TMDB MCP Server

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Search streaming/rental providers

search_watch_providers

Read-only

Resolve a streaming, rental, or purchase service name to its TMDB numeric provider id. Use the id with a watch region to find top titles on that service.

Instructions

Resolve a streaming/rental/purchase service's name (e.g. 'Netflix', 'Disney Plus') to its TMDB numeric provider id. Feed the id into discover_movies/discover_tv's with_watch_providers (with watch_region set to the same region given here, if any) to find top titles on that service — TMDB has no name-based lookup of its own for this, only numeric ids, and there are hundreds of providers (269+ for the US alone, more elsewhere), so don't guess an id. A provider's id and even whether it's offered at all can differ by region (e.g. a service bundled as a channel add-on in one country vs. standalone in another) — pass watch_region to match what discover_movies/discover_tv will actually see; omitting it searches the full global provider list instead, which may include ids not valid for the region the caller actually cares about.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`page`	No	1-based page number for pagination (TMDB returns up to 20 results per page, max 500).
`query`	Yes	Service name (or part of it) to look up, e.g. 'Netflix'.
`media_type`	Yes	Whether to search movie or TV providers — a service can be offered for one media type but not the other (its id stays the same either way; a movie-only or TV-only service just returns nothing from the wrong media_type).
`watch_region`	No	Two-letter ISO-3166-1 country code, e.g. 'US'.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`page`	Yes
`results`	Yes
`total_pages`	Yes
`total_results`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedv0.14.0Oct 24, 2026
- removedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / logo_url / anyOf
```
Removed value: -[
-  {
-    "type": "string"
-  },
-  {
-    "type": "null"
-  }
-]
```
- addedOutput schema / properties / results / items / properties / logo_url / type
```
Added value: +[
+  "string",
+  "null"
+]
```
Addedv0.10.1Jul 30, 2026

TDQS

A4.6/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the readOnly/openWorld annotations, it discloses that provider catalogs are large (269+ for the US), that ids and availability are region-dependent, and that an unscoped search returns the global list which may contain ids invalid for the caller's region. Return format and pagination are not described, but an output schema exists, so that gap is minor.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loads the core name-to-id mapping in the first sentence, then the downstream usage and the region caveat in order of importance. The middle clause about TMDB lacking name lookup is slightly redundant with the opening but still justifies the 'don't guess an id' warning in the same sentence.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 4-param search tool with an output schema and safety annotations already present, the description covers the purpose, the downstream consumer, the region consistency requirement, and the failure mode of guessing ids. An agent has everything needed to invoke it correctly and use the result.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters4/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3, but the description adds cross-tool meaning the schema cannot: watch_region must match the region later passed to discover_movies/discover_tv, and media_type filters availability while the id stays constant. It reinforces the schema's example-style guidance for query rather than merely restating it.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb+resource: resolving a service name ('Netflix', 'Disney Plus') to a TMDB numeric provider id. It also implicitly distinguishes itself from siblings by framing the id as input to discover_movies/discover_tv rather than as a per-title lookup like get_watch_providers.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly says what to do with the result (feed into discover_movies/discover_tv's with_watch_providers, keeping watch_region consistent), and explicitly warns not to guess ids since TMDB has no name-based lookup. It also states the consequence of omitting watch_region versus supplying it, giving the caller a clear conditional.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.