Disney-ABC's Katie hit its highest single-day rating thus far, a 2.3 live plus same day national household rating on Columbus Day, Oct. 8, up 35% from the prior week with a show on the after-life, featuring TLC's Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo.
Katie was up for the week as well, adding 12% to a 1.9 in the week ended Oct. 14. That's the show's best performance since debuting at a 2.0 in the week ended Sept. 16. Among daytime's key demographic of women 25-54, Katie improved 10% to a 1.1.
NBCUniversal's Steve Harvey, the second-highest rated rookie, remained steady at a 1.3 in households and grew 11% among women 25-54 to a 1.0. CBS Television Distribution's Jeff Probst fell back 13% to a 0.7, down the same amount that it gained in the prior week and tying Twentieth's Ricki Lake, which was flat. NBCU's new conflict talker, Trisha, cleared mostly on small independent stations and CW affiliates, rebounded 25% to a 0.5.
Turning to the established talkers, CTD's Dr. Phil remained on top despite dipping 7% for the week to a 2.8 in households. Phil also was steady among women 25-54 to a genre-leading 1.6, up 7% from last year. Disney-ABC's Live! with Kelly and Michael turned in a a strong second-place finish with an unchanged 2.6 in households, although up 4% from last year. Warner Bros.' Ellen, on track for its best season ever, grew 4% for the week and the year to a 2.4, tying Sony's Dr. Oz, which also was up 4% from the week before but down 14% from last year. NBCU's conflict talker Maury came in fifth at a flat 2.2.
CTD's Rachael Ray remained at a 1.4, tying CTD's The Doctors and NBCU's Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos, all three of which improved 8%.
Warner Bros.' Anderson Live! advanced 10% to a 1.1, tying Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams, which was flat. Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle was flat at a 0.5.
CTD's Judge Judy topped all of syndication for the third week in a row, even for the week and up 3% for the year to a 6.7. CTD's Judge Joe Brown was steady at a 2.4. Warner Bros.' People Court climbed 5% to a 2.0. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis tacked on 7% to a 1.6. Twentieth's Judge Alex and Divorce Court and Entertainment Studios' America'sCourt all were flat at a 1.4, 1.3 and 0.8, respectively.
ES' new entry Justice for All, dropped 20% to a 0.4, while its We the People regained 50%, moving to a 0.3 from a 0.2.
Warner Bros.' TMZ was the only magazine to gain for both the week and the year, adding 6% for the week and 36% for the year to a 1.9. The other magazines all were flat to down, thanks in large part to preemptions due to divisional baseball playoffs and the debate between Vice President Joe Biden and Mitt Romney running mate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.).
CTD's Entertainment Tonight remained the top magazine, holding steady at a 3.7. CTD's Inside Edition dipped 3% to a 2.9. NBCU's Access Hollywood retreated 6% to a 1.6. CTD's The Insider, soon to be renamed omg! Insider, was flat at a 1.5. Warner Bros.' Extra, which was preempted 17 times during the week, eased 7% to a 1.4, while Twentieth's rookie, Dish Nation, which features popular radio deejays talking about the day's pop culture news, was flat at a 0.9.
CTD's Wheel of Fortune topped the game shows at a 6.5, taking second place in the syndication ranks. Week to week, Wheel inched up 2%, while dipping 3% compared to last year. CTD's Jeopardy! improved 4% to a 5.8. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud added 2% to a 4.2. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was flat at a 2.1, while NBCU's newcomer Baggage declined 9% to a 1.0.
Elsewhere, CTD's sophomore dating show Excused grew 25% to a 0.5 in mostly late-night time slots.
Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory led the off-net sitcoms with a 5.6, down 15% from the prior week after getting preempted frequently on TBS for baseball playoff coverage. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men slipped 2% to a 4.7. Twentieth's Family Guy fell 9% to a 3.1. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother gained 4% to a 2.5. Twentieth's King of the Hill climbed 5% to a 2.2. Warner Bros.' Friends finished 5% higher at a 2.0, while Sony's Seinfeld, also carried on TBS, sank 19% to a 1.7 tying CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond, which declined 6%.
