# Switched episodes while show's in progress **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 16, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025 "2006-08-16T23:41:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/1 "2006-08-16T23:41:12Z")
Okay I’m watching the Simpsons and it started as one of the Treehouse of Terror specials (Kang & Kodos serve the Simpsons to their boss) and got to the part where Ned gets hit with a bowling ball and can see how people will die by touching them. In the middle of a scene it cut to a totally different episode; the one were Marge becomes Moe’s business partner. Did the station change their minds about which episode to air in the middle of it or what 😕 ? ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/2 "2006-08-17T00:23:11Z")
It might have somehow skipped over episodes. That sometimes happens on my DVDs. I don’t know what media the station uses. I’m sure someone was fired, and with good cause. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2006, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/3 "2006-08-17T00:59:42Z")
I don’t know where you are, but in Chicago Fox showed the Treehouse of Horror episode you metioned (fifteen) yesterday. Don’t know whether your area did as well, but maybe someone forgot to change the tape. I didn’t get a chance to watch today, so I don’t know if this happened here. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/4 "2006-08-18T03:28:09Z")
Just a guess (I’ve worked at a few TV stations): Syndicated shows are often downlinked via satellite, recorded on tape at a certain time, and played back later on the air. Tapes are recycled often. A new recording, over an old recording, may have malfunctioned halfway through. A human usually reviews the tape afterward to time commercials breaks and check for problems, but since they’re generally not actually watching the episode in real-time, an episode switch could be difficult to notice. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/5 "2006-08-18T03:33:11Z")
Option 2, which just popped into my head, is that they could have been having technical issues with the first tape. There’s usually a backup, but in the absence of one, the master control person on duty could have taken it upon him/herself to switch to a completely different episode. However, you didn’t mention any obvious technical difficulties, so I think my first idea is more likely. ---
**Author:** ![initech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/439d5e/32.png) [@initech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/initech)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/6 "2006-08-18T04:18:06Z")
Most stations these days use hard drive-based playback of syndicated shows. One drive array will store many shows and is rewritten constantly. I’d guess is was a malfunction in that equipment. And I guarantee you, no one was fired for it. Probably not even reprimanded, possibly not noticed. As automated as stations are now, there is often no one actually watching the screen. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/7 "2006-08-18T15:05:08Z")
Now if only we could get the local Fox affiliate to play some DIFFERENT episodes! I TIVO all of them, and it seems I delete more that I’ve seen in the past 3 months than actually watch! ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/8 "2006-08-19T18:16:28Z")
> [@initech](#): > > And I guarantee you, no one was fired for it. You didn’t get it? I thought it was too easy. Nobody got it?? > [@](#): > > I’m sure someone was fired, **and with good cause**. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2006, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/9 "2006-08-19T21:45:40Z")
I’ve also read that cable TV channels sometimes use their equipment to deliver the wrong show at the wrong channel, but only to people who are using illegal cable TV descramblers (everyone else sees what’s normal). It’s be things like softcore porn on the Discovery Channel or kiddie shows on the Playboy Channel. Then when people call to complain, they know who’s stealing cable. I don’t think you’re stealing cable, but it’s possible that such a switch might somehow interfere with normal programming for legal viewers, too. You hear about softcore stuff showing up every now and then, wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t some kind of glitch in that scheme. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/10 "2006-08-20T00:39:13Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > Now if only we could get the local Fox affiliate to play some DIFFERENT episodes! I TIVO all of them, and it seems I delete more that I’ve seen in the past 3 months than actually watch! I was just going to mention that. The local Philly affliate has been playing the same 20 or 25 episodes for about 2 or 3 months now. It’s incredibly irritating. ---
