# List of most watched television broadcasts in the United States

The following is the list of most watched television broadcasts in the United States by average viewership, according to Nielsen. Of the 30 most-watched telecasts, 27 are Super Bowls. The Apollo 11 moon landing is considered the most watched broadcasts of all time, with an estimated viewership of 125–150 million. However, the Apollo 11 moon landing is considered a news event and not a telecast, as the major networks each produced their own coverage of the event; as a result, FOX's live telecast of Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, holds the record for the largest average viewership of any live network U.S. television broadcast, with 127.7 million viewers. Although not counted separately, the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show and Super Bowl LIX halftime show are also estimated to have broken viewership records, with each watched by an estimated 133.5 million viewers.

## Most-watched broadcasts of all time
### Average viewership

The Apollo 11 moon landing on July 20, 1969, is reported to have been watched by 125–150 million people. This figure has not been substantiated by Nielsen Media Research, which has only published figures for the moon landing based on household viewership. Additionally, although not counted separately, the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show in 1993 was considered at the most watched television broadcast of all time with 133.4 million viewers; this figure would later be surpassed in 2025 by the end of the second quarter and subsequent halftime show of Super Bowl LIX, with 135.7 and 133.5 million viewers over the two quarter-hour periods.
Top 20 list of most-watched telecasts by average viewership according to Nielsen :
| Rank | Broadcast | Average viewers | Date | Network(s) |
| 1 | Super Bowl LIX | 127,700,000 | February 9, 2025 | Fox / Fox Deportes / Telemundo / Tubi |
| 2 | Super Bowl LVIII | 123,714,000 | February 11, 2024 | CBS / Univision / Nickelodeon |
| 3 | Super Bowl LVII | 115,096,000 | February 12, 2023 | Fox / Fox Deportes |
| 4 | Super Bowl XLIX | 114,810,000 | February 1, 2015 | NBC / Universo |
| 5 | Super Bowl XLVIII | 112,752,000 | February 2, 2014 | Fox / Fox Deportes |
| 6 | Super Bowl 50 | 112,336,000 | February 7, 2016 | CBS / ESPN Deportes |
| 7 | Super Bowl LI | 111,973,000 | February 5, 2017 | Fox / Fox Deportes |
| 8 | Super Bowl XLVI | 111,346,000 | February 5, 2012 | NBC |
| 9 | Super Bowl XLV | 111,041,000 | February 6, 2011 | Fox |
| 10 | Super Bowl XLVII | 108,693,000 | February 3, 2013 | CBS |
| 11 | Super Bowl XLIV | 106,476,000 | February 7, 2010 | CBS |
| 12 | M*A*S*H ("Goodbye, Farewell and Amen") | 105,970,000 | February 28, 1983 | CBS |
| 13 | Super Bowl LII | 104,016,000 | February 4, 2018 | NBC / Universo |
| 14 | Super Bowl LIV | 102,086,000 | February 2, 2020 | Fox / Fox Deportes |
| 15 | Super Bowl LVI | 101,470,000 | February 13, 2022 | NBC / Telemundo |
| 16 | Super Bowl LIII | 98,950,000 | February 3, 2019 | CBS / ESPN Deportes |
| 17 | Super Bowl XLIII | 98,732,000 | February 1, 2009 | NBC |
| 18 | Super Bowl XLII | 97,448,000 | February 3, 2008 | Fox |
| 19 | Super Bowl LV | 95,877,000 | February 7, 2021 | CBS / ESPN Deportes |
| 20 | Super Bowl XXX | 94,080,000 | January 28, 1996 | NBC |

#### Excluding Super Bowls

List of most-watched television broadcasts by average viewership excluding Super Bowls :
| Rank | Broadcast | Average viewers (millions) | Date | Network |
| 1 | M*A*S*H ("Goodbye, Farewell and Amen") | 106.0 | February 28, 1983 | CBS |
| 2 | Gulf War coverage | 85.6 | January 16, 1991 | Multiple |
| 3 | First Clinton–Trump presidential debate | 84.0 | September 26, 2016 | Multiple |
| 4 | Dallas ("Who Done It") | 83.6 | November 21, 1980 | CBS |
| 5 | Carter–Reagan presidential debate | 80.6 | October 28, 1980 | Multiple |
| 6 | Cheers ("One for the Road") | 80.5 | May 20, 1993 | NBC |
| 7 | 1994 Winter Olympics – Ladies' singles figure skating | 78.8 | February 23, 1994 | CBS |
| 8 | The Day After | 77.4 | November 20, 1983 | ABC |
| 9 | Roots ("Part VIII") | 76.7 | January 30, 1977 | ABC |
| 10 | Seinfeld ("The Finale") | 76.3 | May 14, 1998 | NBC |

