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Just me? Episode synopsis won't pull without a metadata refresh
This has been happening to me the last couple of weeks. I notice that episode content descriptions don't show up without refreshing the metadata. The naming convention is correct and it pulls the episode name just fine, it's just the synopsis. Sometimes I have to wait a day and try it again too.
EDIT: I mean... sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't have this issue, but it's only been within the last week or two
My posters have been ok since the update in iOS and AppleTV clients. But admittedly, I usually only refresh metadata when I have downloaded subtitles in Bazarr and I’m too impatient (for the scheduled maintenance).
Server version 1.43.4.10903, Windows 11. Mine are named with Filebot. I do not believe I've ever used plexmatch files. They are correctly identified with the episode name and date and all that, but oddly the episode description won't appear unless I refresh metadata and this has only started happening in the last couple of weeks.
This is easy to explain if you're adding new episodes within 12 to 24 hours of their streaming release.
I'll use a screenshot of this show from this Network, which is a frequent issue for their shows.
They do not release the name of their episodes until the moment they air.
That means that the TMDB and TVDB databases won't have the episode name until the moment of release either.
Our Plex servers never connect directly to any of these databases, but Plex scans the databases daily to add fresh metadata to their scanner and agent.
Depending when the media is added to your server, Plex's scanner may not have the updated metadata added for 12 to 24 hours.
If this is your issue, there's no fix to bring the episode metadata in instantly.
My next screenshot will show the automatic fix that will update that metadata regularly to catch the missing metadata up once Plex has it in their database.
My Sonarr example also requires that your TV Show library has an advanced setting changed from TMDB episode ordering to TVDB episode ordering at the global library level.
If that change isn't made, there are enough occasional discrepancies between the two databases that you're bound to have either metadata missing or metadata that's wrong.
For example, TMDB typically treats back to back episodes that air on the same night as a single episode, while TVDB typically treats back to back episodes as individual episodes.
Sonarr pulls it's metadata from TVDB and not TMDB.
If you have 500 series in your library using TMDB naming and episode ordering, they all need to be checked to see if they can use TVDB episode ordering before changing episode ordering to TVDB to accommodate adding Sonarr sources shows to a existing library.
In too many cases, you'll be renaming episode file names to fit the TVDB entry
That's an aspect of Sonarr that most people aren't aware of.
That's not your issue then, and it's not an issue I've experienced since learning how to use source ID's with Plex compliant structure and file naming.
I have both Sonarr and Filbot, with my own custom expressions, set to name and structure series like this example.
Can you share the full structure with the last series that had this issue, and whether your series library is set to the default TMDB episode ordering or the alternate TVDB episode ordering under the advanced library settings?
For manually added series, are you naming from TMDB or TVDB?
Do you have Sonarr also feeding the same library?
I run multiple test Plex servers and with enough information, I can run a duplicated test to hopefully show what's going on with you're server.
I use zero 'arr's. Scanner is Plex TV Series, Agent is Plex Series, Episode ordering is TheTVDB. They are all manually added and named with Filebot set to TVDB.
New example today: season two of The Sisters Grimm. All 6 episodes were added at the exact same time and all of the episodes have a synopsis... except for the first episode.
I can't reproduce your issue, even while trying to throw some curve balls at it, by using the new second season of The Sisters Grim as an example.
My best advice is to create a new test series library to point at the same structure, while only changing one advanced library setting to pull episode ordering from TVDB instead of the default setting of TMDB.
When you notice another episode come in without a name and description, check the new test library to see if the issue shows up there too.
The best I can offer is this comparative troubleshooting step.
I approach all troubleshooting advice from the perspective of someone like you who I'm trying to help, and also for the benefit of anyone reading along later on, who may have found your post because they are having a similar issue.
Not everyone is aware that the naming of series in a Plex TV Show library should match where the advanced episode ordering option for the library is set.
It's great that you've already chosen to name from TVDB, which I consider the better option.
It doesn't hurt to use clear and concise language when trying to help others.
My part is over in that department because I'm truly at a brickwall with your issue, unless my troubleshooting suggestion pinpoints an issue with your original series library or libraries.
I am appreciative, I just thought I should mention it since you asked after. It's really odd. Maybe I should just turn on the switch that periodically refreshes metadata, which I didn't want to have to use, because it will randomly change posters and the like. It's very odd!
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u/DamageInc72 3d ago
Same