# tvmaze.search

**stable** **Advanced**

Search TV shows.

`GET /v1/tvmaze/search`

## What you get

A list of Tvmaze results in Onekey's unified shape, in `data` (an array). An empty array is a normal, successful answer and is charged like any other; a source that reports "nothing found" as an error returns a free `404 not_found` instead.

## What it costs

- **Advanced · 5 credits** for a fresh fetch, charged only when it succeeds.
- **Free when served from cache (0.2 credit for a cached response over 100 KB).**
- **Free** if the request is invalid (never charged) or the source fails or reports not found (refunded).

## Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Default | What it is | Constraints |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `q` | string | yes | (required) | Search query | max 200 chars; must match `[^\x00-\x1f\x7f]{1,200}`; trimmed, repeated spaces collapsed |

## Request

```bash
curl "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/tvmaze/search?q=girls" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
```

```python
import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://api.onekey.dev/v1/tvmaze/search",
    params={"q": "girls"},
    headers={"x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY"},
)
body = res.json()

if body["success"]:
    print(body["data"])
else:
    print(body["error"]["code"], body["error"]["message"])
```

```javascript
const params = new URLSearchParams({ q: "girls" });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.onekey.dev/v1/tvmaze/search?${params}`, {
  headers: { "x-api-key": "YOUR_API_KEY" },
});
const body = await res.json();

if (body.success) console.log(body.data);
else console.error(body.error.code, body.error.message);
```

## Recorded response

A real Tvmaze response, recorded and returned in Onekey's shape. Fields the platform does not provide are `null`.

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "data": [
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "139",
        "name": "Girls",
        "url": "https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/139/girls",
        "description": "This Emmy winning series is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their 20s.",
        "language": "English",
        "status": "Ended",
        "category": "Drama",
        "stats": {
          "rating": 6.5,
          "score": 0.88934976
        }
      },
      "ext": {
        "premiered": "2012-04-15",
        "runtime": 30,
        "network": "HBO",
        "imdbId": "tt1723816"
      },
      "media": {
        "thumbnailUrl": "https://static.tvmaze.com/uploads/images/medium_portrait/31/78286.jpg",
        "url": "https://static.tvmaze.com/uploads/images/original_untouched/31/78286.jpg"
      }
    },
    {
      "entity": {
        "id": "41734",
        "name": "GIRLS",
        "url": "https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/41734/girls",
        "description": null,
        "language": "Mongolian",
        "status": "Ended",
        "category": "Comedy",
        "stats": {
          "rating": null,
          "score": 0.87464833
        }
      },
      "ext": {
        "premiered": "2018-06-15",
        "runtime": 41,
        "network": "UBS",
        "imdbId": "tt8709752"
      },
      "media": {
        "thumbnailUrl": "https://static.tvmaze.com/uploads/images/medium_portrait/191/478539.jpg",
        "url": "https://static.tvmaze.com/uploads/images/original_untouched/191/478539.jpg"
      }
    }
  ],
  "metadata": {
    "platform": "tvmaze",
    "endpoint": "search",
    "cached": false,
    "stale": false,
    "age_s": 0,
    "fetched_at": "2026-01-01T12:00:00+00:00",
    "credits_charged": 5,
    "request_id": "7f3a9c2e5b1d4c8fa2e6d0b9c4f18e37"
  },
  "error": null
}
```

## Field mapping

How this endpoint's source fields become Onekey's [unified schema](https://onekey.dev/docs/schema.md). Fields the source lacks come back as `null`.

| Source path | Onekey field | Transform |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `show.id` | `entity.id` | `toString` |
| `show.name` | `entity.name` | - |
| `show.url` | `entity.url` | `safeUrl` |
| `show.summary` | `entity.description` | `stripHtml` |
| `show.language` | `entity.language` | - |
| `show.status` | `entity.status` | - |
| `show.premiered` | `ext.premiered` | - |
| `show.genres.0` | `entity.category` | - |
| `show.runtime` | `ext.runtime` | `toNumber` |
| `show.rating.average` | `entity.stats.rating` | `toNumber` |
| `show.network.name` | `ext.network` | - |
| `show.externals.imdb` | `ext.imdbId` | - |
| `show.image.medium` | `media.thumbnailUrl` | `safeUrl` |
| `show.image.original` | `media.url` | `safeUrl` |
| `score` | `entity.stats.score` | `toNumber` |

## Caching and freshness

- Fresh for about 2 minutes. Repeat calls in that window are served from cache and are free.
- Between 2 minutes and 15 minutes the cached copy is still served instantly and marked `stale: true` while Onekey refreshes it in the background.
- If the source is down when a refresh is needed, the last copy can be served for up to 1 hour more (marked stale).
- A "not found" is remembered for 1 minute and is free.
- The cache is shared across all customers, which is what keeps repeat calls cheap.

## What can go wrong

| Status | Code | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 401 | `unauthorized` | Check the `x-api-key` header. |
| 402 | `insufficient_credits` | [Add credits](https://onekey.dev/pricing); your balance must cover the price. |
| 404 | `not_found` | Unknown endpoint path. |
| 422 | `invalid_params` | Fix the parameters using the table above. Free. |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | Wait `Retry-After` seconds, then retry. |
| 502 | `upstream_error` | The source failed. Refunded; retry with backoff. |

See [Errors](https://onekey.dev/docs/errors.md) for the full list and retry guidance.

Status: stable (verified against the live source).