Where’s the friends final? Didn’t that get like 50 million viewers? And ER was getting 30 mil at some points

Where’s the friends final? Didn’t that get like 50 million viewers? And ER was getting 30 mil at some points

Chris, these are not lists of viewers, but by households and ratings.

Chris, these are not lists of viewers, but by households and ratings.

Chris, these are not lists of viewers, but by households and ratings.

Nothing outside of the Super Bowl makes this list from the past decade – that’s a little sad.

Nothing outside of the Super Bowl makes this list from the past decade – that’s a little sad.

But not I should add unexpected.

But not I should add unexpected.

Nothing outside of the Super Bowl makes this list from the past decade – that’s a little sad.

But not I should add unexpected.

cool…alex yeah sadly. If it were up to me every episode of Chuck would be on here!!!

cool…alex yeah sadly. If it were up to me every episode of Chuck would be on here!!!

okay that sounded really fanboyish…haha. Anyway, kind of disheartening that only superbowls can be really big these days.

okay that sounded really fanboyish…haha. Anyway, kind of disheartening that only superbowls can be really big these days.

I guess we see the Super Bowl rise in popularity in the 80′s – had some dominance starting in the 90′s. The 70′s and 80′s were huge on mega-rated mini-series and TV movies (I count the MASH special finale as a movie of sorts)? When is the last time a mini-series or TV movie stirred much interest?

And oh, how mighty NBC has fallen! The only non-sports events of the past 25 years were NBC sitcom finales.

I guess we see the Super Bowl rise in popularity in the 80′s – had some dominance starting in the 90′s. The 70′s and 80′s were huge on mega-rated mini-series and TV movies (I count the MASH special finale as a movie of sorts)? When is the last time a mini-series or TV movie stirred much interest?

And oh, how mighty NBC has fallen! The only non-sports events of the past 25 years were NBC sitcom finales.

I guess we see the Super Bowl rise in popularity in the 80′s – had some dominance starting in the 90′s. The 70′s and 80′s were huge on mega-rated mini-series and TV movies (I count the MASH special finale as a movie of sorts)? When is the last time a mini-series or TV movie stirred much interest?

And oh, how mighty NBC has fallen! The only non-sports events of the past 25 years were NBC sitcom finales.

You have no idea how happy i am to see Game 6 of the 1980 World Series crack the list….Go Phillies!!!!!

Since this is a ratings ranking, more recent telecasts are at a big disadvantage. Older telecasts had far fewer TV alternatives to compete with. When there were only 3 broadcast alternatives getting a 40 rating (40% of TV households watching) for simply a regular weekly series airing was possible!

Since this is a ratings ranking, more recent telecasts are at a big disadvantage. Older telecasts had far fewer TV alternatives to compete with. When there were only 3 broadcast alternatives getting a 40 rating (40% of TV households watching) for simply a regular weekly series airing was possible!

Since this is a ratings ranking, more recent telecasts are at a big disadvantage. Older telecasts had far fewer TV alternatives to compete with. When there were only 3 broadcast alternatives getting a 40 rating (40% of TV households watching) for simply a regular weekly series airing was possible!

You have no idea how happy i am to see Game 6 of the 1980 World Series crack the list….Go Phillies!!!!!

Since this is a ratings ranking, more recent telecasts are at a big disadvantage. Older telecasts had far fewer TV alternatives to compete with. When there were only 3 broadcast alternatives getting a 40 rating (40% of TV households watching) for simply a regular weekly series airing was possible!

Chris the friends final did 52.5 Million

Chris the friends final did 52.5 Million

Very uninteresting !
It’s Superbowl, superbowl, superbowl…
And I think the top is wrong, ER get a 42 million in its fourth season and Friends a 52 in its ten season.

Very uninteresting !
It’s Superbowl, superbowl, superbowl…
And I think the top is wrong, ER get a 42 million in its fourth season and Friends a 52 in its ten season.

Very uninteresting !
It’s Superbowl, superbowl, superbowl…
And I think the top is wrong, ER get a 42 million in its fourth season and Friends a 52 in its ten season.

Rrr and others, the viewing numbers are Households not individual viewers. I will add some copy to clarify.

Rrr and others, the viewing numbers are Households not individual viewers. I will add some copy to clarify.

Rrr and others, the viewing numbers are Households not individual viewers. I will add some copy to clarify.

Rrr and others, the viewing numbers are Households not individual viewers. I will add some copy to clarify.

Wow, a Miss America pageant on this list. My how times have changed. Any idea what episode of Dallas is #2? My guess would be “Who shot JR”

I’d be curious to see a list that did not include Superbowls. They are always bringing in huge numbers and I’m more curious about series finales, awards shows, etc.

Wow, a Miss America pageant on this list. My how times have changed. Any idea what episode of Dallas is #2? My guess would be “Who shot JR”

I’d be curious to see a list that did not include Superbowls. They are always bringing in huge numbers and I’m more curious about series finales, awards shows, etc.

