Desperate Housewives Episode Ratings Heatmap
2004 · 8 Seasons · 177 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.7/10 (177 rated)
Season 5 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 5 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.3), maintaining an average of 7.7.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 8.8 | 7.4 | 6.9 | 7.4 | 7.9 |
| Ep 2 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 7.2 | 8.2 | 7.4 | 7.1 |
| Ep 3 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 6.8 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.3 |
| Ep 4 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Ep 5 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 6.9 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
| Ep 6 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.0 | 8.8 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 7.1 |
| Ep 7 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 9.1 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 5.7 | 7.3 |
| Ep 8 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 7.2 |
| Ep 9 | 7.6 | 8.4 | 7.4 | 8.8 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 7.9 |
| Ep 10 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 8.0 | 7.6 |
| Ep 11 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 8.1 | 8.2 | 7.3 | 7.0 |
| Ep 12 | 7.8 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.3 | 7.2 |
| Ep 13 | 7.6 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 8.2 | 9.1 | 7.9 | 7.0 | 6.7 |
| Ep 14 | 7.7 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 5.9 | 8.0 |
| Ep 15 | 7.1 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 7.9 | 6.9 | 7.1 | 6.8 |
| Ep 16 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 7.9 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 7.5 |
| Ep 17 | 7.7 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 7.2 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.6 |
| Ep 18 | 7.3 | 6.8 | 6.8 | – | 8.9 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| Ep 19 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.1 | – | 8.8 | 8.1 | 7.3 | 7.5 |
| Ep 20 | 7.0 | 7.9 | 8.3 | – | 8.2 | 8.5 | 7.4 | 7.0 |
| Ep 21 | 7.6 | 8.3 | 8.1 | – | 6.8 | 8.1 | 7.6 | 7.3 |
| Ep 22 | 7.9 | 8.3 | 6.9 | – | 8.1 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 7.9 |
| Ep 23 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 7.1 | – | 8.2 | 8.3 | – | – |
| Ep 24 | – | – | – | – | 8.6 | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 7.7 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 7.4 |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 8 seasons and 177 episodes, Desperate Housewives has earned an overall series rating of 7.7 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 7 ("Bang"), rated at an extraordinary 9.1/10 with 8 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 7, Episode 7 ("A Humiliating Business"), landing at 5.7/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 3 between Episode 7 ("Bang", 9.1) and Episode 8 ("Children and Art", 7.1), a swing of 2 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of Desperate Housewives
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 3, Ep 7 | Bang | 9.1 | 8 | Nov 5, 2006 |
| #2 | Season 5, Ep 13 | The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened | 9.1 | 8 | Jan 18, 2009 |
| #3 | Season 5, Ep 18 | A Spark. To Pierce the Dark. | 8.9 | 8 | Mar 22, 2009 |
| #4 | Season 4, Ep 1 | Now You Know | 8.8 | 8 | Sep 30, 2007 |
| #5 | Season 4, Ep 6 | Now I Know, Don't Be Scared | 8.8 | 8 | Nov 4, 2007 |
| #6 | Season 4, Ep 9 | Something's Coming | 8.8 | 8 | Dec 2, 2007 |
| #7 | Season 5, Ep 19 | Look Into Their Eyes and You See What They Know | 8.8 | 8 | Apr 19, 2009 |
| #8 | Season 5, Ep 24 | If It's Only in Your Head | 8.6 | 8 | May 17, 2009 |
| #9 | Season 4, Ep 16 | The Gun Song | 8.5 | 8 | May 18, 2008 |
| #10 | Season 5, Ep 8 | City on Fire | 8.5 | 8 | Nov 16, 2008 |