How to plan binge sessions around available time for true crime fans in 2026

Match each episode to a free block of time and stop at a natural break, so a binge session fits the evening you actually have.

By XP Daily · 2026-11-01

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

List the episodes you plan to watch with their lengths, match each one to a free block of time, and stop at a natural break. Check the plan each week so it keeps matching your schedule.

Option	How it helps plan your time
Paper list or sticky note	You write each episode and its length by hand and fit them into your free blocks.
Spreadsheet	You enter each length in a column and add them up for each series.
YTSort	Reorders a YouTube playlist you own by video length, shortest or longest first. ^[1]

What you need before you start

Planning binge sessions around the time you have takes only a few things.

Your free time, written down. Note the blocks you have in a typical week, such as an evening or a lunch break.
The episodes you plan to watch. List them with their lengths so you can see the total for each series.
A stopping point for each session. It might be the end of an episode or the end of one case. Know it before you press play.
A place to keep the plan. A paper note, a spreadsheet or a playlist all work. What matters is that the plan lives in one place you can see on the day.

If a series has episodes that build on each other, keep them in order. Rushing a case to fit a block usually means the story loses its thread.

Step by step

These steps work with any method, including a pen and paper.

Write down your free time for the week, day by day, in rough blocks.
Pick the series or cases you want to watch next.
List every episode with its length. The length is usually shown on the episode page or the thumbnail.
Add the lengths together to get the total for each series.
Match each block of free time to a stopping point. Choose episodes that fit the block without cutting a case in half.
Keep connected episodes together and in order.
Decide what to do if a session runs long. A natural break, such as the end of an episode, is a good place to stop.
Watch the first block and note where you stopped.
Review the plan after the first week. Move episodes if the blocks are too short or too long.
Repeat the planning each week so the list keeps matching your free time.

Tools that can do it

Several options can help. Pick whichever matches how you already keep lists.

It can sort only the videos within a length range and move the rest to the end, which helps when you have one short block and want the videos that fit it at the top. ^[1] It shows total, average, shortest and longest video duration for a playlist, so you can see how much time it holds before you start. ^[1] Before anything changes, it shows the before and after order so you can check it. ^[1] YTSort is free. ^[1]

You can get it as a bookmark, a browser script, or a Chrome Web Store extension. ^[1] The extension needs Chrome or Edge, and the script version works in any browser, including Firefox, with Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey installed. ^[1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Planning more than the time you have. Leave room for a break, so a session that runs long does not wreck the next one.
Starting a case in the middle. Connected episodes are easier to follow when they are watched in order.
Skipping the stopping point. Pick one before you start, or a session tends to drift past the time you meant to give it.
Never checking the plan. Read the order once before you begin, looking for episodes that now sit in a confusing place.
Letting the plan go stale. Review it each week, because your free time may change.

Frequently asked questions

How to plan binge sessions around free time for true crime fans?

Start by writing down the free blocks in your week, then list the episodes with their lengths. Match each block to a set of episodes that fits without cutting a case in half, and choose a natural stopping point for each one. Review the plan after the first week and adjust any blocks that run too long or too short. Keeping the plan in one place you can see on the day makes it much easier to follow.

How to add up the total length of a true crime playlist?

Write down the length of each video, then add them together. Without a tool, a simple column of lengths in a notebook or spreadsheet does the same job by hand. YTSort shows total, average, shortest and longest video duration for a playlist. ^[1] Seeing the total before you start helps you match the playlist to the free time you have.

Can YTSort sort only the videos that fit a free block?

YTSort can sort only the videos within a length range and move the rest to the end. ^[1] This helps when you have one short block and want the videos that fit it at the top of the playlist. You choose the length range yourself, based on the free time you have set aside for that session.

Can YTSort show the new order before it is applied?

YTSort shows the before and after order so you can check it before applying. ^[1] Read the new order once from top to bottom, and check that the episodes of each case still follow one another. If you prefer to keep things on paper, you can write the new order out by hand and check it the same way before you start watching.

Which browsers work with YTSort?

The extension needs Chrome or Edge. The script version works in any browser, including Firefox, once Tampermonkey, Violentmonkey or Greasemonkey is installed. ^[1] YTSort can be run from a bookmark, a browser script, or a Chrome Web Store extension, so you can pick the option that suits how you watch. ^[1] YTSort is free. ^[1]

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)