diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.html b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.html
index e9b756e86..9f69f555b 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.html
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.html
@@ -296,9 +296,36 @@
                                 isEpisodePlayingInline(episode)
                             "
                         >
-                            <div class="episode-list-item__number">
-                                {{ episode.episode_num }}
-                            </div>
+                            @if (listThumbnailsEnabled()) {
+                                <div class="episode-list-item__thumb">
+                                    @if (episodeInfo?.movie_image) {
+                                        <img
+                                            [src]="
+                                                episodeInfo?.movie_image ?? ''
+                                            "
+                                            (error)="
+                                                $event.target.src =
+                                                    './assets/images/default-episode.png'
+                                            "
+                                            alt="Episode thumbnail"
+                                            loading="lazy"
+                                        />
+                                    } @else {
+                                        <mat-icon
+                                            class="episode-list-item__thumb-placeholder"
+                                            >play_circle_outline</mat-icon
+                                        >
+                                    }
+                                    <span
+                                        class="episode-list-item__thumb-number"
+                                        >{{ episode.episode_num }}</span
+                                    >
+                                </div>
+                            } @else {
+                                <div class="episode-list-item__number">
+                                    {{ episode.episode_num }}
+                                </div>
+                            }
                             <div class="episode-list-item__content">
                                 <div class="episode-list-item__header">
                                     <h4 class="episode-list-item__title">
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.scss b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.scss
index 4427636b3..40736e31f 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.scss
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.scss
@@ -582,6 +582,48 @@ app-season-tabs {
         flex-shrink: 0;
     }
 
+    // Compact 16:9 episode still (only when the season has distinct
+    // per-episode art); the episode number rides on the image.
+    &__thumb {
+        position: relative;
+        flex-shrink: 0;
+        width: 96px;
+        height: 54px;
+        border-radius: 6px;
+        overflow: hidden;
+        background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05);
+        display: flex;
+        align-items: center;
+        justify-content: center;
+
+        img {
+            width: 100%;
+            height: 100%;
+            object-fit: cover;
+            display: block;
+        }
+    }
+
+    &__thumb-placeholder {
+        color: var(--text-muted);
+        font-size: 22px;
+        width: 22px;
+        height: 22px;
+    }
+
+    &__thumb-number {
+        position: absolute;
+        bottom: 3px;
+        right: 3px;
+        background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
+        color: white;
+        font-size: 0.65rem;
+        font-weight: 600;
+        line-height: 1.5;
+        padding: 0 5px;
+        border-radius: 3px;
+    }
+
     &__content {
         flex: 1;
         min-width: 0;
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.spec.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.spec.ts
index de977af09..c2c21f3be 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.spec.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.spec.ts
@@ -330,6 +330,61 @@ describe('SeasonContainerComponent', () => {
         ).toBeNull();
     });
 
+    it('shows list thumbnails when episode images are distinct', () => {
+        setRequiredInputs({
+            '1': [
+                createEpisode({
+                    id: '101',
+                    info: { plot: 'a', movie_image: 'still-1.jpg' } as never,
+                }),
+                createEpisode({
+                    id: '102',
+                    episode_num: 2,
+                    info: { plot: 'b', movie_image: 'still-2.jpg' } as never,
+                }),
+            ],
+        });
+        component.setViewMode('list');
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+        expect(component.listThumbnailsEnabled()).toBe(true);
+        expect(
+            fixture.nativeElement.querySelectorAll('.episode-list-item__thumb')
+                .length
+        ).toBe(2);
+        expect(
+            fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('.episode-list-item__number')
+        ).toBeNull();
+    });
+
+    it('keeps the number square when every episode repeats the same image', () => {
+        setRequiredInputs({
+            '1': [
+                createEpisode({
+                    id: '101',
+                    info: { plot: 'a', movie_image: 'poster.jpg' } as never,
+                }),
+                createEpisode({
+                    id: '102',
+                    episode_num: 2,
+                    info: { plot: 'b', movie_image: 'poster.jpg' } as never,
+                }),
+            ],
+        });
+        component.setViewMode('list');
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+        expect(component.listThumbnailsEnabled()).toBe(false);
+        expect(
+            fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('.episode-list-item__thumb')
+        ).toBeNull();
+        expect(
+            fixture.nativeElement.querySelectorAll(
+                '.episode-list-item__number'
+            ).length
+        ).toBe(2);
+    });
+
     it('renders the season description for the selected season', () => {
         fixture.componentRef.setInput('seasonDescriptions', {
             '1': 'Season one overview',
diff --git a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.ts b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.ts
index 0c292fd28..f3b8cc857 100644
--- a/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.ts
+++ b/libs/ui/components/src/lib/season-container/season-container.component.ts
@@ -155,6 +155,23 @@ export class SeasonContainerComponent implements OnInit {
     );
     private lastAutoSelectKey: string | null = null;
 
+    /**
+     * Show thumbnails in the list view only when episodes have genuinely
+     * distinct stills (TMDB or per-episode provider art). When every episode
+     * carries the same image (providers often repeat the series poster) a
+     * column of identical pictures is worse than the plain number square.
+     */
+    readonly listThumbnailsEnabled = computed(() => {
+        const episodes = this.selectedSeasonEpisodes();
+        const images = episodes
+            .map((episode) => this.getEpisodeInfo(episode)?.movie_image)
+            .filter((image): image is string => !!image);
+        if (images.length === 0) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        return episodes.length === 1 || new Set(images).size > 1;
+    });
+
     readonly selectedSeasonDescription = computed(() => {
         const selected = this.selectedSeason();
         if (!selected) {