diff --git a/web/src/icons.ts b/web/src/icons.ts
index 89cdfce..7b21dc4 100644
--- a/web/src/icons.ts
+++ b/web/src/icons.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export function armedDeleteIcon(label: string, execute: () => void): HTMLButtonE
   const button = document.createElement("button");
   button.type = "button";
   button.className = "control control-quiet control-icon";
+  button.dataset.kind = "delete";
   button.setAttribute("aria-label", label);
   button.title = label;
   button.replaceChildren(icon("trash"));
diff --git a/web/src/main.ts b/web/src/main.ts
index 502055c..afb51cf 100644
--- a/web/src/main.ts
+++ b/web/src/main.ts
@@ -1285,6 +1285,14 @@ function wireCollapsedToggle(bucket: CollapsedBucketDom) {
 // icon() and armedDeleteIcon() live in icons.ts, shared with the settings
 // rows (#231); the §9.6 painters below stay here as their only consumer.
 
+/** Invisible spacer that reserves a delete control's slot (#254). */
+function placeholderSlot(): HTMLSpanElement {
+  const slot = document.createElement("span");
+  slot.className = "slot-icon";
+  slot.setAttribute("aria-hidden", "true");
+  return slot;
+}
+
 /** §9.6 provider marks, drawn and shipped inline — never a remote image. */
 function providerMark(name: "tmdb" | "tvdb" | "imdb" | "rt"): SVGSVGElement {
   const svg = document.createElementNS(SVG_NS, "svg");
@@ -3605,6 +3613,15 @@ function seriesMain(tvDeck: TvReleasesView, views: HideableView[]): SeriesView {
       disclose.focus();
     });
 
+    // the whole line expands the season — the chevron stays the accessible
+    // control and this is a second way in; clicks on real controls opt out
+    line.addEventListener("click", (event) => {
+      if (event.target instanceof Element && event.target.closest("button")) {
+        return;
+      }
+      disclose.click();
+    });
+
     // season 0 never counts toward tracking or totals (§4.1, §4.2); say so
     const name = document.createElement("span");
     name.className = "season-name";
@@ -3697,8 +3714,9 @@ function seriesMain(tvDeck: TvReleasesView, views: HideableView[]): SeriesView {
     line.append(space, deckBtn);
     // #174: files go, episodes stop being wanted, the season stays listed.
     // Only offered with files on disk — intent alone is the tracked toggle.
+    let clear: HTMLButtonElement | null = null;
     if (season.episodes.some((episode) => filesByEpisode.has(episode.id))) {
-      const clear = armedDeleteIcon(
+      clear = armedDeleteIcon(
         `remove ${season.number === 0 ? "specials" : `season ${PAD_TWO(season.number)}`} files from disk and stop wanting its episodes — the season stays listed`,
         () => {
           const currentId = seriesId;
@@ -3707,7 +3725,9 @@ function seriesMain(tvDeck: TvReleasesView, views: HideableView[]): SeriesView {
           }
           void removeSeasonFiles(currentId, season.number).then((outcome) => {
             if (outcome.kind === "error") {
-              clear.disabled = false;
+              if (clear) {
+                clear.disabled = false;
+              }
               setStatus(`remove failed — ${outcome.detail}`, "fault");
               return;
             }
@@ -3718,8 +3738,9 @@ function seriesMain(tvDeck: TvReleasesView, views: HideableView[]): SeriesView {
           });
         },
       );
-      line.append(clear);
     }
+    // rows without a delete still reserve its slot, so search keeps its column
+    line.append(space, deckBtn, clear ?? placeholderSlot());
     item.append(line);
 
     const episodes = document.createElement("ul");
@@ -3804,7 +3825,7 @@ function seriesMain(tvDeck: TvReleasesView, views: HideableView[]): SeriesView {
       const note = document.createElement("span");
       note.className = "readout dim ep-unaired";
       note.textContent = "unaired";
-      actions.append(note);
+      actions.append(note, placeholderSlot());
     } else {
       const want = document.createElement("button");
       want.type = "button";
@@ -3851,6 +3872,9 @@ function seriesMain(tvDeck: TvReleasesView, views: HideableView[]): SeriesView {
         });
       });
       actions.append(deckBtn);
+      // no delete on a wantable episode, but its slot is still reserved so
+      // search sits in the same column as on an on-disk row
+      actions.append(placeholderSlot());
     }
 
     item.append(tag, name, air, chips, actions);
diff --git a/web/src/style.css b/web/src/style.css
index 2fd2393..27f27fb 100644
--- a/web/src/style.css
+++ b/web/src/style.css
@@ -1152,6 +1152,18 @@ body {
   border-color: var(--signal-warn);
 }
 
+/* a destructive control rests red, so delete never reads like the search
+   glyph beside it; arming hands over to the shared amber treatment below */
+.control[data-kind="delete"]:not(:disabled) {
+  color: var(--signal-fault);
+  border-color: oklch(from var(--signal-fault) l c h / 40%);
+}
+
+.control[data-kind="delete"]:hover:not(:disabled),
+.control[data-kind="delete"]:focus-visible:not(:disabled) {
+  border-color: var(--signal-fault);
+}
+
 /* the settings arm-then-confirm, shared with season and episode rows: an
    armed control turns caution amber until it disarms or fires */
 .control[data-armed="true"] {
@@ -1510,6 +1522,15 @@ body {
   flex-wrap: wrap;
   gap: var(--space-2) var(--space-3);
   padding: var(--space-2) var(--space-1);
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: background 150ms var(--ease-out);
+}
+
+/* a row under the pointer is visibly the row the click will land on —
+   the same lift a search result row gets */
+.season-line:hover,
+.episode:hover {
+  background: var(--panel);
 }
 
 /* the disclosure is a drawn chevron — no glyph standing in for an icon */
@@ -1578,6 +1599,7 @@ body {
   gap: var(--space-1) var(--space-2);
   padding: var(--space-2) var(--space-1);
   border-bottom: 1px solid oklch(from var(--line) l c h / 45%);
+  transition: background 150ms var(--ease-out);
 }
 
 .ep-tag {
@@ -1613,6 +1635,14 @@ body {
   font-size: var(--text-xs);
 }
 
+/* an invisible spacer sized as an icon control: rows without a delete
+   reserve its slot so search sits in the same column on every row */
+.slot-icon {
+  flex: none;
+  width: var(--control-h);
+  height: var(--control-h);
+}
+
 /* #227: the season the operator's own report was about read `0/10` beside
    this chip's absence. It sits next to the counts because that number is what
    looked like nothing had ever been tried. */