“Streaming algorithms recommend what's good for them. I made one to be on our side.”
Every streaming platform has a recommendation engine, and every one of them works for the platform. The row of shows on your home screen is there to keep you subscribed, to push whatever they spent money making, to fill the licensing gaps in their catalog, not to answer the question you actually have, which is “what should I watch next?”
How it started
I got tired of the same bad suggestions from every streaming service, so I started asking AI instead. I would tell it what I was in the mood for, what I had already seen, what I loved and what I bailed on halfway through. The recommendations kept landing. Movies, shows, books.
It worked well enough that I turned it into a thing, and that thing is ShowReco. Same idea, except it keeps track of your taste for you, so you don't start from scratch every time you want something to watch or read.
I build most of it from my phone now, which still feels a little crazy to me.
Hi, I'm John Polacek.
I'm a web developer, and ShowReco is a one-person operation. I write the code, answer the support email, and pay the API bills. I've been building things for the web for a long time, and this one has been the most fun in a while.
I live in Darien, IL (a nice place to live) about 40 minutes outside of Chicago with my wife and two sons. Thanks for giving ShowReco a try!
Say hello
If ShowReco found you something great (or recommended you a dud), I'd genuinely like to hear about it. Send me a message, I read everything. And if you want to help keep it free for everyone, supporting is the way.
Where the money goes isn't a mystery either: the bills are public and small, and the people who support cover them.