diff --git a/lib/widgets/animated_dim_scrim.dart b/lib/widgets/animated_dim_scrim.dart
index 5ffc8c6a..69cad73e 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/animated_dim_scrim.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/animated_dim_scrim.dart
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import 'dart:ui' as ui;
+
 import 'package:flutter/widgets.dart';
 
 import '../focus/focus_theme.dart';
@@ -11,12 +13,26 @@ import '../focus/focus_theme.dart';
 /// `Opacity(opacity: 1 - alpha)`; over artwork it darkens toward [color]
 /// instead of turning translucent.
 ///
+/// Unlike content opacity, the quad also darkens whatever shows through
+/// gaps in the content, so its rectangle boundary can read as a hard line
+/// across backdrop artwork. [fadeTop]/[fadeBottom] soften that by ramping
+/// the dim in over a band of pixels. The bands are gradient-shaded, which
+/// costs GPU per covered pixel on low-end TVs — keep them narrow; the
+/// interior stays a flat quad.
+///
 /// Stack this above the content (with `IgnorePointer` built in so taps pass
 /// through). Animates with [FocusTheme.getAnimationDuration], so the full
 /// tier fades and the reduced tier snaps, matching the [AnimatedOpacity]
 /// behavior it replaces.
 class AnimatedDimScrim extends StatelessWidget {
-  const AnimatedDimScrim({super.key, required this.dimmed, required this.color, required this.alpha});
+  const AnimatedDimScrim({
+    super.key,
+    required this.dimmed,
+    required this.color,
+    required this.alpha,
+    this.fadeTop = 0,
+    this.fadeBottom = 0,
+  });
 
   final bool dimmed;
   final Color color;
@@ -25,6 +41,13 @@ class AnimatedDimScrim extends StatelessWidget {
   /// `Opacity(opacity: 1 - alpha)` over a [color] underlay.
   final double alpha;
 
+  /// Height of the ramp from transparent to full strength at the top edge.
+  final double fadeTop;
+
+  /// Height of the ramp from full strength back to transparent at the
+  /// bottom edge.
+  final double fadeBottom;
+
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
     return IgnorePointer(
@@ -32,9 +55,68 @@ class AnimatedDimScrim extends StatelessWidget {
         tween: Tween(end: dimmed ? alpha : 0.0),
         duration: FocusTheme.getAnimationDuration(context),
         curve: Curves.easeOutCubic,
-        builder: (context, value, _) =>
-            value == 0 ? const SizedBox.shrink() : ColoredBox(color: color.withValues(alpha: value)),
+        builder: (context, value, _) {
+          if (value == 0) return const SizedBox.shrink();
+          if (fadeTop == 0 && fadeBottom == 0) {
+            return ColoredBox(color: color.withValues(alpha: value));
+          }
+          return CustomPaint(
+            painter: _DimScrimPainter(color: color, alpha: value, fadeTop: fadeTop, fadeBottom: fadeBottom),
+          );
+        },
       ),
     );
   }
 }
+
+class _DimScrimPainter extends CustomPainter {
+  const _DimScrimPainter({required this.color, required this.alpha, required this.fadeTop, required this.fadeBottom});
+
+  final Color color;
+  final double alpha;
+  final double fadeTop;
+  final double fadeBottom;
+
+  @override
+  void paint(Canvas canvas, Size size) {
+    if (size.isEmpty) return;
+    final full = color.withValues(alpha: alpha);
+    final none = color.withValues(alpha: 0.0);
+    final top = fadeTop.clamp(0.0, size.height);
+    final bottom = fadeBottom.clamp(0.0, size.height - top);
+
+    // Anti-aliasing off: adjacent translucent rects sharing an edge would
+    // otherwise double-blend along the seam.
+    canvas.drawRect(
+      Rect.fromLTRB(0, top, size.width, size.height - bottom),
+      Paint()
+        ..color = full
+        ..isAntiAlias = false,
+    );
+    if (top > 0) {
+      final band = Rect.fromLTRB(0, 0, size.width, top);
+      canvas.drawRect(
+        band,
+        Paint()
+          ..shader = ui.Gradient.linear(band.topLeft, band.bottomLeft, [none, full])
+          ..isAntiAlias = false,
+      );
+    }
+    if (bottom > 0) {
+      final band = Rect.fromLTRB(0, size.height - bottom, size.width, size.height);
+      canvas.drawRect(
+        band,
+        Paint()
+          ..shader = ui.Gradient.linear(band.topLeft, band.bottomLeft, [full, none])
+          ..isAntiAlias = false,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
+  @override
+  bool shouldRepaint(_DimScrimPainter oldDelegate) =>
+      color != oldDelegate.color ||
+      alpha != oldDelegate.alpha ||
+      fadeTop != oldDelegate.fadeTop ||
+      fadeBottom != oldDelegate.fadeBottom;
+}
diff --git a/lib/widgets/tv_browse_rail.dart b/lib/widgets/tv_browse_rail.dart
index fe80dc73..abbeccbd 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/tv_browse_rail.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/tv_browse_rail.dart
@@ -1135,6 +1135,9 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
                                 dimmed: !railHasFocus,
                                 color: theme.scaffoldBackgroundColor,
                                 alpha: _unfocusedRailDimAlpha,
+                                // The viewport's top edge cuts across the
+                                // spotlight artwork; ramp the dim in instead.
+                                fadeTop: 36 * scale,
                               ),
                             ),
                           ),
@@ -1348,6 +1351,10 @@ class TvBrowseRailState extends State<TvBrowseRail> {
                     dimmed: !isActive,
                     color: Theme.of(context).scaffoldBackgroundColor,
                     alpha: _inactiveHubDimAlpha,
+                    // Soften the quad's boundary so it doesn't draw a hard
+                    // line across the artwork showing through around the row.
+                    fadeTop: 20 * scale,
+                    fadeBottom: 20 * scale,
                   ),
                 ),
               ),