Abstract: A system and method for removing commercials from recorded television programs. The system and method for removing commercials from recorded television programs is defined by a set top box containing instructions embodied in software stored on non-volatile memory which cause a processor in the set top box to identify breaks in television programming while recording, detect the presence of a commercial, flag detected commercials, and delete flagged commercials once recording ends. Conventional program metadata, such as closed captioning and program information metadata, is used by the set top box to detect, verify and flag commercials. The set top box can then playback the recorded television programs with the commercials having been deleted.