diff --git a/static/player/episodes/thumbnails.ts b/static/player/episodes/thumbnails.ts
index 2a711f4..9408d79 100644
--- a/static/player/episodes/thumbnails.ts
+++ b/static/player/episodes/thumbnails.ts
@@ -43,5 +43,7 @@ export const setupThumbnails = (): void => {
         }
       });
     })
-    .catch((err) => console.error("Failed to fetch thumbnails:", err));
+    .catch(() => {
+      window.showToast?.({ message: "Failed to load episode thumbnails." });
+    });
 };
diff --git a/static/player/main.ts b/static/player/main.ts
index 6818f02..1aad499 100644
--- a/static/player/main.ts
+++ b/static/player/main.ts
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ const initPlayer = (): void => {
   teardownPlayer();
 
   if (!initState(container)) {
-    console.error("Video player markup is missing required controls.");
+    window.showToast?.({ message: "Video player markup is missing required controls." });
     return;
   }
   currentContainer = container;
diff --git a/static/player/subtitles/vtt.test.ts b/static/player/subtitles/vtt.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d673d21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/player/subtitles/vtt.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { describe, test } from "node:test";
+import { parseVtt, parseVttTime } from "./vtt";
+
+describe("vtt parsing", () => {
+  test("parses mm:ss timestamps", () => {
+    assert.equal(parseVttTime("01:02.500"), 62.5);
+  });
+
+  test("parses hh:mm:ss timestamps", () => {
+    assert.equal(parseVttTime("01:02:03.250"), 3723.25);
+  });
+
+  test("parses standard and compact cues", () => {
+    const cues = parseVtt(`WEBVTT
+
+1
+00:00.000 --> 00:01.500
+<i>Hello</i>
+
+00:02.000 --> 00:03.000
+World
+`);
+
+    assert.deepEqual(cues, [
+      { start: 0, end: 1.5, text: "Hello" },
+      { start: 2, end: 3, text: "World" },
+    ]);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/static/player/subtitles/vtt.ts b/static/player/subtitles/vtt.ts
index e673c99..730752a 100644
--- a/static/player/subtitles/vtt.ts
+++ b/static/player/subtitles/vtt.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,10 @@
 export const parseVttTime = (raw: string): number => {
   const parts = raw.trim().split(":");
   if (parts.length < 2) return 0;
-  const secPart = parts.pop()!;
-  const minPart = parts.pop()!;
-  const hourPart = parts.pop() ?? "0";
+  const secPart = parts[parts.length - 1];
+  const minPart = parts[parts.length - 2];
+  const hourPart = parts.length > 2 ? parts[parts.length - 3] : "0";
+  if (!secPart || !minPart) return 0;
   return Number(hourPart) * 3600 + Number(minPart) * 60 + Number(secPart.replace(",", "."));
 };