Gunsmoke Episode Ratings Heatmap
1955 · 5 Seasons · 195 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.6/10 (13 rated)
Season 1 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 1 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.97), maintaining an average of 7.6.
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 | 5.9 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 2 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 3 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 4 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 5 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 6 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 7 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 8 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 9 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 10 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 11 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 12 | 9.5 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 14 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 15 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 16 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 17 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 18 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 19 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 20 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 21 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 22 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 23 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 24 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 25 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 26 | 6.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 27 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 28 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 29 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 30 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 31 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 32 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 33 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 34 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 35 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 36 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 37 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 38 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 39 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 7.6 | – | – | – | – |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 5 seasons and 195 episodes, Gunsmoke has earned an overall series rating of 7.6 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 12 ("Magnus"), rated at an extraordinary 9.5/10 with 2 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 1, Episode 1 ("Matt Gets It"), landing at 5.9/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 1 between Episode 12 ("Magnus", 9.5) and Episode 13 ("Reed Survives", 8), a swing of 1.5 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of Gunsmoke
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 1, Ep 12 | Magnus | 9.5 | 2 | Dec 24, 1955 |
| #2 | Season 1, Ep 3 | Word of Honor | 8.0 | 2 | Oct 1, 1955 |
| #3 | Season 1, Ep 4 | Home Surgery | 8.0 | 2 | Oct 8, 1955 |
| #4 | Season 1, Ep 2 | Hot Spell | 8.0 | 1 | Sep 17, 1955 |
| #5 | Season 1, Ep 5 | Obie Tater | 8.0 | 1 | Oct 15, 1955 |
| #6 | Season 1, Ep 7 | Smoking Out the Nolans | 8.0 | 1 | Nov 5, 1955 |
| #7 | Season 1, Ep 9 | The Hunter | 8.0 | 1 | Nov 26, 1955 |
| #8 | Season 1, Ep 13 | Reed Survives | 8.0 | 1 | Dec 31, 1955 |
| #9 | Season 1, Ep 6 | Night Incident | 7.0 | 1 | Oct 29, 1955 |
| #10 | Season 1, Ep 10 | The Queue | 7.0 | 1 | Dec 3, 1955 |