### Series by year

| Season | Live | Live | Live | Live | Live + 3 DVR | Live + 3 DVR | Live + 3 DVR | Live + 7 DVR | Live + 7 DVR | Live + 7 DVR |
| Season | Series | Network | Households (millions) | Viewers (millions) | Series | Network | Viewers (millions) | Series | Network | Viewers (millions) |
| 1950s |||||||||||
| 1950–1951 | Texaco Star Theatre | NBC | 6.28 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1951–1952 | Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts | CBS | 8.23 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1952–1953 | I Love Lucy | CBS | 13.73 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1953–1954 | I Love Lucy | CBS | 15.29 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1954–1955 | I Love Lucy | CBS | 15.14 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1955–1956 | The $64,000 Question | CBS | 16.58 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1956–1957 | I Love Lucy | CBS | 17.00 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1957–1958 | Gunsmoke | CBS | 18.07 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1958–1959 | Gunsmoke | CBS | 17.40 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1959–1960 | Gunsmoke | CBS | 18.44 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1960s |||||||||||
| 1960–1961 | Gunsmoke | CBS | 17.61 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1961–1962 | Wagon Train | NBC | 15.59 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962–1963 | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS | 18.11 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1963–1964 | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS | 20.18 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964–1965 | Bonanza | NBC | 19.13 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1965–1966 | Bonanza | NBC | 17.12 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–1967 | Bonanza | NBC | 16.04 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–1968 | The Andy Griffith Show | CBS | 15.64 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1968–1969 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | NBC | 18.52 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–1970 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | NBC | 15.39 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1970s |||||||||||
| 1970–1971 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC | 17.79 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–1972 | All in the Family | CBS | 21.11 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1972–1973 | All in the Family | CBS | 21.58 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–1974 | All in the Family | CBS | 20.65 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974–1975 | All in the Family | CBS | 20.69 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–1976 | All in the Family | CBS | 20.95 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–1977 | Happy Days | ABC | 22.43 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–1978 | Laverne & Shirley | ABC | 23.04 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–1979 | Laverne & Shirley | ABC | 22.72 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1979–1980 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 21.67 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1980s |||||||||||
| 1980–1981 | Dallas | CBS | 27.57 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1981–1982 | Dallas | CBS | 23.15 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1982–1983 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 21.24 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1983–1984 | Dallas | CBS | 21.54 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1984–1985 | Dynasty | ABC | 21.23 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–1986 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 28.95 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–1987 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 30.50 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1987–1988 | The Cosby Show | NBC | Un­known | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–1989 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 23.14 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–1990 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 21.28 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1989–1990 | Roseanne | ABC | 21.28 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990s |||||||||||
| 1990–1991 | Cheers | NBC | 19.83 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–1992 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 20.17 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992–1993 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 20.39 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993–1994 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 19.69 | Un­known | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–1995 | Home Improvement | ABC | — | 32.50 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–1995 | Seinfeld | NBC | 19.56 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995–1996 | ER | NBC | 21.10 | 32.00 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–1997 | ER | NBC | 20.56 | 30.79 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–1998 | Seinfeld | NBC | 21.27 | 34.10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–1999 | ER | NBC | 17.69 | 25.40 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–2000 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tues) | ABC | Un­known | 28.53 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000s |||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Survivor | CBS | 28.80 | 29.80 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–2002 | Friends | NBC | 22.30 | 24.50 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–2003 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | Un­known | 26.12 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–2004 | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | Un­known | 25.73 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–2005 | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | Un­known | 27.32 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2005–2006 | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | Un­known | 31.17 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–2007 | American Idol (Wed) | Fox | Un­known | 30.58 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–2008 | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | Un­known | 28.80 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–2009 | American Idol (Wed) | Fox | Un­known | 25.53 | — | — | — | American Idol (Wed) | Fox | 26.88 |
| 2009–2010 | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | Un­known | 22.97 | — | — | — | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | 24.71 |
| 2010s |||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | American Idol (Wed) | Fox | Un­known | 23.95 | — | — | — | American Idol (Wed) | Fox | 26.20 |
| 2011–2012 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | Un­known | — | — | — | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 20.74 |
| 2012–2013 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | Un­known | — | — | — | NCIS | CBS | 21.34 |
| 2013–2014 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | 21.42 | — | — | — | The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 23.10 |
| 2014–2015 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | 20.69 | — | — | — | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 20.81 |
| 2015–2016 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | 21.30 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 21.38 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 21.39 |
| 2016–2017 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | 19.63 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 19.73 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 19.75 |
| 2017–2018 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | 17.58 | Roseanne | ABC | 18.21 | Roseanne | ABC | 19.96 |
| 2018–2019 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | 18.80 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 18.92 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 18.94 |
| 2019–2020 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | Un­known | 19.96 | — | — | — | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 20.09 |

