From 'M*A*S*H' to 'Seinfeld': The 5 most-watched TV episodes as 'Yellowstone' smashes records
‘Yellowstone’ has been one of the best TV shows in recent years and it has given viewers some really iconic moments. The fourth season of the Paramount show ended a few days ago and it was undoubtedly one of the most satisfying finales that we got to see in recent memory.
Beth (Kelly Reilly) showed everyone how bada** she is while Jamie (Wes Bentley) finally showed which side he’s on. On the other hand, the death of Garrett Randall shocked everyone. It was not the death that shocked everyone it was the entire build-up that made everyone gasp. Paramount has always been proud of the show and always backs it. The show had tremendous figures when the season opened and now that the season has ended, the network has once again done the unthinkable.
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Paramount recently released the viewership numbers and revealed that a total of 11 million viewers watched the finale of Season 4, making it the most-watched episode of a TV show since 2017. This effectively set new rating records and got the highest views since the 2017 'Walking Dead' Season 8 premiere.
The show achieved this massive feat and made the show enter history books. However, there’s been a lot of amazing TV shows in the past that have achieved the monumental feat of being the most-watched TV episodes of all time. So, here are 5 most-watched TV episodes of all time.
5 Most-Watched TV Episodes of All Time
5) ‘Roots’ Part VIII (Series Finale) – 1977
If there was one TV show that managed to grip audiences from the very first moment, then it is ‘Roots’ for sure. The reason why Americans loved the show was its limited nature. The series was released in 1977 and consisted of eight episodes. The eight-part show captured the imagination of everyone due to its source material, which had slavery as the main subject. By the time, the series reached its finale, it was safe to say that audiences loved what was being offered to them and they were eagerly waiting for the final episode to air.
When the final episode was broadcast on ABC, more than 36.38 million tuned in to watch the finale, which means a total of 51.1% of households saw the series finale on January 30, 1977.
4) ‘Seinfeld’ – ‘The Finale’ – 1998
If you are looking for a show that’s funny and have characters that are really relatable, then ‘Seinfled’ should be at the top of your list. The show chronicles the journey of four friends – Jerry Seinfeld, Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), and George Costanza (Jason Alexander) – and how they navigate through life. Season 1 of the show received positive reviews and when the show was renewed for the second edition, it exploded.
The show ran for nine seasons and when it reached the finale, it became a cultural phenomenon. Over 40.5 million viewers watched the series finale and although the finale was not satisfying to many, it sure kept a lot of people glued to their TV screens.
3) ‘Dallas’ – ‘Who Done It?’ – 1980
Every episode in the list is either a series or a season finale. However, in 1980, the TV show ‘Dallas’ aired a stupendous episode that nabbed all the eyeballs. Episode 3 of Season 4 ended on a massive cliffhanger and saw JR getting shot. But the makers did not show who shot him. The curiosity almost gave everyone a heart attack and when the show returned for episode four, everyone wanted to know who shot JR? And that’s how ‘Dallas’ got its most-watched episode.
More than 41.47 million people watched episode four of Season 4, making it the 3rd most-watched episode of all time.
2) ‘Cheers’ – ‘One for the Road’ (Series Finale) – 1993
It was truly an end of an era when ‘Cheers’ ended its run. The best part of the show was that viewers didn’t need to watch it every week to know what’s happening. They had the choice of drifting in and out as they pleased. The series finale of the show came almost a decade after the show started and when it aired, millions of people tuned in to watch the episode.
According to viewership records, a total of 42.36 million viewers tuned in to watch the finale on May 20, 1993. Apart from being one of the most-watched TV shows, ‘Cheers’ also won several accolades during its run, including Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1983, 1984, 1989, and 1991. It also won the Golden Globe for Best TV Series (Comedy or Musical) in 1991.
]\1) ‘M*A*S*H’ – ‘Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen’ – 1983
The series finale of ‘M*A*S*H’ aired on February 28, 1983, and surprisingly, it is still the most-watched episode of all time. The final episode was filled with heartbreaks and true experiences of war. After running for 11 seasons, the finale was everything that viewers wanted to see. The show was such a huge hit that the series finale was seen by over 50.15 million viewers. The finale was watched by an astonishing 60.2% of American households.
Even though the show made people cry a lot, they were not ready to move away from it. The show won the Golden Globe for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1974 and was honored with a Peabody Award in 1975.
