Most-Watched Shows of the Decade
Millions tuned in to see the series finale of "Friends" -- 52.5 million, to be exact. At the time "The Last One" aired, it was the most-watched entertainment telecast in six years, and it has never been surpassed, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
2 -- "Survivor: Borneo"
The Hollywood Reporter states that 51.7 million people tuned in to see the finale of the first installment of the CBS reality show, which stunned viewers when villain Richard Hatch beat Kelly Wiglesworth to win the $1 million prize. It's also the episode in which jury member Susan Hawk gave her "snake and rat" speech, arguably one of the most memorable moments in "Survivor" history.
3 -- "Joe Millionaire"
Fox put a twist on the dating reality show by telling the women vying for Evan Marriott's heart that he was a millionaire. Forty million viewers tuned in to the show's finale, according to The Hollywood Reporter, to see Marriott chose winner Zora Andrich and to see how she would react when he told her he wasn't rich.
4 -- "ER"
Considered one of the most heart-wrenching episodes of the series, "All in the Family" showed the death of Lucy Knight (played by actress Kellie Martin, seen here) after she was attacked by a schizophrenic patient. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 39.4 million viewers tuned in to watch the episode.
5 -- "American Idol"
According to The Hollywood Reporter, 38.1 million people tuned in to the premiere of the reality show's sixth season. The premiere marked the peak of the show's popularity, back when each season brought in higher ratings than the one before. It's also the season that introduced the world to Sanjaya Malakar and Jordin Sparks, who took home the title.
6 -- "Grey's Anatomy"
The post-Superbowl episode was explosive -- literally, with a live, unexploded bomb trapped inside the body of a patient. The drama-packed episode drew 38 million viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
7 -- "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"
Three "Millionarie" episodes from the same week, when grouped together, brought in 36 million viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. At the time, "Regis fever" swept the country. But the popularity was short-lived -- the show met its demise two years later.
8 -- "Frasier"
The seventh season finale of the "Cheers" spin-off had Niles Crane professing his love for physical therapist Daphne Moon on the eve of her wedding, only to be rejected. According to The Hollywood Reporter, 33.7 million viewers tuned in to watch what happened.
9 -- "Everybody Loves Raymond"
The series finale of "Everybody Loves Raymond" put the comedy in the top 10 for total viewers. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show's final bow brought in 32.9 million viewers.
10 -- "Spin City"
According to the Hollywood Reporter, 32.8 million people tuned in to see Michael J. Fox's last episode on "Spin City" -- he left the show because of his worsening Parkinson's Disease symptoms. Charlie Sheen took on Fox's role for two more seasons.