Data is Beautiful
HomePut this on your wall ↗
Interactive · television ratings

The Highs and Lows of
Popular TV Shows

See how a show's seasons rise and fall over time

Step 1 of 5

First, here's how to read the data.

How to read a row
The chart below changes with each step.
Colored by decile of season's average IMDb episode rating
Top 20% 60–80% Middle 20% 20–40% Bottom 20%
Season ratings by year
2026 is on the left and the timeline now extends back to 1950. Active shows are listed first in the same continuous list; every season has its own full-size box.
0shows visible
Swipe left/right to explore 1950–2026 →
2026 · NewestDrag to move through the timeline1950 · Oldest
Timeline range: 1950–2026. Classic multi-season series have been added so the chart no longer begins with Seinfeld/The Simpsons in 1989.
Season tiers are bundled into this file for a stable, non-jumping visualization. Added shows use the same five-band season-rating treatment as the original concept. Top Gear uses verified season premiere years; other timeline positions use each show's known series span; every season always gets its own full-size numbered box. When a show has multiple seasons in the same calendar year, that year expands into multiple dedicated season slots instead of shrinking the boxes.