Wow, a Miss America pageant on this list. My how times have changed. Any idea what episode of Dallas is #2? My guess would be “Who shot JR”

I’d be curious to see a list that did not include Superbowls. They are always bringing in huge numbers and I’m more curious about series finales, awards shows, etc.

Melissa, yes, the November 21, 1980 Dallas episode was the one that revealed “Who Shot JR?”

List crazy person that I am, I’d like to see those other sorts of lists too, but sadly we don’t compile these, we get them through the generosity of Nielsen Media, so we take what we can get!

Melissa, yes, the November 21, 1980 Dallas episode was the one that revealed “Who Shot JR?”

List crazy person that I am, I’d like to see those other sorts of lists too, but sadly we don’t compile these, we get them through the generosity of Nielsen Media, so we take what we can get!

The Beverly Hillbillies must have been the American Idol of its time.

The Beverly Hillbillies must have been the American Idol of its time.

Where’s Chuck and Dollhouse

jk

Where’s Chuck and Dollhouse

jk

What was so special about the 1994 Winter Olympics?

What was so special about the 1994 Winter Olympics?

Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan drama

Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan drama

I can’t believe that all of the episodes of “roots” are in the top 100 shows of all time. THAT’S OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can’t believe that all of the episodes of “roots” are in the top 100 shows of all time. THAT’S OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So were the shows of 1950′s taken into account? Doesn’t seem like it.

So were the shows of 1950′s taken into account? Doesn’t seem like it.

Jose, good question. Apparently not.

Jose, good question. Apparently not.

Jose, good question. Apparently not.

Jose, good question. Apparently not.

Based on the earliest show on the list a January 28, 1961 of “Gunsmoke” It looks like the list goes from 1961 to the present.

Makes sense since most if not all the list would have consisted of 1950′s shows if that decade was included.

little Ricky’s birth on “I Love Lucy” had a 71.7 rating in 1953, Elvis on Ed Sullivan a 82.6 rating in 1956

Based on the earliest show on the list a January 28, 1961 of “Gunsmoke” It looks like the list goes from 1961 to the present.

Makes sense since most if not all the list would have consisted of 1950′s shows if that decade was included.

little Ricky’s birth on “I Love Lucy” had a 71.7 rating in 1953, Elvis on Ed Sullivan a 82.6 rating in 1956

Didn’t the anual Wizard of Oz screening use to get 40% ratings for years?

Didn’t the anual Wizard of Oz screening use to get 40% ratings for years?

WOW its all boring Crap, Why would that many people be watching MASH or the superbowl? SOooo freakin BORING

WOW its all boring Crap, Why would that many people be watching MASH or the superbowl? SOooo freakin BORING

WOW its all boring Crap, Why would that many people be watching MASH or the superbowl? SOooo freakin BORING

WOW its all boring Crap, Why would that many people be watching MASH or the superbowl? SOooo freakin BORING

Wow — if it wasn’t for football, this century wouldn’t even be on the list.
Maybe showing my age here, but I’m a little nostalgic for event viewing like Roots and Winds of War. With all the splintering of viewership, I don’t think we’ll ever see that sort of thing again. Its too bad really.

Wow — if it wasn’t for football, this century wouldn’t even be on the list.
Maybe showing my age here, but I’m a little nostalgic for event viewing like Roots and Winds of War. With all the splintering of viewership, I don’t think we’ll ever see that sort of thing again. Its too bad really.

Wow — if it wasn’t for football, this century wouldn’t even be on the list.
Maybe showing my age here, but I’m a little nostalgic for event viewing like Roots and Winds of War. With all the splintering of viewership, I don’t think we’ll ever see that sort of thing again. Its too bad really.

The MASH finale is up there in the top five(along with “Who Shot JR?”) as a remember-every-detail of when you watched it monent. Another has to be Luke and Laura’s Wedding on General Hosptial.

The MASH finale is up there in the top five(along with “Who Shot JR?”) as a remember-every-detail of when you watched it monent. Another has to be Luke and Laura’s Wedding on General Hosptial.

The MASH finale is up there in the top five(along with “Who Shot JR?”) as a remember-every-detail of when you watched it monent. Another has to be Luke and Laura’s Wedding on General Hosptial.

I didnt realize superbowls were counted as TV Shows

I didnt realize superbowls were counted as TV Shows

Kind of boring. I’d prefer a list that excludes the Super Bowl because well, that accounts for a good third or so of the list.

Kind of boring. I’d prefer a list that excludes the Super Bowl because well, that accounts for a good third or so of the list.

Kind of boring. I’d prefer a list that excludes the Super Bowl because well, that accounts for a good third or so of the list.

Kind of boring. I’d prefer a list that excludes the Super Bowl because well, that accounts for a good third or so of the list.

There is nothing sad about this list at all, it’s merely evidence of the wonderful variety of entertainment we enjoy today.

There is nothing sad about this list at all, it’s merely evidence of the wonderful variety of entertainment we enjoy today.

There is nothing sad about this list at all, it’s merely evidence of the wonderful variety of entertainment we enjoy today.

