Super Bowl Eclipses M*A*S*H Finale as Most-Watched TV Show

02/08/2010 at 12:00 AM EST

Super Bowl Eclipses M*A*S*H Finale as Most-Watched TV Show
Andy Lyons/Getty
A long-standing television record was rewritten last night, as CBS's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIV became the most-watched TV program in history.

Nielsen says 106.5 million TV viewers watched the New Orleans Saints defeat the Indianapolis Colts, according to reports by the Associated Press. That surpasses the 105.97 million who watched the series finale of M*A*S*H on Feb. 28, 1983, which was also aired on CBS.

The previous record viewership for a Super Bowl was set just last year, when 98.7 million watched the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals.

See how the stars celebrated the big game.



While Drew Brees and Peyton Manning certainly attracted plenty of attention on Sunday night, Hawkeye and Klinger can be comfortable knowing their mark was made in an era with fewer TV sets and a smaller population. --Tim Nudd

Tell us: What was your favorite Super Bowl moment? Saints or Colts?Andy Lyons/Getty

Your Reaction

Follow Us

On Newsstands Now

Kim's Delivery Room Drama!
  • Kim's Delivery Room Drama!
  • Katie: A Year After Split
  • Princess Kate: Palace's Baby Plan Revealed

Pick up your copy on newsstands

Click here for instant access to the Digital Magazine

Advertisement

From Our Partners

Watch It

What to Watch Today

From Our Partners