When the cloud coverage is bad and PBS plays fake footage of the fireworks in DC — Alexis Sadoti (@AlexisASadoti) July 5, 2016

https://twitter.com/tinpant/status/750139052448362496

Not cool @pbs.... Fake footage of fireworks on the Fourth???? It's cloudy and rainy in DC. Those shots are clearly not from tonight. — christopher wallgren (@seawall77) July 5, 2016

Another giveaway? On TV, you couldn't see the construction scaffolding on the Capitol building, which has been there for many months.

Thanks for your fake coverage of the July 4th, Washington DC fireworks PBS! No clouds, No scaffolding on the Capitol #July4thPBS,#beAshamed — JoeyV (@therealjoeyjoe) July 5, 2016

As soon as the show ended, producers from Capital Concerts owned up to the fact that not all of its footage was from the live fireworks show. (In the first segment of the display, while singer Cassadee Pope was singing, some scenes did show a cloudy sky.) "We showed a combination of the best fireworks from this year and previous years. It was the patriotic thing to do," the "Capitol Fourth" account tweeted.

We showed a combination of the best fireworks from this year and previous years. It was the patriotic thing to do. #July4thPBS — A Capitol Fourth (@July4thPBS) July 5, 2016

A "Capitol Fourth" spokeswoman confirmed to us that because the weather was so overcast, the producers pulled together a combination of clips "to make the best television show." She added this is the first time the producers have had to take such measures.

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Still, some viewers were not happy that PBS wasn't upfront about the pre-recorded nature of the fireworks:

should have at least let viewers know "some portions pre-recorded" — Melissa J (@jensenmama) July 5, 2016

Feeling personally victimized by @PBS and #capitalfourth for using stock firework footage. It's cloudy and gross today not perfectly clear — Katherine Sisemore (@KSisemore) July 5, 2016

…and so on.