**Author:** ![robotic\_panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@robotic\_panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robotic_panda)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/11 "2006-08-20T10:24:12Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > I’ve also read that cable TV channels sometimes use their equipment to deliver the wrong show at the wrong channel, but only to people who are using illegal cable TV descramblers (everyone else sees what’s normal). It’s be things like softcore porn on the Discovery Channel or kiddie shows on the Playboy Channel. Then when people call to complain, they know who’s stealing cable. I don’t think you’re stealing cable, but it’s possible that such a switch might somehow interfere with normal programming for legal viewers, too. You hear about softcore stuff showing up every now and then, wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t some kind of glitch in that scheme. This sounds pretty cool, but do you have a cite? I just can’t understand why people stealing cable would call and complain to the cable company they are stealing from. (Besides being idiots.) Also, how could legal cable box users recieve this signal? I assume a really old box? I’m curious now! ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/12 "2006-08-20T14:58:28Z")
> [@robotic\_panda](#): > > This sounds pretty cool, but do you have a cite? I just can’t understand why people stealing cable would call and complain to the cable company they are stealing from. (Besides being idiots.) Also, how could legal cable box users recieve this signal? I assume a really old box? I’m curious now! [Here’s the cite.](http://66.40.78.100/Services/TECH_Notes/eleven.html) Here’s the quote: > [@](#): > > The cable company temporarily broadcasts some soft-core pornography onto what is supposed to be The Disney Channel (and vice-versa). They simultaneously reprogram subscriber converters to re-map the channels correctly, so the change is transparent to all but non-company converters. Those who call to complain about the “non-Disney” entertainment (or cartoons on the Playboy channel are more than likely to have gray-market decoders. It’s near the end of the article, under “Some Common Ways Cable Pirates Get Caught.” ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/13 "2006-08-20T15:03:29Z")
This happened to me with a _Cheers_ episode once. Before the commercial break, it was the episode guest starring John Cleese, after the break it was another episode. ---
**Author:** ![Caractacus\_Pott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@Caractacus\_Pott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caractacus_Pott)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/14 "2006-08-20T18:06:02Z")
**Alphaboi** , I don’t know if you’d consider this the same thing, but our Fox affiliate in Fairbanks, AK has problems with Sunday prime time broadcasts. Occasionally they’ll re-run the first segment of the episode when the show returns from the first commercial break. It’s disconcerting to have _deja vu_ on a supposedly new episode! When there are 2 episodes scheduled for a Sunday evening frequently the first segment shown on the second episode will be the first segment from the first episode. Typically they’ll let the mistaken segment complete then switch to the correct segment after the commercial break. The rest of the night’s schedule is then 5 minutes off. This happens ONLY with “The Simpsons.” None of the other Sunday night prime time lineup is affected. [digression alert] Now if they’d “accidentally” rerun “The Simpsons” over that crap at the end of the current Sunday night schedule, I wouldn’t complain. No such luck but I can hope. [/digression alert] ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_a\_Doughnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d9b06d/32.png) [@I\_am\_a\_Doughnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_a_Doughnut)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/15 "2006-08-20T20:50:13Z")
Forvive my ignorence, but if they’re able to show the scheduled show to legal subscribers and a made up ‘free t-shirt’ advert to a section of illegal subscribers, why not show TV to the legal watchers and a black screen to the leechers?. Not nitpicking, genuinely want my ignorance fought. ---
**Author:** ![robotic\_panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed8c4c/32.png) [@robotic\_panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robotic_panda)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/16 "2006-08-20T23:18:27Z")
Thanks **Evil Captor**! I appreciate it, thats an interesting site (cite?). > [@Your Link](#): > > During a pay-per-view event such as a fight, the cable company offers a free T-shirt to all viewers. Little does the “Pirates” know that just before that message appeared on the screen, legitimate viewer’s boxes were told to switch to another channel while still displaying the original channel number. > > So now the legitimate subscriber continues to see the “original” signal, without the T-shirt offer, while the pirate gets an 800 number plastered on the screen. The pirate calls, and the cable company gets a list of all potential pirates… Sneaky! I like it. I second **I am a Doughnut** ’s question though… ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switched-episodes-while-shows-in-progress/369025/17 "2006-08-20T23:19:20Z")
> [@DxZero](#): > > I was just going to mention that. The local Philly affliate has been playing the same 20 or 25 episodes for about 2 or 3 months now. It’s incredibly irritating. The reason why you see that is that with syndication reruns the “new” episodes get much better ratings than episodes that have been in the syndication loop for several years. So syndicators schedule things from the previous two or three seasons in preference to anything else.