How this calculator works
A series has a fixed runtime: episodes per season, multiplied by the number of seasons, multiplied by the length of one episode. Dividing that by the time you can watch each day gives the number of viewing days, rounded up because a partial evening still uses a day. The finish date counts from the start date with the first day included, so a series that needs five days starting on 1 November finishes on 5 November. The model assumes you watch every episode once and no time is lost to recaps, ads or rewatching.
Formula
Total runtime = episode length x episodes per season x seasons. Viewing days = total runtime / watching time per day, rounded up to a whole day. Finish date = start date + (viewing days - 1) calendar days.
Worked example
A show with ten 45 minute episodes a season and two seasons has 20 episodes and 900 minutes of runtime, which is 15 hours. At three hours a day that is five viewing days, so starting on 1 November finishes on 5 November. At the same daily rate the 15 hours is exactly five evenings, with no leftover.
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Frequently asked questions
Does the calculator count ad breaks?
No, it uses the episode runtime you enter. Streaming services usually show the programme runtime without ads. If you watch with ads, add the length of the ad breaks to the episode length or raise the viewing time to compensate.
What if I skip episodes or a season?
Set the episode or season counts to match what you actually plan to watch. The total scales directly, so dropping one ten episode season at 45 minutes saves seven and a half hours.
Why round the viewing days up?
A finish date cannot land halfway through a day. If the total needs three and a quarter evenings at your daily rate, the fourth evening finishes the last quarter, so the calendar shows four viewing days.
Can I use this for a weekly release schedule?
Not directly. The calculator assumes you can watch up to your daily limit whenever you like. For a weekly release, one episode per week means the finish is the number of episodes minus one weeks after the start.