In the Heat of the Night Episode Ratings Heatmap
1988 · 8 Seasons · 146 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.9/10 (63 rated)
Season 1 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 1 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.6), 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 | Season 6 | Season 7 | Season 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | 8.0 |
| Ep 2 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 9.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 3 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 4 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 7.0 | 9.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 5 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 6 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 7 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 8 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.0 | 9.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 9 | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 10 | – | 9.0 | 6.0 | – | – | – | 2.0 | – |
| Ep 11 | – | 10.0 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 12 | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | – | 7.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 14 | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 15 | – | 8.0 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 16 | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 17 | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 18 | – | 8.0 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 19 | – | 8.0 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 20 | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 21 | – | 9.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 22 | – | 10.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 23 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – |
| Ep 24 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 8.3 | 8.2 | 7.6 | 8.3 | – | – | 5.0 | 8.0 |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 8 seasons and 146 episodes, In the Heat of the Night has earned an overall series rating of 7.9 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 7 ("A Necessary Evil"), rated at an extraordinary 10.0/10 with 1 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 7, Episode 10 ("A Baby Called Rocket"), landing at 2.0/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 1 between Episode 7 ("A Necessary Evil", 10) and Episode 8 ("...And Then You Die", 8), a swing of 2 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of In the Heat of the Night
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 1, Ep 7 | A Necessary Evil | 10.0 | 1 | Apr 12, 1988 |
| #2 | Season 2, Ep 11 | A Trip Upstate | 10.0 | 1 | Feb 7, 1989 |
| #3 | Season 2, Ep 22 | Missing | 10.0 | 1 | May 16, 1989 |
| #4 | Season 2, Ep 4 | The Hammer and the Glove | 9.0 | 1 | Dec 13, 1988 |
| #5 | Season 2, Ep 10 | Tear Down the Walls | 9.0 | 1 | Jan 31, 1989 |
| #6 | Season 2, Ep 21 | The Pig Woman of Sparta | 9.0 | 1 | May 9, 1989 |
| #7 | Season 4, Ep 2 | Brotherly Love (2) | 9.0 | 1 | Sep 18, 1990 |
| #8 | Season 4, Ep 4 | Perversions of Justice | 9.0 | 1 | Oct 2, 1990 |
| #9 | Season 4, Ep 8 | Homecoming | 9.0 | 1 | Nov 13, 1990 |
| #10 | Season 1, Ep 1 | Pilot (1) | 8.0 | 1 | Mar 6, 1988 |