a friend and I were discussing this. Considering how huge Friends is, and the media attention the series finale has been getting, does anyone in here think this could possibly top M*A*S*H's "Goodbye, Farewell, Amen" as the most watched program in television history?

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
a friend and I were discussing this. Considering how huge Friends is, and the media attention the series finale has been getting, does anyone in here think this could possibly top M*A*S*H's "Goodbye, Farewell, Amen" as the most watched program in television history?

I don't think so, but I think it will defintely do very well. There are just so many more channels to choose from now that it would be impossible to match the same audience that M*A*S*H's finale had, imo.

I highly doubt it. Three out of every four televisions in use that night watched M*A*S*H. Seinfeld couldn't even top that episode and Seinfeld is actually a bigger pop culture icon than Friends.

Just won't happen, though, it will perform well.

It won't likely pass up MASH reason being the MASH finale aired back in 1983 when there were only 3 major networks and cable wasn't that big and cable didn't even have a lot of channels.

They did something about this I think it was on Access Hollywood, that they think that the series finale won't really be a ratings breaker like M*A*S*H and other highly rated series finalies.

I do think it will do really well, especially if Ross and Rachel do reunite, that's what alot of fans have waited for, for years!

As many of you have stated, TV is a lot differnt now than when M*A*S*H was on.
Friends will probably come close though. They're estimating 80-85 million will tune in. That's pretty darn good, if you ask me.

if it broke M*A*S*H ratings i would be truly shocked....because my mom was telling me that she was supposed to be in class the day of the M*A*S*H finale but her professors cancelled classes because of it lol..i mean thats pretty big but then again you never know.

Oh, I definetly do not think that it's impossible it could beat MASH. I'd like it too, though.;)

It wont beat MASH, because if you didnt watch the finale of MASH when it originally aired -- you were COMPLETELY left out of the conversations at work/school for days.

But nowadays, theres 100s of things people can watch on TV, and "Friends" will definately win the night (as will "Frasier" the next week), but I doubt itll get "MASH numbers"

"Cheers" is supposedly the 4th most watched finale ever.
What are numbers 2 and 3?? (MASH being #1)

Originally posted by barwars88
It wont beat MASH, because if you didnt watch the finale of MASH when it originally aired -- you were COMPLETELY left out of the conversations at work/school for days.

But nowadays, theres 100s of things people can watch on TV, and "Friends" will definately win the night (as will "Frasier" the next week), but I doubt itll get "MASH numbers"

"Cheers" is supposedly the 4th most watched finale ever.
What are numbers 2 and 3?? (MASH being #1)

I'm sure Seinfeld was one of them, not sure what the other is, it might be Cosby Show or Family Ties though.

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
I'm sure Seinfeld was one of them, not sure what the other is, it might be Cosby Show or Family Ties though.

Family Ties maybe..... but I think I read somewhere that TCS's finale ratings weren't all that great -- suits 'em right, the final season wasnt all that great.

I just realized something -- with the exception of MASH, NBC has the biggest series finales ever -- poor, poor ABC

Originally posted by barwars88
I just realized something -- with the exception of MASH, NBC has the biggest series finales ever -- poor, poor ABC

the funny/saddest thing is that in 92, ABC had one big "finale night". The last episodes of Who's The Boss, Growing Pains and MacGyver all on the same night, and none of them cracked the top 20 that week.

Even worse was that the series finale of Roseanne only made it to #15 it's final episode, because more people wanted to see Helen Hunt give birth on Mad About You. I liked MAY also, but I was shocked that a show as big as Roseanne's final episode WASN'T #1 or at least top 5 for the week, considering how Cosby and Family Ties didn't have such hot final seasons and they both were #1 the week of their finales

Mash Finale- 105.4 million viewers
Cheers Finale- 80 million viewers
The Cosby Show Finale- 44 million viewers
Seinfeld Finale- 76 million viewers

Analysts expect the Friends finale to draw in at least 50 million viewers.