If you expanded the list to 200 many of the shows that people seem to be missing would be there. This is 100 shows out of the thousands of shows shown ever.

If you expanded the list to 200 many of the shows that people seem to be missing would be there. This is 100 shows out of the thousands of shows shown ever.

…back when we didn’t have P2P..lol.

…back when we didn’t have P2P..lol.

Wow, I never knew the Miss America Pageant was such a huge event on the scale of the Superbowl championship at one time. Amazing! It makes you wonder what started the collapse of that empire.

Wow, I never knew the Miss America Pageant was such a huge event on the scale of the Superbowl championship at one time. Amazing! It makes you wonder what started the collapse of that empire.

Wow, I never knew the Miss America Pageant was such a huge event on the scale of the Superbowl championship at one time. Amazing! It makes you wonder what started the collapse of that empire.

Wow, I never knew the Miss America Pageant was such a huge event on the scale of the Superbowl championship at one time. Amazing! It makes you wonder what started the collapse of that empire.

I have to agree that if you removed the football, you’d have a “Top 10″ list instead of a “Top 100″.

Not really useful including the Superbowl in such lists since it skews the results so badly.

Derek – That was sarcasm, right?

I have to agree that if you removed the football, you’d have a “Top 10″ list instead of a “Top 100″.

Not really useful including the Superbowl in such lists since it skews the results so badly.

Derek – That was sarcasm, right?

It seems that 1983 was the last bumper year without Super Bowl. From some of the other comments, it’s apparent they weren’t around then and the Top 100 list is a history lesson.

It seems that 1983 was the last bumper year without Super Bowl. From some of the other comments, it’s apparent they weren’t around then and the Top 100 list is a history lesson.

It seems that 1983 was the last bumper year without Super Bowl. From some of the other comments, it’s apparent they weren’t around then and the Top 100 list is a history lesson.

Joe D, good observation, the early 80′s began the decades long continuing erosion of broadcast TV marketshare by cable networks. Once that started, it was hard to get large shares of the population watching almost anything but the Super Bowl.

Joe D, good observation, the early 80′s began the decades long continuing erosion of broadcast TV marketshare by cable networks. Once that started, it was hard to get large shares of the population watching almost anything but the Super Bowl.

Joe D, good observation, the early 80′s began the decades long continuing erosion of broadcast TV marketshare by cable networks. Once that started, it was hard to get large shares of the population watching almost anything but the Super Bowl.

Joe D, good observation, the early 80′s began the decades long continuing erosion of broadcast TV marketshare by cable networks. Once that started, it was hard to get large shares of the population watching almost anything but the Super Bowl.

It would be interesting to see a similar list of cable TV biggest hits. Then again, it would probably be WWE, WWE, WWE, and so on all the way down the list.

It would be interesting to see a similar list of cable TV biggest hits. Then again, it would probably be WWE, WWE, WWE, and so on all the way down the list.

It would be interesting to see a similar list of cable TV biggest hits. Then again, it would probably be WWE, WWE, WWE, and so on all the way down the list.

Actually, I’m pretty sure that either football or High School Musical 2 holds the record for biggest cable audience ever.

Actually, I’m pretty sure that either football or High School Musical 2 holds the record for biggest cable audience ever.

Actually, I’m pretty sure that either football or High School Musical 2 holds the record for biggest cable audience ever.

Mr. Gorman, do you think the erosion of broadcast TV market share was a major factor in the decline of TV movies, miniseries, and “very special” episodes (e.g. MASH)? It seems that any reasonable miniseries drew mega viewers in the 70′s through the mid-80′s. Now it’s rare to see such events anywhere. I’m bummed about “Kings” now. Had it been a well-publicized, four-part mini series in the 80′s, it could have been HUGE

As for Miss America, I do remember the days before cable (I was very young) when my Dad would make a major event out of the night. Gather the family, make popcorn, and pick your favorites, kids! It was the 70′s at that point, when I know womens’ groups were making major waves about pageants so focused on a woman’s looks. But still, Miss America seems so innocent compared to the weekly reality sleaze of today…oh, and Dad made big deals out of the Oscars, Grammys, and Olympics too. Without cable, any once-a-year (or less) event was a major event I guess ?

Mr. Gorman, do you think the erosion of broadcast TV market share was a major factor in the decline of TV movies, miniseries, and “very special” episodes (e.g. MASH)? It seems that any reasonable miniseries drew mega viewers in the 70′s through the mid-80′s. Now it’s rare to see such events anywhere. I’m bummed about “Kings” now. Had it been a well-publicized, four-part mini series in the 80′s, it could have been HUGE

As for Miss America, I do remember the days before cable (I was very young) when my Dad would make a major event out of the night. Gather the family, make popcorn, and pick your favorites, kids! It was the 70′s at that point, when I know womens’ groups were making major waves about pageants so focused on a woman’s looks. But still, Miss America seems so innocent compared to the weekly reality sleaze of today…oh, and Dad made big deals out of the Oscars, Grammys, and Olympics too. Without cable, any once-a-year (or less) event was a major event I guess ?

