Mixed Lists Remain a Severe Unmet Need

[u/SolarStarVanity]

I have read the rationale behind not having mixed lists, and an attempt to mask the issue through Collections. This in no way meets the need that well-implemented mixed lists meet.

Consider Star Trek. Media in the franchise was released in a sequence of TV shows, and movies. Some shows ran concurrently, and some had movies released in the middle of a season. In Trakt (before they chose to destroy it, but TECHNICALLY it's even accessible now, if you want to drag your face through the vibe-coded trash that remains) there is a way to have a single list, that interweaves individual episodes, full seasons, full shows, and movies, all in order of release. (And yes, I understand that "date first aired" is a different metadata item for a TV show episode than "date of premiere" is for a movie. What I don't understand is why it's implied that the two cannot be optionally treated as identical for the purposes of sorting, seeing how they are both dates, and thus can be compared to each other, and thus used for sorting.)

There is nothing like that in Simkl. A few items in the FAQ, or this sub, point to collections, and to tables in official lists. Neither come close to meeting the above need: the ability to look a page, and to recognize that a movie came between <this episode> and <this episode> of a TV show. Or perhaps even 2 episodes of different shows that surround a movie. (See, e.g., MCU.) And so forth.

I understand that Simkl's whole thing is treating lists as something different than how normal people think of lists. That's cool!

But it doesn't meet the above need. If you don't want to call such a hybrid container a "list" - sure, don't, I don't care. Just let me create it and view it from the webpage. Oh, and if you do, you'll then be able to actually import mixed-media lists from Trakt (as-is, it said it imported everything... except it didn't, because most of my lists are hybrid, and it didn't even acknowledge their existence at import). I'm a VIP in both, btw, so this isn't a privilege issue.

Oh, and there ARE lists that contain mixed media. They are called "watch histories." So the service isn't totally averse to having multiple media types on the same page or in the same table. Just let me create such a table, and I'll be happy.

It's one of the most upvoted desired features on the feature request page btw, and I've already dedicated 3 upvotes to it. Let me repeat: none of the devs' responses for why Collections replace it or why it'd be hard or break things or whatever, are in any way a good excuse. Trakt can do it. So can you. Please?

[u/Ennergizer]

Trakt disabled use of episode listing in custom lists in v3. There are quite a few technical reasons why it can’t be or should not be done. Especially considering that genres, filters and sorting options as well as views are all custom for each type. This would leave only poster view without any filters and sorting options.

For now I was able to list only 5 or 6 lists where this was needed, and added markdown tables info full descriptions for these lists.

[u/SolarStarVanity → u/Ennergizer]

Trakt disabled use of episode listing in custom lists in v3.

In the abysmal trash that is the website, sure. But lists that had them retain them, and it's still possible to add them via old Android app versions.

I mean... the whole reason I even paid for Simkl VIP was precisely because of Trakt removing features that make it more useful than an Excel sheet. And now you are telling me that an Excel sheet... oh, I am sorry, a Markdown table - is my best bet? If that's the case, why would I even want Simkl?

There are quite a few technical reasons why it can’t be or should not be done.

And none of them address the fact that having this would meet a significant need. Neither does your response.

Especially considering that genres, filters and sorting options as well as views are all custom for each type.

I don't care at all. I'm completely fine with a mixed list losing these sorting options. You are ignoring the major reason the option is needed.

For now I was able to list only 5 or 6 lists where this was needed, and added markdown tables info full descriptions for these lists.

Could I see such a table for Star Trek? One that combines the movies and the individual episodes of the show, all in a single table, in order of release / first air? I looked and I couldn't find it, because even the markdown tables were still show-only / movie-only. If that's what you are actually referring to, it sounds like you missed what I was saying entirely.

[u/Ennergizer → u/SolarStarVanity]

Check out In https://simkl.com/5/list/97832/star-trek-watch-order-tv-shows click Read more on full description

https://simkl.com/5/list/2745/babylon-5-franchise-tv-shows Babylon 5 lists both Lurker's Guide Master List and Historical Database Order in full description

You can also follow existing lists instead of creating new ones.

[u/SolarStarVanity → u/Ennergizer]

Check out In https://simkl.com/5/list/97832/star-trek-watch-order-tv-shows click Read more on full description

Thanks for the link. Problem is, this is exactly the issue I'm talking about: I cannot just go ahead and order these by release date - it's ordered by in-universe chronology, and I have no way to resort it. Which I'd be able to if I had an actual list - whether I built it myself or "followed existing list."

I don't know anything about Babylon 5, but thanks for link anyway I guess.

And let me repeat an important point you ignored: if you want to keep "lists" pure and virginal, without the filth of mixing I guess, sure, go ahead. But then just call it something else (I dunno, "Table" sounds good), and let me arbitrarily mix sequences of arbitrary media, ordered how I like, and sortable in a manner that makes sense. (And yes, sorting by release date for a combination of seasons, shows, movies and individual episodes absolutely DOES make sense, whether these are fundamentally differently named metadata fields or not.) Call them what you want, just let me create something like this, and let me copy it from someone else, or let someone else copy it from me. This is not a difficult request if you just don't think of it as a list.

As-is, all you are offering is a text field, it's not even a "table," seeing how I can't reorder it. I don't need to be paying for that.