diff --git a/components/tv/TVNextEpisodeCountdown.tsx b/components/tv/TVNextEpisodeCountdown.tsx
index 72440f97..654cdfc6 100644
--- a/components/tv/TVNextEpisodeCountdown.tsx
+++ b/components/tv/TVNextEpisodeCountdown.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ import {
   Image,
   Pressable,
   Animated as RNAnimated,
+  type View as RNView,
   StyleSheet,
+  TVFocusGuideView,
   View,
 } from "react-native";
 import Animated, {
@@ -33,6 +35,12 @@ export interface TVNextEpisodeCountdownProps {
   onPlayNext?: () => void;
   /** Whether controls are visible - affects card position */
   controlsVisible?: boolean;
+  /** Callback ref setter for focus guide destination pattern */
+  refSetter?: (ref: RNView | null) => void;
+  /** Whether this component should receive initial focus */
+  hasTVPreferredFocus?: boolean;
+  /** Destination used when moving down from this card */
+  playButtonRef?: RNView | null;
 }
 
 // Position constants
@@ -47,6 +55,9 @@ export const TVNextEpisodeCountdown: FC<TVNextEpisodeCountdownProps> = ({
   onFinish,
   onPlayNext,
   controlsVisible = false,
+  refSetter,
+  hasTVPreferredFocus = true,
+  playButtonRef: downDestination,
 }) => {
   const typography = useScaledTVTypography();
   const { t } = useTranslation();
@@ -135,10 +146,11 @@ export const TVNextEpisodeCountdown: FC<TVNextEpisodeCountdownProps> = ({
       pointerEvents='box-none'
     >
       <Pressable
+        ref={refSetter}
         onPress={onPlayNext}
         onFocus={handleFocus}
         onBlur={handleBlur}
-        hasTVPreferredFocus={true}
+        hasTVPreferredFocus={hasTVPreferredFocus}
         focusable={true}
       >
         <RNAnimated.View style={[animatedStyle, focused && styles.focusedCard]}>
@@ -172,6 +184,12 @@ export const TVNextEpisodeCountdown: FC<TVNextEpisodeCountdownProps> = ({
           </BlurView>
         </RNAnimated.View>
       </Pressable>
+      {downDestination && (
+        <TVFocusGuideView
+          destinations={[downDestination]}
+          style={styles.returnFocusGuide}
+        />
+      )}
     </Animated.View>
   );
 };
@@ -235,4 +253,8 @@ const createStyles = (typography: ReturnType<typeof useScaledTVTypography>) =>
       backgroundColor: "#fff",
       borderRadius: 2,
     },
+    returnFocusGuide: {
+      height: 1,
+      width: "100%",
+    },
   });
diff --git a/components/tv/TVSkipSegmentCard.tsx b/components/tv/TVSkipSegmentCard.tsx
index 3e53d0f0..bbea61b0 100644
--- a/components/tv/TVSkipSegmentCard.tsx
+++ b/components/tv/TVSkipSegmentCard.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,13 @@ import { Ionicons } from "@expo/vector-icons";
 import type { FC } from "react";
 import { useEffect } from "react";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
-import { Pressable, Animated as RNAnimated, StyleSheet } from "react-native";
+import {
+  Pressable,
+  Animated as RNAnimated,
+  StyleSheet,
+  TVFocusGuideView,
+  type View,
+} from "react-native";
 import Animated, {
   Easing,
   useAnimatedStyle,
@@ -18,6 +24,12 @@ export interface TVSkipSegmentCardProps {
   type: "intro" | "credits";
   /** Whether controls are visible - affects card position */
   controlsVisible?: boolean;
+  /** Callback ref setter for focus guide destination pattern */
+  refSetter?: (ref: View | null) => void;
+  /** Whether this component should receive initial focus */
+  hasTVPreferredFocus?: boolean;
+  /** Destination used when moving down from this card */
+  playButtonRef?: View | null;
 }
 
