How ratings work
Ratings measure opinions from a particular population under a particular aggregation rule. They are not interchangeable observations of an objective “true quality”.
| Source | Measurement | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| IMDb | User votes on a 1–10 scale with platform weighting. | Self-selection and popularity affect representation and precision. |
| RT Critics | Percentage of eligible critic reviews classified positive. | Positivity is not the average intensity of praise. |
| RT Users | Percentage of audience ratings meeting the positive threshold. | Audience composition and verification rules change over time. |
| Metacritic | Normalised weighted critics and a separate user score. | Source selection and weighting limit direct comparability. |
| TMDB | Community vote average and vote count. | Small samples are volatile. |
| TVmaze | TVmaze community series average. | Series-only coverage and limited vote-count detail. |
hüt abig model
Sources are normalised to 0–100. Default weights are IMDb 45%, TMDB 25%, other agencies 15%, vote confidence 10%, and cultural relevance 5%. Missing-source weight is removed from the denominator, never treated as a zero score.
Bayesian shrinkage
adjusted = v/(v+m) × R + m/(v+m) × C. Small samples move toward a prior mean; large samples retain more of their observed rating.
Colour scale
The futbolmetre SofaScore anchors are red below 6, orange at 6, yellow at 6.5, green at 7, and cyan at 8. hüt abig adapts the upper range by reserving blue for 10 and continuously interpolating from cyan at 8 to blue at 10, so ratings above 9 remain visually distinguishable. Missing values are neutral.
Awards and availability
Oscar and Emmy records represent institutional recognition, not direct audience quality. Swiss provider availability can lag catalogue changes.
Limitations
- Missing ratings disproportionately affect niche, international, older, and non-English titles.
- Critic and audience disagreement can be meaningful rather than error.
- Ratings drift and can be affected by publicity, fandom, and social influence.
- A single rank necessarily hides uncertainty and disagreement.