Currently, “Up Next” system automatically queues the next unwatched episode in a linear sequence. If you watch the latest episode of a show, Trakt will then suggest the oldest unwatched episode next, and continue chronologically from there. This works well for serialized, narrative shows where watching in order is expected.
However, for non-narrative or episodic shows (e.g., game shows, reality competitions, anthology series, or documentaries), viewers often watch episodes out of order, jumping between seasons or specific episodes based on interest. In these cases, the current “Up Next” logic is counterproductive; it continually adds episodes to the queue that I may not plan to watch at all, or only plan to watch selectively.
The Problem:
- Watching a single episode from a later season causes Trakt to start queuing the entire series from the beginning.
- The “Up Next” view becomes cluttered with episodes that aren’t part of my intended viewing order.
- There’s no setting to disable or customize this progression logic on a per-show or global basis.
Proposed Solution:
Add an optional setting (either global or per-show) that allows users to customize the “Up Next” behavior. Example options:
- Linear Mode (Current Behavior): Always suggest the next chronological unwatched episode.
- Most Recent Only: Only track the most recent episode watched; do not queue unwatched back episodes automatically.
- Episodic Mode: Disable automatic episode progression entirely for selected shows (manual tracking only).
- Custom Start Point: Allow users to define a starting point (e.g., Season 10) for “Up Next” progression, ignoring earlier seasons unless manually marked watched.
Benefits:
- Allows Trakt to better serve both serialized and episodic viewing habits.
- Prevents clutter in the “Up Next” queue for users who watch certain shows non-sequentially.
- Provides more granular control without breaking existing functionality for users who prefer the current system.
Example Use Cases:
- Watching Jeopardy! or The Great British Bake Off, where viewers may only watch specific seasons or specials.
- Revisiting favorite episodes of an anthology like Black Mirror without planning to complete the entire series.
