Episode Ratings Grid

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Episode Power Rankings

The peaks and the valleys. Find the essential episodes — and the ones to skip.

#1
S5E14 9.0
The Cat's in the Cradle

Dwayne becomes jealous of Whitley's new beau, particularly after she leads him to believe they are sleeping together. Ron promises to take Dwayne's mind off the situation by taking him to the big football game between Hillman and Virginia A Ron then sells his ticket to a scalper and spends the game in his car. Three white students from A walk by, and one of them decides to start trouble. Ron bets them on the outcome of the game, declining to mention that their quarterback is out with the flu. With Hillman winning in a rout early in the fourth quarter, the guys come out and pay Ron without an argument. Ron taunts them and says that their team needs to recruit more black players. One of the guys wants to let it go, but his friends begin to spray paint a racial slur on Ron's car. Ron starts to fight them, and Dwayne comes out and jumps into the fray. They are all held by campus security, who threatens to have them arrested unless they explain what happened. Ron and an A student giv

#2
S2E20 8.8
No Means No

Freddie falls for Garth Parks, a handsome and intelligent baseball star. Teammate Dwayne backs out of a date to the dance with Freddie so that she can go with Garth. However, Dwayne is disturbed when Garth shares details of a past incident with a woman. Dwayne describes the story to Walter, who confirms that it should be considered date rape. When Dwayne tries to dissuade Freddie from dating Garth, she accuses him of jealousy. Garth takes Freddie to an observation point and tries to force himself on her, but Dwayne comes to the rescue. Freddie and the other victim make statements to the police and help put Garth behind bars.

#3
S4E23 8.6
If I Should Die Before I Wake

Whitley plans to sleep with Dwayne for the first time on his birthday. The public speaking professor assigns the students to write their own eulogies. A young woman named Josie stuns everyone with her speech, in which she reveals that she contracted AIDS through unprotected sex in high school. Gina and Terrence display their ignorance about the disease and are afraid to be around Josie. Kim and Mr. Gaines defend her and advise the duo to become more informed. Ron worries that he could fall victim to AIDS because of his history of casual sex. He and Dwayne decide to undergo HIV testing. Whitley, still shaken by the news of Josie's illness, decides that she just isn't ready for sex.

#4 Save the Best for Last: Part 1 S5E24 8.5
#5 Save the Best for Last: Part 2 S5E25 8.5
#6 Good Help Is Hard to Fire S4E7 8.4
#7 Three Girls Three S2E5 8.3
#8 A Stepping Stone S2E7 8.3
#9 Baby, It's Cold Outside S6E8 8.3
#10 Mammy Dearest S5E11 8.2

Lowlights

#144 S4E6 Tales from the Exam Zone 5.9

Walter narrates a Twilight Zone-style look at the students' struggles during midterms. Whitley must complete a report for her somewhat sadistic accounting professor by the following day. She struggles to find a quiet place to work after Jaleesa and a date kick her out of the apartment. Dwayne, working as a teaching assistant for Col. Taylor, cannot keep Terrence from skipping class. Col. Taylor discovers the truth, leaving Dwayne with just 24 hours to get Terrence ready for the midterm or lose his grad school recommendations. Freddie begins hearing voices that shake her confidence before her midterm in Professor Randolph's class.

#143 My Dinner with Theo S1E22 6.1
#142 Come Back, Little Eggby S1E21 6.1
#141 Advise and Descent S1E12 6.1
#140 The Little Mister S6E7 6.3

The Quality Arc

Each point is an episode, plotted in order. Colored bands mark season boundaries. Look for the rise, the plateau, or the decline.

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Episode Engagement

High votes + high rating = beloved classic. High votes + low rating = notorious stinker. Low votes + high rating = hidden gem.

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Series Trajectory

One point per season. Smooths out the episode-to-episode noise to reveal the bigger arc.

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Season Momentum

Did each season build or fizzle? Green means the finale outscored the premiere. Red means the opposite. Longer arrows, bigger swings.

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Season Consistency

How steady is each season? Tightly clustered dots mean reliable quality. Scattered dots mean a wild ride.

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