Northern Exposure Episode Ratings Heatmap
1990 · 5 Seasons · 87 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.0/10 (8 rated)
S1E8: Aurora Borealis: A Fairy Tale for Big People (6 votes)
View Episode →Season 1 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 1 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.8), maintaining an average of 7.0.
Season 1 finale: "Aurora Borealis: A Fairy Tale for Big People"
Episode Recap →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 | 7.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 2 | 5.2 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 3 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 4 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 5 | 7.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 6 | 6.8 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 7 | 7.2 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 8 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 9 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 10 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 11 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 12 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 14 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 15 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 16 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 17 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 18 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 19 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 20 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 21 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 22 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 23 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 24 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 25 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 5 seasons and 87 episodes, Northern Exposure has earned an overall series rating of 7.0 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 8 ("Aurora Borealis: A Fairy Tale for Big People"), rated at an extraordinary 8.0/10 with 6 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 1, Episode 2 ("Brains, Know How and Native Intelligence"), landing at 5.2/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 1 between Episode 1 ("Pilot", 7.3) and Episode 2 ("Brains, Know How and Native Intelligence", 5.2), a swing of 2.1 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of Northern Exposure
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 1, Ep 8 | Aurora Borealis: A Fairy Tale for Big People | 8.0 | 6 | Aug 30, 1990 |
| #2 | Season 1, Ep 1 | Pilot | 7.3 | 6 | Jul 12, 1990 |
| #3 | Season 1, Ep 5 | Russian Flu | 7.3 | 6 | Aug 9, 1990 |
| #4 | Season 1, Ep 7 | A Kodiak Moment | 7.2 | 6 | Aug 23, 1990 |
| #5 | Season 1, Ep 3 | Soapy Sanderson | 7.0 | 7 | Jul 26, 1990 |
| #6 | Season 1, Ep 4 | Dreams, Schemes and Putting Greens | 7.0 | 6 | Aug 2, 1990 |
| #7 | Season 1, Ep 6 | Sex, Lies and Ed's Tapes | 6.8 | 6 | Aug 16, 1990 |
| #8 | Season 1, Ep 2 | Brains, Know How and Native Intelligence | 5.2 | 9 | Jul 19, 1990 |