The series finale of MASH* holds the record for the highest viewership in U.S. television history. The episode, titled "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", aired on CBS on February 28, 1983. An estimated 60% of American households tuned in to watch the finale, which had a 60.2 Nielsen rating. The finale drew in 105.9 million viewers. Back in the 80s and 90s, shows like Cosby, Family Ties, Cheers, Seinfeld regularly drew 30 million or more viewers each week. Media is too fractionalized now to ever get that many watching one program except for the Super Bowl. Answer from 63bmn on reddit.com
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IMDb
imdb.com › list › ls512407256
Top 100 most watched tv shows of all time
Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros, while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia · In 1980s Indiana, a group of young friends witness supernatural forces and secret government exploits. As they search for answers, the children unravel a series ...
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_most-watched_television_broadcasts
List of most-watched television broadcasts - Wikipedia
1 month ago - The following is a list of the most-watched films of all time on Nippon TV (NTV), as of June 2007. A list of most-watched shows in the Mexico, Televisa and TV Azteca broadcasters (Liga MX Apertura and Clausura), Boxing, 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, (FIFA World Cup hosts 1970 & 1986), some concerts like Maná's Unidos por La Paz at Estadio Azteca in March 2001; in 2007, the last episode of La Fea Más Bella", Funeral events like Chespirito in December 2014 the creator of TV Series El Chavo and El Chapulín Colorado, and Celebration of Mexican political anniversaries in 2010 celebrate independence from Spain also called Bicentenario 2010, had an average audience of over 40 million views in Mexican Television.
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Collider
collider.com › home › tv › these are the 28 highest-grossing television shows of all time
These Are the 28 Highest-Grossing Television Shows of All Time
We search for the highest grossing TV shows of all time, from Netflix's Stranger Things to Bravo's The Real Housewives.
Published   March 23, 2025
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The Hollywood Reporter
hollywoodreporter.com › h › charts
The Most-Watched TV Shows And Movies Right Now
January 15, 2024 - The most-watched movies and TV shows on streaming, ranked by viewership from Nielsen, and top movies at the box office and most-watched network TV shows, as curated by THR Charts.
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Netflix Tudum
netflix.com › tudum › top10 › most-popular › tv
Top 10 Most Popular Shows on Netflix of All Time - Netflix Tudum
The top 10 most-watched Shows on Netflix globally right now. Explore what others are watching around the world to find what you should stream next.
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CableTV
cabletv.com › entertainment › most-iconic-tv-shows
Most Iconic TV Shows of All Time 2025
August 14, 2025 - By blending Spanish and English dialogue, real-world news footage, and actual events with exciting bursts of violence and suspense, Narcos garnered a massive global audience and ended up among the top five most-watched series worldwide in 2016.
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Deadline
deadline.com › gallery › most-watched-tv-shows-all-time
25 Most-Watched TV Programs Of All Time: Moon Landing, Super Bowls & More
February 13, 2024 - In second place is Super Bowl LVIII, which drew just over 123M for the Chiefs third title in five years. In fact, there are 18 Super Bowls among the Top 25 most-watched TV programs in history — and no, it’s not just the last 18 consecutive years as the record holders range from 1986 to 2023. Over the years, 12 Super Bowls have managed over 100M viewers.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/television › what television show has the most viewing hours of all time?
r/television on Reddit: What television show has the most viewing hours of all time?
November 18, 2025 -

If you could guess, what show do you think has been watched the most? Reruns included.

The Simpsons? Spongebob? Could it be Friends? Doctor Who? I've seen people suggest The Office before, but The Simpsons has been on for over 35 years and Spongebob for over 25. Are shows like Friends or The Office even that popular internationally? What are other show could it be?

What television show have people spent the most time watching?

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TheShot
theshot.com › home › television › 40 most watched tv shows
40 Most Watched TV Shows
August 29, 2024 - Since then, their figures have dropped dramatically but that early popularity made them one of the most-watched TV shows in American cinematic history. ... Breaking Bad broke new ground when it was released in 2008, centering around a broke university professor and one his students as they become prolific movers and makers of illicit substances. Although fictional, Walter White becomes something of a Pablo Escobar of his time during the six seasons that Breaking Bad was on-screen.
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Ranker
ranker.com › home › tv › tv programs › the most watched tv shows of all time, ranked by how much everyone needs to see them
The Most Watched TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked By How Much Everyone Needs To See Them
September 1, 2025 - Over 500 TV viewers have voted on the 10+ shows on Most Watched TV Shows Of All Time, Ranked By How Much Everyone Needs To See Them. Current Top 3: M*A*S*H, ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/television › from each decade in tv history, which series is the most-watched today?
r/television on Reddit: From each decade in tv history, which series is the most-watched today?
September 2, 2024 -

I don't mean considering all the cumulative viewing since then; only which series is now the most watched by present-day audiences.

For example, is Friends the currently most-watched TV series of the 1990s, perhaps?

Or is it the Simpsons (but note that only modern viewing of the episodes from those seasons that aired during the 1990s would count toward this, if that makes sense? That might actually make this question ill-defined....)

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Quora
quora.com › Can-you-give-a-top-10-list-of-the-most-watched-TV-series-of-all-time
Can you give a top 10 list of the most-watched TV series of all time? - Quora
Answer (1 of 3): MASH Firefly Star Trek Star Trek: The Next Generation Black Adder (1–4 plus odds and ends) Monty Python’s Flying Circus Scrubs The Dick Van Dyke Show Columbo Pinky and the Brain.
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WatchMojo
watchmojo.com › home › tv › top 20 most popular tv shows of all time
Top 20 Most Popular TV Shows of All Time | Articles on WatchMojo.com
February 2, 2025 - popular TV shows best TV series Friends Seinfeld The Simpsons The Office Breaking Bad Game of Thrones Lost Cheers Saturday Night Live Law & Order M*A*S*H I Love Lucy Sesame Street The Sopranos Avatar: The Last Airbender Stranger Things The Walking Dead The Big Bang Theory television history iconic TV shows most watched series watchMojo watch mojo mojo top 10 list
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The Independent
the-independent.com › culture › tv & radio › news
The 100 most-watched TV shows of the past year revealed | The Independent
May 30, 2025 - From popular dramas Squid Gameand Adolescence to hit comedies Nobody Wants This and A Man on the Inside,several of the international streamer’s titles make up a majority of the 100 most-watched TV shows from April 2024 to May 2025.
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What's on Netflix
whats-on-netflix.com › home › what to watch on netflix › netflix’s most watched series and movies ever
Netflix’s Most Watched Series and Movies Ever
December 2, 2025 - Wednesday and Squid Game are the most watched series launches and Troll and KPop Demon Hunters top the movie charts.
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Boomplay
boomplay.com › buzz › 3506961
Top 10 most watched TV series of all time | Boombuzz
1) Game of Thrones (2011-2019) Nine noble families wage war against each other in order to gain control over the mythical land of Westeros. Meanwhile, a f...
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IGN
ign.com › lists › top-100-tv-shows
The Top 100 Best TV Shows of All Time - IGN
March 21, 2024 - IGN and some of our friends across the entertainment industry have come together to decide the 100 best TV shows of all time.