## The highest-rated broadcasts of all time

The highest-rated broadcast of all time is the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983, with 60.2% of all households with television sets in the United States at that time watching the episode. Aside from Super Bowls, the most recent broadcast to receive a rating above 40 was the Seinfeld finale in 1998, with a 41.3.
Nielsen only began recording a list of ratings for individual broadcasts starting in July 1960, therefore ratings before that time are not included in their official count.
| Rank | Broadcast | Rating | Share | Date | Network |
| 1 | M*A*S*H ("Goodbye, Farewell and Amen") | 60.2 | 77 | February 28, 1983 | CBS |
| 2 | Dallas ("Who Done It") | 53.3 | 76 | November 21, 1980 | CBS |
| 3 | Roots ("Part VIII") | 51.1 | 71 | January 30, 1977 | ABC |
| 4 | Super Bowl XVI | 49.1 | 73 | January 24, 1982 | CBS |
| 5 | Super Bowl XVII | 48.6 | 69 | January 30, 1983 | NBC |
| 6 | 1994 Winter Olympics (Ladies' singles) | 48.5 | 64 | February 23, 1994 | CBS |
| 7 | Super Bowl XX | 48.3 | 70 | January 26, 1986 | NBC |
| 8 | The Big Event (Gone with the Wind (Part 1)) | 47.7 | 65 | November 7, 1976 | NBC |
| 9 | Super Bowl XLIX | 47.5 | 71 | February 1, 2015 | NBC |
| 10 | Monday Night at the Movies (Gone with the Wind (Part 2)) | 47.4 | 64 | November 8, 1976 | NBC |
| 11 | Super Bowl XII | 47.2 | 67 | January 15, 1978 | CBS |
| 12 | Super Bowl XIII | 47.1 | 74 | January 21, 1979 | NBC |
| 12 | Super Bowl XLVI | 47.0 | 71 | February 5, 2012 | NBC |
| 13 | Super Bowl XLVIII | 46.7 | 69 | February 2, 2014 | Fox |
| 14 | The Bob Hope Vietnam Christmas Show | 46.6 | 64 | January 15, 1970 | NBC |
| 14 | Super Bowl 50 | 46.6 | 72 | February 7, 2016 | CBS |
| 16 | Super Bowl XVIII | 46.4 | 71 | January 22, 1984 | CBS |
| 16 | Super Bowl XIX | 46.4 | 63 | January 20, 1985 | ABC |
| 16 | Super Bowl XLVII | 46.4 | 69 | February 3, 2013 | CBS |
| 19 | Super Bowl XIV | 46.3 | 67 | January 20, 1980 | CBS |
| 20 | The ABC Sunday Night Movie (The Day After) | 46.0 | 62 | November 20, 1983 | ABC |
| 20 | Super Bowl XXX | 46.0 | 68 | January 28, 1996 | NBC |
| 20 | Super Bowl XLV | 46.0 | 69 | February 6, 2011 | Fox |
| 23 | The Fugitive ("The Judgment: Part 2") | 45.9 | 72 | August 29, 1967 | ABC |
| 23 | Roots ("Part VI") | 45.9 | 66 | January 28, 1977 | ABC |
| 25 | Super Bowl XXI | 45.8 | 66 | January 25, 1987 | CBS |
| 26 | Roots ("Part V") | 45.7 | 71 | January 27, 1977 | ABC |
| 27 | Cheers ("One for the Road") | 45.5 | 64 | May 20, 1993 | NBC |
| 27 | Super Bowl XXVIII | 45.5 | 66 | January 30, 1994 | NBC |
| 29 | The Ed Sullivan Show (The Beatles first appearance) | 45.3 | 60 | February 9, 1964 | CBS |
| 29 | Super Bowl LI | 45.3 | 70 | February 5, 2017 | Fox |
| 30 | Super Bowl XXVII | 45.1 | 66 | January 31, 1993 | NBC |

### Timeline

The following is a timeline of the highest rated television broadcasts since December 17, 1960.