High School Musical was insanely well-received! They’ve raised the bar for kids’ and ‘tween programming

High School Musical was insanely well-received! They’ve raised the bar for kids’ and ‘tween programming

High School Musical was insanely well-received! They’ve raised the bar for kids’ and ‘tween programming

If only Chuck couldcrack this list. Then it would be renewed for sure.

If only Chuck couldcrack this list. Then it would be renewed for sure.

tom, lol yes with numbers like that it could jump to the top of the renew cancel index in one week!

tom, lol yes with numbers like that it could jump to the top of the renew cancel index in one week!

tom, lol yes with numbers like that it could jump to the top of the renew cancel index in one week!

tom, lol yes with numbers like that it could jump to the top of the renew cancel index in one week!

the series finale of Seinfeld really marked the end of an area for scripted television watched by a true mass audience. im not old enough to even remember if i watched the last Cheers or not, but i still remember the day of the last seinfeld. that was quite the cultural event.

the series finale of Seinfeld really marked the end of an area for scripted television watched by a true mass audience. im not old enough to even remember if i watched the last Cheers or not, but i still remember the day of the last seinfeld. that was quite the cultural event.

the series finale of Seinfeld really marked the end of an area for scripted television watched by a true mass audience. im not old enough to even remember if i watched the last Cheers or not, but i still remember the day of the last seinfeld. that was quite the cultural event.

the series finale of Seinfeld really marked the end of an area for scripted television watched by a true mass audience. im not old enough to even remember if i watched the last Cheers or not, but i still remember the day of the last seinfeld. that was quite the cultural event.

Cheers could have ended up being the Chuck of its day as I recall its first season had rather mediocre ratings but in those days even NBC gave a new series a chance to grow its audience but that was the early 80s before the onslaught of cable channels and execs making decisions based on premiere night metered market ratings.

Cheers could have ended up being the Chuck of its day as I recall its first season had rather mediocre ratings but in those days even NBC gave a new series a chance to grow its audience but that was the early 80s before the onslaught of cable channels and execs making decisions based on premiere night metered market ratings.

Cheers could have ended up being the Chuck of its day as I recall its first season had rather mediocre ratings but in those days even NBC gave a new series a chance to grow its audience but that was the early 80s before the onslaught of cable channels and execs making decisions based on premiere night metered market ratings.

Cheers could have ended up being the Chuck of its day as I recall its first season had rather mediocre ratings but in those days even NBC gave a new series a chance to grow its audience but that was the early 80s before the onslaught of cable channels and execs making decisions based on premiere night metered market ratings.

I thought the super bowls get in the 80s and 90 million….????

I thought the super bowls get in the 80s and 90 million….????

marlon, those are household numbers. the total viewer numbers would be much higher.

marlon, those are household numbers. the total viewer numbers would be much higher.

the128, I remember the last Cheers episode, but I actually have never seen the last Seinfeld. I tried to once when I went to the TV & Radio Museum in NYC, but it wasn’t available.

the128, I remember the last Cheers episode, but I actually have never seen the last Seinfeld. I tried to once when I went to the TV & Radio Museum in NYC, but it wasn’t available.

Julia, you’ll not find a bigger Seinfeld fan than I, and like many others, I was disappointed in the finale.

Julia, you’ll not find a bigger Seinfeld fan than I, and like many others, I was disappointed in the finale.

Julia, you’ll not find a bigger Seinfeld fan than I, and like many others, I was disappointed in the finale.

Julia, you’ll not find a bigger Seinfeld fan than I, and like many others, I was disappointed in the finale.

Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard, but I still feel like I need to see it.

Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard, but I still feel like I need to see it.

Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard, but I still feel like I need to see it.

Bill, How about throwing up a viewers list. Top 100 shows by how many people who watched.

Bill, How about throwing up a viewers list. Top 100 shows by how many people who watched.

Bill, How about throwing up a viewers list. Top 100 shows by how many people who watched.

“The Beverly Hillbillies must have been the American Idol of its time.”

Not really. LOL. This was long before cable TV came into every household in America. At the risk of dating myself, in the 1960′s there were only the big 3; CBS, ABC and NBC. Not too much competition in those days.

“The Beverly Hillbillies must have been the American Idol of its time.”

Not really. LOL. This was long before cable TV came into every household in America. At the risk of dating myself, in the 1960′s there were only the big 3; CBS, ABC and NBC. Not too much competition in those days.

“The Beverly Hillbillies must have been the American Idol of its time.”

Not really. LOL. This was long before cable TV came into every household in America. At the risk of dating myself, in the 1960′s there were only the big 3; CBS, ABC and NBC. Not too much competition in those days.

I respectfully disagree! Beverly Hillbillies was a huge hit, even by those Big 3-only standards. It spawned, directly or indirectly, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. And it, along with the Andy Griffith shows (including Gomer Pyle) and Gunsmoke and Wild, Wild West, gave CBS a “rural” reputation that it intentionally repudiated in the 1970s beginning with Mary Tyler Moore and, definitively, with All in the Family.

