If you’re old enough to remember 40 years ago, chances are on this night in 1983 you were in front of a television set, watching the finale of the “M-A-S-H” television series.
In “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” on Feb. 28, 1983, as the Korean War was ending, members of the 4077th MASH folded up their surgical tents, and characters said their bittersweet goodbyes.
The episode drew 105.97 million total viewers — by far the largest number of people ever, watching a prime-time television episode.
“The ratings for the finale of ‘M-A-S-H’ finale, it will never be broken,” said WTOP entertainment editor Jason Fraley. “You heard stories of deserted streets — there was no one out on the streets, because they were either at home, or at a bar, watching that ‘M-A-S-H’ finale.”
Fraley said TV viewing habits have changed seismically between 1983 and 2023.
“Back then, it was appointment viewing,” said Fraley. “With only a few channels, everyone gathered to watch the finale of ‘M-A-S-H.'”
The two-and-a-half-hour episode aired on CBS.
“Now, with all our different streaming services, everyone watches different things,” at any particular moment, said Fraley.
Off the top of his head, Fraley recounts, “the ‘Cheers’ finale did 80 million, ‘Seinfeld’ was like 76 million, ‘Friends’ was like 52 million.”
Fraley says today’s TV viewing audience is “splintered” because of the streaming options.
“When you think of one of the most popular shows of our time, ‘Game of Thrones,’ on HBO, it did 13.6 million viewers in its finale, I think it went up to 19 million, if you count replays, early-viewing, on-demand,” said Fraley.
“Think about it — that’s 19 million compared to 106 million ‘M-A-S-H,'” said Fraley. “There’s such quality television now, we’re in a golden age, but society has changed so much — that record is safe.”
