How to find a short recap video before starting a long episode for true crime fans

Find a short recap video before you start a long true crime episode, with steps, tools to try and common mistakes to avoid.

By XP Daily · 2026-10-31

XP Daily is published by the makers of DaysAid, QuickDictate and YTSort, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Search for a recap of the episode before yours, check its length and first minute, then watch it before starting the long episode.

Option	How it orders videos	Cost
Paper list or sticky note	Not published here	Not published here
Spreadsheet	Not published here	Not published here
YTSort	Reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first ^[1]	Free ^[1]

What you need before you start

Finding a short recap is quicker when a few things are ready before you open the video site.

Know the show, the season and the episode you plan to start, so you search for the right recap and not one that covers a later part. Decide how much time you have, because that sets the length you should look for. Note the episode where you last stopped, so you can check that the recap ends where you need it to.

A web browser is enough for searching. If you want a tool to help sort videos by length, add it once before you start, following its own instructions.

Step by step

These steps work with any video site and any search method.

Write down the show, the season and the episode you plan to start.
Search the video site for a recap of the episode before yours, using the show name and the word recap.
Look at the length shown on each thumbnail, and skip any that are much longer than the time you have.
Check that the title names the episode you need.
Watch the first minute to confirm the recap covers the right material and does not spoil the episode you are about to watch.
If a recap is long, skip to the part that matches where you stopped.
Keep the recap and the long episode in the same order, so they play one after the other.
Watch the recap before starting the long episode, and jot down any names or dates you want to remember.
After the episode, decide whether you want a recap for the next one as well.

Tools that can do it

Several options can help with this job. Nothing is confirmed here about the paper and spreadsheet options, so check each tool's own page for how it orders videos, what it costs and any limits before you choose. Check whether the video site's own search offers a length filter, since that can narrow the results before you open any of them.

YTSort is a free browser tool that reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first ^[1]. It only works on a playlist you own, so check with the owner before you try. ^[1] It can sort only the videos within a length range and move the rest to the end ^[1]. It also shows the total, average, shortest and longest video duration for the playlist ^[1]. It shows the before and after order so you can check it before applying ^[1].

You can get it as a bookmark that runs it, a browser script or a Chrome Web Store extension ^[1]. For which browsers each version of YTSort supports, check YTSort's own page before you install it. The script version works in any browser, including Firefox, with a script manager such as Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey installed ^[1].

Common mistakes to avoid

Choosing a recap by its title alone. A title can name the show without naming the episode. Check the length and the first minute before you commit.

Watching a recap for the wrong season. Season numbers are easy to mix up when a show runs for years. Confirm the season before you press play.

Starting the long episode without the recap. A recap only helps if you watch it first, so queue it before the episode.

Assuming every show has a recap. Some do not. Have a fallback, such as the last few minutes of the previous episode.

Trying to sort a playlist you do not own. YTSort only reorders a playlist you own ^[1]. For someone else's playlist, check with the owner or keep a written list.

Trusting an order without a look. Read the new order once before you start, so no recap lands after the episode it is meant to introduce.

Frequently asked questions

How to find a short recap video before a long episode on YouTube?

Search YouTube for the show name, the season and the word recap, then open a few results and look at the length shown on each thumbnail. Pick one that fits the time you have and whose title names the episode you need. Watch its first minute to confirm it covers the right material and does not spoil the episode you are about to watch. Then queue the recap before the long episode so it plays first.

Can YTSort show how long each video in a playlist runs?

Yes. YTSort shows the total, average, shortest and longest video duration for the playlist ^[1]. It can also sort only the videos within a length range you set, and move the rest to the end ^[1]. Reordering works on a playlist you own ^[1]. It shows the before and after order so you can check the result before applying it ^[1].

Which browsers work with YTSort?

The extension needs Chrome or Edge. The script version works in any browser, including Firefox, with Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey installed ^[1]. The extension needs Chrome or Edge, and the script version works in Firefox with Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey installed ^[1]. A bookmark that runs the tool is one of the three ways to get it ^[1].

Is YTSort free to use?

Yes. YTSort is free, and every install option includes the same features ^[1]. It is free, open-source software under the GPL-2.0-only licence ^[1]. You can install it as a bookmark that runs it, a browser script or a Chrome Web Store extension, so you can pick whichever suits your browser ^[1].

Should true crime fans always watch a recap before a long episode?

Not always. A recap helps when you have missed earlier episodes or need to refresh names and dates. If you already remember the story, you can skip it. Some recaps cover more than you want to see before an episode, so check the first minute before you press play. A recap should be a helpful lead-in, not a replacement for the episode itself.

YTSort is free; all install options include the same features. ^[1]

Try YTSort

Sources

YTSort's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)