M*A*S*H Series Finale — "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" (1983)

With 105.97 million viewers, the M*A*S*H finale stood as the most-watched non-Super Bowl broadcast in U.S. history for over 27 years, outperforming the #7 Bronco chase by 11 million viewers and cementing its status as a genuine national event. The episode delivered a poignant farewell to characters audiences had followed for 11 seasons, balancing humor with the somber realities of war. Its record-breaking audience share of 77% of all televisions in use at the time demonstrates an unprecedented cultural convergence, and the program’s ability to attract such a massive live viewership remains a benchmark for pre-streaming era television.