Television Shows That Have Broken World Records

Published on December 18, 2015. Updated October 2, 2019

Desiree O

We all indulge in a little television now and again, some more than others…And we want our favorite shows to succeed to we can keep watching season after season. The following shows on this list are more than just successful, they’ve gone on to break records…world records! Can you guess which actress in a current show makes the most money? What show do you think has had the most guest stars during its time on-screen? And what show do you think just broke the ratings record that stood for 23 years? If you think you know – or have no idea whatsoever – check out the list below:

10. Most Tweeted TV Series in a Minute

Live-tweeting your favorite show while you watch along is a popular past-time nowadays. But out of all of the shows available, reality TV “is the most tweeted-about TV series category, accounting for up to 70% of live TV-series tweeting.” Probably because people watch every other kind of show on a streaming network instead of cable but old-school watching is the only way to get your reality TV fix. So what reality show has come out on the very top? That would be The Voice which had 310,000 tweets posted in the USA at 8:59 p.m. EST on May 13, 2014 resulting in the record for the Most Tweeted TV Series in a Minute.

Source: NBC

9. Longest Running Science Fiction TV Series

When a show hits its 100^th episode, it’s a pretty darn impressive milestone that not every program gets to enjoy. But can you believe that there’s actually a show that’s more in the 1000 episode range. Taking the record for the Longest Running Science Fiction TV Series is, of course, Doctor Who. The show first aired in 1963 and has been a fan favorite ever since. Each incarnation of the show features a new Doctor, who happens to be a Time Lord, and his various companions travelling through space and time in his TARDIS, “a sentient time-travelling space ship.” The show, which has a dedicated cult following, already held its record in December of 2014 with 813 episodes and that number is still climbing.

BBC

8. Longest Career as a TV Judge (Court room)

There have been plenty of judges presiding over television courtrooms over the years, taking on some of the most outrageous (silly and smack-my-head kind of stupid) cases and handing down their decisions with legal expertise and audience pleasing flair. But there’s one judge that rules over them all. Hitting the screens while hitting her gavel first on September 16, 1996, Judge Judy has spent over 19 years on her showbiz bench with her 20th season premiering on September 14, 2015. Judge Judy (a.k.a. Judge Judy Scheindlin) holds the record for the Longest Career as a TV Judge (Court room).

7. Longest Running TV Variety Show

If you think Judge Judy’s nearly two decades in the business is impressive, then what would you think about a show that ran for over five decades? The variety show Sabado Gigante was hosted by Mario Kreutzberger aka ‘Don Francisco’ and ran for an incredible 53 years and 42 days which has earned it the record for the Longest Running TV Variety Show. The program that was known internationally across Latin America began on August 8, 1962 and just recently ended on September 19, 2015, making it seemingly impossible for any show today to match that duration and break its record.

COURTESY OF UNIVISION

6. Largest TV Drama Simulcast (Number of Countries)

Game of Thrones is really popular. Like really, really popular. Like, watched nearly all over the world kind of popular. In fact, it’s so popular that it currently holds the record for the Largest TV Drama Simulcast (Number of Countries). On Monday, April 20, 2015, the second episode of Game of Thrones season five was simulcast to a total of 173 different countries across the globe. The rest of the season would continue to be simulcast to that many countries which solidified the record that GOT had nabbed away from its own previous record of 171 different countries and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation broadcast on March 4, 2015.

Helen Sloan/©HBO/courtesy Everett Collection

5. Longest Live Broadcast for a Charitable Event

While you’re busy breaking a world record, why not double the fun by doing it all for charity. Penny Appeal, a UK-based humanitarian charity, earned itself the record of the Longest Live Broadcast for a Charitable Event when it stretched its good-deeds show for 11 days, 11 hours, and 11 minutes (or 182 consecutive hours) in July of 2015. The program featured “special guests, renowned scholars, feedback on Penny Appeal’s projects overseas, and live reports from the field” and the “funds raised during the World Record Charity Appeal will go on to tackle poverty issues worldwide and will be used to feed the poor, build life saving wells, sponsor orphans, restore sight to people with avoidable blindness and provide emergency aid to those affected by the Syria and Gaza crises.” Nicely done!

Source: www.guinessworldrecords.com

4. Longest Television Interview

Do you dread interviews? Whether it’s an interview for a job, a sweet opportunity, or press coverage, it will put you on the spot and turn on the pressure. What might only last 10 minutes or a half an hour could seem like an entire day or longer. How would you handle it if it actually did last more than a day? When Tom Conroy and Tim Shadbolt met on the set of CUE Television in New Zealand, they worked together to break the record for the Longest Television Interview with a back and forth that lasted a total of 26 hours and 4 seconds.

JOHN HAWKINS/Fairfax NZ

3. Most Guest Stars Featured in a TV Series

Plenty of shows like to fill out their cast with guest stars and they aren’t shy about bringing on as many as they can. But there’s no show that has embraced guest stars more than the show that also happens to be the longest running sitcom. The Simpsons has been on the air for an incredible and practically unprecedented 26 seasons and during that time they’ve featured almost every famous, semi-famous, and 15-minute famous person that has set foot in Hollywood. As of July 16, 2015 the animated program has welcomed an amazing 688 guest stars which has earned them the record for the Most Guest Stars Featured in a TV Series.

2. Highest Annual Earnings for a Television Actress in a Current Series

Among the best and most popular of today’s shows is one that will have you laughing as hard at the funny moments as it will have you smiling at the endearing moments. And with that success and popularity comes hefty paychecks for the show’s stars. Modern Family has helped its leading lady, Sofia Vergara, break the record for the Highest Annual Earnings for a Television Actress in a Current Series and there’s no doubt that it’s well deserved. In fact, she’s topped the list for the highest paid actress on television for three years in a row now currently taking in a wildly impressive $37 million.

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Shutterstock.com

1. Breaking the Records Rating That Stood for Over 23 Years

Battling zombie-like creatures isn’t only the domain of the poor souls on The Walking Dead. Every other show on television has to compete with the powerhouse program when it comes to ratings domination. But there’s one show that’s managed to do the seemingly impossible. Not only has it managed to beat out The Walking Dead when it comes to ratings, it has also broken a records rating that stood for over 23 years. While other shows usually experience a dip in their initial telecasts, Empire’s ratings just keep going up, up, and up. “According to Fox, Empire is the only primetime scripted series to grow in total viewers over each of its first five telecasts since at least 1991.” The record actually might be longer, but the measuring system used only goes back for 23 years, so Empire has nabbed the record for as far back as we can possibly go. All hail the Empire!