diff --git a/api/video/detail.py b/api/video/detail.py
index 44fec4ac..cec423c0 100644
--- a/api/video/detail.py
+++ b/api/video/detail.py
@@ -43,3 +43,15 @@ def register_routes(bp):
         if not data:
             return jsonify({"error": "not found"}), 404
         return jsonify(data)
+
+    @bp.route("/detail/show/<int:show_id>/refresh-art", methods=["POST"])
+    def video_show_refresh_art(show_id):
+        """Lazy on-view backfill: pull missing season posters / episode art from
+        TMDB and cache them. Best-effort — never errors the page."""
+        try:
+            from core.video.enrichment.engine import get_video_enrichment_engine
+            res = get_video_enrichment_engine().refresh_show_art(show_id)
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("refresh-art failed for show %s", show_id)
+            res = {"ok": False, "reason": "error"}
+        return jsonify(res)
diff --git a/core/video/enrichment/engine.py b/core/video/enrichment/engine.py
index 0e05f40f..6f2b034a 100644
--- a/core/video/enrichment/engine.py
+++ b/core/video/enrichment/engine.py
@@ -65,6 +65,34 @@ class VideoEnrichmentEngine:
                         ", ".join(sorted(self._scan_paused)))
         self._scan_paused = set()
 
+    def refresh_show_art(self, show_id) -> dict:
+        """On-demand (lazy) backfill of a show's season posters + episode art from
+        TMDB, used when the detail page is opened and art is missing. Works
+        regardless of the show's match status (sidesteps 'already matched, never
+        re-runs'), and caches the result so it's a one-time cost per show."""
+        w = self.workers.get("tmdb")
+        if not w or not w.enabled:
+            return {"ok": False, "reason": "tmdb_not_configured"}
+        info = self.db.show_match_info(show_id)
+        if not info:
+            return {"ok": False, "reason": "not_found"}
+        try:
+            result = w.client.match("show", info.get("title"), info.get("year"),
+                                    known_id=info.get("tmdb_id"))
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("refresh_show_art: match failed for show %s", show_id)
+            return {"ok": False, "reason": "match_error"}
+        if not result or not result.get("id"):
+            return {"ok": False, "reason": "no_match"}
+        # Backfills season posters + show metadata gaps (never clobbers).
+        self.db.enrichment_apply("tmdb", "show", show_id, matched=True,
+                                 external_id=result["id"], metadata=result.get("metadata"))
+        try:
+            w._cascade_episodes(show_id, result["id"])     # episode stills too
+        except Exception:
+            logger.exception("refresh_show_art: episode cascade failed for show %s", show_id)
+        return {"ok": True}
+
     def worker(self, service):
         return self.workers.get(service)
 
diff --git a/database/video_database.py b/database/video_database.py
index 1d3bb6f5..785b00fa 100644
--- a/database/video_database.py
+++ b/database/video_database.py
@@ -297,6 +297,16 @@ class VideoDatabase:
         finally:
             conn.close()
 
+    def show_match_info(self, show_id: int) -> dict | None:
+        """Title/year/tmdb_id for one show — for on-demand (lazy) art refresh."""
+        conn = self._get_connection()
+        try:
+            row = conn.execute("SELECT title, year, tmdb_id FROM shows WHERE id=?",
+                               (show_id,)).fetchone()
+            return dict(row) if row else None
+        finally:
+            conn.close()
+
     def show_season_numbers(self, show_id: int) -> list:
         conn = self._get_connection()
         try:
diff --git a/tests/test_video_api.py b/tests/test_video_api.py
index 70a5030f..14315dad 100644
--- a/tests/test_video_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_video_api.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ def test_blueprint_exposes_dashboard_route():
     assert "/api/video/enrichment/<service>/test" in rules
     assert "/api/video/detail/show/<int:show_id>" in rules
     assert "/api/video/detail/movie/<int:movie_id>" in rules
+    assert "/api/video/detail/show/<int:show_id>/refresh-art" in rules
     assert any(r.startswith("/api/video/backdrop/") for r in rules)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_video_enrichment.py b/tests/test_video_enrichment.py
index c77f5113..723699af 100644
--- a/tests/test_video_enrichment.py
+++ b/tests/test_video_enrichment.py
@@ -98,6 +98,45 @@ def test_tmdb_pulls_full_metadata(monkeypatch):
     assert m["genres"] == ["Sci-Fi", "Drama"] and m["status"] == "Released" and m["imdb_id"] == "tt1"
 
