Today's Evil Beet Gossip

The Most-Watched Television Episodes of the Decade

Evan Marriott

This is a completely fascinating list. It’s the most-watched single episodes of television in the past decade. Are you guys ready???

1. “Friends” — Series finale
Airdate: May 6, 2004
Viewers: 52.5 million

2. Survivor: Borneo” — First season finale
Airdate: Aug. 23, 2000
Viewers: 51.7 million

3. “Joe Millionaire” — First season finale
Airdate: Feb. 17, 2003
Viewers: 40 million

4. “ER” — Lucy and John Carter fight for their lives after being attacked by a schizophrenic patient
Airdate: Feb. 17, 2000
Viewers: 39.4 million

5. “American Idol” — Season 6 premiere
Airdate: Jan. 16, 2007
Viewers: 38.1 million

6. “Grey’s Anatomy” — Post-Super Bowl episode
Airdate: Feb. 5, 2006
Viewers: 38 million

7. “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” — Random, Regis-tastic episode
Airdate: May 3, 2000
Viewers: 36 million

8. “Frasier” — Season 7 premiere; Frasier tells Daphne he loves her
Airdate: May 18, 2000
Viewers: 33.7 million

9. “Everybody Loves Raymond” — Series finale
Airdate: May 16, 2005
Viewers: 32.9 million

10. “Spin City” — Final episode with Michael J. Fox (Charlie Sheen took over for two more seasons)
Airdate: May 24, 2000
Viewers: 32.8 million

What do you think? Is it what you would have expected??? And what the hell happened to Joe Millionaire (aka Evan Marriott) anyway? Googling him is a fruitless effort, and EvanMarriott.com is a blank page. I MUST KNOW!!!

24 CommentsLeave a comment

  • well, I’ve only seen two of those. E.R. and Frasier(which was Niles declaring his love for Daphne, not Frasier).

    It is nice to see some quality in the list along with the dross.

  • oh man, joe millionaire was like, the FIRST TRASHY REALITY SHOW AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY TRASHY REALITY SHOW SINCE. seriously. remember how big of a deal it was? and how much of a total asshole/famewhore/prick he ended up being?

    and who are these people that actually watch frasier?

    • I grew up without cable, stayed up late, and watched a bunch of Frasier because nothing better was on… I think I’m in that group.

  • So…out of all of these, I’ve only seen the last half of the E.R. episode. …I’m really proud of myself for that.

    • Except for the last 18 seasons where nothing notable happened and the painfully obvious finale where Rachel and Ross inevitably get back together…NO ONE SAW THAT COMING!!!

      Sorry to be a bitch. That finale and the 3 seasons leading up to it really pissed me off. They should have bowed out when it was still a good show, like Sex and the City.

  • Joe Millionaire guest starred on charmed a few years ago (as a human that was turned into a dog)…I guess you should look him up on imdb.com

  • Evan (Joe millionaire) hangs out at a gym called exclusive fitness in san Clemente ca. Seen him there several times, thinking he looked familiar.. Then found out why, he was Joe millionaire… Random.