# Why is TVDB better for TV shows than TMDB? When it comes to tracking, organizing, and maintaining accurate TV show data, the choice of metadata provider plays a critical role. SIMKL relies on external databases to ensure episode accuracy, season structure consistency, and long-term reliability. For TV shows, **TheTVDB** consistently outperforms **TMDB** in areas that matter most for episodic television. This decision is based on **data structure, moderation philosophy, industry standards, and long-term consistency**, not convenience or popularity. {% content-ref url="/pages/u4v9eUipk1jkeCgCqreP" %} [TVDB - For TV Shows](/how-to-use-simkl/faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/tvdb-for-tv-shows.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/xIkArCgb5zDLxCReQf7y" %} [TMDB - For Movies](/how-to-use-simkl/faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/tmdb-for-movies.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/juTLtESY6b7HK8OKXaX9" %} [AniDB - For Anime](/how-to-use-simkl/faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/anidb-for-anime.md) {% endcontent-ref %} {% embed url="" %} {% embed url="" %} *** ### 1. TVDB Was Built for TV, Long Before TMDB Supported It TVDB was designed from the ground up with **TV series as its primary focus**. Its entire data model revolves around: * Seasons and episodes as first-class entities * Air dates, production order, and broadcast order * Multi-season longevity and continuity TMDB, by contrast, is a **movie-first platform**. While it does support TV shows, episodic handling is not its core priority. This difference in philosophy directly affects data quality. **Why this matters on SIMKL:** * Accurate season counts * Correct episode numbering * Reliable long-running series tracking TVDB’s schema aligns far more closely with how TV shows are actually produced and aired. For a tracker like SIMKL, this historical foundation matters. *** ### 2. Superior Episode Numbering and Season Accuracy One of the most common issues users face with TV tracking platforms is **incorrect episode numbering**. This is especially common with: * Long-running network shows * Anime-style split cours * British series with irregular season structures * Specials and holiday episodes #### TVDB moderation emphasizes: * Fewer duplicate or fragmented shows * Stable season and episode numbering * Clear separation of specials, regular episodes, and bonus content * Editorial decisions based on production and narrative continuity #### TMDB’s open editing model means: * Shows may be split or merged inconsistently * Episode orders can change retroactively * Anthologies, miniseries, and reboots are handled differently depending on who edits them * Marketing titles often override production intent For a tracking platform, **consistency matters more than flexibility**. Watch history should not change because someone edited a listing last week. *** ### 3. Better Handling of Specials, OVAs, and Bonus Episodes Special episodes are one of the biggest pain points in TV metadata. TVDB provides: * A dedicated **Season 0 (Specials)** structure * Explicit tagging for: * Holiday specials * Web episodes * Behind-the-scenes content * Recaps and featurettes TMDB often: * Mixes specials into regular seasons * Labels bonus content inconsistently * Changes placement based on user votes For SIMKL, TVDB’s approach ensures: * Specials do not disrupt main season progress * Users can track or ignore specials intentionally * Episode timelines remain predictable {% content-ref url="/pages/GRZkiPB8W5t0s9IA2duP" %} [Specials](/how-to-use-simkl/getting-started-with-simkl/basic-navigation/tv-shows-tracking/episode-tracking/specials.md) {% endcontent-ref %} *** ### 4. Long-Running and Legacy Shows Are More Stable on TVDB Shows that span **10–20+ years** require extreme metadata discipline. Examples include: * Daily soaps * Anime franchises * Reality competition series * Procedural TV shows TVDB is widely regarded as the **most stable source** for these cases because: * Episode IDs are rarely deleted or re-assigned * Season splits follow broadcast logic * Community moderation favors long-term consistency TMDB, due to its broader scope and voting-based edits, is more susceptible to: * Retroactive restructuring * Episode removals or merges * Inconsistent historical data This stability is critical for SIMKL users with **years of watch history**. *** ### 5. TVDB Is the Industry Standard for TV Tracking TVDB is not just used by SIMKL, is widely used across the TV tracking ecosystem. It is also relied upon by: * Media centers * TV tracking applications * Home server software * Automation tools Its widespread adoption has created: * Established conventions for episode ordering * Predictable update cycles * Community norms focused on TV accuracy TMDB, while excellent for: * Movies * Cast & crew discovery * Posters and artwork …does not maintain the same reputation for **episode-level precision**. *** ### 6. Cleaner Integration with SIMKL’s TV-First Features SIMKL offers advanced TV tracking capabilities such as: * Episode-level history * Smart progress syncing * Calendar-based air tracking These features depend on: * Immutable episode IDs * Consistent season mapping * Predictable metadata updates TVDB integrates cleanly with these systems, minimizing: * Data conflicts * Manual corrections * User confusion Using TMDB as a primary TV source would significantly increase: * Sync errors * Incorrect watch states * Ongoing maintenance overhead *** ### 7. TMDB Is Still Valuable, Just Not as the Primary TV Source It is important to clarify that TMDB is **not a bad database**. TMDB excels at: * Movies * Actor filmographies * Artwork and posters * Discovery and popularity metrics SIMKL may still reference TMDB data where appropriate. However, for **episodic television**, TVDB remains the more reliable foundation. *** ### 8. SIMKL Uses the Best Database for Each Medium SIMKL intentionally uses **different databases for different types of media**, based on which data model is best suited: * TV shows → **TheTVDB** * Movies → **TMDB** * Anime → **AniDB** This approach ensures that: * TV behaves like TV * Movies behave like movies * Anime follows anime-specific structure Rather than forcing one database to handle everything, SIMKL prioritizes **accuracy and structural integrity**. *** ### 9. Series Continuity vs Marketing-Based Splitting (Anthology Case Studies) Anthology series clearly demonstrate the philosophical difference between TVDB and TMDB. #### Example: *The Haunting* * TVDB treats *The Haunting* as **one anthology series** * Season 1: *Hill House* * Season 2: *Bly Manor* TVDB’s official reasoning: > The Haunting is an anthology series where each season tells a different story. Netflix’s decision to present Bly Manor separately does not make it a distinct series. This is the same logic used for *American Horror Story*. TMDB instead splits these into separate shows based on branding and storefront presentation. While this may look cleaner initially, it creates long-term problems for tracking: * Watch history becomes fragmented * Stats are split across multiple entries * There is no clear “same show, new season” relationship #### Example: *Monster* * TVDB treats *Monster* as a single anthology * Each season focuses on a different case (Dahmer, Menendez, etc.) TVDB prioritizes **narrative and production continuity**, not marketing titles. This approach is far more reliable for long-term tracking. {% content-ref url="/pages/JnROD4WDAwK029AtkIgF" %} [Parts vs Seasons: TV Show Formats](/how-to-use-simkl/getting-started-with-simkl/basic-navigation/tv-shows-tracking/parts-vs-seasons-tv-show-formats.md) {% endcontent-ref %} *** ## Why SIMKL Prefers TVDB for TV Shows TVDB is better for TV shows than TMDB because it offers: * A TV-first data model * Superior episode and season accuracy * Stable long-term identifiers * Proper handling of specials and irregular content * Proven reliability for long-running series * Seamless compatibility with SIMKL’s tracking features For users who care about **accurate progress tracking, clean episode histories, and long-term data stability**, TVDB is the clear choice and that is why SIMKL relies on it as the primary source for TV shows. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.simkl.org/how-to-use-simkl/getting-started-with-simkl/basic-navigation/tv-shows-tracking/why-is-tvdb-better-for-tv-shows-than-tmdb.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.