With the November sweep ending and daylight saving time starting, syndies finally picked up the pace with many shows hitting season highs in the week ended Nov. 18.
Access shows in general and magazines in particular were the strongest performers with every magazine in the top seven maintaining or exceeding its previous season high and a majority seeing percentage gains in the double digits.
CBS Television Distribution’s Entertainment Tonight jumped 18% to a new season-high 3.3 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, its best showing since the week ending March 25. That tied sister show InsideEdition, which gained 10% on the week.
NBCU’s Access advanced 18% to tie Warner Bros.’ TMZ for third place among the magazines with a four-week high 1.3, while TMZ picked up 8%. Warner Bros.’ Extra expanded 9% to a new season-high 1.2, its best performance since the week ending May 20.
CTD’s DailyMailTV posted a new season-high 1.1, its biggest week since the session ending March 25. Twentieth’s Page Six TV was unchanged at its previous season-high 0.7. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page published a 0.2 for the seventh straight week.
Meanwhile, game shows rebounded after all were flat to down in the prior week. Debmar-Mercury’s leader Family Feud forged ahead 6% to a new season-high 6.6. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune followed with a 5% increase to a new season-high 6.4. CTD’s Jeopardy! jumped 7% to its own new season-high 6.4, tying Wheel.
Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire improved 13% to a new season-high 1.7. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You ShouldAsk remained at a 0.5 for the 17th week in a row.
Elsewhere, Disney-ABC’s viral video show, RightThisMinute, moved up 8% to a 1.3.
Turning to the talkers, CTD’s Dr. Phil spiked 7% to a new season-high 3.2, its biggest frame since the week ending May 27, and finished first in the field for the 115th week in a row with two ties.
Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also was tops, rising 8% to a 1.4.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres delivered a 4% increase to a new season-high 2.4, staying just ahead of Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan, which improved 10% to a 2.3.
Three shows tied for fourth place among the talkers. NBCU’s Steve, starring Steve Harvey, grew 8% to a new season-high 1.4, its best performance since the week ending Feb. 11, and also strengthened 17% among women 25-54 to a new season-high 0.7 in the key demo. Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams added 8% to a new season high, with a 13% gain in the demo to a 0.9. NBCU’s Maury was unchanged in households at a 1.4.
Further back, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos stayed at a 1.2. CTD’s Rachael Ray rallied 9% to a new season-high 1.2, tying Wilkos. Sony Pictures Televisions Dr. Oz flatlined at a 1.1 for a third consecutive week. Warner Bros.’ The Real remained at a 0.7 for a sixth straight week. CTD’s The Doctors rebounded 20% to a 0.6. The out-of-production Jerry Springer continued to register a 0.4 for a tenth straight week, tying Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben, which held steady for the ninth straight week.
Among this season’s two first-run rookies, CTD’s panel talker Face the Truth, starring Vivica A. Fox, and Debmar-Mercury’s new gaveler Caught in Providence were both unchanged at a 0.8 and 0.6, respectively.
All of the top four courts improved. CTD’s Judge Judy was the only court room to improve year over year, outperforming last year by 1% and leading all of syndication for 16th week in a row. Judy jumped 3% for the week to a new season-high 7.7, its best number since the week ended Feb. 11.
CTD’s Hot Bench moved ahead 9% to a new season-high 2.5 and ranked as the number three show in daytime behind only Judy and Phil.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court climbed 7% to a new season-high 1.6, while Judge Mathis picked up 10% to a new season-high 1.1. Twentieth’s Divorce Court was unchanged at a 0.8.
It was status quo on the true-crime blotter as NBCU’s off-net strip, Dateline, was steady at a 1.3. SPT’s off- A&E Live PD Police Patrol stayed at a 1.1 and off-investigation Discovery’s True Crime Files remained at a 0.3 for the tenth consecutive week.
NBCU’s scripted police procedural, Chicago PD, also held with the prior week at a 0.9.
Warner Bros.’ off-net sitcom leader The Big Bang Theory gained 4% to a new season-high 5.0. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing and Modern Family both stood pat at a 2.1. SPT’s TheGoldbergs gave back 6% to a 1.6. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men motored ahead 7% to a new season-high 1.5. Twentieth’s Family Guy was stable at a 1.3. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly and Disney-ABC’s new entry Black-ish each grew 9% to new season-high 1.2s. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls gained 10% to a new season-high 1.1, while Warner Bros.’ sophomore Mom held at a 1.0 for a second week.
