The Following (2013)

Crime · Drama · Horror

Notorious serial killer Joe Carroll, after being found guilty of murdering 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature, escapes from death row. The FBI calls former agent Ryan Hardy to consult on the case, as he was the one responsible for Carroll’s capture in 2003. Ryan, working closely with an FBI team, including Mike Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker, piece together the ever-growing web of murders orchestrated by the devious Carroll.

IMDb rating: 7.4 (97,409 votes)
Episode average: 7.6 ↑ +0.2 vs IMDb
Seasons: 3
Streaming (US): Netflix
Language: EN
Type: TV series

Rating trend: this show's seasons do not settle into one shape. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well.

Browse shows by rating shape → Open in Rising Shows app → View on IMDb

Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 3 seasons indexed

Cast

Seasons

Season 1 (2013)

7.52 avg 15 episodes 8.2 → 7.7 44 min avg

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Pilot	8.2	2,607
2	Chapter Two	7.7	1,752
3	The Poet's Fire	7.5	1,533
4	Mad Love	7.3	1,413
5	The Siege	7.7	1,346
6	The Fall	7.6	1,366
7	Let Me Go	7.5	1,278
8	Welcome Home	7.3	1,247
9	Love Hurts	7.4	1,208
10	Guilt	7.0	1,208
11	Whips & Regret	7.1	1,087
12	The Curse	7.4	1,073
13	Havenport	7.9	1,115
14	The End Is Near	7.5	1,063
15	The Final Chapter	7.7	1,246

Season 2 (2014)

7.70 avg 15 episodes 8.0 → 7.9 43 min avg

Season 2 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Resurrection	8.0	1,316
2	For Joe	7.5	943
3	Trust Me	7.7	895
4	Family Affair	7.6	889
5	Reflection	7.6	842
6	Fly Away	8.0	874
7	Sacrifice	7.8	862
8	The Messenger	7.4	772
9	Unmasked	8.1	907
10	Teacher's Pet	7.4	775
11	Freedom	7.6	770
12	Betrayal	7.4	745
13	The Reaping	7.7	762
14	Silence	7.8	797
15	Forgive	7.9	871

Season 3 (2015)

7.49 avg 15 episodes 7.3 → 7.9 43 min avg

Season 3 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	New Blood	7.3	862
2	Boxed In	7.3	726
3	Exposed	7.2	689
4	Home	7.2	677
5	A Hostile Witness	7.3	707
6	Reunion	7.6	684
7	The Hunt	7.2	640
8	Flesh & Blood	7.5	665
9	Kill the Messenger	7.5	645
10	Evermore	8.0	749
11	Demons	7.2	585
12	The Edge	7.4	577
13	A Simple Trade	7.8	599
14	Dead or Alive	7.9	614
15	The Reckoning	7.9	790