Throughout history, there have been many beloved TV shows that have reached homes not only across the country but throughout the world. From sitcoms to cartoons to dramas, audiences have flocked to their television sets to catch their favorite casts of characters. However, there are certain episodes that have been so loved and influential that they have brought in more viewers than ever before. Here are the five most watched TV show episodes to date.
5. Magnum P.I. “Resolutions”
Magnum P.I. was a crime drama about a private investigator living in Hawaii that aired from 1980 to 1988 starring Tom Selleck. During the first five seasons, the series consistently ranked in the top 20 U.S. television programs in the Nielsen Rankings. The TV show finished as high as number three in the rankings during the 1982-1983 season.
The series finale, titled “Resolutions” aired in May 1988 with around 50.7 million viewers tuning in. After such a successful run the first time around, a remake of Magnum P.I. was premiered on CBS in 2018.
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4. Friends “The Last One”
Friends was a sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman that aired on NBC for 10 seasons. The sitcom depicted the everyday life of a group of 6 friends in their 20s and 30s. Friends reached number one in the Nielsen rankings during its eighth season.
When the finale of Friends, titled “The Last One,” aired in 2004, 65.9 million people tuned in to watch the beloved sitcom come to an end. This enormous amount of viewers for a single episode makes this one of the most watched TV show episodes ever — and one we keep rewatching for nostalgia.
3. Seinfeld “The Finale”
Seinfeld is a sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld that aired from 1989 to 1998. The sitcom explored the mundane, everyday life of the four main characters in New York City.
After nine successful seasons, on May 14th, 1998, the 108th episode of Seinfeld aired. 76.3 million people tuned in to watch the last episode titled “The Finale.” Known as one of the most influential sitcoms of all time, it is also one of the most watched TV show episodes ever.
2. Cheers “One for the Road”
Cheers is a sitcom that aired from 1982 to 1993. The show centered around a bar and its owner along with a former relief pitcher from the Boston Red Sox. Cheers ranked in the top 10 for eight of its 11 seasons in the Nielsen ratings and its ninth season ranked as number one.
Not only is this beloved sitcom one of the most watched TV shows of all time, but the finale, titled “One for the Road” drew in over 84.4 million people. If you can only imagine what America looked like that night, it must have felt like every TV streamed Cheers.
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1. M*A*S*H “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen”
M*A*S*H was a war comedy-drama series that aired from 1972 to 1983. The show revolved around the United States Army Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War.
As one of the highest-rated shows in TV history, when the finale titled “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” aired in 1983, over 105.9 million viewers tuned in. It is estimated that 60% of American households tuned in to watch the finale, making it the most watched TV show episode ever — or at least, so far.
We can’t help but notice all five episodes sparking extremely high viewership are series finales. Plus, these series are still popular, and available on many streaming platforms today. We can’t get enough of these shows, so arguably the best of television, these finales are the episodes with staggering statistics.