Single 2 hour episode vs Two 1 hour episodes

[AndrewHogan]

Maybe it's just the shows that I watch, but lately every time I run into either of these situations the listings have it wrong.

Example... for the "Chuck" season premier they aired 2 episodes back to back (Dollhouse has been doing this a lot lately)

The official Chuck episode guide on NBC.com lists them like this....

Chuck vs. The Pink Slip --- As the upgraded Intersect, Chuck trains to become a full-fledged spy, but hits rock bottom when he flunks out of spy school and loses Sarah in the process.

Chuck vs. The Three Words --- A mission is put in jeopardy when Chuck finally learns how Sarah feels about him.

My listings from Schedules Direct had a single entry for both episodes...

Chuck Versus the Pink Slip; Chuck Versus the Three Words --- Chuck flunks out of spy school and loses Sarah; Morgan tries to help Chuck get over Sarah; Chuck tries to talk to Sarah about their relationship.

Aside from the descriptions being shortened to uselessness, the real problem is when those episodes go into re-runs my DVR will record them again because they won't match the mashed up subtitle and description.

This is annoying but not nearly as much as the opposite problem, when a show has a 2 hour special and it gets listed as 2 one hour episodes.

My DVR is set to record one Mythbusters episode a week. Every time there is a two hour special I only get to see the first half because it winds up in the listings as two separate episodes.

Please do not combine or split episodes in the listings!!!!

[rmeden]

I suspect Tribune is repeating what the network sends them.

I can see folks complaining both ways, especially if a conflict causes one half not to record, or creates a "gap" between shows.

What do others think is the best way to handle it?

I haven't noticed the MythBuster's issue, but both halves should have still be flagged a "new".

Robert

[dcantor]

I suspect Tribune is repeating what the network sends them.

I can see folks complaining both ways, especially if a conflict causes one half not to record, or creates a "gap" between shows.

What do others think is the best way to handle it?

I think the listings should show separate entities, and the job of coalescing them into a single recording session should be the responsibility of the user's client software. Ideally, that client software would give the user a choice of what to do when it finds two consecutive episodes of the same series on the same channel. Personally, I do that coalescing manually.

[stephenxanders]

Oh I never realized that there is also a CHUCK fun here It will much easier for everybody with the (Two 1 hours episodes) than the single 2 hours episode.. It will make life more easier.