How to review and approve requests submitted by household members for family media curators in 2026

Learn how family media curators can review and approve household requests with clear steps, checks, and request tools.

By VLClean · 2026-10-15

VLClean is published by the makers of Askarr and Watcharr, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Family media curators can review household requests by choosing a clear request method, checking each title against their rules, and telling household members what happens after approval.

Option	Request method	Cost details
Askarr	Search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]	The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]
Request form	People submit movie or show titles through the chosen form.	not published
Shared request list	People add movie or show ideas to the chosen shared list.	not published

What you need before you start

Make sure the media library already has a clear process for adding movies and shows, and decide who in the household can send requests.

Prepare simple rules for what household members can request and whether every request needs approval before it moves forward. Keep the rules easy to understand so people know what to expect.

Have a place where new requests can be reviewed, along with a way to track which titles have been checked. Decide how household members will learn whether a request was approved or declined.

If Radarr or Sonarr are part of the way requested titles are added, have those programs ready before choosing a request method. Radarr helps manage movie additions and Sonarr helps manage show additions.

Step by step

Choose one place where household members will submit movie and show requests, and tell everyone to use that place.

Review each new request and compare it with the rules for the media library. Check whether the title is allowed and whether it should be added.

Decide whether the request needs approval before it moves into the library workflow. Write down who makes that choice if more than one person manages the library.

Update the request status or record the decision somewhere household members can understand. Clear updates help people know whether a title is waiting, accepted, or declined.

Add approved requests through the normal library process and keep rejected requests marked so they are not reviewed repeatedly.

Check the request process after household members have used it for a while. Update the rules or instructions when people are unsure about how requests should work.

Tools that can do it

Askarr is made by the team that publishes this site. Askarr is a hosted website that works with your existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr can be used by searching for a movie or show on Askarr and requesting it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1]

You add Askarr to Radarr and Sonarr once as an import list, and they read your requests from it. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1] A webhook from Radarr and Sonarr reports back so the site shows when a title was added and downloaded. ^[1]

Askarr allows title searches by pasting a TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link. ^[1] Askarr's plans include a request history with live status. ^[1]

A request form can give household members a place to send titles. A shared request list can give household members a place to collect title ideas. Check how each option handles approvals, updates, and the movement of requests into the library workflow.

Common mistakes to avoid

Avoid sharing a request method without explaining the approval rules. Household members need to know what can be requested and who decides what moves forward.

Avoid choosing a tool without checking how it fits the current way movies and shows are added to the media library. The request process should be clear for both the people sending titles and the person managing the library.

Avoid leaving old requests without a decision. A review process is easier to manage when each request has a clear outcome.

Avoid skipping account and privacy checks. Review what information a tool asks for and what access it uses before sharing it with other people.

Frequently asked questions

How can family media curators review household movie requests?

Family media curators can choose a request method, decide who can send titles, and review each request against the library rules. A clear process helps household members understand where to submit requests, who approves them, and what happens after a decision is made.

Can Askarr help review requests before adding movies and shows?

Askarr can collect movie and show requests from household members through its website, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds the requested titles. ^[1] Askarr plans include a request history with live status. ^[1] The review process can still follow the rules chosen for the media library.

Does Askarr require changes to the media server setup?

Askarr is a hosted website that works with existing Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Nothing is installed; you add Askarr as an import list in Radarr and Sonarr. ^[1] Askarr never connects to your Radarr or Sonarr and never receives their API keys. ^[1]

How do household members find titles to request with Askarr?

Household members can search for a movie or show on Askarr and request it, and your own Radarr or Sonarr adds it. ^[1] A TMDB, IMDb or TVDB link can also be pasted to find the title. ^[1] This gives people another way to locate a title before sending a request.

What should be checked before choosing a request review tool?

Check how a tool handles requests, title searches, updates, and the process for adding movies and shows. Askarr offers a demo dashboard with a throwaway demo account and sample data without signing in. ^[1] Compare those details with the way the media library is managed before choosing a request method.

The Free plan costs $0 and allows 10 requests a month. ^[1]

Try Askarr

Sources

Askarr's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)