diff --git a/PROGRESS.md b/PROGRESS.md
index af550ab..fd2ac12 100644
--- a/PROGRESS.md
+++ b/PROGRESS.md
@@ -56,6 +56,17 @@ and until now nothing set them.
 
 ---
 
+## 2026-09-10 — Items, not episodes
+
+Half the library is text feeds, so the UI no longer calls everything an episode: counts, the search
+box, the empty detail pane, the phone back button, the retention and per-feed settings, and the
+download dialog all say **item** now. The sidebar's `20 eps` reads `20 items`.
+
+`S1E1` badges stay -- those come from `itunes:episode`/`itunes:season` and only appear when a feed
+actually publishes them -- as does the `episode` column, which is that same field.
+
+---
+
 ## 2026-09-10 — Scanning stopped strobing
 
 A scan of 85 feeds fires 85 `feed_done` events, and the UI refreshed on every one: a full sidebar
diff --git a/tests/ui/app.spec.js b/tests/ui/app.spec.js
index ca051bd..89949db 100644
--- a/tests/ui/app.spec.js
+++ b/tests/ui/app.spec.js
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ test('the three panes are there and the item text lands in the bottom one', asyn
   await page.getByText('Test Show').click();
   await expect(page.locator('#list')).toBeVisible();
   await expect(page.locator('#grab')).toBeVisible();   // the draggable divider
-  await expect(page.locator('#detail')).toContainText('Pick an episode');
+  await expect(page.locator('#detail')).toContainText('Pick an item');
 
   await page.locator('.ep', { hasText: 'First Episode' }).click();
   await expect(page.locator('#detail .dt')).toHaveText('First Episode');
@@ -123,14 +123,14 @@ test('an item with several enclosures lists them all', async ({ page }) => {
 test('the filter tabs change what is listed', async ({ page }) => {
   await page.getByText('Test Show').click();
   await expect(page.locator('.ep').first()).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20_000 });
-  const unread = await page.locator('.ep').count();
+  const all = await page.locator('.ep').count();          // All is the default tab
+  await expect(page.locator('#count')).toContainText('item');
 
-  await page.locator('.tabs button', { hasText: 'All' }).first().click();
-  await expect(page.locator('#count')).toContainText('episode');
-  expect(await page.locator('.ep').count()).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(unread);
+  await page.locator('.tabs button', { hasText: 'Unread' }).first().click();
+  expect(await page.locator('.ep').count()).toBeLessThanOrEqual(all);
 
   await page.locator('.tabs button', { hasText: 'Flagged' }).first().click();
-  await expect(page.locator('#count')).toContainText('0 episodes');
+  await expect(page.locator('#count')).toContainText('0 items');
 });
 
 test('a feed URL is editable and has a copy button', async ({ page }) => {
diff --git a/web/index.html b/web/index.html
index 00404f3..2bc8d0f 100644
--- a/web/index.html
+++ b/web/index.html
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ a.btn{text-decoration:none;color:inherit}
 .tabs button.on{background:var(--raise);color:var(--fg);font-weight:600}
 .toolbar .grow{flex:1;min-width:150px;max-width:320px}
 
-/* ---------- episodes ---------- */
+/* ---------- items ---------- */
 .ep{
   display:flex;gap:11px;padding:8px 10px;border-radius:var(--r);align-items:center;
   border:1px solid transparent;margin-bottom:2px;position:relative;cursor:pointer;
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ function renderFeeds(){
       artHTML(f.image,f.title||f.id)+
       `<div class="txt"><b>${esc(f.title||f.id)}</b><small>`+
       (mine.length?`${mine.length} feed${mine.length===1?'':'s'} · ${saved} saved`
-          :`${eps} eps · ${saved} saved`)+
+          :`${eps} items · ${saved} saved`)+
       `</small></div>`+
       (f.orphaned?'<span class="tag" title="No longer listed in the OPML, kept because it has downloads">gone</span>':'')+
       `<span class="badge${unread?'':' zero'}" title="${unread} unread">${unread>999?'999+':unread}</span>`;
@@ -559,11 +559,11 @@ function renderFeed(){
       ${artHTML(f.image,f.title||f.id)}
       <div class="meta">
         <h2>${esc(f.title||f.id)}</h2>
-        <div class="sub">${f.entries} episodes · ${f.downloaded} downloaded · checked ${ago(f.last_checked)}
+        <div class="sub">${f.entries} items · ${f.downloaded} downloaded · checked ${ago(f.last_checked)}
           · every ${everyText(f.every_mins)}${f.next_check?` · next ${due(f.next_check)}`:''}</div>
         ${f.last_error?`<div class="sub" style="color:var(--bad)">${esc(f.last_error)}</div>`:''}
         ${f.orphaned?`<div class="sub" style="color:var(--warn)">This feed is no longer listed in its
-          OPML subscription. It was kept rather than removed because it has downloaded episodes.</div>`:''}
+          OPML subscription. It was kept rather than removed because it has downloaded items.</div>`:''}
         ${f.group?`<div class="sub">From the OPML subscription <b>${esc(f.group)}</b></div>`:''}
         <div class="acts">
           <button class="btn primary" data-a="scan"><i>⟳</i>Scan now</button>
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ function renderFeed(){
         ${['all','unread','downloaded','flagged'].map(t=>
           `<button data-f="${t}" class="${S.filter===t?'on':''}">${t[0].toUpperCase()+t.slice(1)}</button>`).join('')}
       </div>
-      <input type="search" class="grow" id="epSearch" placeholder="Search episodes…" value="${esc(S.q)}">
+      <input type="search" class="grow" id="epSearch" placeholder="Search items…" value="${esc(S.q)}">
       <span style="color:var(--faint);font-size:12.5px" id="count"></span>
     </div>
     `;
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ function renderFeed(){
   let t; $('#epSearch').oninput=e=>{clearTimeout(t);t=setTimeout(()=>{S.q=e.target.value;S.offset=0;loadEntries()},250)};
 }
 