The way I look at it, we live in TV eras defined by the No. 1 broadcast show. The timeline I can remember (and I’m 53) went from Gunsmoke to Bonanza to Beverly Hillbillies to Laugh-In (big cultural shift there) to All in the Family to Happy Days to Dallas to Cosby Show to ER to Seinfeld to Friends to CSI to American Idol. That’s just off the top of my head — I’m sure I missed some or got them wrong!

I respectfully disagree! Beverly Hillbillies was a huge hit, even by those Big 3-only standards. It spawned, directly or indirectly, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. And it, along with the Andy Griffith shows (including Gomer Pyle) and Gunsmoke and Wild, Wild West, gave CBS a “rural” reputation that it intentionally repudiated in the 1970s beginning with Mary Tyler Moore and, definitively, with All in the Family.

The way I look at it, we live in TV eras defined by the No. 1 broadcast show. The timeline I can remember (and I’m 53) went from Gunsmoke to Bonanza to Beverly Hillbillies to Laugh-In (big cultural shift there) to All in the Family to Happy Days to Dallas to Cosby Show to ER to Seinfeld to Friends to CSI to American Idol. That’s just off the top of my head — I’m sure I missed some or got them wrong!

I respectfully disagree! Beverly Hillbillies was a huge hit, even by those Big 3-only standards. It spawned, directly or indirectly, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. And it, along with the Andy Griffith shows (including Gomer Pyle) and Gunsmoke and Wild, Wild West, gave CBS a “rural” reputation that it intentionally repudiated in the 1970s beginning with Mary Tyler Moore and, definitively, with All in the Family.

The way I look at it, we live in TV eras defined by the No. 1 broadcast show. The timeline I can remember (and I’m 53) went from Gunsmoke to Bonanza to Beverly Hillbillies to Laugh-In (big cultural shift there) to All in the Family to Happy Days to Dallas to Cosby Show to ER to Seinfeld to Friends to CSI to American Idol. That’s just off the top of my head — I’m sure I missed some or got them wrong!

Didn’t Laugh-In come after All In The Family? Because I remember watching “Family” with MY family (and believe me, that was embarrassing because my father talked like Archie Bunker at the table and then Archie comes on an hour later and says the same thing, and I look at my father and go, “Where did I hear that?” – and he tells me to shut up…) whereas I believe I watched Laugh-In by myself later.

Nope, just looked it up – I’m wrong. But partly that’s because Family ran for nine years and overlapped Laugh-In that started earlier. And I never watched Family after I left home in 1972 whereas I did watch Laugh-in.

But Family definitely spurred a new direction in sit-coms all by itself.

And don’t forget the spy shows! Man From U.N.C.L.E., Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Wild Wild West (a Western spy show and a damn good one, too!), The Avengers, I Spy, Mission Impossible, etc. Those were my favorites.

Didn’t Laugh-In come after All In The Family? Because I remember watching “Family” with MY family (and believe me, that was embarrassing because my father talked like Archie Bunker at the table and then Archie comes on an hour later and says the same thing, and I look at my father and go, “Where did I hear that?” – and he tells me to shut up…) whereas I believe I watched Laugh-In by myself later.

Nope, just looked it up – I’m wrong. But partly that’s because Family ran for nine years and overlapped Laugh-In that started earlier. And I never watched Family after I left home in 1972 whereas I did watch Laugh-in.

But Family definitely spurred a new direction in sit-coms all by itself.

And don’t forget the spy shows! Man From U.N.C.L.E., Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Wild Wild West (a Western spy show and a damn good one, too!), The Avengers, I Spy, Mission Impossible, etc. Those were my favorites.

Didn’t Laugh-In come after All In The Family? Because I remember watching “Family” with MY family (and believe me, that was embarrassing because my father talked like Archie Bunker at the table and then Archie comes on an hour later and says the same thing, and I look at my father and go, “Where did I hear that?” – and he tells me to shut up…) whereas I believe I watched Laugh-In by myself later.

Nope, just looked it up – I’m wrong. But partly that’s because Family ran for nine years and overlapped Laugh-In that started earlier. And I never watched Family after I left home in 1972 whereas I did watch Laugh-in.

But Family definitely spurred a new direction in sit-coms all by itself.

And don’t forget the spy shows! Man From U.N.C.L.E., Girl From U.N.C.L.E., Wild Wild West (a Western spy show and a damn good one, too!), The Avengers, I Spy, Mission Impossible, etc. Those were my favorites.

This is a lot like when people talk about movie box office take adjusted for inflation. You can’t compare the eras like that. Pre-1990s, there were three channels with active programming. In the 50s, there was maybe one program a night that the country watched. Same goes for movies. Theaters didn’t show 10 to 20 movies, they showed one or two. So, all those old-time numbers are based on a lack of choice.

This is a lot like when people talk about movie box office take adjusted for inflation. You can’t compare the eras like that. Pre-1990s, there were three channels with active programming. In the 50s, there was maybe one program a night that the country watched. Same goes for movies. Theaters didn’t show 10 to 20 movies, they showed one or two. So, all those old-time numbers are based on a lack of choice.

