Sequel
Being a TV fan in the age of streaming can be confusing. It’s not as simple as when everything was just on cable. There are so many shows on so many services with so many release schedules that it’s hard to keep up. Thankfully, there are plenty of tools out there to help.
The main app I use for keeping up with my favorite shows is Apple’s TV app. It’s excellent for finding and launching titles, and the app’s Up Next queue is the perfect way to make sure I never miss an episode. But that’s just part of the equation.
The Apple TV app is a great reactive approach to TV tracking: A new episode comes out, and I watch it. But sometimes, I want to be more proactive. When does the next episode of my favorite show come out? Has it been renewed for a new season? And what’s the release date for that series I’m really looking forward to? Those are questions I often find myself asking—and usually looking up on the web.
But I’d much rather use an app, a centralized place to quickly and easily find all of that information for all of my shows. What I need is a TV tracker. The problem is that I’ve tried many of them over the years, and none of them stuck. That is, until now. At long last, I think I’ve found the right one for me.
Sequel is an iPhone and iPad app created by Romain Lefebvre for tracking not only TV shows, but also movies, video games, books, and audiobooks. It’s the ultimate media tracker. I’ve been trying it out for the past month, and it’s the first time one of these apps has ever clicked for me. The app is just so good.
For the sake of this article, I’ll mostly be focusing on the TV-tracking features of Sequel, since that is my primary use case. However, the app works much the same way for other media types as well.
Getting started with Sequel is as simple as searching for the item you want to track and adding it to your library. Search is one aspect of media trackers that I’ve always found tricky, but Sequel really nails it. The process is simple, straightforward, and quick at finding just what you need.
Search results in Sequel for The Last of Us.
When you hit the + button, in Sequel, you’re immediately taken to the search box without having to specify what type of media you’re looking for. Just type what you want, and the app will show the most relevant results across all media types. If you want to get more specific, you can choose to filter the search to only show a certain category, but that step usually isn’t necessary.
For example, if I search for “The Last of Us,” the app will show me results for the video game, the HBO show, and a couple of books based on the game. Results are even color-coded so I can quickly identify what type of media each result is. And I can choose any of the filters across the top of the results if I only want to search for a specific type.
The search view integrates with JustWatch to show where you can stream TV shows and movies in your region. It also shows upcoming releases and trending titles for each media type in case you’re looking for suggestions. It might not seem like a big deal, but the way Sequel handles searching is a big part of what won me over. I can find exactly what I’m looking for quickly and without hassle.
Once you’ve found a title you want to track, you can add it to your library. Sequel creates a separate library for each media type, so you can have up to five libraries total in the app. But in a nice touch, Sequel will only create a library for media types that you’ve purposefully added. Since I only use the app to track TV and films, I don’t have empty libraries for books, audiobooks, and games. Those features won’t appear unless I choose to use them. This keeps the app nice and clean, which I greatly appreciate.
The library view for Series.
The library view is where things get really fun. When you add a title to your library, it goes into your Watchlist (or Wishlist for books and games). This list is broken down into several sections:
Out Now shows recently-released titles that you haven’t watched yet.
Watch Next lists the next episode of series you’re currently watching, much like Apple TV’s Up Next queue.
Upcoming gives you a glimpse of future releases. It can be configured to show upcoming seasons or upcoming episodes.
Released is a list of all the titles you’ve added to your library that aren’t in the Upcoming view.
Titles that you’ve completed will move from the Watchlist to the Watched section of the library (or the Read or Played section, depending on the media type) so you can keep a record of all the titles you’ve tracked.
I’ve been very impressed by the structure of Sequel’s library view and the helpfulness of the information it surfaces. Each section has something unique to offer, and they’re all laid out in a way that is easy to understand.
I spend quite a bit of time in the Watch Next and Upcoming sections. Each time I watch an episode of a show, I mark it as watched so that my library is always up-to-date. It’s a great way to keep track of where I’m at in each of the shows I’m watching. (Some might argue that I’d have less trouble if I would fewer shows; I object.)
The Upcoming section is my favorite feature of the app, though. By default, it lists the premiere date for the next season of each show in the library. This is a great way for me to keep up with upcoming Apple TV+ debuts and with when my favorite shows are coming back.
But that’s not all. There is a sorting button at the top of the library view that can unlock the Upcoming section’s secret superpower: upcoming episodes. Rather than listing only future seasons of shows, this setting will turn the Upcoming section into a list of upcoming episodes of all shows in your library, including ones that are currently airing.
My favorite feature of Sequel: the Upcoming list sorted by upcoming episodes. Isn’t it beautiful?
With this setting, I’ve been able to create something I’ve always wanted but never been able to find: a chronological list of every upcoming episode of every show I’m watching. Now, I can open Sequel at the beginning of the week and find out exactly which of my shows are coming out on which days. If a show I’m watching takes a week off or change its release day, I won’t waste time looking for a new episode. I’ll already know what to expect thanks to my Upcoming list.
When I found this feature of Sequel, that’s when I knew for certain that it was the right TV tracker for me. As a chronic planner, I love having this sort of information available to me at all times. It gives me an idea of what’s to come. And it helps me get excited for all of the shows I love!
The library view adjusts slightly for different media types. The TV library is definitely the most in-depth, but each one is well-designed and made to help you keep track of your favorite media.
Sequel also offers a nice set of widgets for your home screen. You can use them to count down to a particular release, view your Watch Next queue, or quickly launch into a search. Unsurprisingly, the widget I like the most is the Upcoming widget, which shows upcoming releases across all media types in one list. It’s a really great way to keep track of all the fun things you’re looking forward to watching, reading, and playing.
Sequel’s widgets help me get excited for upcoming shows and films.
I keep the Upcoming widget on my home screen right underneath my Up Next queue from the TV app. The two make a perfect pair, and Sequel’s widgets round off an impeccable feature set for an ideal media tracker.
When I first heard about Sequel, I had already fallen off so many media trackers that I was hesitant to even give it a try. But I’m so glad that I did, because it’s become my favorite way to keep up with the shows I’m watching and looking forward to. It fits perfectly with the way my brain works, and it’s unlocked some abilities that I’ve always wanted in an app but could never find before. It is hands-down my favorite media tracker of all time.
If you’re like me and watch a lot of TV that you need to keep track of, or if you’re interested in tracking other types of media like films, books, and games, Sequel is a great way to do it. I highly recommend checking it out. It’s been so useful in helping me to take full advantage of my downtime, and I’m confident it can do the same for you.
Sequel is available to download for free on the App Store. Certain features like widgets, release reminders, and Where to Watch are available as part of Sequel+ for $3/month, $20/year, or a one-time payment of $100.
If you’d like to hear me rave about Sequel some more in podcast form, check out this recent episode of Magic Rays of Light where Sigmund and I shared our experiences giving the app a try.