List of most watched television broadcasts in the United States

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Super Bowls

Super Bowl broadcasts comprise the seven most-watched U.S. television broadcasts of all time, based on average viewership. Average viewership is the primary metric used by Nielsen for determining TV ratings and measures the average number of viewers for an entire broadcast. Total/peak viewership measures the few minutes during a broadcast when viewership is at its highest point.[1]

Below are the viewership numbers for the 10 most-watched Super Bowl broadcasts ever, in order of most average viewers. Peak viewership is listed in parentheses. Numbers are in millions

Most watched regular series finales

Note: This list includes only a very small number of all the series that have aired, so while the entries are ordered from highest to lowest rated among them, this list cannot provide a ranking for the most watched series finales.

(Sources: Reuters, Variety, Nielsen Media Research, ratings data from USA Today weekly ratings charts)

Series Number of Viewers
(in millions)		 Percent of Households/Household Rating Share Date Network
M*A*S*H 105.9[8] 60.2% 77% February 28, 1983 CBS
Cheers 84.4[8] 45.5% 64%[9] May 20, 1993 NBC
The Fugitive 78.0[10] 45.9% 72% August 29, 1967 ABC
Seinfeld 76.3[8] 41.3% 58% May 14, 1998 NBC
Friends 65.9[8][11] 35.6% 52% May 6, 2004 NBC
Magnum PI 50.7 N/A N/A May 1, 1988 CBS
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 50.0[8] N/A N/A May 22, 1992 NBC
The Cosby Show 44.4[8] 28.0% 45% April 30, 1992 NBC
All in the Family 40.2[8][12] 26.6% 43% April 8, 1979 CBS
Family Ties 36.3 20.8% 35% May 14, 1989 NBC
Home Improvement 35.5[13] 21.6%[14] 43%[13] May 25, 1999 ABC
Frasier 33.7[11] 16.3% 25% May 13, 2004 NBC
Dallas 33.3 22.0% 38% May 3, 1991 CBS
Everybody Loves Raymond 32.9[11] 20.2% 29% May 16, 2005 CBS
Star Trek: The Next Generation 31.0[15] 17.4% 34% May 23, 1994 Syndication
Gunsmoke 30.9[12] N/A N/A March 31, 1975 CBS
Happy Days 30.5 20.5% 31% September 24, 1984 ABC
The Golden Girls 27.2 18.9% 38% May 9, 1992 NBC
Full House 24.3 14.6% 25% May 23, 1995 ABC
St. Elsewhere 22.5[12] 17% 29% May 25, 1988 NBC[16]
MacGyver 22.3 13.8% 26% May 21, 1992 ABC
L.A. Law 22.1 15.9% 27% May 19, 1994 NBC
ALF 21.7 13.1% 24% March 24, 1990 NBC
The Mary Tyler Moore Show 21.16 16.5% 28% March 19, 1977 CBS
The Wonder Years 21.0 13.9% 23% May 12, 1993 ABC
Quantum Leap 20.6 13.7% 23% May 5, 1993 NBC
Who's the Boss? 20.5 12.7% 24% April 25, 1992 ABC
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 19.9 13.1% 22% May 20, 1996 NBC
Mad About You 19.8 13.6% 20% May 24, 1999 NBC
Knots Landing 19.6 13.9% 22% May 13, 1993 CBS
Bonanza 19.3[12]  ?  ? January 16, 1973 NBC
Designing Women 18.8 14.2% 22% May 24, 1993 CBS
