9 Most-Watched TV Events Ever, Including the 'M*A*S*H' Finale (2024)

9 Most-Watched TV Events Ever, Including the 'M*A*S*H' Finale (1)

Four decades ago in 1983, an estimated 60 percent of American households flicked on their televisions and tuned their sets to CBS for the series finale of M*A*S*H. That final installment got a 60.2 Nielsen rating and is the highest-rated telecast to date, according to the analytics company.

When accounting for total viewers, though, the ranking changes. Citing Nielsen data, Wikipedia users have listed of the 30 most-watched television broadcasts in the United States, and the M*A*S*H finale isn’t in the top slot. After consolidating the Super Bowl broadcasts on the list — since those NFL games take up 22 entries in the top 30! — here’s where the ranking stands.

About Me

I am an expert in various topics, including public speaking, communication, and expertise development. I have a deep understanding of these subjects and can provide valuable insights and information based on extensive knowledge and research.

MAS*H Finale and Television Ratings

The series finale of MASH, which aired in 1983, holds the record for the highest Nielsen rating for a single television broadcast, with a 60.2 rating. However, when considering total viewers, the ranking changes, and the MASH finale isn't in the top slot. This is due to the inclusion of Super Bowl broadcasts, which occupy a significant number of entries in the top 30 most-watched television broadcasts in the United States.

The MAS*H finale remains a significant milestone in television history, drawing a massive audience and leaving a lasting impact on popular culture. The finale's high viewership reflects the show's widespread popularity and enduring appeal.

Concepts Related to Public Speaking

Credibility in Public Speaking: According to James C. McCroskey and Jason J. Teven, an individual's credibility in public speaking is composed of three factors: competence, trustworthiness, and caring/goodwill. These factors contribute to a speaker's perceived knowledge or expertise in a given subject by the audience. Establishing credibility is crucial for effective communication and speechmaking.

Introduction Strategies: An effective introduction to a speech can involve various strategies, including sharing a personal story relevant to the topic. This approach helps to establish credibility and engage the audience by demonstrating firsthand experience or expertise related to the subject matter.

Speech Organization: Organizing speeches serves two important functions. Firstly, it improves the clarity of thought in a systematic way. Secondly, it increases the likelihood that the speech will be effective. Audience understanding and engagement are enhanced through well-organized speeches.

Assessment in Public Speaking: Curriculum-embedded assessment approaches in public speaking afford additional benefits. These approaches involve tasks targeted to students' grade levels and connected to their personal educational experiences. On-demand testing situations, while useful for some inferences, may not tap into what the student has had the opportunity to learn, potentially rendering the assessment unfair.

Expertise Development: The development of genuine expertise requires struggle, sacrifice, and honest, often painful self-assessment. Consistently, the evidence shows that experts are made, not born. Achieving top performance as a manager and a leader requires deliberate practice, typically taking at least a decade to achieve expertise.

These concepts provide a comprehensive understanding of public speaking, communication, and expertise development, offering valuable insights for effective speechmaking and communication strategies.

9 Most-Watched TV Events Ever, Including the 'M*A*S*H' Finale (2024)

FAQs

What's the most watched TV event of all time? ›

Nearly six decades later, the Apollo 11 moon landing still stands at the most-watched TV program of all time. Across all networks, upwards of 150 million people tuned in to watch humans touch down on the surface of the moon.

What was the most watched finale in TV history? ›

  • "Friends" (2004): 52.5 million. The show was huge from the first season and right to the last. ...
  • "Seinfeld" (1998): 76.3 million. The show about nothing is still really something to behold. ...
  • "The Fugitive" (1967): 78 million. ...
  • "Cheers" (1993): 80.4 million. ...
  • "M*A*S*H" (1983): 105.9 million.
Mar 1, 2024

Was the Mash finale the most watched TV show? ›

Most-watched American series finales

No. The most watched series finale in U.S. television history remains the 1983 finale of the CBS war/medical dramedy M*A*S*H, titled "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen".

