The Most Watched TV Finales Compared To 'Game Of Thrones'
We thought "Game of Thrones" was big. Turns out its finale numbers don't hold a candle to shows like "M.A.S.H." and "Cheers."
This chart from Axios really helps put into perspective what a large turnout early pre-2000 shows inspired for their finales.
In first place is "M.A.S.H.", the war comedy show from CBS that ran from 1972 to 1983. 106 million people tuned in for the final episode of the show, a record that has remained unbroken all these decades. Compared to shows like "M.A.S.H." or the finales of sitcoms like "Cheers," "Seinfeld" and "Friends," which all boast viewership of over 50 million, the numbers for "Game of Thrones" — 19 million — is relatively modest.
But if we consider the fact that entertainment has become more varied and splintered in the past decade, the numbers for "Game of Thrones" is still pretty impressive. Add in the fact that all the shows above it aired on free broadcast channels — as opposed to the paid HBO — and it's a strong showing. Not only did it edge out "The Big Bang Theory," which drew in 18 million viewers for its finale, but it also broke records for HBO.
Now, whether or not that finale was actually satisfying is another matter entirely, of course.