 // Position constants - same as TVNextEpisodeCountdown (they're mutually exclusive)
@@ -29,6 +41,9 @@ export const TVSkipSegmentCard: FC<TVSkipSegmentCardProps> = ({
   onPress,
   type,
   controlsVisible = false,
+  refSetter,
+  hasTVPreferredFocus = true,
+  playButtonRef: downDestination,
 }) => {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { focused, handleFocus, handleBlur, animatedStyle } =
@@ -67,10 +82,11 @@ export const TVSkipSegmentCard: FC<TVSkipSegmentCardProps> = ({
       pointerEvents='box-none'
     >
       <Pressable
+        ref={refSetter}
         onPress={onPress}
         onFocus={handleFocus}
         onBlur={handleBlur}
-        hasTVPreferredFocus={true}
+        hasTVPreferredFocus={hasTVPreferredFocus}
       >
         <RNAnimated.View
           style={[
@@ -90,6 +106,12 @@ export const TVSkipSegmentCard: FC<TVSkipSegmentCardProps> = ({
           <Text style={styles.label}>{labelText}</Text>
         </RNAnimated.View>
       </Pressable>
+      {downDestination && (
+        <TVFocusGuideView
+          destinations={[downDestination]}
+          style={styles.returnFocusGuide}
+        />
+      )}
     </Animated.View>
   );
 };
@@ -114,4 +136,8 @@ const styles = StyleSheet.create({
     color: "#fff",
     fontWeight: "600",
   },
+  returnFocusGuide: {
+    height: 1,
+    width: "100%",
+  },
 });
diff --git a/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tv.tsx b/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tv.tsx
index b0e1a886..f980a0eb 100644
--- a/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tv.tsx
+++ b/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tv.tsx
@@ -268,6 +268,8 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
   const [isProgressBarFocused, setIsProgressBarFocused] = useState(false);
   const [playButtonRef, setPlayButtonRef] = useState<View | null>(null);
   const [progressBarRef, setProgressBarRef] = useState<View | null>(null);
+  const [skipSegmentRef, setSkipSegmentRef] = useState<View | null>(null);
+  const [nextEpisodeRef, setNextEpisodeRef] = useState<View | null>(null);
 
   // Minimal seek bar state (shows only progress bar when seeking while controls hidden)
   const [showMinimalSeekBar, setShowMinimalSeekBar] = useState(false);
@@ -1014,6 +1016,8 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
     goToNextItem({ isAutoPlay: true });
   }, [goToNextItem]);
 
+  const topOverlayFocusTarget = skipSegmentRef ?? nextEpisodeRef;
+
   return (
     <View style={styles.controlsContainer} pointerEvents='box-none'>
       <Animated.View
@@ -1040,6 +1044,9 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
         onPress={skipIntro}
         type='intro'
         controlsVisible={showControls}
+        refSetter={setSkipSegmentRef}
+        hasTVPreferredFocus={!showControls}
+        playButtonRef={showControls ? playButtonRef : null}
       />
 
       {/* Skip credits card - show when there's content after credits, OR no next episode */}
@@ -1052,6 +1059,9 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
         onPress={skipCredit}
         type='credits'
         controlsVisible={showControls}
+        refSetter={setSkipSegmentRef}
+        hasTVPreferredFocus={!showControls}
+        playButtonRef={showControls ? playButtonRef : null}
       />
 
       {nextItem && (
@@ -1063,6 +1073,9 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
           onFinish={handleAutoPlayFinish}
           onPlayNext={handleNextItemButton}
           controlsVisible={showControls}
+          refSetter={setNextEpisodeRef}
+          hasTVPreferredFocus={!showControls}
+          playButtonRef={showControls ? playButtonRef : null}
         />
       )}
 
@@ -1210,6 +1223,14 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
             )}
           </View>
 
+          {/* Upward: control buttons → visible skip segment or next episode card */}
+          {topOverlayFocusTarget && (
+            <TVFocusGuideView
+              destinations={[topOverlayFocusTarget]}
+              style={styles.focusGuide}
+            />
+          )}
+
           <View style={styles.controlButtonsRow}>
             <TVControlButton
               icon='play-skip-back'