It will be very interesting to see what kind of ratings the finale of ER gets. NBC is doubling the advertising price and I assume we’ll see at least a doubling of ratings. I hope for NBC’s sake, it does tremendously well. But, frankly, if the show had ended 5 years ago, while the show still had a good buzz, I think it would be huge, almost Seinfeld-like. But, now, not even George Clooney coming back could bump ratings up too much.

That being said, the two most interesting things on this list are the 13 showings of the Beverly Hillbillies, and the World Series game 6 from 1980, where my Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series title. I wonder why, if they got such great ratings from a Kansas City/Philadelphia WS in 1980, why did the Tampa Bay/Philadelphia series this past season do so poorly? Plus, as talked about before, the Beverly Hillbillies must have been super popular to make it on this list a total of 13 times. If a show is popular, normally a finale shows up, but to have 13 shows of a series show up is amazing.

It will be very interesting to see what kind of ratings the finale of ER gets. NBC is doubling the advertising price and I assume we’ll see at least a doubling of ratings. I hope for NBC’s sake, it does tremendously well. But, frankly, if the show had ended 5 years ago, while the show still had a good buzz, I think it would be huge, almost Seinfeld-like. But, now, not even George Clooney coming back could bump ratings up too much.

That being said, the two most interesting things on this list are the 13 showings of the Beverly Hillbillies, and the World Series game 6 from 1980, where my Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series title. I wonder why, if they got such great ratings from a Kansas City/Philadelphia WS in 1980, why did the Tampa Bay/Philadelphia series this past season do so poorly? Plus, as talked about before, the Beverly Hillbillies must have been super popular to make it on this list a total of 13 times. If a show is popular, normally a finale shows up, but to have 13 shows of a series show up is amazing.

Matt and others requesting different lists, As I wrote earlier in the comments, we don’t make the lists, Nielsen makes the lists. I’d love to have lots of different lists too, but this is what we’ve got from Nielsen.

Matt and others requesting different lists, As I wrote earlier in the comments, we don’t make the lists, Nielsen makes the lists. I’d love to have lots of different lists too, but this is what we’ve got from Nielsen.

Matt and others requesting different lists, As I wrote earlier in the comments, we don’t make the lists, Nielsen makes the lists. I’d love to have lots of different lists too, but this is what we’ve got from Nielsen.

Matt and others requesting different lists, As I wrote earlier in the comments, we don’t make the lists, Nielsen makes the lists. I’d love to have lots of different lists too, but this is what we’ve got from Nielsen.

Julia, amazing that you’ve never seen the Seinfeld finale. I was among the disappointed crowd – but I guess it did what it needed to do, in typical Seinfeld fashion. What I did appreciate was the retrospect that ran before the finale. Clips, a few bloopers, and a wonderful montage playing to Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of your Life).” The actual finale episode was the disappointing part IMHO.

If you look at the billions of Seinfeld repeat episodes on TBS and in syndication, you could probably DVR it. It’s on so much, every day, that the finale is bound to show up sooner or later!

Julia, amazing that you’ve never seen the Seinfeld finale. I was among the disappointed crowd – but I guess it did what it needed to do, in typical Seinfeld fashion. What I did appreciate was the retrospect that ran before the finale. Clips, a few bloopers, and a wonderful montage playing to Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of your Life).” The actual finale episode was the disappointing part IMHO.

If you look at the billions of Seinfeld repeat episodes on TBS and in syndication, you could probably DVR it. It’s on so much, every day, that the finale is bound to show up sooner or later!

Given the growth in the total number of households with television, although only a few programs from the past two decades are on the list (not having counted I would estimate perhaps twenty), all of them have actually been seen in more households. For example, the series finale of Friends in May of 2004 drew a 29.8 rating and a 43 share. Nothing on the first list has below a 40.0 rating; there are actually 102 programs on the list, suggesting that Nielsen just picked out everything above a 40.0 rating.

However, that 29.8 rating in 2004 means Friends was seen in 32.3 million households. Looking at the second list, it was seen in more households than all the programs below Roots Pt. III (31.9 million households).

Some other totally pointless numbers:

*Michael Jackson Interview on ABC, 1993: 39.3/56 or 36.5 million households
*Highest rated episode of ER: Season Four finale, May 14th, 1998, 28.8/45 or 28.21 million households
*Highest rated episode of Survivor: Season One finale, August 23rd, 2000, 28.6/45 or 28.7 million households
*Final episode of The Cosby Show: 28.0/45
*Second half of the Joe Millionaire first season finale: February 17th, 2003, 21.8/29 or 23.244 million households
*Final episode of Home Improvement: 21.6/34
*Final episode of Family Ties: 21.0/35
*Highest rated episode of American Idol: Season Five finale, May 24th, 2006, 20.5/32 or 22.564 million households
*Highest rated episode of American Dreams: 9.2/15
*Highest rated episode of Jericho: 7.6/12
*Highest rated episode of Chuck: 5.6/9

Oh, television. So many numbers.

