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Series Finales

The asking price for a 30-second ad on Oprah’s last show on Wednesday is reportedly $1 million. From Lost to Seinfeld to Friends, see how it stacks up against other historic final episodes.

Published May 23 2011 1:58PM EDT

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---lost_usprgj — ario Perez / ABC via Getty Images

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---oprah_sm9lrz — Date: May 25, 2011
30 Second Cost Per Ad: Asking price reportedly $1 million
Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---24_o7z4im — Date: May 24, 2010
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $650,000
Total Audience: 7 million

All data courtesy of Nielsen Media Research & Kantar Media
Everett Collection

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---lost_iov1bt — Date: May 23, 2010
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $900,000
Total Audience: 13.6 million
ario Perez / ABC via Getty Images

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---er_ibs77p — Date: April 2, 2009
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $236,000
Total Audience: 16.4 million

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---will-and-grace_vksgbw — Date: May 18, 2006
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $292,000
Total Audience: 18.4 million
Chris Haston, NBCU Photo Bank / AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---raymond_su4fsc — Date: May 16, 2005
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $1,220,600
Total Audience: 32.9 million
AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---nypd-blue_seuvuu — Date: March 1, 2005
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $195,300
Total Audience: 16.1 million
20th Century Fox / Everett Collection

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---frasier_lgf6r3 — Date: May 13, 2004
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $570,400
Total Audience: 25.2 million
AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---friends_aguggx — Date: May 6, 2004
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $2,000,000
Total Audience: 52.5 million
Richard Cartwright, NBCU Photo Bank / AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---ally-mcbeal_gkrp7n — Date: May 20, 2002
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $582,600
Total Audience: 11.5 million
Everett Collection

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---x-files_wawkbo — Date: May 19, 2002
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $679,700
Total Audience: 13.2 million
Getty Images

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---90210_yltae0 — Date: May 17, 2000
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $400,000
Total Audience: 14.4 million
Everett Collection

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---home-improvement_yitomw — Date: May 25, 1999
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $242,700
Total Audience: 35.5 million
Everett Collection

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---mad-about-you_knql2m — Date: May 24, 1999
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $406,000
Total Audience: 19.8 million
Gary Null, NBCU Photo Bank / AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---melrose-place_cekf5z — Date: May 24, 1999
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $300,500
Total Audience: 10.4 million
AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---the-nanny_h2knvm — Date: May 12, 1999
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $106,900
Total Audience: 11.1 million
CBS Photo Archive / Getty Images

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---seinfeld_stxzvi — Date: May 14, 1998
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $1,424,400
Total Audience: 76.3 million
Joseph Del Valle, NBCU Photo Bank / AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---married-with-children_jnmdlu — Date: May 5, 1997
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $103,500
Total Audience: 15.2 million
Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---cheers_gdog9q — Date: May 20, 1993
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $650,000
Total Audience: 80.4 million
AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---the-tonight-show_jrbpgr — Date: May 22, 1992
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $200,000
Total Audience: 41.4 million
AP Photo

galleries/2011/05/23/series-finales/series-finales---mash_aedxi3 — Date: February 28, 1993
30 Second Cost Per Ad: $450,000
Total Audience: 105.9 million
Century Fox Film Corp / Courtesy Everett Collection

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