The X-Files Episode Ratings Heatmap
1993 · 5 Seasons · 117 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.5/10 (24 rated)
Season 1 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 1 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.57), maintaining an average of 7.5.
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 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 2 | 7.8 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 3 | 8.2 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 4 | 7.4 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 5 | 6.9 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 6 | 7.3 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 7 | 6.9 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 8 | 8.4 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 9 | 6.5 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 10 | 7.7 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 11 | 7.9 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 12 | 7.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | 7.9 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 14 | 7.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 15 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 16 | 7.2 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 17 | 8.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 18 | 7.2 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 19 | 7.1 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 20 | 8.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 21 | 8.2 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 22 | 7.0 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 23 | 7.4 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 24 | 8.7 | – | – | – | – |
| Ep 25 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 7.5 | – | – | – | – |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 5 seasons and 117 episodes, The X-Files has earned an overall series rating of 7.5 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 24 ("The Erlenmeyer Flask"), rated at an extraordinary 8.7/10 with 67 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 1, Episode 9 ("Space"), landing at 6.5/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 1 between Episode 8 ("Ice", 8.4) and Episode 9 ("Space", 6.5), a swing of 1.9 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of The X-Files
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 1, Ep 24 | The Erlenmeyer Flask | 8.7 | 67 | May 13, 1994 |
| #2 | Season 1, Ep 8 | Ice | 8.4 | 94 | Nov 5, 1993 |
| #3 | Season 1, Ep 3 | Squeeze | 8.2 | 101 | Sep 24, 1993 |
| #4 | Season 1, Ep 21 | Tooms | 8.2 | 72 | Apr 22, 1994 |
| #5 | Season 1, Ep 17 | E.B.E. | 8.1 | 69 | Feb 18, 1994 |
| #6 | Season 1, Ep 1 | Pilot | 8.0 | 118 | Sep 10, 1993 |
| #7 | Season 1, Ep 20 | Darkness Falls | 8.0 | 74 | Apr 15, 1994 |
| #8 | Season 1, Ep 11 | Eve | 7.9 | 85 | Dec 10, 1993 |
| #9 | Season 1, Ep 13 | Beyond the Sea | 7.9 | 80 | Jan 7, 1994 |
| #10 | Season 1, Ep 2 | Deep Throat | 7.8 | 101 | Sep 17, 1993 |