# 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="../../../faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/tvdb-for-tv-shows" %} [tvdb-for-tv-shows](https://docs.simkl.org/how-to-use-simkl/faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/tvdb-for-tv-shows) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="../../../faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/tmdb-for-movies" %} [tmdb-for-movies](https://docs.simkl.org/how-to-use-simkl/faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/tmdb-for-movies) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="../../../faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/anidb-for-anime" %} [anidb-for-anime](https://docs.simkl.org/how-to-use-simkl/faq/how-to-add-new-shows-missing-episodes-and-movies-to-simkl/anidb-for-anime) {% 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="episode-tracking/specials" %} [specials](https://docs.simkl.org/how-to-use-simkl/getting-started-with-simkl/basic-navigation/tv-shows-tracking/episode-tracking/specials) {% 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="parts-vs-seasons-tv-show-formats" %} [parts-vs-seasons-tv-show-formats](https://docs.simkl.org/how-to-use-simkl/getting-started-with-simkl/basic-navigation/tv-shows-tracking/parts-vs-seasons-tv-show-formats) {% 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.