search_episodes

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full behavioral burden, and it does so well by disclosing the non-obvious constraint that Plex cannot search episode plots library-wide and that plot search requires naming the show. It also states what each result contains (show, season/episode numbers, air date, watch state). It omits any pagination/truncation guidance beyond limit, keeping it out of the top tier.

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

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

The purpose and its flagship example queries are front-loaded, and the critical plot-search limitation is flagged with 'IMPORTANT' before param guidance. It is dense and slightly long, but nearly every sentence carries actionable content; no major redundancy.

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

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

For a 9-parameter, zero-required tool with no output schema and no annotations, the description covers the essential gaps: the plot-vs-title search constraint, per-parameter usage, the fallback behavior, and the result shape. It is complete enough to invoke correctly, with only minor gaps around result volume/pagination handling.

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

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

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description adds genuine meaning: it maps airedFrom/airedTo to natural queries ('aired in March 2026'), explains episodeType 'premiere'/'finale' semantics including the show dependency for 'finale', and clarifies season+episode pairing for a specific episode. This is more than the schema restates.

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

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

States a specific verb ('finds') and resource ('individual TV episodes in the user's Plex library') and immediately disambiguates scope with several example natural-language queries. An agent can distinguish this from siblings like search_plex_library, search_and_select_movies, and get_upcoming_episodes without opening any schema.

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

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

Gives explicit when-to-use conditions (plot search, title search, date-range membership, premieres/finales) and a clear when-not fallback: 'When the user describes an episode by its plot and no show is known, ask which show or say only titles can be searched.' It stops short of naming specific alternative sibling tools, so it lacks the explicit routing of a 5.

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