diff --git a/video_metadata/views/tmdb.py b/video_metadata/views/tmdb.py
index 869e47d..d714f5c 100644
--- a/video_metadata/views/tmdb.py
+++ b/video_metadata/views/tmdb.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from urllib.error import URLError, HTTPError
 import urllib.parse
 import urllib.request
 
-from flask import Blueprint, current_app, flash, Flask, request, render_template
+from flask import Blueprint, current_app, flash, Flask, jsonify, request, render_template, Response
 
 from .. import util
 from .. import db
@@ -73,6 +73,18 @@ class view_result:
     poster_path: str = 'no_image.png'
     tmdb_link: str = ''
 
+# NOTE: haven't found a better way to json encode dataclasses :(
+class result_encoder(json.JSONEncoder):
+    def default(self, obj):
+        if isinstance(obj, view_result):
+            return obj.__dict__
+
+        try:
+            ret = json.JSONEncoder.default(self, obj)
+        except TypeError:
+            return ''
+        return ret
+
 
 ####################
 # flask routes
@@ -102,11 +114,11 @@ def list_movie_test():
             url_prefix = current_app.config['VIDEO_URL_PREFIX']
         )
 
+
 @bp.route('/query_movie', methods=['GET', 'POST'])
 def query_movie():
     errors = []
     query = query_data()
-    response = response_data()
     view_results = []
 
     # NOTE: query string can be submitted from a link or form input
@@ -118,32 +130,9 @@ def query_movie():
         query.raw_query_str = request.args['query']
         query.rel_path = request.args['rel_path']
 
-    # TODO: if query_obj.query_type is still 'UNKNOWN' from parseQueryStr(), make queries to
-    #   both tmdb endpoints (movie and tv)
-    if query.raw_query_str and parseQueryStr(query):
-        if isQueryCached(query.parsed_query_str):
-            view_results = makeLocalQuery(query)
-        else:
-            makeTMDBQuery(query, response)
-
-            try:
-                response.parsed_response = json.loads(response.response_body)
-            except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
-                view_data.errors.append(e)
-
-            if 'total_results' in response.parsed_response:
-                response.result_count = response.parsed_response['total_results']
-
-            # TODO: it's possible for the query results to span multiple 'pages'
-            #   see) https://developers.themoviedb.org/3/search/search-movies
-            if 'results' in response.parsed_response:
-                for result in response.parsed_response['results']:
-                    view_results.append(parseTMDBResult(result, query.query_type))
-
-                storeTMDBQueryResults(query, view_results)
-
-    errors.extend(query.errors)
-    errors.extend(response.errors)
+    q_res = doQueryAlgorithm(query)
+    errors = q_res['errors']
+    view_results = q_res['results']
 
     if errors:
         view_results.clear()
@@ -155,14 +144,40 @@ def query_movie():
             'tmdb/query.html',
             view_data = view_results,
             rel_path = query.rel_path,
-            debug_str = '{} \n {} \n {} \n'.format(
+            debug_str = '{} \n {} \n'.format(
                     util.dumpObject(query),
-                    util.dumpObject(response),
                     util.dumpObject(view_results)
                 )
         )
 
+
+@bp.route('/query_movie_json')
+def query_movie_json():
+    query = query_data()
+    results = []
+
+    if 'query' in request.args and 'rel_path' in request.args:
+        query.raw_query_str = request.args['query']
+        query.rel_path = request.args['rel_path']
+        q_res = doQueryAlgorithm(query)
+        errors = q_res['errors']
+        results = q_res['results']
+        current_app.logger.debug(f'{util.getFunctionName()}, results length: {len(results)}')
+    else:
+        errors = ['required parameters: query, rel_path']
+
+    if errors:
+        for e in errors:
+            current_app.logger.error(e)
+        return jsonify(errors=errors)
+
+    res = Response(json.dumps(results, cls=result_encoder))
+    res.headers.set('Content-Type', 'application/json')
+    return res
+
+
 # TODO: add option for tv shows
+# TODO: this endpoint should be http POST only
 @bp.route('/create_mapping')
 def create_mapping():
     movie_id = request.args.get('movie_id')
@@ -197,6 +212,41 @@ def create_mapping():
 ###################
 # helpers
 
+def doQueryAlgorithm(query:query_data) -> list:
+    errors, view_results = [], []
+    response = response_data()
+
+    # TODO: if query_obj.query_type is still 'UNKNOWN' from parseQueryStr(), make queries to
+    #   both tmdb endpoints (movie and tv)
+    if query.raw_query_str and parseQueryStr(query):
+        if isQueryCached(query.parsed_query_str):
+            view_results = makeLocalQuery(query)
+            current_app.logger.debug(f'{util.getFunctionName()}, view_results length: {len(view_results)}')
+        else:
+            makeTMDBQuery(query, response)
+
+            try:
+                response.parsed_response = json.loads(response.response_body)
+            except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+                errors.append(e)
+
+            if 'total_results' in response.parsed_response:
+                response.result_count = response.parsed_response['total_results']
+
+            # TODO: it's possible for the query results to span multiple 'pages'
+            #   see) https://developers.themoviedb.org/3/search/search-movies
+            if 'results' in response.parsed_response:
+                for result in response.parsed_response['results']:
+                    view_results.append(parseTMDBResult(result, query.query_type))
+
+                storeTMDBQueryResults(query, view_results)
+
+    errors.extend(query.errors)
+    errors.extend(response.errors)
+
+    return {'errors': errors, 'results': view_results}
+
+
 # TODO: need a way to correctly parse titles like: "2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)"
 #   with legitimate dates in the title
 def parseQueryStr(query_obj):
@@ -225,16 +275,19 @@ def parseQueryStr(query_obj):
 
     return True
 
+
 def isQueryCached(query_str):
     conn = db.get_db()
     cur = conn.cursor()
     cur.execute('SELECT COUNT(*) FROM movie_queries WHERE query=?', (query_str,))
     count = cur.fetchone()[0]
-
-    current_app.logger.debug('movie_queries count: "{}, query: {}"'.format(count, query_str))
+    current_app.logger.debug(
+        f'{util.getFunctionName()}, movie_queries count: {count}, query: "{query_str}"'
+    )
 
     return (count > 0)
 
+
 # NOTE: returns list of 'view_result' objects that match the query_obj.parsed_query_str
 #   stored in the local db cache
 def makeLocalQuery(query_obj):
@@ -256,6 +309,7 @@ def makeLocalQuery(query_obj):
 
     return results
 
+
 def buildViewResult(db_row):
     vr = view_result()
     vr.id = db_row['movie_id']
@@ -270,6 +324,8 @@ def buildViewResult(db_row):
 
     return vr
 
+
+# TODO: add info and debug logging for network requests
 def makeTMDBQuery(query_obj, response_obj):
     if query_obj.query_type == query_type.MOVIE:
         search_part = TMDB_SEARCH_MOVIE
@@ -319,6 +375,7 @@ def makeTMDBQuery(query_obj, response_obj):
 
     return True
 
+
 # NOTE: @param result is parsed JSON object from tmdb API
 def parseTMDBResult(result, query_type):
     parsed = view_result()
@@ -338,6 +395,7 @@ def parseTMDBResult(result, query_type):
 
     return parsed
 
+
 def storeTMDBQueryResults(query_obj, result_list):
     conn = db.get_db()
     cur = conn.cursor()