-/// An OPML subscription's page lists the feeds inside it rather than episodes, but keeps
+/// An OPML subscription's page lists the feeds inside it rather than items, but keeps
 /// every action a normal feed has -- it is still an ordinary feed entry underneath.
 function renderGroup(f,kids){
   const unread=kids.reduce((n,c)=>n+c.unread,0);
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ function renderGroup(f,kids){
       el.className='childrow';
       el.innerHTML = artHTML(c.image,c.title||c.id)+
         `<div class="txt"><b>${esc(c.title||c.id)}</b>`+
-        `<small class="meta">${c.entries} eps · ${c.downloaded} downloaded`+
+        `<small class="meta">${c.entries} items · ${c.downloaded} downloaded`+
         (c.last_error?` · <span style="color:var(--bad)">error</span>`:'')+`</small></div>`+
         (c.orphaned?'<span class="tag">gone</span>':'')+
         `<span class="badge${c.unread?'':' zero'}">${c.unread}</span>`;
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ async function feedAction(a,f){
   if(a==='dl') downloadLatestModal(f);
 }
 
-/* ---------------- episodes ---------------- */
+/* ---------------- items ---------------- */
 async function loadEntries(append){
   if(!S.feed) return;
   const p=new URLSearchParams({offset:S.offset,limit:LIMIT,filter:S.filter});
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ async function loadEntries(append){
 }
 function renderEntries(){
   const box=$('#eps'); if(!box) return;
-  const c=$('#count'); if(c) c.textContent=`${S.total} episode${S.total===1?'':'s'}`;
+  const c=$('#count'); if(c) c.textContent=`${S.total} item${S.total===1?'':'s'}`;
   const pane=$('#list'), top=pane?pane.scrollTop:0;
   box.innerHTML='';
   if(!S.entries.length){
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ function isPlayable(x){
     .test((x.path||x.url||'').split('?')[0]);
 }
 
-/// What an enclosure is, for a row that is not an episode: "image", "pdf", "document".
+/// What an enclosure is, for a row that is not media: "image", "pdf", "document".
 function kindOf(enc){
   const m=(enc.mime||'').toLowerCase();
   if(m.startsWith('image/')) return 'image';
@@ -799,11 +799,11 @@ function dragSplit(){
 function showDetail(e){
   const box=$('#detail'); if(!box) return;
   document.body.classList.toggle('reading',!!e);
-  if(!e){ box.innerHTML='<p class="empty">Pick an episode to read it.</p>'; return; }
+  if(!e){ box.innerHTML='<p class="empty">Pick an item to read it.</p>'; return; }
   const f=S.feeds.find(x=>x.id===e.feed_id);
   const num=[e.season?`S${e.season}`:'',e.episode?`E${e.episode}`:''].filter(Boolean).join('');
   box.innerHTML=`
-    <button class="btn" id="dback">← Episodes</button>
+    <button class="btn" id="dback">← Items</button>
     <h3 class="dt">${esc(e.title||'(untitled)')}</h3>
     <div class="dmeta">
       ${f?`<span>${esc(f.title||f.id)}</span><span class="dot"></span>`:''}
@@ -873,10 +873,10 @@ async function epAction(a,e,el,encId){
       if(!enc) return;
       S.busy.add(enc.id);
       await api(`/api/enclosures/${enc.id}/download`,{method:'POST'});
-      toast('Queued: '+(e.title||'episode'));
+      toast('Queued: '+(e.title||'item'));
     }
     if(a==='del'){
-      if(!confirm('Delete the downloaded file?\n\nThe episode stays listed and will not be downloaded again automatically.')) return;
+      if(!confirm('Delete the downloaded file?\n\nThe item stays listed and will not be downloaded again automatically.')) return;
       await api(`/api/enclosures/${enc.id}`,{method:'DELETE'});
       toast('Deleted'); loadEntries(); loadFeeds(true);
     }
@@ -887,8 +887,8 @@ async function epAction(a,e,el,encId){
 const audio=$('#audio');
 const player={guid:null,feed:null,entry:null,saveAt:0,marked:false};
 
