List of most watched United States television broadcasts of 1996
# 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 | |