Matlock 18.7 13.2% 20% May 7, 1995 ABC
Will & Grace 18.6 12.9% 20% May 18, 2006 NBC
The Facts of Life 18.2 13.2% 29% May 7, 1988 NBC
Jake and the Fatman 18.1 12.9% 20% May 6, 1992 CBS
Major Dad 17.9 12.6% 20% April 16, 1993 CBS
Murphy Brown 17.5 12.3% 19% May 18, 1998 CBS
Beverly Hills, 90210 16.8 11.9% 21% May 17, 2000 Fox
Roseanne 16.6 11.6% 19% May 20, 1997 ABC
Murder, She Wrote 16.5 12.3% 21% May 19, 1996 CBS
The Oprah Winfrey Show 16.404 11.5% N/A May 25, 2011 Syndication
ER 16.4 10.4% 17% April 2, 2009 NBC
NYPD Blue 16.1 10.4% 17% March 1, 2005 ABC
Miami Vice 16.1 11.0% 21% June 28, 1989 NBC
Married... with Children 15.2 10.0% 16% May 5, 1997 Fox
In the Heat of the Night 15.0 10.9% 17% May 16, 1995 CBS
Kate & Allie 14.9 11.9% 20% May 22, 1989 CBS
Dynasty 14.7 10.8% 17% May 11, 1989 ABC
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 14.6 -% -% February 6, 2014 NBC
Monday Night Football 14.4[17] 9.2% 16% December 26, 2005 ABC
Wings 14.2 10.2% 16% May 21, 1997 NBC
JAG 14.0[18] 9.0% 15% April 29, 2005 CBS
Mr. Belvedere 13.8 8.5% 16% July 8, 1990 ABC
The Late Show with David Letterman 13.76 9.3% -% May 20, 2015 CBS
Lost 13.6 7.5% 13% May 23, 2010 ABC
Evening Shade 13.5 9.6% 15% May 23, 1994 CBS
Two and a Half Men 13.5 -% N/A February 19, 2015 CBS
The King of Queens 13.5 8.8% 13% May 14, 2007 CBS
Doogie Howser, M.D. 13.4 9.2% 14% March 24, 1993 ABC
American Idol 13.3[19] 9.6% 15% April 7, 2016 Fox
Providence 13.3 9.0% 16% December 20, 2002 NBC
Life Goes On 13.2 8.9% 17% May 23, 1993 ABC
The X-Files 13.2[20] 7.9% 12% May 19, 2002 Fox
How I Met Your Mother 13.13 8.6% 13% March 31, 2014 CBS
Coach 13.1 9.3% 16% May 14, 1997 ABC
Touched by an Angel 12.9[21] 8.9% 15% April 27, 2003 CBS
Amen 12.9 8.3% 19% May 11, 1991 NBC
Falcon Crest 12.3 9.3% 15% May 17, 1990 CBS
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation 12.2 N/A N/A September 27, 2015 CBS
Desperate Housewives 11.9 9.0% 14% May 13, 2012 ABC
3rd Rock from the Sun 11.9 7.9% 13% May 22, 2001 NBC
The Sopranos 11.9 6.5% 11% June 10, 2007 HBO
Empty Nest 11.6 8.7% 17% April 29, 1995 NBC
Ally McBeal 11.5 7.5% 11% May 20, 2002 Fox
Homicide: Life on the Street 11.4 8.4% 15% May 21, 1999 NBC
Without a Trace 11.2 7.3% 12% May 19, 2009 CBS
The Nanny 11.1 8.1% 14% May 12, 1999 CBS
Picket Fences 11.1 8.2% 14% April 24, 1996 CBS
The Practice 10.9 7.5% 13% May 16, 2004 ABC
Walker, Texas Ranger 10.8 6.8% 13% May 19, 2001 CBS
Judging Amy 10.8 7.6% 12% May 3, 2005 CBS
Sex and the City 10.6[22]  ?  ? February 22, 2004 HBO
Becker 10.6 7.3% 11% January 28, 2004 CBS
The Good Wife 10.6 TBA TBA May 8, 2016 CBS
Grace Under Fire 10.5 7.4% 11% February 17, 1998 ABC
Highway to Heaven 10.5 7.1% 16% August 4, 1989 NBC
Melrose Place 10.4 7.3% 12% May 24, 1999 Fox
