# TV Shows Scraper — Episodes & Cast (TVMaze) (`ponderable_hydrometer/tvmaze-scraper`) Actor

Scrape TV show data via the free TVMaze API — search or look up shows, get genre, network, rating, IMDb id, full episodes and cast. No key, no proxies.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/ponderable\_hydrometer/tvmaze-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Ponderable Hydrometer](https://apify.com/ponderable_hydrometer) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Developer tools, E-commerce
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## TV Shows Scraper — Episodes & Cast (TVMaze)

Get **TV show data** — metadata, full episode lists and cast — from the free **TVMaze** API.
Search by name or look up by id/URL, and get genres, network, rating, IMDb id, episodes and
actors. No key, no proxies.

### Who it's for

- **Media / streaming apps** — power show catalogs, episode guides and search.
- **Recommendation & data tools** — enrich TV datasets with ratings and cast.
- **Researchers & AI pipelines** — structured show/episode data.

### Input

| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|-------|------|---------|-------------|
| `searchTerms` | array | — | Show names to search, e.g. `breaking bad` |
| `shows` | array | — | TVMaze show ids or URLs, e.g. `169` |
| `includeEpisodes` | boolean | `false` | Also fetch the full episode list per show |
| `includeCast` | boolean | `false` | Also fetch the cast per show |
| `maxResultsPerSearch` | integer | `10` | Shows returned per search term |

Provide at least one of `searchTerms` or `shows`.

### Output

One row per show:

```json
{
  "id": 169,
  "name": "Breaking Bad",
  "type": "Scripted",
  "language": "English",
  "genres": ["Drama", "Crime", "Thriller"],
  "status": "Ended",
  "premiered": "2008-01-20",
  "ended": "2013-09-29",
  "rating": 9.2,
  "network": "AMC",
  "country": "United States",
  "imdb": "tt0903747",
  "image": "https://…",
  "summary": "…",
  "url": "https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/169/breaking-bad",
  "episodes": [{ "name": "Pilot", "season": 1, "number": 1, "airdate": "2008-01-20", "rating": 8.2 }],
  "cast": [{ "person": "Bryan Cranston", "character": "Walter White" }]
}
```

`episodes` and `cast` appear only when their options are enabled.

### Notes & limits

- Data from the free public TVMaze API — no key, no anti-bot.
- HTML summaries are stripped to plain text.
- Public data; you are responsible for compliant use of the output.

# Actor input Schema

## `searchTerms` (type: `array`):

Show names to search, e.g. "breaking bad", "the office".

## `shows` (type: `array`):

Specific shows by TVMaze id or URL, e.g. "169", "https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/169/breaking-bad".

## `includeEpisodes` (type: `boolean`):

Also fetch the full episode list for each show.

## `includeCast` (type: `boolean`):

Also fetch the cast for each show.

## `maxResultsPerSearch` (type: `integer`):

How many matching shows to return per search term.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchTerms": [
    "breaking bad"
  ],
  "includeEpisodes": false,
  "includeCast": false,
  "maxResultsPerSearch": 10
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchTerms": [
        "breaking bad"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("ponderable_hydrometer/tvmaze-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "searchTerms": ["breaking bad"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("ponderable_hydrometer/tvmaze-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchTerms": [
    "breaking bad"
  ]
}' |
apify call ponderable_hydrometer/tvmaze-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=ponderable_hydrometer/tvmaze-scraper",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/2VtTWTzwBOogCCJ4A/builds/QBXqiO4pa2gViQ1tk/openapi.json