The 11-Part Classic War Comedy With the World Record for the Most-Watched Finale Returns as a PVOD Hit 43 Years Later

by

Recently, a lot of older TV shows and movies are becoming available on streaming services. Shows like Night Gallery and Tales from the Crypt, as well as films such as The Rainmaker and Domestic Disturbance, are being rediscovered by viewers in the 2020s. Now, a truly famous and well-loved comedy series is joining them on these platforms.

According to FlixPatrol, the classic TV show MASH is gaining popularity on the Apple TV Store in the US, recently climbing to the No. 9 spot on May 13. MASH was a comedy-drama series originally broadcast on CBS, inspired by the 1970 film of the same name, which itself was based on the 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors.

M*A*S*H Is One of the Greatest Shows of All Time

Though it might be less well-known today, the TV series MASH* holds a significant place in U.S. television history. The final episode, titled “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” which aired on February 28, 1983, still holds the record for the most-watched single episode of any TV show ever in the United States.

Despite becoming a classic, the first season of MASH* got off to a rocky start. It aired on Sundays at 8 PM and only reached 46th place in the Nielsen Ratings, putting its future in jeopardy.

Fortunately, MASH* came back for a second season and was scheduled at a more favorable time. It quickly became popular, finishing 4th in the Nielsen Ratings after moving from Sundays to Saturdays. From then on, it was consistently a top 10 show, except for Season 4, which came in at number 15.

MAS*H was a popular television show that followed a team of doctors working at a mobile army hospital in South Korea during the Korean War. The show ran for 11 seasons with a total of 256 episodes and starred Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers, along with other actors like Larry Linville, Loretta Swit, McLean Stevenson, and Gary Burghoff.

M*A*S*H Has a Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score

The television series MASH* was highly praised by critics. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has a 92% rating based on critics’ reviews and an 90% audience score. Even in its final season, the show maintained strong ratings with 89% from critics and 87% from audiences, demonstrating consistently high quality throughout its run.

Even though it ended 43 years ago, MASH* still has a huge impact on television. The show, which almost got cancelled early on, actually went on to have the most-watched finale ever. And today, more than four decades later, it’s finding a new audience and succeeding as a popular streaming title.

Read More

2026-05-17 00:36