With daylight savings in full effect and most shows at least partially in repeats, most syndies were flat or down in the week ended April 1, which included the Easter and Passover weekend. CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil and Judge Judy – the talk and court leaders, respectively – were the notable exceptions.
Dr. Phil, which aired repeats on two of the five days, grew 7% to a three-week high 3.2 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That put Phil in front of the talkers for the 82 week in a row with one tie. Among 25-54, Phil was first in talk with a 1.3 in the key demo.
Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, which was on hiatus and aired repackaged episodes all week, slipped 9% to a 2.1 but still claimed second place for the fourth straight week.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, which also was in repeats all week, eroded 18% to a new season-low 1.8.
NBCU’s Maury remained at a 1.4 for a fourth consecutive week but was off 13% compared to last year. NBCU’s Steve was partially in reruns but held steady at a 1.3, tying Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which weakened 7%.
CTD’s Rachael Ray remained at a 1.2 for the third straight week. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz fell back 8% to a 1.1, tying NBCU’s JerrySpringer, which held for the week but lost 21% from last year. Springer’s fellow conflict talker, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, slumped 9% to a 1.0 and tumbled 29% from the same week last year.
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen eased 10% to a 0.9. CTD’s The Doctors remained in stable condition for a fifth straight week at a 0.8, tying Warner Bros.’ The Real, which recovered 14%. NBCU’s Harry, which will end its run after this season, fell back 13% to a 0.7.
Among the rookies, CTD’s DailyMailTV declined 9% in households to a 1.0 and slid 17% among women 25-54 to a 0.5.
Twentieth’s Page Six TV in week three of new host tryouts held steady at a 0.7 and grew 25% in the key demo to a 0.5, tying DailyMailTV.
Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask remained at a 0.5 with a 0.2 in the demo. Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben, produced by Scripps, was unchanged at a 0.3 in households and a 0.1 in the key demo.
As mentioned, Judge Judy was only court show to improve on the week, even though it was in reruns on two of the five days. Judy climbed 6% for both the week and the year, the only courtroom to move up by either measure. Judy also was the highest-rated show in overall syndication for the sixth straight session.
CTD’s Hot Bench, also in repeats on two days, slipped 4% for the week to a 2.3, ranking it as daytime’s third-highest rated show behind only Judy and Phil. Year-to- year, Bench held steady.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court faded 6% for both the week and year to a new season-low 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis moved down 8% to a 1.1, and declined 15% from the same week last year. Twentieth’s Divorce Court stayed at a 0.9, but dropped 10% from last year. Trifecta’s Judge Faith faded 14% to a 0.6 and deteriorated 25% year to year.
In access, magazines were all flat to down. CTD’s EntertainmentTonight gave back 12% to a 3.0, tying sibling series Inside Edition, which retreated 3%. Warner Bros.’ TMZ was unchanged at a 1.4, although down 7% from last year, the most of any magazine in the top five.
NBCU’s Access, which had the group’s highest increase in the previous week, backtracked 7% to a 1.3. Warner Bros.’ Extra relinquished 8% to a 1.1. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page was unchanged at a 0.2.
Elsewhere, game shows were mixed. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud was flat at a 6.4. CTD’s Jeopardy! saw a 3% gain to a 6.2, while CTD’s Wheel of Fortune accelerated 7% to a 6.1. Both Wheel and Jeopardy! were inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame on Monday night in Las Vegas.
Related: 'Wheel,' 'Jeopardy!,' Duran Inducted Into NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame
Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire depreciated 6% to a 1.6.
Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute softened 7% to a 1.4, while NBCU’s off-net true crime strip Dateline captured a 7% increase to a 1.5.
Off-net sitcoms either hugged the flatline or lost ground. Warner Bros.’ off-net sitcom leader The Big Bang Theory was on par with the prior week’s 5.0. Twentieth’s Modern Family faltered 8% to a 2.2. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing stumbled 11% to a 1.7, tying Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men, which held steady. SPT’s rookie TheGoldbergs gave back 11% to a 1.6. Twentieth’s Family Guy skidded 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly declined 7% for the week and 22% for the same week last year to a 1.4. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls, Seinfeld and The Cleveland Show all stood pat at a 1.2, 1.2 and 1.1, respectively.
Among the off-net rookies, Warner Bros.’ Mom maintained its 1.0 for the sixth straight week while CTD’s The Game also held at a 1.4 for the eighth time in nine weeks.
