Why does Sarah Silverman program only have even no. eps?

[rrrobinsonjr]

I noticed that there are no odd episode numbers in Tivo's program info. The dates are only a week apart, but they go from 208 to 210 to 212.

WTF?

Is there a precendent for this? Is it a superstitious thing?

[Rob Helmerichs]

It's just coincidence. On the episode list (http://www.epguides.com/SarahSilvermanProgram/) you'll see that they shoot the episodes out of order.

[IJustLikeTivo]

Cause she doesn't want people to think she's odd?

[rrrobinsonjr]

Cause she doesn't want people to think she's odd?

Well I completely disagree with that statement. She definitely likes to portray oddness.

[IJustLikeTivo]

Well I completely disagree with that statement. She definitely likes to portray oddness.

The statement was intended to be ironic....:D

[rrrobinsonjr]

It's just coincidence. On the episode list (http://www.epguides.com/SarahSilvermanProgram/) you'll see that they shoot the episodes out of order.

They shoot them out of order or they SHOW them out of order? Or both?

I accept the explanation, but it's weird that they wouldn't just number them in the order they're aired. Confusing!

[Rob Helmerichs]

I accept the explanation, but it's weird that they wouldn't just number them in the order they're aired. Confusing!
Production codes are issued as they produce them. It's only been in recent years that people in the wild even found out about production codes, and they're still not widely known (that is, the vast, vast majority of people neither know nor care about them). It's not at all confusing to the people making the show, and that's who the production codes are for.

[rrrobinsonjr]

Production codes are issued as they produce them. It's only been in recent years that people in the wild even found out about production codes, and they're still not widely known (that is, the vast, vast majority of people neither know nor care about them). It's not at all confusing to the people making the show, and that's who the production codes are for.

Interesting. I wouldn't bring this topic up in real life for fear of being a giant bore, but I know people on this forum will understand my curiousity.

When 'catching up' on a show, its sometimes the case that this number is the only real way to tell if I've seen all episodes. Often it is critical that you see them in order too, although that is certainly not the case with this show.

Having the episode numbers out of order just doesn't make sense on any level to me. Please enlighten me on the subject of 'production codes'.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Having the episode numbers out of order just doesn't make sense on any level to me. Please enlighten me on the subject of 'production codes'.
That's just how the people making the show keep them straight. So they know which episode they're working on (it takes a lot more than a week to make a TV show, and there are always several episodes in various stages of production).

As to why shows are shot out of order, there are several reasons. Often, it's just that after they're done, either the producers or the network decide 207 will go better before 206. But sometimes it's done on purpose. Reasons can be that an episode needs more post-production time for special effects, availability of cast and/or crew, availability of sets (two non-consecutive episodes may be the only ones to require a certain set, so they might shoot those episodes back-to-back), etc.

[rrrobinsonjr]

That's just how the people making the show keep them straight....

As to why shows are shot out of order, there are several reasons. Often, it's just that after they're done, either the producers or the network decide 207 will go better before 206. But sometimes it's done on purpose. Reasons can be that an episode needs more post-production time for special effects, availability of cast and/or crew, availability of sets (two non-consecutive episodes may be the only ones to require a certain set, so they might shoot those episodes back-to-back), etc.

I understand the logic in shooting out of order (and among numerous scripts). It's all a matter of practical considerations. I get that. However airing episodes out of numerical order is by far the exception. Can you imagine if the show '24' called hour 23 Episode#11?

[Rob Helmerichs]

I understand the logic in shooting out of order (and among numerous scripts). It's all a matter of practical considerations. I get that. However airing episodes out of numerical order is by far the exception. Can you imagine if the show '24' called hour 23 Episode#11?
Well, I'm not sure if we're on the same page here. Production codes are the order in which they are made, so if they're shot out-of-order, then they won't air in production code order.

If they get Bill Clinton to do a guest shot in the fifth and eighth episodes, but don't want to pay to fly him to LA twice, they would might them back to back:

Production code (episode number)
605 (6x05)
606 (6x08)
607 (6x06)
608 (6x07)

[WhiskeyTango]

I understand the logic in shooting out of order (and among numerous scripts). It's all a matter of practical considerations. I get that. However airing episodes out of numerical order is by far the exception. Can you imagine if the show '24' called hour 23 Episode#11?

I don't think it's that much of an exception. I've noticed a lot of shows that have done this. Stargate SG-1 & Gossip Girl are two that I'm catching up on past seasons of that do this. It can only really be done when an episode can be moved without affecting the storyline. That's not really possible with 24.

[Rob Helmerichs]

I don't think it's that much of an exception. I've noticed a lot of shows that have done this. Stargate SG-1 & Gossip Girl are two that I'm catching up on past seasons of that do this. It can only really be done when an episode can be moved without affecting the storyline. That's not really possible with 24.
But if you look at, e.g., Stargate for last season, the first several episodes (in fact, much of the season) were shot wildly out of order. But that was clearly by intent, since Episodes 1 and 2 were the second and third part of a three-parter, yet were production codes 402 and 403. Why did they need to shoot Episode 4 first? Who knows, but they did, which is why Episode 4 is 401.

Remember, the production code has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO with the order in which they are intended to be aired. It is ENTIRELY the order in which they are made.

The reason 24 is probably never shot out of order has less to do with the clock gimmick and more to do with the fact that the entire season tends to happen on the same sets with the same cast, so there isn't likely to be need to shoot stuff out of order.

[MickeS]

I watched the first season of this show. I didn't even know it was still on. I'll have to find it.

[mattack]

Production codes are issued as they produce them. It's only been in recent years that people in the wild even found out about production codes, and they're still not widely known

I mostly agree with you, but being a TV addict all my life, I think some/many old shows had the production code _in the credits_. MASH is the one that sticks in my mind.