### Series by year

The following is a list of the highest rated television series by year.
| Season | Series | Network | Rating |
| 1950s ||||
| 1950–1951 | Texaco Star Theatre | NBC | 61.6 |
| 1951–1952 | Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts | CBS | 53.8 |
| 1952–1953 | I Love Lucy | CBS | 67.3 |
| 1953–1954 | I Love Lucy | CBS | 58.8 |
| 1954–1955 | I Love Lucy | CBS | 49.3 |
| 1955–1956 | The $64,000 Question | CBS | 47.5 |
| 1956–1957 | I Love Lucy | CBS | 43.7 |
| 1957–1958 | Gunsmoke | CBS | 43.1 |
| 1958–1959 | Gunsmoke | CBS | 39.6 |
| 1959–1960 | Gunsmoke | CBS | 40.3 |
| 1960s ||||
| 1960–1961 | Gunsmoke | CBS | 37.3 |
| 1961–1962 | Wagon Train | NBC | 32.1 |
| 1962–1963 | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS | 36.0 |
| 1963–1964 | The Beverly Hillbillies | CBS | 39.1 |
| 1964–1965 | Bonanza | NBC | 36.3 |
| 1965–1966 | Bonanza | NBC | 31.8 |
| 1966–1967 | Bonanza | NBC | 29.1 |
| 1967–1968 | The Andy Griffith Show | CBS | 27.6 |
| 1968–1969 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | NBC | 31.8 |
| 1969–1970 | Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In | NBC | 26.3 |
| 1970s ||||
| 1970–1971 | Marcus Welby, M.D. | ABC | 29.6 |
| 1971–1972 | All in the Family | CBS | 34.0 |
| 1972–1973 | All in the Family | CBS | 33.3 |
| 1973–1974 | All in the Family | CBS | 31.2 |
| 1974–1975 | All in the Family | CBS | 30.2 |
| 1975–1976 | All in the Family | CBS | 30.1 |
| 1976–1977 | Happy Days | ABC | 31.5 |
| 1977–1978 | Laverne & Shirley | ABC | 31.6 |
| 1978–1979 | Laverne & Shirley | ABC | 30.5 |
| 1979–1980 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 28.4 |
| 1980s ||||
| 1980–1981 | Dallas | CBS | 34.5 |
| 1981–1982 | Dallas | CBS | 28.4 |
| 1982–1983 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 25.5 |
| 1983–1984 | Dallas | CBS | 25.7 |
| 1984–1985 | Dynasty | ABC | 25.0 |
| 1985–1986 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 33.7 |
| 1986–1987 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 34.9 |
| 1987–1988 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 27.8 |
| 1988–1989 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 25.6 |
| 1989–1990 | The Cosby Show | NBC | 23.1 |
| 1989–1990 | Roseanne | ABC | 23.1 |
| 1990s ||||
| 1990–1991 | Cheers | NBC | 21.3 |
| 1991–1992 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 21.9 |
| 1992–1993 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 21.9 |
| 1993–1994 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 20.9 |
| 1994–1995 | Seinfeld | NBC | 20.6 |
| 1995–1996 | ER | NBC | 22.0 |
| 1996–1997 | ER | NBC | 21.2 |
| 1997–1998 | Seinfeld | NBC | 21.7 |
| 1998–1999 | ER | NBC | 17.8 |
| 1999–2000 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Tues) | ABC | 18.6 |
| 2000s ||||
| 2000–2001 | Survivor | CBS | 17.4 |
| 2001–2002 | Friends | NBC | 15.0 |
| 2002–2003 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 16.3 |
| 2003–2004 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 15.9 |
| 2004–2005 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | CBS | 16.5 |
| 2005–2006 | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | 17.6 |
| 2006–2007 | American Idol (Wed) | Fox | 17.3 |
| 2007–2008 | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | 16.1 |
| 2008–2009 | American Idol (Wed) | Fox | 15.1 |
| 2009–2010 | American Idol (Tues) | Fox | 13.7 |
| 2010s ||||
| 2010–2011 | American Idol (Wed) | Fox | 14.5 |
| 2011–2012 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 12.4 |
| 2012–2013 | NCIS | CBS | 13.5 |
| 2013–2014 | NCIS | CBS | 12.6 |
| 2013–2014 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 12.6 |
| 2014–2015 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 12.3 |
| 2015–2016 | NCIS | CBS | 12.8 |
| 2016–2017 | The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 11.5 |
| 2017–2018 | The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 11.1 |
| 2018–2019 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 10.9 |
| 2019–2020 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 20.09 |
| 2020–2021 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 16.50 |
| 2021–2022 | NBC Sunday Night Football | NBC | 18.0 |