diff --git a/k-tv-backend/Cargo.lock b/k-tv-backend/Cargo.lock
index d1e45b3..9608959 100644
--- a/k-tv-backend/Cargo.lock
+++ b/k-tv-backend/Cargo.lock
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "dotenvy",
  "infra",
  "k-core",
+ "rand 0.8.5",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
  "serde_qs",
diff --git a/k-tv-backend/api/Cargo.toml b/k-tv-backend/api/Cargo.toml
index 52f8595..c517d5d 100644
--- a/k-tv-backend/api/Cargo.toml
+++ b/k-tv-backend/api/Cargo.toml
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ tokio = { version = "1.48.0", features = ["full"] }
 serde = { version = "1.0.228", features = ["derive"] }
 serde_json = "1.0"
 serde_qs = "0.13"
+rand = "0.8"
 
 # Error handling
 thiserror = "2.0.17"
diff --git a/k-tv-backend/api/src/routes/library.rs b/k-tv-backend/api/src/routes/library.rs
index fa0ce69..1563aa7 100644
--- a/k-tv-backend/api/src/routes/library.rs
+++ b/k-tv-backend/api/src/routes/library.rs
@@ -114,13 +114,17 @@ struct ItemsQuery {
     #[serde(rename = "type")]
     content_type: Option<String>,
     /// Filter episodes by series name. Repeat the param for multiple series:
-    /// `?series=iCarly&series=Victorious`
+    /// `?series[]=iCarly&series[]=Victorious`
     #[serde(default)]
     series: Vec<String>,
     /// Scope to a provider collection ID.
     collection: Option<String>,
     /// Maximum number of results (default: 50, max: 200).
     limit: Option<usize>,
+    /// Fill strategy to simulate: "random" | "sequential" | "best_fit".
+    /// Applies the same ordering the schedule engine would use so the preview
+    /// reflects what will actually be scheduled.
+    strategy: Option<String>,
 }
 
 // ============================================================================
@@ -187,7 +191,21 @@ async fn search_items(
         ..Default::default()
     };
 
-    let items = state.media_provider.fetch_items(&filter).await?;
+    let mut items = state.media_provider.fetch_items(&filter).await?;
+
+    // Apply the same ordering the schedule engine uses so the preview reflects
+    // what will actually be scheduled rather than raw provider order.
+    match params.strategy.as_deref() {
+        Some("random") => {
+            use rand::seq::SliceRandom;
+            items.shuffle(&mut rand::thread_rng());
+        }
+        Some("best_fit") => {
+            // Mirror the greedy bin-packing: longest items first.
+            items.sort_by(|a, b| b.duration_secs.cmp(&a.duration_secs));
+        }
+        _ => {} // "sequential" / unset: keep provider order (episode order per series)
+    }
 
     let response: Vec<LibraryItemResponse> = items
         .into_iter()
diff --git a/k-tv-frontend/app/(main)/dashboard/components/edit-channel-sheet.tsx b/k-tv-frontend/app/(main)/dashboard/components/edit-channel-sheet.tsx
index 84fbcaa..a2e30b0 100644
--- a/k-tv-frontend/app/(main)/dashboard/components/edit-channel-sheet.tsx
+++ b/k-tv-frontend/app/(main)/dashboard/components/edit-channel-sheet.tsx
@@ -402,8 +402,8 @@ function AlgorithmicFilterEditor({
         </Field>
       </div>
 
-      {/* Preview — snapshot of current filter, only fetches on explicit click */}
-      <FilterPreview filter={content.filter} />
+      {/* Preview — snapshot of current filter+strategy, only fetches on explicit click */}
+      <FilterPreview filter={content.filter} strategy={content.strategy} />
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/k-tv-frontend/app/(main)/dashboard/components/filter-preview.tsx b/k-tv-frontend/app/(main)/dashboard/components/filter-preview.tsx
index 874f937..6b21cf4 100644
--- a/k-tv-frontend/app/(main)/dashboard/components/filter-preview.tsx
+++ b/k-tv-frontend/app/(main)/dashboard/components/filter-preview.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import type { MediaFilter, LibraryItemResponse } from "@/lib/types";
 
 interface FilterPreviewProps {
   filter: MediaFilter;
+  strategy?: string;
 }
 
 function fmtDuration(secs: number): string {
@@ -31,17 +32,25 @@ function ItemRow({ item }: { item: LibraryItemResponse }) {
   );
 }
 
