Seinfeld's finale will not beat M*A*S*H's final episode ratings due to the Puerto Rican boycott over the flag-burning scene.
Fans debate whether Seinfeld's finale will beat M*A*S*H's ratings, with concerns that the Puerto Rican Day parade episode's flag-burning scene and resulting boycott might hurt viewership.
Here's a thought: As a M*A*S*H devotee, I have wondered whether the last Seinfeld will beat the final M*A*S*H. Being a M*A*S*H fan aside, most indications are that it will not do so.
However, does anyone here think the Puerto Rican boycott of NBC will ensure M*A*S*H's record? Furthermore, this doesn't have to include Puerto Ricans; anyone offended by the flag burning/mob scene might be boycotting a show they might otherwise have watched. This said, I wonder if the numbers of those watching Thurs night will suffer.
Just a comment on beating the final M.A.S.H.'s ratings; on Today in New York this morning someone was on who commented that it would not get as high of a rating as M.A.S.H. percentage-wise (as far as percentage of the viewing audience) because of several reasons, such as that people have more to watch on TV today (in other words, cable) than people did when M.A.S.H. aired; and since the last M.A.S.H. aired during a February, people were more likely to stay at home than they would during May, when people would go out instead to have a good time. But he did say that the total number of people watching Seinfeld would probably beat the total watching M.A.S.H. because the population now is greater than it was 15 years ago.
Well, I for one hope it beats the M.A.S.H. ratings all to hell. That M.A.S.H. finale was my biggest TV-watching disappointment ever. It was a real downer, had none of the qualities that had made the show so great in the early years.
I am confident that the Seinfeld people have more sense than the M.A.S.H. people did.
I can't speak for this particular person being a troll or not (although I doubt it) but this is definitely not the first itme I have heard this particular opinion expressed with regards to the series finale. I have people in my family who have this viewpoint. I wouldn't assume someone is a troll just because they happen to have a negative opinion about a MASH show.
I'd like to see that too, as I feel Seinfeld is much funnier than M*A*S*H was.(Jeez, talk about milking a cow dry, the last 2 or 3 years of MASH were total shit) But, as has been pointed out in numerous articles, the odds of this happening are miniscule at best. The top rating goes by the 1st number you always see in the ratings, the percentage of sets on watching the show. MASH scored a (60.2/77), thats 60 % of all sets on watching. Remeber though, in 1983, very few houses had more than 2 TV sets in a single home. Today very few have less than 2. (Most of my single friends have 2 TVs in 1 bedroom apartments, Married friends have at least 2 or 3 TVs) Most families have one for each member in house. The additional TVs will bring down the percentages for Seinfeld. Also, older viewers, 65 and up don't watch the show. I don't know any of my parents friends that do. They all "feel it is meanspirited" This too will bring the percentages down. Older folks did watch MASH. There is virtually no way that 60% of country is gonna watch it at same time. To get 2nd place, it only needs to beat the Fugitive at (45.9/72) 46% is definitely doable. BUT, I still hope they can do it!!!!!!!
Dstrbed
" I saw it too. Does that make me Disturbed?" - FM - "Folie A Deux"
"Before anyone passes judgement, may I remind you, we ARE in the Arctic. "- FM - "Ice"
One more important factor you forgot to figure in: at the time of The Fugitive, literally NOBODY owned a VCR. It wasn't invented yet.
At the time of the M*A*S*H* finale, VCRs existed, but were not owned by the majority of the country.
I don't know what percentage of households have VCRs today in comparison to 1983, but I'm sure it's way higher. As a result, Seinfeld's ratings will suffer somewhat, because people who own VCRs don't have to rush home to catch it. They can go out, or they can watch something on another channel while taping Seinfeld.
Watching a tape of a show AFTER it airs is generally not figured into the ratings. That's because the prime purpose of TV ratings is for the benefit of the sponsors, and they know that most people fast-forward through their ads.
Not to mention doesn't count if people tape it, or watch it at a bar, movie theaters, etc. (they're showing it at a movie theater here in metro Detroit!)
Well, Seinfeld wasn't going to beat M*A*S*H anyway, but the whole flag thing won't slow down the Seinfeld finale. Last weeks episode was their highest rated of all time, even after all the supposed "boycotts". No one's going to boycott the finale, no matter what anyone says.
How can you say this?? The M*A*S*H finale only had 50,150,000 viewers. All but the most conservative estimates of this Thursday's expected viewership exceed this number. Anywhere from 50 to 95 million viewers are expected. Not only will Seinfeld beat M*A*S*H in total viewers, it will surely crush the record. ------------------------------------------ [email] (Hammer nail here--> <-- for a new monitor.)
You're talking about viewers, I'm talking about ratings. Seinfeld will never reach 60.2 rating (by todays standard, that's about 125+ million people) or command 77 percent of the audience. I'm expecting about 95 million viewers and a 50-51 rating.
First off, the Puerto Rican boycott will not matter.
Secondly, its likely Seinfeld attract far more total viewers, but because cable is much bigger than it was when M*A*S*H went off the air, the percentage is likely to be less.
But who knows - its possible it could happen, and if it does, it will be a very unlikely record to beat, other than maybe Mars attacking, or something like that.
I don't think it would've beaten it regardless. Cheers didn't, and by most measures that was more popular than Seinfeld is today.
Wasn't the MASH finale watched to the tune of 120 mil, or some ridiculous number like that? (I watched it, and was really disappointed, but that's another story)