TOP TEN: Best Post Super Bowl Programs

Each year, the network that will air the Super Bowl put's it best, or at least what it want to be the best, series to air right after the game. For many years, networks would use the opportunity of the large audience to launch a new series. Shows like THE WONDER YEARS, DAVIS RULES and MACGRUDER AND LOUD were exposed to tens of million of viewers, lat Sunday night.

Then, in the mid to late 1990's, after a few failed series launches, the networks would push one of it's top series to either pump up the ratings for the post -game slot, or hope to bring a new audience to the series. Neither way is better or worse than the other. There have been huge successes on both sides.

Today, we will look at the ten best shows to air in the post-Super Bowl slot. Best being defined as by the audience it attracted after the game. Super Bowls prior to 1983 did not consistently air in any part of  primetime, with kick-off staring from any time from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Some years are ineligible for this list.

10) GRAND SLAM (1990):
Right in the middle of the trend of launching a new series after the Super Bowl, GRAND SLAM hauled in 30.8 million viewers for CBS after Super Bowl XXIV. It is still the highest rated drama to premiere after the big game, beating such shows as THE A-TEAM, HOMICIDE and AIR WOLF. The series starred John Schneider and Paul Rodriguez as bounty hunters in San Diego. The series was a major bust as it was cancelled after just six episodes.

9) 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN (1998):
3RD ROCK drew 33.7 million viewers for NBC, after Super Bowl XXXII. It is currently the last post Super Bowl comedy to draw over 25 million viewers. The series would run for another 3+ years on NBC, before calling it a series in the spring of 2001.

8) ALL IN THE FAMILY (1978):
Not a programming stunt by CBS as ALL IN THE FAMILY was a regularly schedule Sunday program. It is the first sitcom to follow a Super Bowl, but this is one of the first title games with the late start (5:15 p.m., ET). The episode "Archie and the Super Bowl" collected 35.5 million viewers after SB XII.

7) THE VOICE (2012):
Before it's post Super Bowl season premiere, THE VOICE was just NBC's attempt to have a program like AMERICAN IDOL. Since then, THE VOICE is the #1 singing competition series on TV. This episode collected 37.1 million viewers. The ratings continued to be very strong for the series during that second season and was the lone bright spot on NBC in 2012.

6) GREY'S ANATOMY (2006):
This would be the last Super Bowl on ABC and the network went out with a bang, getting 37.9 million viewers. The episode is still the most watched GREY'S ANATOMY episode ever.

5) UNDERCOVER BOSS (2010):
The series premiere of the hit reality series brought in 38.6 million viewers for CBS after Super Bowl XLIV. The series was an instant hit and is still running on CBS, although not at the viewership level it once had.

4) THE LAST PRECINCT (1986):
Not many remember the comedy THE LAST PRECINCT, but I do. It was the TV answer to the movie POLICE ACADEMY. The series stared BATMAN's Adam West as the Captain of a group of misfit police officers. This was the premiere of the series and it collected 39.7 million viewers for NBC. THE LAST PRECINCT didn't last long as it was cancelled in April of the same year.

3) 60 MINUTES (1980):
The long running news magazine generated 40.7 million viewers after Super Bowl XIV. It recorded a 50 share, the best by any post-game program in history. It may seem like an odd choice for the slot, but this was really  only the third year "primetime" programs were getting the slot, on a consistent basis.

2) SURVIVOR: THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK:
The second season of survivor kicked-off after Super bowl XXXV and produced 45.4 million viewers after the game. This is the series first of two post-Super Bowl appearances and is by far the most successful.

1) FRIENDS (1996):
"The One After the SUPER BOWL" is by far the most watched program to air after the Super Bowl. Just under 53 million viewers stuck around after the 1996 game to watch Roz, Jennifer, Joey Chandler, Monica and Phoebe. The episode featured guest appearances from Julia Robers, Fred Willard, Brook Shields and Dan Castallaneta (aka Homer Simpson). NBC purposely scheduled FRIENDS as a way to generate the most TV revenue in one day, ever. This also begins the trend of not premiering news series and pushing veteran series into the slot.