Classic Ratings Review: SEINFELD (Season Nine - 1997-98)

Classic Ratings Review for the final season of SEINFELD, on NBC (1997-98).

We take a quick look at the last season of the classic TV comedy, SEINFELD, which was the number two series of that season, behind ER. It was the anchor show at the peak of NBC's "Must See TV" line up, which also included FRIENDS, JUST SHOOT ME, VERONICA'S CLOSET and ER.

Twenty-three episodes were produced for the final season, including a 75 minute series finale. The much maligned series finale drew over 76 million viewers. In comparison, the 1998 Winter Olympics, on CBS, never drew over 40 million viewers and most of the time, under 30 million.

(Thursdays at 9 p.m., on NBC)

Date	Viewers*	HH Rating	HH Share	Rank
09/25/97	37.80	24.6	37	2
10/02/97	30.90	21.5	33	2
10/09/97	30.20	20.1	31	2
10/16/97	31.50	20.9	32	2
10/23/97	preempted
10/30/97	30.20	20.3	31	2
11/06/97	31.60	21.4	32	2
11/13/97	32.80	21.7	32	2
11/20/97	34.0	22.8	34	3
11/27/97	preempted
12/04/97(R)	23.60	16.3	25	2
12/11/97	30.50	20.6	32	2
12/18/97	30.80	20.2	33	2
12/25/97(R)	16.30	10.2	21	6
01/01/98(R)	21.30	13.4	21	4
01/08/98	32.90	20.8	31	2
01/15/98	33.50	21.3	31	2
01/22/98(R)	28.80	19.5	29	5
01/29/98	33.20	21.9	33	2
02/05/98	31.60	21.1	31	2
02/12/98(R)	N/A
02/19/98(R)	21.30	15.0	22	4
02/26/98	30.50	20.7	31	2
03/05/98(R)	26.90	18.8	29	2
03/12/98(R)	25.90	17.2	27	2
03/19/98	30.90	20.8	31	1
03/26/98(R)	27.70	18.6	29	2
04/02/98(R)	23.50	16.4	25	2
04/09/98	29.60	19.9	31	2
04/16/98(R)	27.40	18.9	29	2
04/23/98	30.70	20.8	32	3
04/30/98	33.30	22.1	34	1
05/07/98	38.80	24.8	37	1
05/14/98^	58.50	33.6	53	2
05/14/98(F)	76.30	41.3	58	1
AVG	34.36	22.4	34

* - viewers in millions
^ - clips episode airing at 8 PM

source: USA Today Ratings Charts