What is the most watched TV episode in the world? ›

Airing February 28, 1983, the series finale of M*A*S*H, titled “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen” still holds the record as the most-viewed television finale of all time.

Was the Super Bowl the most watched TV show ever? ›

Sunday's Super Bowl matchup broke viewership records, becoming the most watched telecast in U.S. TV history. An average of more than 123 million people tuned in over the duration of the game. That's according to national ratings figures from Nielsen and CBS.

Is the Super Bowl the most watched television event? ›

Super Bowl LVIII is most-watched event in US TV history with 123.4m viewers - SportsPro.

Why finale not final? ›

The word final is derived the Latin word finalis, which means concluding. Finale is the end of a piece of music, a performance, or a show. Usually, a finale is the most spectacular part of the piece in order to leave the audience with a feeling of wonder. The word finale is also derived from the Latin word finalis.

What is the most viewed Netflix show? ›

As of April 2023, the most popular English-language Netflix TV show of all time was the first season of the comedy horror TV show "Wednesday," with over 252 million views in the show's first 91 days on the platform.

How many views did the Mash finale have? ›

In “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” on Feb. 28, 1983, as the Korean War was ending, members of the 4077th MASH folded up their surgical tents, and characters said their bittersweet goodbyes. The episode drew 105.97 million total viewers — by far the largest number of people ever, watching a prime-time television episode.

Did anyone appear in every episode of MASH? ›

Alda was the only actor to appear in every episode, and MASH saw many major actors exit throughout its 11-season run. The most infamous was Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson), a key supporting player throughout the first three seasons who was abruptly killed off in his final episode.

How many MASH actors are still alive? ›

Of the main cast, only Alan Alda, Mike Farrell, Loretta Swit, Jamie Farr and Gary Burghoff are still around.

Who was the only actor to star in both the MASH tv series and the 1970 movie? ›

Gary Burghoff, who played Radar O'Reilly, was the only actor playing a major character who appeared in both the movie and the TV series.

What TV shows have the highest average episode rating? ›

Highest Rated TV Series on IMDb by Average Episode Rating
  • Lucifer (2016–2021) ...
  • Shadowhunters (2016–2019) ...
  • Firefly (2002–2003) ...
  • Narcos (2015–2017) ...
  • Banshee (2013–2016) TV-MA | 60 min | Action, Crime, Drama. ...
  • Pose (2018–2021) TV-MA | 60 min | Drama. ...
  • Bosch (2014–2021) TV-MA | 50 min | Crime, Drama. ...
  • Wynonna Earp (2016–2021)

What is the most televised sporting event in the world? ›

While the Men's World Cup is considered the most-watched sporting event internationally, the Women's World Cup is not far behind.

Which is the number one best series in the world? ›

100 best TV shows
  1. Breaking Bad (2008-2013) 'You know the business, and I know the chemistry.' ...
  2. Twin Peaks (1990–1991) ...
  3. The Sopranos (1999-2007) ...
  4. The Wire (2002–2008) ...
  5. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) ...
  6. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) ...
  7. Game of Thrones (2011-2019) ...
  8. The Office (UK) (2001-03)
Apr 16, 2024

What is the most watched TV event since the moon landing? ›

Super Bowl LVIII has become the most-watched telecast in history, and the most-watched television event since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon in 1969.

Which television show/sporting event has the highest television ratings of all time? ›

The Super Bowl. Of the 30 most-watched television broadcasts in US history, 23 are the NFL's championship match. The only non-Super Bowl in the top 10 is the moon landing (heard of it?) in 1969. Interestingly, these 10 games all took place in the last 13 years.

Who watched the most television? ›

In 2022, TV consumption in the United States was highest among African Americans, who watched an average of nearly three and half an hours of TV each day. While the viewing time dropped among white, Black, and Hispanic consumers, Asian Americans' time spent grew from 2021 to 2022 to around two hours per day.

Is Friends the biggest show ever? ›

The show ranked no. 21 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time, and no. 5 on Empire magazine's The 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

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