 
+def test_refresh_show_art_backfills_seasons_even_when_already_matched(db):
+    # The exact failing case: a MATCHED show (won't re-run via the queue) still
+    # has no season posters. Lazy refresh fetches + caches them anyway.
+    sid = db.upsert_show_tree("plex", {"server_id": "s1", "title": "S", "tmdb_id": 1396,
+                                       "seasons": [{"season_number": 1, "episodes": [{"episode_number": 1}]}]})
+    db.enrichment_apply("tmdb", "show", sid, matched=True, external_id=1396)   # already matched
+    assert db.show_detail(sid)["seasons"][0]["has_poster"] is False
+
+    class C:
+        enabled = True
+        def match(self, kind, title, year, known_id=None):
+            assert known_id == 1396
+            return {"id": 1396, "metadata": {"seasons": [
+                {"season_number": 1, "poster_url": "https://img/s1.jpg"}]}}
+        def season_episodes(self, tv, sn): return None
+
+    eng = VideoEnrichmentEngine(db, {"tmdb": C()})
+    assert eng.refresh_show_art(sid)["ok"] is True
+    assert db.show_detail(sid)["seasons"][0]["has_poster"] is True
+
+
+def test_refresh_show_art_needs_tmdb_configured(db):
+    sid = db.upsert_show_tree("plex", {"server_id": "s1", "title": "S", "seasons": []})
+
+    class Off:
+        enabled = False
+        def match(self, *a, **k): return None
+
+    res = VideoEnrichmentEngine(db, {"tmdb": Off()}).refresh_show_art(sid)
+    assert res["ok"] is False and res["reason"] == "tmdb_not_configured"
+
+
+def test_show_match_info(db):
+    sid = db.upsert_show_tree("plex", {"server_id": "s1", "title": "S", "year": 2019,
+                                       "tmdb_id": 1396, "seasons": []})
+    assert db.show_match_info(sid) == {"title": "S", "year": 2019, "tmdb_id": 1396}
+    assert db.show_match_info(999999) is None
+
+
 def test_enrichment_next_priority_pins_kind_first(db):
     db.upsert_movie("plex", {"server_id": "m1", "title": "M"})
     db.upsert_show_tree("plex", {"server_id": "s1", "title": "S", "seasons": []})
diff --git a/webui/static/video/video-detail.js b/webui/static/video/video-detail.js
index 8a6bc4fb..fdddbba7 100644
--- a/webui/static/video/video-detail.js
+++ b/webui/static/video/video-detail.js
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
     var seasonView = 'rail';
     var menuOpen = false;
     var missingOnly = false;
+    var currentId = null;
+    var artAttemptedFor = null;     // lazy art refresh runs once per show view
 
     try { var sv = localStorage.getItem(VIEW_KEY); if (sv) seasonView = sv; } catch (e) { /* ignore */ }
 
@@ -286,6 +288,8 @@
 
     function loadShow(id) {
         if (!root()) return;
+        if (currentId !== id) artAttemptedFor = null;
+        currentId = id;
         showLoading(true);
         ['[data-vd-episodes]', '[data-vd-season-nav]'].forEach(function (s) { var n = q(s); if (n) n.innerHTML = ''; });
         var r0 = root(); if (r0) r0.style.removeProperty('--vd-accent-rgb');
@@ -302,10 +306,38 @@
                 renderViewToggle(); renderSeasonNav(); renderEpisodes();
                 var sub = document.querySelector('.video-subpage[data-video-subpage="video-show-detail"]');
                 if (sub) sub.scrollTop = 0;
+                maybeRefreshArt(id);
             })
             .catch(function () { showLoading(false); setText('[data-vd-title]', 'Could not load show'); });
     }
 
+    // Lazy art: if any season lacks a poster, pull it from TMDB on view and cache
+    // it (once per show), then re-render. Sidesteps "already matched, never re-runs".
+    function maybeRefreshArt(id) {
+        if (artAttemptedFor === id || !data || data.id !== id) return;
+        if (!(data.seasons || []).some(function (s) { return !s.has_poster; })) return;
+        artAttemptedFor = id;
+        fetch(DETAIL_URL + 'show/' + id + '/refresh-art',
+            { method: 'POST', headers: { 'Accept': 'application/json' } })
+            .then(function (r) { return r.ok ? r.json() : null; })
+            .then(function (res) { if (res && res.ok && currentId === id) reloadDetail(id); })
+            .catch(function () { /* best-effort */ });
+    }
+
+    function reloadDetail(id) {
+        fetch(DETAIL_URL + 'show/' + id, { headers: { 'Accept': 'application/json' } })
+            .then(function (r) { return r.ok ? r.json() : null; })
+            .then(function (d) {
+                if (!d || d.error || currentId !== id) return;
+                data = d;
+                if (!seasonByNum(selectedSeason)) {
+                    selectedSeason = d.seasons && d.seasons.length ? d.seasons[0].season_number : null;
+                }
+                renderBillboard(d); renderSeasonNav(); renderEpisodes();
+            })
+            .catch(function () { /* ignore */ });
+    }
+
     // ── events ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
     function onOpen(e) { if (e && e.detail && e.detail.kind === 'show') loadShow(e.detail.id); }