 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E170 - Night of the Blood Beast Turkey Day.mkv
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff     1000056 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E171 - Mystery Science Theater - Missing Host Segment.wmv
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   683299603 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E18 - The Million Eyes of Su-Muru.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   698737654 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E19 - Hangar 18.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   327268194 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E20 - The Last Chase.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   707902986 Dec  6  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E21 - The Legend of the Dinosaurs.mp4
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff  2178818111 Jul 29  2018 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E469 - A Good Test Case - We Brought Back MST3K.mkv
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    55980032 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E70 - PSX Underground.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   230578176 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E71 - SF Vortex.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    97028096 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E72 - CBS Saturday Morning News.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    66895872 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E73 - World News Guest Appearance.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   733110272 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E74 - Host Segment Dress Rehearsals and Outtakes.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    41551872 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E75 - MTV Week in Rock.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   164939776 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E76 - 1st Annual Summer Blockbuster Review.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   186415104 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E77 - The Making of MST3K.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff    51982336 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E78 - Movie Deleted Scenes.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff        5619 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E78 - Movie Deleted Scenes.eng.srt
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   159102976 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E79 - 2nd Annual Summer Blockbuster Review.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   186398720 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E84 - This is MST3K.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   312627200 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E86 - Little Gold Statue Preview Special.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   147609600 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E87 - Poopie Parade of Values.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   201779200 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E88 - Turkey Day '95.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   181448704 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E89 - Academy of Robots Choice Awards Preview Show.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   734709760 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E90 - The Home Game.avi
-rw-rw-r--@ 1 mlitwin  staff   139988992 Oct 10  2013 Mystery Science Theater 3000 - S00E92 - Turkey Day '92 Extras.avi

[mhmacgre]

I’m having the same problem now with a few of my shows. 2 of which are being recorded by PlexDVR but get Next upcoming episode name and description. Very confusing. I have not tried clearing cache yet but will be my next step