Twin Peaks 10.4 N/A N/A June 10, 1991 ABC
Breaking Bad 10.28 September 29, 2013 AMC
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman 10.2 6.7% 15% May 16, 1998 CBS
Sisters 10.1 7.1% 14% May 4, 1996 NBC
The West Wing 10.1 6.2% 10% May 14, 2006 NBC
The Mentalist 10.1  %  % February 18, 2015 CBS
That '70s Show 10.0 6.0% 10% May 18, 2006 Fox
Boy Meets World 10.0 6.1% 12% May 5, 2000 ABC
Cold Case 10.0 6.4% 11% May 2, 2010 CBS
Boston Legal 9.9 6.2% 10% December 8, 2008 ABC
Ellen 9.9 7.1% 11% May 13, 1998 ABC
Wizards of Waverly Place 9.8[23] 7.1% 11% January 6, 2012 Disney Channel
The Closer 9.8 7.1% 11% August 13, 2012 TNT
The District 9.7 6.6% 12% May 1, 2004 CBS
The Unit 9.6 5.8% 10% May 10, 2009 CBS
Monk 9.4[24][25] 5.5% 9% December 4, 2009 USA Network
A Different World 9.3 6.6% 14% May 8, 1993 NBC
Nash Bridges 9.1 6.3% 12% May 4, 2001 CBS
The Pretender 9.0 6.2% 12% May 13, 2000 NBC
Third Watch 9.0 6.1% 11% May 6, 2005 NBC
24 8.9[26] 5.2% 8% May 24, 2010 Fox
Star Trek: Voyager 8.8 5.5% 9% May 23, 2001 UPN
House 8.7 5.8% 11% May 21, 2012 Fox
NewsRadio 8.6 6.5% 11% May 4, 1999 NBC
Moonlighting 8.6 5.7% 10% May 14, 1989 ABC
Mike & Molly 8.5 N/A N/A May 16, 2016 CBS
Numb3rs 8.3 5.1% 9% May 14, 2010 CBS
Ed 8.2 5.8% 10% February 6, 2004 NBC
Caroline in the City 8.1 6.3% 10% April 26, 1999 NBC
Las Vegas 8.0 5.0% 9% February 15, 2008 NBC
Cosby 7.9 5.2% 10% April 28, 2000 CBS
Law & Order 7.8 5.1% 9% May 24, 2010 NBC
Drake & Josh 7.8 5.0% 10% August 3, 2007 Nickelodeon
Medium 7.8 4.9% 9% January 21, 2011 CBS
Malcolm in the Middle 7.5 4.8% 7% May 14, 2006 Fox
Chicago Hope 7.5 5.8% 9% May 4, 2000 CBS
227 7.5 5.0% 8% May 6, 1990 NBC
Dawson's Creek 7.3 4.8% 7% May 14, 2003 WB
Profiler 7.2 5.2% 10% May 6, 2000 NBC
Brothers & Sisters 7.2[27] 4.9% 8% May 8, 2011 ABC
The New Adventures of Old Christine 7.1 4.6% 6% May 12, 2010 CBS
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien 7.1 -% -% Jan 22, 2010 NBC
Zoey 101 7.1 3.1% 5% May 8, 2007 Nickelodeon
Spin City 6.9 4.8% 7% April 30, 2002 ABC
Ghost Whisperer 6.8 4.4% 9% May 21, 2010 CBS
Alias 6.7 4.5% 7% May 22, 2006 ABC
Dharma & Greg 6.7 4.7% 8% April 30, 2002 ABC
The O.C. 6.6 4.5% 6% February 22, 2007 Fox
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 6.6 N/A N/A February 7, 2014 NBC
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 6.6 4.5% 5% June 2, 1999 Syndication
Diagnosis: Murder 6.6 4.9% 10% May 11, 2001 CBS
Party of Five 6.5 4.8% 8% May 3, 2000 Fox
Yes, Dear 6.5 4.4% 6% February 15, 2006 CBS
Living Single 6.5 4.5% 7% January 1, 1998 Fox
Crossing Jordan 6.4 4.3% 7% May 16, 2007 NBC
Family Matters 6.4 4.5% 8% July 17, 1998 CBS
Sons of Anarchy 6.4 3.3% N/A December 9, 2014 FX
iCarly 6.4[28] 3.4%[29] November 23, 2012 Nickelodeon
Rules of Engagement" 6.25 4.5% 10% May 20, 2013 CBS
