How to Organize TV Shows

TV libraries are harder than movie libraries. One show spans dozens of episodes across multiple seasons, release order differs from broadcast order, and special episodes break numbering. Without structure, you end up with flat folders of `show.s04e07.mkv` files nobody can navigate.

This guide covers how to organize TV shows for offline Android libraries — folder layout, episode naming, metadata matching, and progress tracking.

TV vs movie organization

Movies are one folder per title. TV is three levels minimum:

``` TV Shows / Show Name / Season / Episodes ```

Never place episode files directly under Movies. TV metadata parsers expect season grouping. Mixed libraries produce wrong posters and broken Continue Watching.

Standard TV folder template

``` TV Shows/ └── The Office (US)/ ├── Season 01/ │ ├── The Office S01E01.mkv │ └── The Office S01E02.mkv └── Season 02/ └── ... ```

Show folder may include year for US/UK disambiguation: `The Office (US)`, `The Office (UK)`.

Episode naming conventions

Pick one pattern per library and stay consistent:

MyBinge parses common patterns automatically. Avoid random torrent tags before season markers.

Season folder numbering

Use zero-padded season folders for sort order:

• `Season 01` not `Season 1`
• `Season 00` for specials when your app supports it

Specials and OVAs can live in `Season 00` or `Specials/` — pick one rule for anime and stick to it.

Anime-specific organization

Anime collectors often use:

``` Anime/ └── Attack on Titan/ └── Season 01/ └── Attack on Titan S01E01.mkv ```

Or absolute episode numbering for long runners: `One Piece E1050.mkv`. Consistency matters more than which convention you choose.

Ingest workflow for new episodes

1. Download to `_Inbox/TV/` 2. Rename to standard SxxExx format 3. Move to correct Show/Season folder 4. Rescan library in MyBinge 5. Verify episode appears under correct season poster

Batch weekly instead of per-episode if you binge full seasons at once.

Tracking what you have vs what you need

Use the Episode Tracker to checklist seasons — mark downloaded episodes, identify gaps, and plan acquisition without duplicate downloads.

Metadata for TV shows

TV metadata matches at show level first, then episode. Failures usually mean:

• Wrong show year in folder name
• Episode file in Movies folder
• Non-standard episode string parser cannot read

Fix folder placement and naming before manual override. See Movie Metadata Guide for shared troubleshooting.

Continue Watching for series

Per-episode progress is essential for TV. MyBinge stores resume position per episode and surfaces the next unwatched entry in Continue Watching. Sign in on phone and TV to sync progress across devices.

Subtitles for TV

TV episodes often need subtitles more than movies. Pair files:

• `Show S01E01.mkv`
• `Show S01E01.en.srt`

Batch verify with Subtitle Checker after season ingest.

Related resources

• Movie Folder Structure Guide
• Movie Organizer Complete Guide
• Anime folder tips

Organized TV libraries reward patience upfront. One afternoon structuring a favorite show saves hours of browsing over a multi-season binge.