1. A computer-implemented method of processing a search request received from a user, the method comprising: accessing a database comprising a set of content items and metadata that describes corresponding content items in the set of content items; receiving at least one previous search from a user, wherein the at least one previous search comprises a first set of media assets and a window of time; determining that results from the at least one previous search did not satisfy the user based on determining that a time period of availability of the first set of media assets is outside the window of time; receiving a present input from the user, wherein the present input comprises a second set of media assets; determining that results from the present input will not satisfy the user based on determining that a time period of availability of the second set of media assets is outside the window of time; and based on determining that the results from the at least one previous search did not satisfy the user and based on determining that the results from the present input will not satisfy the user: determining an intent shared by the at least one previous search and the present input based on: determining a first category that describes a first subset of the set of content items, wherein the first subset includes the first set of media assets and the second set of media assets; determining a second category that describes a second subset of the set of content items, wherein the second subset includes the first set of media assets and the second set of media assets; identifying at least one of a previous smart tag, a previous category, and a previous microcategory associated with the at least one previous search; identifying at least one of a present smart tag, a present category, and a present microcategory associated with the present input; and determining the intent based on determining at least one relationship between at least one of (a) the previous smart tag and the present smart tag, (b) the previous category and the present category, (c) the previous microcategory and the present microcategory, and (d) a first number of content items in the first subset of content items and a second number of content items in the second subset of content items; searching the database for a third set of media assets consistent with the determined intent and having a time period of availability within the window of time; and presenting the third set of media assets to the user.