Boston Legal Episode Ratings Heatmap
2004 · 5 Seasons · 101 Episodes · Overall Score: 8.0/10 (101 rated)
Season 3 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 3 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.46), maintaining an average of 8.0.
Complete Episode Rating Matrix
Interactive score chart by season and episode number. Darker green indicates higher ratings; amber and red denote lower reception.
| Episode | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 | Season 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 8.8 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Ep 2 | 7.8 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| Ep 3 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 8.5 |
| Ep 4 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.5 |
| Ep 5 | 9.0 | 7.5 | 6.8 | 9.0 | 8.0 |
| Ep 6 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 8.5 | 7.7 | 8.0 |
| Ep 7 | 8.8 | 7.5 | 8.7 | 7.3 | 8.5 |
| Ep 8 | 8.2 | 7.5 | 8.4 | 7.7 | 7.5 |
| Ep 9 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 7.7 | 8.0 |
| Ep 10 | 7.7 | 8.6 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Ep 11 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 8.0 | 8.3 | 7.5 |
| Ep 12 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 5.5 | 8.0 |
| Ep 13 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.3 |
| Ep 14 | 7.7 | 8.7 | 7.7 | 8.0 | – |
| Ep 15 | 8.8 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 8.0 | – |
| Ep 16 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 7.3 | 8.3 | – |
| Ep 17 | 8.7 | 7.8 | 7.7 | 9.0 | – |
| Ep 18 | – | 8.0 | 8.8 | 7.7 | – |
| Ep 19 | – | 7.2 | 7.3 | 8.3 | – |
| Ep 20 | – | 7.8 | 7.7 | 8.3 | – |
| Ep 21 | – | 7.8 | 8.5 | – | – |
| Ep 22 | – | 7.8 | 8.3 | – | – |
| Ep 23 | – | 9.0 | 8.5 | – | – |
| Ep 24 | – | 8.6 | 8.3 | – | – |
| Ep 25 | – | 8.2 | – | – | – |
| Ep 26 | – | 8.0 | – | – | – |
| Ep 27 | – | 8.5 | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 8.0 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 5 seasons and 101 episodes, Boston Legal has earned an overall series rating of 8.0 out of 10. The series displays remarkable consistency across its narrative arc, maintaining reliable ratings from premiere to conclusion.
The single highest-rated hour of television in the series is Season 1, Episode 5 ("An Eye for an Eye"), rated at an extraordinary 9.0/10 with 4 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 4, Episode 12 ("Roe v. Wade, the Musical"), landing at 5.5/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 4 between Episode 11 ("Mad About You", 8.3) and Episode 12 ("Roe v. Wade, the Musical", 5.5), a swing of 2.8 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of Boston Legal
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 1, Ep 5 | An Eye for an Eye | 9.0 | 4 | Oct 31, 2004 |
| #2 | Season 2, Ep 23 | Race Ipsa | 9.0 | 4 | Apr 25, 2006 |
| #3 | Season 4, Ep 5 | Hope and Gory | 9.0 | 3 | Oct 30, 2007 |
| #4 | Season 4, Ep 17 | The Court Supreme | 9.0 | 3 | Apr 22, 2008 |
| #5 | Season 3, Ep 1 | Can't We All Get a Lung? | 8.8 | 6 | Sep 19, 2006 |
| #6 | Season 2, Ep 2 | Schadenfreude | 8.8 | 5 | Oct 4, 2005 |
| #7 | Season 1, Ep 7 | Questionable Characters | 8.8 | 4 | Nov 21, 2004 |
| #8 | Season 1, Ep 15 | Tortured Souls | 8.8 | 4 | Feb 20, 2005 |
| #9 | Season 3, Ep 18 | Son of the Defender | 8.8 | 4 | Apr 3, 2007 |
| #10 | Season 2, Ep 14 | Breast in Show | 8.7 | 6 | Feb 7, 2006 |