Showly

Showly: Your Personal Command Center for TV & Movie Tracking

Frustration peaked when I missed season finales across four streaming services last month. That sinking feeling of losing narrative threads led me to Showly - an open-source tracker that transformed my viewing chaos into organized bliss. As someone who tests entertainment apps professionally, I'm stunned by how this free tool solves the universal pain of fragmented watchlists. Whether you juggle Netflix dramas or Hulu documentaries, Showly becomes your entertainment concierge.

Progress Tracking feels like having a personal TV assistant. When I paused an intense episode of The Crown during lunch break, Showly automatically bookmarked my spot. Returning hours later, I tapped "Resume" and instantly continued where royal drama left off - no frantic scrolling through episodes. That seamless handoff between devices eliminated my chronic restart syndrome.

Discover Engine uncovered gems algorithms miss. Rainy Sunday browsing revealed a Norwegian thriller buried in HBO's catalog. Showly's "Anticipated" section showed trailer clips and production notes, while personalized recommendations based on my Trakt ratings felt eerily accurate. The moment I saw similar users' hidden gem lists, my watchlist grew by eleven titles.

Collection Management turned my scattered viewing into visual therapy. After importing years of Trakt data, the statistics dashboard displayed surprising patterns - 78% sci-fi in winter months! Color-coded tiles for "Watching," "Completed," and "On Hold" finally ended my notepad chaos. Watching the percentage bar climb as I finished seasons delivered weirdly satisfying serotonin boosts.

Custom Lists became my social currency. Creating "Underrated Space Operas" for friends triggered weekend binge sessions. When my "Whodunit Masterpieces" list hit 50 entries, the shareable link became our movie club's bible. That simple act transformed passive watching into collaborative curation.

Trakt Sync works like silent magic. Adding a film on my tablet during commute automatically appeared on the living room TV setup. During internet outages, offline tracking preserved my updates - a lifesaver when my building's Wi-Fi died during Wednesday night premieres.

Notifications & Widgets saved me from spoiler landmines. The subtle ping before Better Call Saul's finale reminded me 90 minutes early. My homescreen widget displays tonight's releases - glancing at it while charging my phone prevents those "wait, did it air?" panic searches.

Thursday 9 PM: Rain streaks down my apartment windows as I collapse on the couch. One tap on the "Upcoming" widget reveals The Mandalorian premiering in 15 minutes. Showly's countdown timer pulses rhythmically while I microwave popcorn. That quiet certainty - knowing I won't miss key moments - is modern comfort.

Monday 7 AM: Coffee steam fogs my glasses as I scroll through weekend watchlists. Showly's "Recommended Based On Binge History" suggests a documentary matching my true crime phase. Adding it to "Weekend Viewing" takes one swipe. The app launches faster than my newsfeed - essential when morning routines demand efficiency.

The upside? It handles my 107-show library smoother than premium streamers handle five. But I wish the calendar view showed platform icons - I've opened Disney+ instead of Max too often. Still, minor gaps pale next to features like custom images making my horror list visually terrifying.

Perfect for serial streamers who track shows across four-plus services. That moment when your friend asks "where did we stop?" and you pull up synchronized episode numbers? Priceless.