title: List of most watched United States television broadcasts of 1996
text: # List of most watched United States television broadcasts of 1996
  
  The following is a list of most watched United States television broadcasts of 1996.
  
  ## Most watched by week
  
  Broadcast (primetime only) :
  
  | Week of | Title | Network | Viewers (in millions) | Ref. |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | January 1 | ER | NBC | 37.6 | |
  | January 8 | Seinfeld | NBC | 31.9 | |
  | January 15 | Friends | NBC | 31.6 | |
  | January 22 | Super Bowl XXX | NBC | 94.1 | |
  | January 29 | Seinfeld | NBC | 37.1 | |
  | February 5 | ER | NBC | 38.1 | |
  | February 12 | ER | NBC | 36.4 | |
  | February 19 | ER | NBC | 36.0 | |
  | February 26 | Seinfeld | NBC | 31.5 | |
  | March 4 | Seinfeld | NBC | 32.7 | |
  | March 11 | Seinfeld | NBC | 29.2 | |
  | March 18 | Friends | NBC | 30.1 | |
  | March 25 | 68th Academy Awards | ABC | 44.9 | |
  | April 1 | Home Improvement | ABC | 38.0 | |
  | April 8 | Seinfeld | NBC | 25.4 | |
  | April 15 | Seinfeld | NBC | 26.1 | |
  | April 22 | ER | NBC | 32.2 | |
  | April 29 | ER | NBC | 34.3 | |
  | May 6 | ER | NBC | 32.0 | |
  | May 13 | ER | NBC | 34.3 | |
  | May 20 | Home Improvement | ABC | 22.7 | |
  | May 27 | Home Improvement | ABC | 22.6 | |
  | June 3 | NBA Finals (Game 1) | NBC | 23.9 | |
  | June 10 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
  | June 17 | Seinfeld | NBC | 20.4 | |
  | June 24 | Seinfeld | NBC | 20.2 | |
  | July 1 | 20/20 | ABC | 15.6 | |
  | July 8 | Seinfeld | NBC | 20.1 | |
  | July 15 | 1996 Summer Olympics opening ceremony | NBC | 39.8 | |
  | July 22 | 1996 Summer Olympics (Thurs) | NBC | 42.7 | |
  | July 29 | 1996 Summer Olympics (Mon) | NBC | 40.2 | |
  | August 5 | Seinfeld | NBC | 19.9 | |
  | August 12 | Seinfeld | NBC | 19.3 | |
  | August 19 | Seinfeld | NBC | 22.0 | |
  | August 26 | Seinfeld | NBC | 17.7 | |
  | September 2 | Monday Night Football | ABC | 27.7 | |
  | September 9 | Seinfeld | NBC | 22.6 | |
  | 1996–97 television season begins |||||
  | September 16 | Seinfeld | NBC | 33.7 | |
  | September 23 | ER | NBC | 34.9 | |
  | September 30 | Seinfeld | NBC | 31.6 | |
  | October 7 | Seinfeld | NBC | 32.2 | |
  | October 14 | ER | NBC | 32.9 | |
  | October 21 | World Series (Game 6) | Fox | 30.4 | |
  | October 28 | ER | NBC | 31.1 | |
  | November 4 | ER | NBC | 36.7 | |
  | November 11 | ER | NBC | 37.4 | |
  | November 18 | ER | NBC | 37.0 | |
  | November 25 | Home Improvement | ABC | 25.3 | |
  | December 2 | Seinfeld | NBC | 25.3 | |
  | December 9 | ER | NBC | 32.9 | |
  | December 16 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
  | December 23 | Seinfeld | NBC | 22.4 | |
  | December 30 | Panthers vs. Cowboys (NFL) | Fox | 26.6 | |
  