-// Marked read when an episode has actually been listened to -- at the end, or past 90%.
-// NOT on play: doing that made the episode vanish from the default Unread list the instant
+// Marked read when an item has actually been listened to -- at the end, or past 90%.
+// NOT on play: doing that made the item vanish from the Unread list the instant
 // you pressed play, which looks exactly like it went missing.
 function markPlayed(){
   if(!player.guid||player.marked) return;
@@ -1085,7 +1085,7 @@ $('#addFeed').onclick=()=>{
     <div class="field"><label>Feed URL</label><input type="text" id="nurl" placeholder="https://example.com/rss"></div>
     <div class="field"><label>Folder (optional)</label><input type="text" id="nfolder" placeholder="Defaults to the feed title"></div>
     <div class="field"><label>Keywords (optional, comma separated)</label>
-      <input type="text" id="nkw"><span class="hint">Only episodes matching a keyword are downloaded.</span></div>
+      <input type="text" id="nkw"><span class="hint">Only items matching a keyword are downloaded.</span></div>
     <div class="cardacts"><button class="btn" onclick="closeModal()">Cancel</button>
       <button class="btn primary" id="nsave">Add feed</button></div>`);
   $('#nurl').focus();
@@ -1159,12 +1159,12 @@ async function prefsModal(){
       <input type="text" id="gtypes" value="${esc((g.media_types||[]).join(', '))}"
              placeholder="audio, video">
       <span class="hint">Anything else is still listed and can be downloaded by hand — blog feeds
-      put article images in enclosures, and those are not episodes. Empty takes everything.</span></div>
+      put article images in enclosures, and those are not worth keeping. Empty takes everything.</span></div>
     <div class="field"><label>Disk quota (GB, 0 = unlimited)</label>
       <input type="number" id="gquota" min="0" step="0.5" value="${g.max_total_gb}">
-      <span class="hint">Over this, the oldest played episodes are deleted first. Starred
-      episodes are never touched.</span></div>
-    <div class="field"><label>Delete episodes older than (days, 0 = keep)</label>
+      <span class="hint">Over this, the oldest played items are deleted first. Starred
+      items are never touched.</span></div>
+    <div class="field"><label>Delete items older than (days, 0 = keep)</label>
       <input type="number" id="gage" min="0" value="${g.max_age_days}"></div>
     <div class="field"><label>Download folder</label>
       <span class="hint" style="overflow-wrap:anywhere">${esc(g.download_dir)}</span></div>
@@ -1217,14 +1217,14 @@ function settingsModal(f){
       <input type="number" id="smax" min="0" value="${f.max_new_per_check??''}">
       <span class="hint">Blank follows the global default (${globalMax}). The rest wait for
       the next scan.</span></div>
-    <label class="check"><input type="checkbox" id="sauto" ${f.auto_download?'checked':''}> Download new episodes automatically</label>
-    <label class="check"><input type="checkbox" id="sexp" ${f.allow_explicit?'checked':''}> Allow episodes marked explicit</label>
+    <label class="check"><input type="checkbox" id="sauto" ${f.auto_download?'checked':''}> Download new items automatically</label>
+    <label class="check"><input type="checkbox" id="sexp" ${f.allow_explicit?'checked':''}> Allow items marked explicit</label>
     <div class="field"><label>Feed URL</label>
       <div class="inline">
         <input type="text" id="surl" value="${esc(f.url)}" spellcheck="false">
         <button type="button" class="btn" id="scopy">Copy</button>
       </div>
-      <span class="hint">Editing this keeps every episode and download — handy when an auth token
+      <span class="hint">Editing this keeps every item and download — handy when an auth token
       in the URL is rotated. The feed is re-checked from scratch on the next scan.</span></div>
     <div class="cardacts"><button class="btn" onclick="closeModal()">Cancel</button>
       <button class="btn primary" id="ssave">Save</button></div>`);
@@ -1249,8 +1249,8 @@ function settingsModal(f){
 }
 
 function downloadLatestModal(f){
-  openModal(`<h3>Download latest episodes</h3>
-    <div class="field"><label>How many of the newest undownloaded episodes?</label>
+  openModal(`<h3>Download latest items</h3>
+    <div class="field"><label>How many of the newest undownloaded items?</label>
       <input type="number" id="dcount" min="1" max="100" value="5">
       <span class="hint">Queued immediately, ignoring the per-scan limit.</span></div>
     <div class="cardacts"><button class="btn" onclick="closeModal()">Cancel</button>
@@ -1260,7 +1260,7 @@ function downloadLatestModal(f){
     try{
       const r=await api(`/api/feeds/${encodeURIComponent(f.id)}/download-latest`,
         {method:'POST',body:JSON.stringify({count:n})});
-      closeModal(); toast(`Queued ${r.queued} episode${r.queued===1?'':'s'}`);
+      closeModal(); toast(`Queued ${r.queued} item${r.queued===1?'':'s'}`);
     }catch(e){ toast(e.message,true); }
   };
 }