Given the growth in the total number of households with television, although only a few programs from the past two decades are on the list (not having counted I would estimate perhaps twenty), all of them have actually been seen in more households. For example, the series finale of Friends in May of 2004 drew a 29.8 rating and a 43 share. Nothing on the first list has below a 40.0 rating; there are actually 102 programs on the list, suggesting that Nielsen just picked out everything above a 40.0 rating.

However, that 29.8 rating in 2004 means Friends was seen in 32.3 million households. Looking at the second list, it was seen in more households than all the programs below Roots Pt. III (31.9 million households).

Some other totally pointless numbers:

*Michael Jackson Interview on ABC, 1993: 39.3/56 or 36.5 million households
*Highest rated episode of ER: Season Four finale, May 14th, 1998, 28.8/45 or 28.21 million households
*Highest rated episode of Survivor: Season One finale, August 23rd, 2000, 28.6/45 or 28.7 million households
*Final episode of The Cosby Show: 28.0/45
*Second half of the Joe Millionaire first season finale: February 17th, 2003, 21.8/29 or 23.244 million households
*Final episode of Home Improvement: 21.6/34
*Final episode of Family Ties: 21.0/35
*Highest rated episode of American Idol: Season Five finale, May 24th, 2006, 20.5/32 or 22.564 million households
*Highest rated episode of American Dreams: 9.2/15
*Highest rated episode of Jericho: 7.6/12
*Highest rated episode of Chuck: 5.6/9

Oh, television. So many numbers.

Given the growth in the total number of households with television, although only a few programs from the past two decades are on the list (not having counted I would estimate perhaps twenty), all of them have actually been seen in more households. For example, the series finale of Friends in May of 2004 drew a 29.8 rating and a 43 share. Nothing on the first list has below a 40.0 rating; there are actually 102 programs on the list, suggesting that Nielsen just picked out everything above a 40.0 rating.

However, that 29.8 rating in 2004 means Friends was seen in 32.3 million households. Looking at the second list, it was seen in more households than all the programs below Roots Pt. III (31.9 million households).

Some other totally pointless numbers:

*Michael Jackson Interview on ABC, 1993: 39.3/56 or 36.5 million households
*Highest rated episode of ER: Season Four finale, May 14th, 1998, 28.8/45 or 28.21 million households
*Highest rated episode of Survivor: Season One finale, August 23rd, 2000, 28.6/45 or 28.7 million households
*Final episode of The Cosby Show: 28.0/45
*Second half of the Joe Millionaire first season finale: February 17th, 2003, 21.8/29 or 23.244 million households
*Final episode of Home Improvement: 21.6/34
*Final episode of Family Ties: 21.0/35
*Highest rated episode of American Idol: Season Five finale, May 24th, 2006, 20.5/32 or 22.564 million households
*Highest rated episode of American Dreams: 9.2/15
*Highest rated episode of Jericho: 7.6/12
*Highest rated episode of Chuck: 5.6/9

Oh, television. So many numbers.

Where’s Chuck?

Where’s Chuck?

Where’s Chuck?

Where’s Chuck?

EH!!!! you should have put the recent ratings (90s to now).

EH!!!! you should have put the recent ratings (90s to now).

EH!!!! you should have put the recent ratings (90s to now).

EH!!!! you should have put the recent ratings (90s to now).

OK, I love Chuck as much as the next person, but geez, enough with the fanboy stuff! This list is Top 100 TV shows of ALL TIME. Chuck is 4th in its time slot. NBC should tell us it’s back and move it to Wednesdays or just cancel it, but they shouldn’t jerk us around like they are.

Anyway, good list Bill. (I also like that Super Bowl XX—Da Bears!—was one of the highest-rated, even though it was a blowout.) It certainly reflects the times that even though there are shows that garner more viewers these days, the ratings are about the percentage of homes watching the show. That’s why more recent Super Bowls are further down the list, even though they may have had more pure numbers; there are so many other choices for people, and so many more households have both multiple TVs and satellite/cable.

That was a good suggestion to come up with lists from the respective decades. (For those lists, feel free to filter out sporting events.) It would be interesting to see what was highly rated and what wasn’t.

OK, I love Chuck as much as the next person, but geez, enough with the fanboy stuff! This list is Top 100 TV shows of ALL TIME. Chuck is 4th in its time slot. NBC should tell us it’s back and move it to Wednesdays or just cancel it, but they shouldn’t jerk us around like they are.

Anyway, good list Bill. (I also like that Super Bowl XX—Da Bears!—was one of the highest-rated, even though it was a blowout.) It certainly reflects the times that even though there are shows that garner more viewers these days, the ratings are about the percentage of homes watching the show. That’s why more recent Super Bowls are further down the list, even though they may have had more pure numbers; there are so many other choices for people, and so many more households have both multiple TVs and satellite/cable.

That was a good suggestion to come up with lists from the respective decades. (For those lists, feel free to filter out sporting events.) It would be interesting to see what was highly rated and what wasn’t.

