Original Desmond

You saw quite a few people watch the final episodes of Breaking Bad in bars

At it's peak Melrose Place (the original) had huge viewing parties at bars and other social locations

In england in the 80s, every university (my older sister went to one at the time) had huge viewing parties for episodes of the Young Ones

What other tv shows have led to these kind of social viewing events ?

There aren't that many shows which make people want to go out and watch with lots of other people and become real social events

TomOpus

I have nothing to back it up but I would think Lost or X Files would have watch parties.

majorjoe23

Several bars in my city have Walking Dead night.

A friend's younger sister used to have weekly Ali McBeal nights. Then they would talk over the episode and turn up the show so they could hear it, then talk louder to hear themselves over the show. It was infuriating. I would have left, but room full of girls.

Shannon Nutt

TWIN PEAKS did...for a little while.

DALLAS did in it's heyday, as did DYNASTY.

Groucho

There were huge parties for the MASH finale.

davidh777

I bet there are parties for stuff like American Idol (when it was at its peak).

We had an impromptu one after the neighbors across the street lost their power.

PhantomStranger

The Lost finale
The Cheers finale
Seinfeld finale
The episode of Dallas after JR was shot.

Groucho

That seems like a cruel thing to celebrate.

spainlinx0

If I really love a show I can't imagine trying to watch it where I can't control if people are going to talk over it like that.

davidh777

Depends on the show. The Seinfeld finale would be more about having a good time (well, until one actually watched the episode), while Lost would be too much "Wait, who is that again?" mixed with "Oh, note the clever reference to season 3 episode 17 in which...."

But yeah, in general I can't stand not hearing dialogue. It even bugged me during the Super Bowl!

Groucho

Oscar viewing parties are the worst. Most people couldn't care less about any category except the acting ones, and talk over everything else.

Numanoid

We had weekly viewing parties for Seinfeld, Friends, and that whole Thursday night "Must See TV" NBC lineup of the mid '90s, as well as 90210/Melrose Place (watched with tongue-in-cheek).

writer106

American Idol is pretty good example. The show was popular in karaoke bars and college a capella groups used to host viewing parties.

GCS

College days, viewing party every week for Married with Children!

GoldenJCJ

I used to have viewing parties with my brother and his wife for the first season of Survivor. We'd always take bets on who would be voted off that episode.

We also had a Survivor pool at work where we all chipped in and each person was randomly assigned a castaway. If you (your castaway) made it to the end you won the pot of money. I was the first voted off...

I can honestly say I haven't watched survivor since about the third season and I'm surprised every time I hear it's still on the air.

Rex Fenestrarum

Long after the show left the air, a couple of gay bars in Atlanta had Designing Women nights. I never went (not gay, sorry), but I've seen video of one, and hearing a room full of drunk gay men loudly recite Julia Sugarbaker's "The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia" monologue was hilarious.

Charlie Goose

Sex and the City

stingermck

In college it was Sopranos, South Park and wrestling.

Now a days, Walking Dead.