So You Think You Can Dance Episode Ratings Heatmap
2005 · 18 Seasons · 318 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.1/10 (28 rated)
Season 17 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 17 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.46), maintaining an average of 7.3.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | 7.0 | 2.0 | – | 7.8 | 8.0 | – | – | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 10.0 | 8.0 |
| Ep 2 | 7.0 | – | – | 7.0 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 |
| Ep 3 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.0 |
| Ep 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 |
| Ep 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 |
| Ep 6 | – | – | – | 7.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.0 |
| Ep 7 | 6.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 |
| Ep 8 | – | 6.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 7.0 |
| Ep 9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 |
| Ep 10 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8.0 |
| Ep 11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6.0 | – | – | – | 6.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 12 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 14 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 15 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 16 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 17 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 18 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 19 | – | 6.0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 20 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 21 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 22 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 23 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 24 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 7.0 | 4.7 | – | 7.3 | 7.5 | – | 6.0 | 7.0 | – | – | 6.0 | – | – | – | – | – | 10.0 | 7.7 |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 18 seasons and 318 episodes, So You Think You Can Dance has earned an overall series rating of 7.1 out of 10. The series demonstrates an upward quality trajectory, with later seasons sustaining higher viewer acclaim than its debut.
The single highest-rated hour of television in the series is Season 17, Episode 1 ("Dance Is Back! Auditions Show 1"), rated at an extraordinary 10.0/10 with 1 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 2, Episode 1 ("New York and Charleston Auditions"), landing at 2.0/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 5 between Episode 1 ("Auditions: Brooklyn and Denver", 8) and Episode 2 ("Auditions: Miami and Memphis", 7), a swing of 1 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of So You Think You Can Dance
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 17, Ep 1 | Dance Is Back! Auditions Show 1 | 10.0 | 1 | May 18, 2022 |
| #2 | Season 1, Ep 3 | Hollywood: 50 Compete | 8.0 | 1 | Aug 3, 2005 |
| #3 | Season 5, Ep 1 | Auditions: Brooklyn and Denver | 8.0 | 1 | May 21, 2009 |
| #4 | Season 18, Ep 1 | Auditions: Day One | 8.0 | 1 | Mar 4, 2024 |
| #5 | Season 18, Ep 2 | Auditions: Day Two | 8.0 | 1 | Mar 11, 2024 |
| #6 | Season 18, Ep 4 | The Final Audition: Top Ten Revealed | 8.0 | 1 | Mar 25, 2024 |
| #7 | Season 18, Ep 5 | Challenge #1: Music Videos | 8.0 | 1 | Apr 15, 2024 |
| #8 | Season 18, Ep 7 | Challenge #3: Movies | 8.0 | 1 | Apr 29, 2024 |
| #9 | Season 18, Ep 9 | Challenge #5: Brand Challenge | 8.0 | 1 | May 13, 2024 |
| #10 | Season 18, Ep 10 | The Finale | 8.0 | 1 | May 20, 2024 |