Search Shows Help
Quick Overview
The Search Shows feature lets you find and add TV shows to your watchlist. We use The Movie Database (TMDb) to provide comprehensive show information including streaming availability, episodes, and metadata.
🔍 How to Search
Basic Search
- Enter Show Title: Type the name of the show you want to find
- Hit Enter or Click Search: Results appear automatically
- Browse Results: Look through the matching shows
- Add to Watchlist: Click "Add to Watchlist" for shows you want
Search Tips for Better Results
- Full Titles: Use complete show names for best accuracy
- Alternative Spellings: Try different variations if not found
- Year Disambiguation: Include year for shows with similar names
- International Shows: Use original titles for foreign content
- Partial Matches: Sometimes less is more - try shorter searches
Pro Tip: If you can't find a show, try searching for just the first word or check the original language title!
📺 Understanding Results
What You See in Results
| Element | Information |
|---|---|
| Poster | Official show artwork |
| Title | Official show name |
| Year | First air date |
| Overview | Plot summary |
| Status | Ongoing, ended, etc. |
| Add Button | Add to your watchlist |
Duplicate Detection
Shows already in your watchlist will display an "Already in Watchlist" message instead of an "Add" button, preventing duplicates.
➕ Adding Shows to Watchlist
Automatic Data Collection
When you add a show, we automatically fetch:
- Basic Info: Title, overview, poster, air dates
- Season Data: All seasons with episode counts
- Episode Lists: Individual episodes with air dates
- Streaming Services: Where you can watch (region-dependent)
- Status Information: Ongoing, ended, cancelled, etc.
- Network Data: Original broadcaster information
Streaming Service Detection
We attempt to automatically detect which streaming services have each show, but this information:
- May vary by your geographic region
- Changes frequently due to licensing agreements
- Can be manually edited if incorrect
- Includes both free and paid platforms
⚙️ After Adding a Show
Immediate Actions
- Redirect to Dashboard: See your new show in the watchlist
- Streaming Services: Verify detected services are correct
- Episode Structure: Check that seasons and episodes loaded properly
- Watch Status: Mark episodes as watched if you've already seen them
Common Follow-up Tasks
- Edit Services: Add or remove streaming platforms
- Mark Progress: Set your current watching progress
- Check Accuracy: Verify episode counts and air dates
- Set Priorities: Decide which shows to watch first
Note: Some shows may take a moment to fully load all episode data. Check back if information seems incomplete initially.
💡 Search Examples & Troubleshooting
Effective Search Examples
| Looking For | Try Searching |
|---|---|
| Breaking Bad | "Breaking Bad" |
| The Office (US version) | "The Office" or "The Office 2005" |
| Game of Thrones | "Game of Thrones" |
| Stranger Things | "Stranger Things" |
| House of Cards (Netflix) | "House of Cards 2013" |
| Korean Drama | Use original Korean title |
Common Issues & Solutions
Show Not Found
- Check spelling and try alternative titles
- Some very new or very old shows may not be in TMDb
- Try searching for the original language title
- Verify the show is actually a TV series, not a movie
Wrong Show in Results
- Look for the correct year in parentheses
- Check the overview/description for accuracy
- Multiple versions may exist (US vs UK, remakes, etc.)
Missing Information
- Some shows may have incomplete TMDb data
- Episode information loads gradually
- Streaming services can be manually edited later
- Use "Refresh Metadata" to update show information
Data Source: All show data comes from The Movie Database (TMDb), a community-maintained database with comprehensive TV and movie information.