Hannah Montana 6.9 3.5% 5% January 16, 2011 Disney Channel
King of the Hill 6.0 3.5% 5% September 13, 2009 Fox
My Wife and Kids 5.9 4.2% 7% May 17, 2005 ABC
Ugly Betty 5.7 4.2% 7% April 15, 2010 ABC
The Office 5.69 3.0% 8% May 16, 2013 NBC
Avatar: The Last Airbender 5.6[30] 3.1%[30]  ? July 19, 2008 Nickelodeon
The Drew Carey Show 5.4 3.7% 7% September 8, 2004 ABC
Angel 5.3 3.3% 5% May 19, 2004 WB
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 4.9 2.9% 5% May 20, 2003 UPN
Gilmore Girls 4.9 3.1% 5% May 15, 2007 CW
30 Rock 4.88 1.9% 5% January 31, 2013 NBC
My Name Is Earl 4.8 3.2% 6% May 14, 2009 NBC
Sister, Sister 4.7 3.3% 6% May 23, 1999 WB
George Lopez 4.6 3.1% 5% May 8, 2007 ABC
Charmed 4.5 2.8% 5% May 21, 2006 WB
Reba 4.4 2.8% 5% February 18, 2007 CW
The Parkers 4.4 2.8% 5% May 10, 2004 UPN
Heroes 4.4 2.8% 4% February 8, 2010 NBC
Chuck 4.3 1.3% 4% January 27, 2012 NBC
Under the Dome 4.23  %  % September 10, 2015 CBS
Parks and Recreation 4.15 N/A N/A February 24, 2015 NBC
According to Jim 4.1 2.5% 4% June 2, 2009 ABC
Everwood 4.1 2.6% 4% June 5, 2006 WB
Joey 4.1[31] 2.5% 4% February 8, 2010 NBC
True Blood 4.0 2.1%  ? August 24, 2014 HBO
Six Feet Under 3.89 N/A N/A August 21, 2005 HBO
One Life to Live 3.8 2.7% 4% January 13, 2012 ABC
Star Trek: Enterprise 3.8 2.2% 4% May 13, 2005 UPN
Felicity 3.7 2.6% 4% May 22, 2002 WB
Scrubs 3.5 / 5.07 2.3% 4% March 17, 2010 ABC/NBC
All My Children 3.475 2.6% 4% September 23, 2011 ABC
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 3.471 N/A N/A August 6, 2015 Comedy Central
Sábado Gigante 3.3 2.2% 4% September 19, 2015 Univision
Prison Break 3.3 2.0% 4% May 15, 2009 Fox
Mad Men 3.29 N/A N/A 17 May 2015 AMC
Fringe 3.2[32] 1.9% 3% January 18, 2013 Fox
Smallville 3.02[33] 1.8% 3% May 13, 2011 CW
Guiding Light 3.0 2.2% 3% September 18, 2009 CBS
WCW Monday Nitro 3.0 2.2% 3% March 26, 2001 TNT
Victorious 2.9 2.2% 3% February 2, 2013 Nickelodeon
As the World Turns 2.8 2.1% 3% September 17, 2010 CBS
Dexter 2.8 N/A N/A September 22, 2013 Showtime
Entourage 2.61 September 11, 2011 HBO
Glee 2.6 March 20, 2015 Fox
The Colbert Report 2.481 December 18, 2014 Comedy Central
Gravity Falls 2.467 February 15, 2016 Disney XD
Battlestar Galactica 2.4[34] 1.4% 3% March 20, 2009 Syfy
Boardwalk Empire 2.33 N/A N/A October 26, 2014 HBO
Rescue Me 2.3[35] N/A N/A September 7, 2011 FX
Justified 2.24 0.65% N/A April 14, 2015 FX
Stargate SG-1 2.2 N/A N/A March 13, 2007 Sci-Fi Channel
Dollhouse 2.1[36] 0.8% 3% January 29, 2010 Fox
Veronica Mars 2.1 0.8% 2% May 22, 2007 CW
One Tree Hill 2.0 0.9% 3% April 4, 2012 CW
The Shield 1.9 N/A N/A November 25, 2008 FX
White Collar 1.86 N/A N/A December 18, 2014 USA Network
Raising Hope 1.52 0.6% 2% April 4, 2014 Fox
Gossip Girl 1.42 0.8% 2% December 17, 2012 CW

