Ellen DeGeneres surged 22% in the ratings session ended May 22, which was Ellen’s penultimate week of original episodes. The veteran talker scored a 1.1 live-plus-same-day national household rating, according to Nielsen, matching the strip’s season high.
Besides Warner Bros.’s Ellen, only two other talkers were able to surpass a 1.0 rating: CBS Media Ventures’ Dr. Phil and Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan.
Dr. Phil led the category for the second week in a row with a steady 1.6, while Live, which was again without co-host Kelly Ripa, remained at a second-place 1.5. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil and Live tied for first at a 0.5, followed by Ellen at a 0.4.
NBCUniversal’s Kelly Clarkson eased 11% to a 0.8 in households. Disney’s Tamron Hall was the only talk show besides Ellen to improve for the week, climbing 17% to a 0.7 and tying both CBS’s flat Rachael Ray and NBCUniversal’s steady conflict talker Maury. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos repeated a 0.6 for the 13th straight week, tying Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which weakened 14% with a mix of guest hosts – the duo of Leah Remini and Michele Visage on some days and Michael Rapoport on the others.
CBS’s renewed Drew Barrymore retained a 0.5. Debmar-Mercury’s canceled Nick Cannon and Sony Pictures Television’s soon-to-end The Good Dish continued to stew at a 0.4. NBCU’s out-of-production Jerry Springer and Warner Bros.’s exiting The Real both stayed at a 0.3. CBS’s The Doctors, also nearing its end, dawdled at a 0.2 for a 63rd straight week.
CBS’s Jeopardy! led the game shows, inching up 2% to a 5.3, and topping syndication for the eighth consecutive week. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud featured a second-place 5.1 for a second week. CBS’ Wheel of Fortune ticked up 2% to a 4.7.
Fox’s You Bet Your Life with Jay Leno and 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, both broke even at a 0.8 and a 0.7, respectively. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask stayed at a 0.3 for a second straight week.
Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute maintained a 0.5.
CBS’s Inside Edition led the magazines with a flat 2.1, followed by sister series Entertainment Tonight, which eased 5% to a 2.0. NBCU’s Access Hollywood, Fox’s TMZ, Warner Bros.’s Extra, CBS’s canceled DailyMailTV and Fox’s Dish Nation all stayed put at a 0.7, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.2, respectively.
CBS’s Judge Judy, out of production and in repeats, ruled the category at a steady 4.5. CBS’s Hot Bench sustained a 1.4 for a fourth straight week. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court came back 14% from a series low to a 0.8. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis, Fox’s Divorce Court, NBCU’s canceled Judge Jerry and Wrigley Media’s renewed rookie Relative Justice all were stable at a 0.6, 0.4, 0.4 and 0.3, respectively.
The off-net sitcoms were all flat to down. Warner Bros.’s leader The Big Bang Theory, Disney’s Last Man Standing, Warner Bros.’s freshman Young Sheldon and Sony’s The Goldbergs all stayed at a 1.9, 1.2, 0.9 and a 0.7, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Disney’s Modern Family both fell 13% to a 0.7, tying The Goldbergs. Disney’s Family Guy gave away 14% to a 0.6, tying Sony’s Seinfeld, which stayed put for a sixth straight week. Both Disney’s Black-ish and Warner Bros.’s Mom maintained a 0.5. ■
