http://whatculture.com/tv/simpsons-15-watched-episodes-time.php

The only honor roll that matters in Springfield.

If the number of viewers were counted rather than the number of households during The Simpsons's early years, then The Simpsons would have ranked among the Top 10 most-watched shows during a network TV season, especially considering the Fox Network's relatively limited presence in comparison to the Big 3 networks before the 1994 broadcast TV realignment.

Not even The Simpsons's two Super Bowl lead-out episodes (which drew 22 mllion (1999) and 23 million (2005)) topped these figures.

I'm wondering if Married with Children drew these kind of viewership figures?

I've noticed how the majority of them are from the 1st season which is ok but I wouldn't call them the best episodes since the show was still finding it's feet among viewers, and many of the 1st season is painful to watch in hindsight (but that's just me) probably the huge amount of viewers could also attest many people just out of curiosity wanting to check out the show if they were tired of The Cosby Show.

For me The Simpsons hit their stride with seasons 2,3,4,5.

If the number of viewers were counted rather than the number of households during The Simpsons's early years, then The Simpsons would have ranked among the Top 10 most-watched shows during a network TV season, especially considering the Fox Network's relatively limited presence in comparison to the Big 3 networks before the 1994 broadcast TV realignment.

Not even The Simpsons's two Super Bowl lead-out episodes (which drew 22 mllion (1999) and 23 million (2005)) topped these figures.

I'm wondering if Married with Children drew these kind of viewership figures?

MWC S4 Xmas episode drew 31 million viewers, S4-6 episodes had about 20 million viewers.

I've noticed how the majority of them are from the 1st season which is ok but I wouldn't call them the best episodes since the show was still finding it's feet among viewers, and many of the 1st season is painful to watch in hindsight (but that's just me) probably the huge amount of viewers could also attest many people just out of curiosity wanting to check out the show if they were tired of The Cosby Show.

For me The Simpsons hit their stride with seasons 2,3,4,5.

It was innovative concept back then, FOX made mistake moving it to Thursday 8pm next season because The Cosby Show was still popular, when Cosby ended ratings didn't go back to usual 27-30 million viewers from S1 despite lesser competition, about 20-23 million people watched last season of The Cosby and S3 of The Simpsons.

On what day was The Simpsons 1st season originally?

^^Sundays, but at 8:30.

More about The Simpsons being a Top-10 show in terms of viewership during its first season:

Here is a list of the 20 most-watched shows on U.S. broadcast television during the 1989-90 season. Season 1 of The Simpsons would have been the 9th-most-watched network TV program.

1. America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC) - 38.0 million
2. The Cosby Show (NBC) - 36.6 million
3. Roseanne (ABC) - 36.1 million
4. Cheers (NBC) - 34.7 million
5. A Different World (NBC) - 33.7 million
6. The Golden Girls (NBC) - 30.7 million
7. The Wonder Years (ABC) - 29.7 million
8. Empty Nest (NBC) - 28.6 million
9. The Simpsons (Fox) - 27.8 million
10. Who's the Boss? (ABC) - 27.3 million
11. 60 Minutes (CBS) - 27.0 million
12. Unsolved Mysteries (NBC) - 26.4 million
13. Murder, She Wrote (CBS) - 26.3 million
14. Chicken Soup (ABC) - 25.9 million
15. Grand (NBC) - 25.7 million
16. NFL Monday Night Football (ABC) - 25.3 million
17. Coach (ABC) - 25.3 million
18. L.A. Law (NBC) - 25.3 million
19. In the Heat of the Night (NBC) - 24.8 million
20. Full House (ABC) - 24.6 million

Times have changed.

They sure have. You'll never see numbers like that anymore.

Full House in the #20 slot? I thought that was when it aired on TGIF along with Family Matters and Perfect Strangers that it was turning into the monster hit it sadly became.

More about The Simpsons being a Top-10 show in terms of viewership during its first season:

Here is a list of the 20 most-watched shows on U.S. broadcast television during the 1989-90 season. Season 1 of The Simpsons would have been the 9th-most-watched network TV program.

1. America's Funniest Home Videos (ABC) - 38.0 million
2. The Cosby Show (NBC) - 36.6 million
3. Roseanne (ABC) - 36.1 million
4. Cheers (NBC) - 34.7 million
5. A Different World (NBC) - 33.7 million
6. The Golden Girls (NBC) - 30.7 million
7. The Wonder Years (ABC) - 29.7 million
8. Empty Nest (NBC) - 28.6 million
9. The Simpsons (Fox) - 27.8 million
10. Who's the Boss? (ABC) - 27.3 million
11. 60 Minutes (CBS) - 27.0 million
12. Unsolved Mysteries (NBC) - 26.4 million
13. Murder, She Wrote (CBS) - 26.3 million
14. Chicken Soup (ABC) - 25.9 million
15. Grand (NBC) - 25.7 million
16. NFL Monday Night Football (ABC) - 25.3 million
17. Coach (ABC) - 25.3 million
18. L.A. Law (NBC) - 25.3 million
19. In the Heat of the Night (NBC) - 24.8 million
20. Full House (ABC) - 24.6 million

How did you find out the viewer numbers?

http://whatculture.com/tv/simpsons-15-watched-episodes-time.php

This was when the show was great.