The system generates a display providing condensing content for display under time constraints. In response to a selection of a program that has already started, the system retrieves information about the program. Based on this information, and information about the user, the system selects a subset of segments of the program, forming a shorter version of the content that fits within a reduced time interval, from the time of selection to a scheduled end time. Accordingly, the user is presented with the condensed version of the currently selected program by, including the important or relevant segments of the program. The system generates the condensed content by selecting segments of the program that are determined to be important to the user and that cumulatively fit with the available viewing time. The system may sort, score, or otherwise rank segment identifiers based on user profile information.