# IMDb's new search is driving me nuts **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069 "2013-08-12T20:36:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069/1 "2013-08-12T20:36:22Z")
It is absolutely inexcusable, IMHO, to have any search algorithm whatsoever that will not put an _exact match_ for the search term at the top of the results. Is it just me? ---
**Author:** ![NotDeadYet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NotDeadYet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotDeadYet)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069/2 "2013-08-12T20:47:59Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > It is absolutely inexcusable, IMHO, to have any search algorithm whatsoever that will not put an _exact match_ for the search term at the top of the results. > > Is it just me? Huh? I use the app and it works just fine. Actually haven’t been to the actual site since they launched the app, so huh??? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069/3 "2013-08-12T20:56:42Z")
They’ve revised the way the search engine on the web site works, much to my displeasure. I don’t know anything about the app. [This page](http://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?find&ref_=fn_hlp) says the change happened in November, but I could swear it has recently gotten much, much worse. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069/4 "2013-08-12T21:08:49Z")
No, it’s not just you. Yes it’s worse. I’m guessing that from a technical standpoint, it probably performs a little better. . . because it’s worse. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069/5 "2013-08-12T23:31:31Z")
Could you give an example of something that doesn’t work the way you expect it to? ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069/6 "2013-08-13T01:37:24Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Could you give an example of something that doesn’t work the way you expect it to? Dane Cook’s humor? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069/7 "2013-08-13T02:23:52Z")
HA! Well, I can’t guarantee that it will work the same way twice, but I just searched for _Psycho_ and the first match in the drop down was _American Psycho_. Searching for the 1989 _Batman_? It’s 3rd on the list after _Batman Begins_ and _Batman & Robin_. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2013, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/imdbs-new-search-is-driving-me-nuts/666069/8 "2013-08-13T02:34:22Z")
Must be going by popularity, which is just sad because that means Batman & Robin is more popular than Michael Keaton’s Batman.