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
S1E2 8.2
Pay Attention!

When it comes to mastering and manipulating attention, some of the world's leading experts aren't scientists; they're magicians like David Copperfield. While the brain's attention acts a bit like a spotlight to filter and make sense of a busy world, it can be easily controlled and deceived. Copperfield and a team of experts test, trick and fool using an elegant form of attention control.

#2
S2E2 8.1
It's About Time

Ever wonder why a watched pot never boils? See how the brain can actually warp and shift time, giving a false impression of the order and the speed of events. Neuroscientist Dr. Chess Stetson explains the oddball effect using a series of pictures. Illusionist Apollo Robbins uses juggling pins to demonstrate what happens when the brain doesn't have enough time to process a large amount of information, while host Jason Silva plays with the speed of sound and light to find out why movies and television shows are sometimes out of sync.

#3
S1E1 8.0
Watch This!

Hack into the ultimate supercomputer ' the human brain ' as Hollywood filmmakers use color, light, motion, depth and sound to create mind-bending sensory illusions. Is it possible to feel the sensation of accidentally cutting your finger ' just by watching TV? Much of what we experience may be a mere fabrication, as our brains fill in gaps and stitch together a complete picture of the world bit-by-bit, designed to overcome our eyes' blind spots. But what happens when your senses get crossed?

#4 Peer Pressure S5E8 8.0
#5 Logic S5E9 8.0
#6 Animal vs. Human S6E5 8.0
#7 The Survivor Brain S7E6 8.0
#8 Scams S6E2 7.9
#9 Perspective S6E4 7.9
#10 Brains Behaving Badly S7E3 7.9

Lowlights

#67 S8E2 Ted Danson: Fact or Fiction 5.2

Actor Ted Danson learns how human brains distinguish fact from fiction in a series of games.

#66 Mark Cuban: Power and Money S8E6 5.3
#65 Kids vs. Adults S8E4 5.6
#64 Male Brain vs. Female Brain S8E1 5.6
#63 Tiffany Haddish: Movie Magic S8E8 5.8

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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