OK, I love Chuck as much as the next person, but geez, enough with the fanboy stuff! This list is Top 100 TV shows of ALL TIME. Chuck is 4th in its time slot. NBC should tell us it’s back and move it to Wednesdays or just cancel it, but they shouldn’t jerk us around like they are.

Anyway, good list Bill. (I also like that Super Bowl XX—Da Bears!—was one of the highest-rated, even though it was a blowout.) It certainly reflects the times that even though there are shows that garner more viewers these days, the ratings are about the percentage of homes watching the show. That’s why more recent Super Bowls are further down the list, even though they may have had more pure numbers; there are so many other choices for people, and so many more households have both multiple TVs and satellite/cable.

That was a good suggestion to come up with lists from the respective decades. (For those lists, feel free to filter out sporting events.) It would be interesting to see what was highly rated and what wasn’t.

Hey….where’s Chuck?

Hey….where’s Chuck?

Hey….where’s Chuck?

I would like to see a rank based on total viewers… i think this categorie is more accurate…

I would like to see a rank based on total viewers… i think this categorie is more accurate…

I would like to see a rank based on total viewers… i think this categorie is more accurate…

I wonder what the top 100 viewership of all-time is that would be cool to see

I wonder what the top 100 viewership of all-time is that would be cool to see

I wonder what the top 100 viewership of all-time is that would be cool to see

This list really hammers the point home (at least for me) that the way the tv business will survive is with live programming, whether it is sports (superbowl!!) or American idol live content. Programs that are live and have people actively interested. If you think about it, the superbowl is amazing programming. Not only do millions tune in for the game, but they tune in for the commercials. You never hear anyone say, let’s watch the season finale of Dollhouse and see what commercials are on. It’s amazing.

The way the superbowl pulls people in is the way internet content and tv advertising is probably going. The advertising has to be almost “permission marketing” in that people don’t find it invasive and it needs to be delivered in such a way that it is part of the whole experience.

This list really hammers the point home (at least for me) that the way the tv business will survive is with live programming, whether it is sports (superbowl!!) or American idol live content. Programs that are live and have people actively interested. If you think about it, the superbowl is amazing programming. Not only do millions tune in for the game, but they tune in for the commercials. You never hear anyone say, let’s watch the season finale of Dollhouse and see what commercials are on. It’s amazing.

The way the superbowl pulls people in is the way internet content and tv advertising is probably going. The advertising has to be almost “permission marketing” in that people don’t find it invasive and it needs to be delivered in such a way that it is part of the whole experience.

This list really hammers the point home (at least for me) that the way the tv business will survive is with live programming, whether it is sports (superbowl!!) or American idol live content. Programs that are live and have people actively interested. If you think about it, the superbowl is amazing programming. Not only do millions tune in for the game, but they tune in for the commercials. You never hear anyone say, let’s watch the season finale of Dollhouse and see what commercials are on. It’s amazing.

The way the superbowl pulls people in is the way internet content and tv advertising is probably going. The advertising has to be almost “permission marketing” in that people don’t find it invasive and it needs to be delivered in such a way that it is part of the whole experience.

Wow, you have to go to #39 to get a show from the last decade, and there isn’t a single non-Superbowl show from the last decade on the entire list.

Quite interesting to see that almost everything on this list is from the 1970′s to the early 1990′s. This list is strong evidence of the fracturing of the TV audience in recent years.

There really is no “big event” television anymore in this era of internet, youtube, hulu.com, DVR, etc. The era of entire families and neighbourhoods sitting down to watch a non-sporting event TV show, like the Dallas season premiere is over!

(PS: I thought the Survivor finale from 2000 would have made the list)

Wow, you have to go to #39 to get a show from the last decade, and there isn’t a single non-Superbowl show from the last decade on the entire list.

Quite interesting to see that almost everything on this list is from the 1970′s to the early 1990′s. This list is strong evidence of the fracturing of the TV audience in recent years.

There really is no “big event” television anymore in this era of internet, youtube, hulu.com, DVR, etc. The era of entire families and neighbourhoods sitting down to watch a non-sporting event TV show, like the Dallas season premiere is over!

(PS: I thought the Survivor finale from 2000 would have made the list)

Don’t get your panties in a wad about there not being many shows on the list from the past decade. There only used to be a few channels total back in the day so if your TV was on, it was on one of the few channels available. It doesn’t mean the shows were better back then, it just means they had no real choices.

Don’t get your panties in a wad about there not being many shows on the list from the past decade. There only used to be a few channels total back in the day so if your TV was on, it was on one of the few channels available. It doesn’t mean the shows were better back then, it just means they had no real choices.

Don’t get your panties in a wad about there not being many shows on the list from the past decade. There only used to be a few channels total back in the day so if your TV was on, it was on one of the few channels available. It doesn’t mean the shows were better back then, it just means they had no real choices.

I’m amazed so many Beverly Hillbillies are here (though many of us LOVED it at some point) and the Bob Hope specials. Go Gunsmoke!

I’m amazed so many Beverly Hillbillies are here (though many of us LOVED it at some point) and the Bob Hope specials. Go Gunsmoke!