NOVA Episode Ratings Heatmap
1974 · 30 Seasons · 576 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.6/10 (10 rated)
Season 1 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 1 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 1.76), maintaining an average of 8.2.
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 | Season 11 | Season 12 | Season 13 | Season 14 | Season 15 | Season 16 | Season 17 | Season 18 | Season 19 | Season 20 | Season 21 | Season 22 | Season 23 | Season 24 | Season 25 | Season 26 | Season 27 | Season 28 | Season 29 | Season 30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 4 | – | – | – | – | 10.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6.5 |
| Ep 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 |
| Ep 12 | 10.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.0 | – | – | – |
| Ep 14 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10.0 |
| Ep 17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 18 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 21 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 10.0 | – | – | – | 10.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | 8.3 | – | 1.0 | – | – | 7.0 | – | 7.0 | – | – | 8.2 |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 30 seasons and 576 episodes, NOVA has earned an overall series rating of 7.6 out of 10. The series reached its critical peak early, showing a slight contraction in audience satisfaction in later chapters.
The single highest-rated hour of television in the series is Season 1, Episode 12 ("Fusion: The Energy of Promise"), rated at an extraordinary 10.0/10 with 1 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 22, Episode 3 ("Little Creatures Who Run the World"), landing at 1.0/10.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of NOVA
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 1, Ep 12 | Fusion: The Energy of Promise | 10.0 | 1 | May 19, 1974 |
| #2 | Season 5, Ep 4 | One Small Step | 10.0 | 1 | Jan 25, 1978 |
| #3 | Season 30, Ep 16 | Secret of Photo 51 | 10.0 | 1 | Apr 15, 2003 |
| #4 | Season 20, Ep 12 | Secrets of the Psychics | 8.3 | 3 | Oct 19, 1993 |
| #5 | Season 30, Ep 11 | Battle of the X-Planes | 8.0 | 2 | Feb 4, 2003 |
| #6 | Season 18, Ep 9 | Swimming With Whales | 8.0 | 1 | Mar 5, 1991 |
| #7 | Season 25, Ep 15 | Everest - The Death Zone | 7.0 | 1 | Feb 24, 1998 |
| #8 | Season 27, Ep 13 | Trillion Dollar Bet | 7.0 | 1 | Feb 8, 2000 |
| #9 | Season 30, Ep 4 | Galileo's Battle for the Heavens | 6.5 | 2 | Oct 29, 2002 |
| #10 | Season 22, Ep 3 | Little Creatures Who Run the World | 1.0 | 2 | Jan 31, 1995 |