Columbo Episode Ratings Heatmap
1971 · 10 Seasons · 67 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.2/10 (67 rated)
Season 3 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 3 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.3), maintaining an average of 7.5.
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 | Season 6 | Season 7 | Season 8 | Season 9 | Season 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | 7.6 | 7.4 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 6.7 | 6.3 | 7.2 |
| Ep 2 | 7.2 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 7.3 |
| Ep 3 | 6.7 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.7 | 7.8 | 7.3 |
| Ep 4 | 7.6 | 6.4 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 6.6 | – | 7.6 | 6.0 | 7.4 | 7.5 |
| Ep 5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 7.4 | – | 7.1 | – | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| Ep 6 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 7.0 | 6.2 | – | – | – | 6.5 | 7.4 |
| Ep 7 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 7.7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.7 |
| Ep 8 | – | 7.5 | 8.1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.3 |
| Ep 9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6.6 |
| Ep 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6.9 |
| Ep 11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6.9 |
| Ep 12 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6.8 |
| Ep 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.0 |
| Ep 14 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.2 |
| Season Avg | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 6.6 | 6.9 | 7.1 |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 10 seasons and 67 episodes, Columbo has earned an overall series rating of 7.2 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 3, Episode 8 ("A Friend in Deed"), rated at an extraordinary 8.1/10 with 34 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 8, Episode 4 ("Grand Deceptions"), landing at 6.0/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 5 between Episode 5 ("Now You See Him", 7.4) and Episode 6 ("Last Salute to the Commodore", 6.2), a swing of 1.2 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of Columbo
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 3, Ep 8 | A Friend in Deed | 8.1 | 34 | May 5, 1974 |
| #2 | Season 2, Ep 6 | A Stitch in Crime | 8.0 | 40 | Feb 11, 1973 |
| #3 | Season 7, Ep 1 | Try and Catch Me | 8.0 | 31 | Nov 21, 1977 |
| #4 | Season 1, Ep 7 | Blueprint for Murder | 7.8 | 47 | Feb 9, 1972 |
| #5 | Season 3, Ep 2 | Any Old Port in a Storm | 7.8 | 39 | Oct 7, 1973 |
| #6 | Season 4, Ep 2 | Negative Reaction | 7.8 | 32 | Oct 15, 1974 |
| #7 | Season 9, Ep 3 | Agenda for Murder | 7.8 | 25 | Feb 10, 1990 |
| #8 | Season 3, Ep 7 | Swan Song | 7.7 | 35 | Mar 3, 1974 |
| #9 | Season 3, Ep 4 | Double Exposure | 7.7 | 33 | Dec 16, 1973 |
| #10 | Season 4, Ep 3 | By Dawn's Early Light | 7.7 | 32 | Oct 27, 1974 |