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
S31E7 8.7
Chasing the Moon: Earthrise

What exactly was it going to take for America to beat the Soviets to the moon? Cold War tensions persisted, as rumours circulated that the Soviets were preparing to send an unmanned spacecraft to the moon. Nasa quickly developed the Gemini program, sending astronauts into orbit around the Earth to practice critical manoeuvres for the eventual trip to the moon.

#2
S31E8 8.6
Chasing the Moon: Magnificent Desolation

After the immediate celebration of 1968’s successful Apollo 8 mission, underlying questions about the space programme emerged with new intensity as politicized young Americans challenged the nation’s priorities. Nasa pushed brashly forward.

#3
S7E1 8.5
FDR: Part I

Polio at age 39, president at age 50. Explore the public and private life of a determined man who steered the United States through two monumental crises: the Depression and World War II. FDR served as president longer than any other, and his legacy still shapes our understanding of the role of government and the presidency. A film by award winning filmmaker David Grubin.

#4 T.R.: The Story of Theodore Roosevelt (Part I) S9E1 8.5
#5 Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided Part 1 - Ambition S13E7 8.5
#6 Chasing the Moon: A Place Beyond the Sky S31E6 8.5
#7 Knute Rockne and His Fighting Irish S5E9 8.4
#8 America 1900 S11E1 8.4
#9 Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided Part 6 - Blind with Weeping S13E12 8.4
#10 New York: Center of the World S16E1 8.4

Lowlights

#387 S3E11 Wildcatter: A Story of Texas Oil 4.2

Oil exploration and the fortunes and failures of the independent opportunists who searched for it.

#386 Forever Baseball S2E5 5.2
#385 Eudora Welty: One Writer's Beginnings S1E14 5.4
#384 God Bless America and Poland, Too S3E5 5.6
#383 Scandalous Mayor S4E4 5.7

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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