On the Case with Paula Zahn Episode Ratings Heatmap
2009 · 29 Seasons · 410 Episodes · Overall Score: 8.1/10 (42 rated)
Season 3 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 3 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0), maintaining an average of 8.0.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 2 | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 3 | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 4 | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 6 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 7 | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 8 | – | – | 9.0 | – | – | – | 8.0 | 9.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 9 | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 10 | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 11 | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 12 | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | – | – | 9.0 | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 14 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 18 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 19 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | – | – | 8.3 | 8.0 | – | – | 8.0 | 8.1 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 29 seasons and 410 episodes, On the Case with Paula Zahn has earned an overall series rating of 8.1 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 8 ("Run Bambi Run"), rated at an extraordinary 9.0/10 with 1 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 9, Episode 5 ("An Uninvited Guest"), landing at 8.0/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 3 between Episode 8 ("Run Bambi Run", 9) and Episode 9 ("Sins of the Father", 8), a swing of 1 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of On the Case with Paula Zahn
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 3, Ep 8 | Run Bambi Run | 9.0 | 1 | Jan 2, 2011 |
| #2 | Season 3, Ep 13 | Dark Side of a Dream | 9.0 | 1 | Feb 13, 2011 |
| #3 | Season 8, Ep 8 | Justice Never Quits | 9.0 | 1 | Aug 11, 2013 |
| #4 | Season 3, Ep 7 | Internal Affairs | 8.0 | 1 | Dec 19, 2010 |
| #5 | Season 3, Ep 9 | Sins of the Father | 8.0 | 1 | Jan 9, 2011 |
| #6 | Season 3, Ep 10 | Blood Betrayal | 8.0 | 1 | Jan 16, 2011 |
| #7 | Season 3, Ep 11 | Shadow of Doubt | 8.0 | 1 | Jan 23, 2011 |
| #8 | Season 3, Ep 12 | Evil Twin | 8.0 | 1 | Jan 30, 2011 |
| #9 | Season 4, Ep 1 | Silenced | 8.0 | 1 | Apr 17, 2011 |
| #10 | Season 4, Ep 2 | Message in Blood | 8.0 | 1 | Apr 24, 2011 |