<P> The anticipation before the airing of Goodbye, Farewell and Amen was almost unprecedented, especially for a regular television series (in contrast to awards shows, sporting events, or special events). Interest from advertisers prompted CBS, the network broadcasting M * A * S * H, to sell 30 - second commercial blocks for $450,000 (equal to $1,105,680 today) each--costlier than even for NBC's airing of the Super Bowl of that year . </P> <P> On the night the episode aired, large areas of California (particularly the San Francisco Bay Area) suffered power outages due to unusually stormy winter weather, which prevented many viewers from watching the series finale . Three weeks later, on March 21, KPIX, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco, reaired the episode . </P> <P> In the United States, the episode drew 105.97 million total viewers and a total audience of 121.6 million, more than both Super Bowl XVII and the Roots miniseries . The episode surpassed the single - episode ratings record that had been set by the Dallas episode that resolved the "Who Shot J.R.?" cliffhanger . From 1983 until 2010, Goodbye, Farewell and Amen remained the most watched television broadcast in American history, passed only in total viewership (but not in ratings or share) in February 2010 by Super Bowl XLIV . It still stands as the most - watched finale of any television series, as well as the most - watched episode . </P> <P> As M * A * S * H was one of the most successful shows in TV history, in order not to completely lose the franchise, CBS quickly created a new series, AfterMASH, that followed the postwar adventures of Colonel Potter, Max Klinger, and Father Mulcahy in a stateside hospital . Despite wide popularity in its premiere episodes, script problems and constant character changes led to a sharp decline in viewers, and the show was cancelled by CBS after only two seasons . Another would be spin - off, W * A * L * T * E * R, was a pilot made in 1984 that was never picked up . It starred Gary Burghoff, who reprised his M * A * S * H character . </P>

How many viewers watched the last episode of mash