The Wire Episode Ratings Heatmap
2002 · 5 Seasons · 60 Episodes · Overall Score: 8.1/10 (13 rated)
Season 1 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 1 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.38), maintaining an average of 8.1.
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 | 7.4 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 2 | 7.9 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 3 | 7.8 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 4 | 7.7 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 5 | 7.8 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 6 | 8.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 7 | 8.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 8 | 7.9 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 9 | 8.4 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 10 | 8.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 11 | 8.6 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 12 | 8.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | 8.7 | – | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 8.1 | – | – | – | – |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 5 seasons and 60 episodes, The Wire 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 1, Episode 13 ("Sentencing"), rated at an extraordinary 8.7/10 with 46 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 1, Episode 1 ("The Target"), landing at 7.4/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 1 between Episode 7 ("One Arrest", 8.3) and Episode 8 ("Lessons", 7.9), a swing of 0.4 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of The Wire
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 1, Ep 13 | Sentencing | 8.7 | 46 | Sep 8, 2002 |
| #2 | Season 1, Ep 11 | The Hunt | 8.6 | 43 | Aug 18, 2002 |
| #3 | Season 1, Ep 9 | Game Day | 8.4 | 47 | Aug 4, 2002 |
| #4 | Season 1, Ep 10 | The Cost | 8.3 | 48 | Aug 11, 2002 |
| #5 | Season 1, Ep 7 | One Arrest | 8.3 | 46 | Jul 21, 2002 |
| #6 | Season 1, Ep 12 | Cleaning Up | 8.3 | 46 | Sep 1, 2002 |
| #7 | Season 1, Ep 6 | The Wire | 8.1 | 52 | Jul 7, 2002 |
| #8 | Season 1, Ep 2 | The Detail | 7.9 | 61 | Jun 9, 2002 |
| #9 | Season 1, Ep 8 | Lessons | 7.9 | 48 | Jul 28, 2002 |
| #10 | Season 1, Ep 3 | The Buys | 7.8 | 60 | Jun 16, 2002 |