CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil marked a milestone in the week ending Aug. 5, notching 100 straight weeks, with two ties, as syndication’s top talker. That’s the first time any talk show has had a run that long at the top since Oprah Winfrey departed syndication in May 2011.
Talk is first-run syndication’s largest and arguably most competitive genre with 15 shows currently on the air.
Dr. Phil grew 4% to a three-week high 2.7 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. The show was one of just three talk shows to improve during the week, even though it, like most of first-run, was in repeats on all five days.
Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also led with a 1.1.
Back in households, Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan slipped 5% to a 2.0 to take sole possession of second place for the seventh straight week.
Warner Bros.’ The Ellen DeGeneres Show climbed 7% to a 1.6 for third place.
NBCUniversal’s Maury and Steve each held steady at a 1.3 and a 1.1, respectively.
NBCU’s conflict talker Jerry Springer, which is out of production and headed to The CW in repeats, skidded 9% to a 1.0, tying fellow conflict show Steve Wilkos, which stayed at a 1.0, and two other shows: CTD’s Rachael Ray, which held steady and SPT’s Dr. Oz, which recovered 11%.
Related: 'Jerry Springer' Moving to The CW This Fall
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams held firm at a 0.9
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen eased 11% to a 0.8. CTD’s The Doctors was in stable condition at a 0.7. NBCU’s Harry, which is nearing the end of its run, was flat at a 0.6, while Warner Bros.’ The Real regressed 17% to a 0.5.
CTD’s DailyMailTV registered a 10% decline to a 0.9 to lead the first-run rookies and posted a flat rate 0.5 among women 25-54
Twentieth’s Page Six TV revealed a 14% drop to a 0.6 and was unchanged at a 0.3 in the demo.
Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask held at a 0.5 and remained at a 0.2 among women 25-54.
And for the sixth straight week, ratings for Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben, produced by E. W. Scripps, were reprocessed and unavailable.
In the final week of a four-week trial for Warner Bros.’ viral video clip show The Hustle, the show averaged its fourth straight 0.5 rating/1 share household average on Fox-owned stations in eight metered markets with a second run at 7 p.m. on WNYW New York. Among households, The Hustle fell 29% from both its lead-in and year-ago time periods. Among women 25-54, TheHustle was off 25% from its lead-in to a 0.3 rating/2 share and down 40% from its year-ago time-period average.
Week one of a test for game show 25 Words or Less, hosted by Meredith Vieira, averaged a 0.6/2 on Fox-owned stations in nine metered markets, down 14% from its lead-in and on par with year-ago time periods. Among women 25-54, the show was even with its lead-in at a 0.3/2 but down 25% from last year.
And the first week of trial run for off-Snapchat dating series Phone Swap dialed in a 0.6/2 on Fox-owned stations in eight metered markets, down 14% from both lead-ins and year-ago time periods. The show also called up a 0.3/2 in the key demo, off 25% from both lead-ins and year-ago.
Back in among the nationally cleared veterans, CTD’s Judge Judy and Hot Bench were the only two courts to reach favorable verdicts.
Judy, which was entirely in repeats, edged ahead 2% for the week and 3% from last year to a seven-week high 6.4 to rank as syndication’s top-rated program in households. Hot Bench, which was in repeats on four of the five days, rose 5% to a 2.1 and was the third highest-rated show in daytime behind only Judy and Dr. Phil.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and JudgeMathis were flat at 1.4 and 1.0, respectively. Twentieth’s DivorceCourt sagged 13% to a 0.7, matching its series low. Trifecta’s Judge Faith was flat at a 0.6.
Game shows were unchanged with the exception of CTD’s Jeopardy!, which weakened 4% to a 5.4, tying CTD’s Wheel of Fortune, which was flat. Debmar-Mercury’s game leader Family Feud remained at a 6.3, just behind Judge Judy, for a third straight week. Disney-ABC’s WhoWants to be a Millionaire banked a 1.5 for the third consecutive round.
Disney-ABC’s viral video strip RightThisMinute clocked an 8% advance too a 1.4. NBCUniversal’s off-net true crime strip Dateline spiked 8% to a six-week high 1.3.
CTD’s InsideEdition set the pace recovering 4% to a 2.8, while sister series EntertainmentTonight dipped 4% to a 2.6. Warner Bros.’ TMZ, NBCU’s Access and Warner Bros.’ Extra all held steady at a 1.2, 1.1 and 1.0, respectively. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page skidded 33% from a 0.3 to a 0.2.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory pulled back 2% but still led the off-network sitcoms at a 4.1. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing slumped 4% to a 2.3. Twentieth’s ModernFamily faded 14% to a 1.9, matching its series low. SPT’s rookie TheGoldbergs was unchanged at a 1.6 for a fourth straight week. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men remained at a 1.5, tying Twentieth’s Family Guy, which gained 7% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly moved down 8% to a 1.2, equaling its series low. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls stood pat at a 1.1, while Twentieth’s TheCleveland Show climbed 1% to a 1.0, tying Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother and SPT’s Seinfeld, both of which were flat.
Warner Bros.’ rookie Mom remained at a 0.9 for a fourth straight week, while CTD’s fellow newcomer The Game scored a 0.4 for the fifth consecutive frame.