-export function FilterPreview({ filter }: FilterPreviewProps) {
-  // Snapshot of filter at the moment "Preview" was clicked, so edits to the
-  // filter don't silently re-fetch while the user is still configuring.
-  const [snapshot, setSnapshot] = useState<MediaFilter | null>(null);
+type Snapshot = { filter: MediaFilter; strategy?: string };
 
-  const { data: items, isFetching, isError } = useLibraryItems(snapshot, !!snapshot);
+export function FilterPreview({ filter, strategy }: FilterPreviewProps) {
+  // Capture both filter and strategy at click time so edits don't silently
+  // re-fetch while the user is still configuring the block.
+  const [snapshot, setSnapshot] = useState<Snapshot | null>(null);
 
-  const handlePreview = () => setSnapshot({ ...filter });
+  const { data: items, isFetching, isError } = useLibraryItems(
+    snapshot?.filter ?? null,
+    !!snapshot,
+    snapshot?.strategy,
+  );
+
+  const handlePreview = () => setSnapshot({ filter: { ...filter }, strategy });
 
   const filterChanged =
-    snapshot !== null && JSON.stringify(snapshot) !== JSON.stringify(filter);
+    snapshot !== null &&
+    (JSON.stringify(snapshot.filter) !== JSON.stringify(filter) ||
+      snapshot.strategy !== strategy);
 
   return (
     <div className="space-y-1">
@@ -67,6 +76,7 @@ export function FilterPreview({ filter }: FilterPreviewProps) {
         <div className="rounded-md border border-zinc-700/60 bg-zinc-800/30 px-3 py-1">
           <p className="pb-1 pt-1.5 text-[11px] font-medium uppercase tracking-wider text-zinc-600">
             {items.length === 30 ? "First 30 matches" : `${items.length} match${items.length !== 1 ? "es" : ""}`}
+            {strategy === "random" ? " · shuffled" : strategy === "best_fit" ? " · longest first" : ""}
           </p>
           {items.length === 0 ? (
             <p className="py-1.5 text-xs text-zinc-600">No items match this filter.</p>
diff --git a/k-tv-frontend/hooks/use-library.ts b/k-tv-frontend/hooks/use-library.ts
index b9bf860..db5dbed 100644
--- a/k-tv-frontend/hooks/use-library.ts
+++ b/k-tv-frontend/hooks/use-library.ts
@@ -51,11 +51,12 @@ export function useGenres(contentType?: string) {
 export function useLibraryItems(
   filter: Pick<MediaFilter, "content_type" | "series_names" | "collections" | "search_term" | "genres"> | null,
   enabled: boolean,
+  strategy?: string,
 ) {
   const { token } = useAuthContext();
   return useQuery({
-    queryKey: ["library", "items", filter],
-    queryFn: () => api.library.items(token!, filter!, 30),
+    queryKey: ["library", "items", filter, strategy ?? null],
+    queryFn: () => api.library.items(token!, filter!, 30, strategy),
     enabled: !!token && enabled && !!filter,
     staleTime: 2 * 60 * 1000,
   });
diff --git a/k-tv-frontend/lib/api.ts b/k-tv-frontend/lib/api.ts
index edf5316..080e9d9 100644
--- a/k-tv-frontend/lib/api.ts
+++ b/k-tv-frontend/lib/api.ts
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ export const api = {
       token: string,
       filter: Pick<MediaFilter, "content_type" | "series_names" | "collections" | "search_term" | "genres">,
       limit = 50,
+      strategy?: string,
     ) => {
       const params = new URLSearchParams();
       if (filter.search_term) params.set("q", filter.search_term);
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ export const api = {
       filter.series_names?.forEach((name) => params.append("series[]", name));
       if (filter.collections?.[0]) params.set("collection", filter.collections[0]);
       params.set("limit", String(limit));
+      if (strategy) params.set("strategy", strategy);
       return request<LibraryItemResponse[]>(`/library/items?${params}`, { token });
     },
   },