How to find the next show to start for series completion seekers in 2026

Find a practical way to choose the next show from public IMDb lists, then connect Watcharr with Radarr or Sonarr when needed.

By VLClean · 2026-10-29

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Start with a public IMDb list that represents the shows to work through, decide what counts as ready to start, then choose a method that can turn that list into a usable next-step workflow.

Option	How it can be used	Cost details
Watcharr	One public IMDb list becomes one Radarr link for movies and one Sonarr link for shows. ^[1]	not published
Public IMDb list	Keep the shows in a public IMDb watchlist or list and check how the chosen next-step workflow can use it.	not published
Personal notes list	Keep a manual order of shows and choose the next title according to the chosen rule.	not published
Shared list	Keep shows in a shared list and check how changes, duplicates and handoff to the library workflow are handled.	not published

What you need before you start

Start with a clear list of shows that represents the series to work through. A public IMDb watchlist or list can be used as the source when the chosen tool supports it. Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1]

Decide what "next" means before choosing a title. It might mean the next show on a personal list, a show that still needs to be added to a library, or a show that has already been selected but needs to move into the next part of the workflow. Keeping that rule clear prevents the list from becoming a general collection of titles.

Have Radarr or Sonarr ready if the goal includes moving movies or shows from a list into those apps. Watcharr can split one public IMDb list into one link for Radarr containing movies and one link for Sonarr containing shows. ^[1]

Also decide whether the list is for one person or a household. Signed-in Watcharr users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household, with a title appearing on two lists added only once. ^[1]

Step by step

Choose the source list. Use one public IMDb watchlist or list that represents the shows being considered. If several lists are involved, decide whether they should stay separate or become one combined list.

Remove titles that do not belong in the current queue. Keep the rule simple. For example, the list can contain shows that are ready to start, while another list can hold shows that need more checking first.

Check the show information before starting. Look at the title, available details and any reason it belongs in the queue. Watcharr shows the list's covers in a row, and each cover opens TMDB's plot, genres, rating, backdrop and trailer. ^[1]

Pick the next show according to the rule already chosen. If the aim is series completion, avoid changing the rule from title to title. A consistent queue makes it easier to see which show should come next.

If Radarr or Sonarr is part of the workflow, use the matching list link. Watcharr provides one link for movies in Radarr and another for shows in Sonarr from the same public IMDb list. ^[1] Each link acts like a small Radarr or Sonarr server, so Radarr checks it every 15 minutes and Sonarr every 5. ^[1]

Use the bookmark option when adding the list inside Radarr or Sonarr. Watcharr provides a bookmark that adds the list using that app's API key without sending the key anywhere else. ^[1]

Check unmatched shows rather than assuming every title entered the queue. Watcharr looks up TheTVDB IDs through TVMaze and TMDB, leaves out shows it cannot match, and tells you which ones it skipped. ^[1]

Recheck the list when the queue changes. A signed-in Watcharr account re-reads the IMDb list about every 15 minutes and warns when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1]

Keep the next choice visible to the people using the list. Watcharr keeps serving the last list that loaded correctly when a list read fails. ^[1]

Tools that can do it

Watcharr is made by the team that publishes this site. Watcharr lets one public IMDb list become one Radarr link for movies and one Sonarr link for shows. ^[1] It accepts public IMDb watchlists and lists from the desktop site, phone site and IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1]

A public IMDb watchlist or list can also serve as the source when the goal is simply to keep a set of shows together. The next step is to check whether the chosen workflow can read that list and how titles move from it into the apps used for the library.

A personal notes list can work when the goal is only to decide what show to start next. It can record the titles in the desired order and the reason each title is waiting. Before choosing this approach, check how the list will be kept current when titles are added or removed.

A shared list can work when several people contribute shows. Check whether it supports the source list being used, how duplicate titles are handled, and how everyone sees changes.

Watcharr also supports a household workflow for signed-in users. Several IMDb lists can be combined into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link, and a title appearing on two lists is added only once. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid treating every title in a watchlist as equally ready to start. Decide what qualifies for the next-show queue before choosing the title.

Avoid assuming that every show will move into Sonarr. Watcharr leaves out shows it cannot match to a TheTVDB ID and tells you which titles it skipped. ^[1] Check those skipped titles before relying on the queue.

Avoid changing the source list without checking what the workflow does with updates. Watcharr builds its links from the IMDb list's ID, so the same list always gives the same two links. ^[1]

Avoid ignoring list read failures. Signed-in Watcharr users receive a warning after three consecutive failed reads, and the links keep serving the last list that loaded correctly when a read fails. ^[1] ^[1]

Avoid choosing a method before checking how it handles several lists, unmatched titles, updates and the point where a selected show enters Radarr or Sonarr.

Frequently asked questions

How can Watcharr help find the next show to start?

Watcharr can take one public IMDb watchlist or list and produce one link for Radarr with the movies and one link for Sonarr with the shows. ^[1] The list can come from IMDb's desktop site, phone site or other-language pages. ^[1] The next show can then be chosen using whatever ordering rule the list owner has set.

Can Watcharr use a public IMDb watchlist?

Yes. Watcharr accepts any public IMDb watchlist or list from the desktop site, the phone site or IMDb's other-language pages. ^[1] The list's ID is used to build stable links, so the same IMDb list always gives the same two links. ^[1] Check the list itself before using it as the source for a series-completion queue.

How often does Watcharr check an IMDb list?

If a user signs in, Watcharr re-reads the IMDb list about every 15 minutes and warns when a list fails three reads in a row. ^[1] Radarr checks a Watcharr list link every 15 minutes, while Sonarr checks it every 5. ^[1] Scheduled checks can therefore keep the list available to those apps without requiring the next title to be chosen manually each time.

Can Watcharr combine several IMDb lists?

Signed-in Watcharr users can combine several IMDb lists into one Radarr link and one Sonarr link for the whole household. ^[1] When a title appears on two lists, it is added only once. ^[1] This can keep several source lists behind one set of links while preserving a single queue for the household.

What should be checked before choosing a tool for series completion?

Check which list sources the tool accepts, how it handles titles that cannot be matched, how often it checks for changes, and how selected shows reach the library workflow. Watcharr leaves out shows it cannot match to a TheTVDB ID and tells users which ones it skipped. ^[1] Also check how several lists and duplicate titles are handled if more than one source is involved.

Its code is available to read under the PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0 licence; older versions remain under MIT. ^[1]

Try Watcharr

Sources

Watcharr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)