M*A*S*H and Cheers finales

The number of viewers for M*A*S*H (105.9 million) and Cheers (84.4 million) are the numbers most commonly reported. M*A*S*H has also been reported at 121.6 million viewers and Cheers has been reported at 93.5 million viewers.[9][37] For M*A*S*H and Cheers, 121.6 million and 93.5 million represent the total audience who watched at least six minutes and the 105.9 million and 84.4 million represent the viewers who watched the average minute.[38] Regular episodes of M*A*S*H were thirty minutes long, but the final episode was a television movie of running length of two hours and thirty minutes, which reached a peak audience of 125 million by the primetime telecast conclusion of M.A.S.H. series finale.

The M*A*S*H finale was notorious in that after the episode finished, water flow in New York City increased by 300 million gallons. While contributing to the CD-ROM computer game Blast from the Past, in association with TV Land, Loretta Swit commented on the event, stating she thought it was due to the fact viewers just stayed glued to the screens for the whole show, and then rushed to the facilities.

Most watched U.S. TV series

Nielsen began compiling ratings for television beginning in 1950. Prior to that year, television ratings were compiled by a number of other sources, including C. E. Hooper (which was bought out by Nielsen in February 1950) and Variety.

American Idol holds the record for most consecutive seasons at No. 1 (also its total), with eight. Note however that American Idol usually airs two episodes a week; for the 2003–2004 season, only the Tuesday show was ranked No. 1, overall American Idol was ranked No. 2 that season. For the show taken as a whole, it was No. 1 for seven consecutive seasons.[39] All in the Family, and The Cosby Show share second place for most consecutive (and total) seasons at No. 1, with five each. Counting in for total seasons at No. 1, 60 Minutes also holds a share of a three-way second place, and is the first (and currently only) U.S. primetime television show to lead the annual Nielsen ratings in at least 3 separate decades - 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

These are the programs that finished with the highest average Nielsen rating in each television season:

1950s

Season Show Network
1950–1951 Texaco Star Theater NBC
1951–1952 Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts CBS
1952–1953 I Love Lucy
1953–1954
1954–1955
1955–1956 The $64,000 Question
1956–1957 I Love Lucy
1957–1958 Gunsmoke
1958–1959
1959–1960

1960s

Season Show Network
1960–1961 Gunsmoke CBS
1961–1962 Wagon Train NBC
1962–1963 The Beverly Hillbillies CBS
1963–1964
1964–1965 Bonanza NBC
1965–1966
1966–1967
1967–1968 The Andy Griffith Show CBS
1968–1969 Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In NBC
1969–1970

1970s

Season Show Network
1970–1971 Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC
1971–1972 All in the Family CBS
1972–1973
1973–1974
1974–1975
1975–1976
1976–1977 Happy Days ABC
1977–1978 Laverne & Shirley
1978–1979
1979–1980 60 Minutes CBS

1980s

Season Show Network
1980–1981 Dallas CBS
1981–1982
1982–1983 60 Minutes
1983–1984 Dallas
1984–1985 Dynasty ABC
1985–1986 The Cosby Show NBC
1986–1987
1987–1988
1988–1989
1989–1990 (tie) The Cosby Show
(tie) Roseanne ABC

1990s

Season Show Network
1990–1991 Cheers NBC
1991–1992 60 Minutes CBS
1992–1993
1993–1994
1994–1995 Seinfeld NBC
1995–1996 ER
1996–1997
1997–1998 Seinfeld
1998–1999 ER
1999–2000 Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ABC

2000s

Season Show Network
2000–2001 Survivor: The Australian Outback CBS
2001–2002 Friends NBC
2002–2003 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CBS
2003–2004 American Idol Fox
2004–2005
2005–2006
2006–2007
2007–2008
2008–2009
2009–2010

2010s

Season Show Network
2010–2011 American Idol Fox
2011–2012 NBC Sunday Night Football NBC[40]
2012–2013 NCIS CBS
2013–2014 NBC Sunday Night Football NBC[41][42]
2014–2015

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[dead link]
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ [1] 'Monk' finale sets cable ratings record
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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