With the days remaining warm and daylight savings still weeks away, most syndicated shows were flat or slightly down in the quiet week ending Oct. 11.
In daytime, CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil, the host of which just reupped through 2020 and is being inducted into the B&C Hall of Fame on Tuesday night, led the talk shows for the fourth straight week this season and for the 33rd time in the past 39 weeks, counting ties. Phil dipped 3% for the week to a 3.0 live plus same day household average, according to Nielsen Media Research, while holding at a 1.6 to also lead the talkers among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54.
Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael yielded 4% to a second-place 2.6. In third place, Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres declined 8% to a 2.2. Rounding out the top five were NBCUniversal’s Steve Harvey and Maury, both of which held steady at a 1.7, although Maury jumped 8% in the key demo to a 1.3 to tie Live for second place among women 25-54.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams grew 7% to a 1.5. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos was flat at a 1.4, but gained 10% to a 1.1 among women 25-54 to tie Ellen for fourth place in the demo. CTD’s Rachael Ray also was steady at a 1.3. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz and NBCU’s Jerry Springer both eased 8% to a 1.2. Warner Bros.’ The Real rebounded 10% to tie its season-premiere rating at a 1.1. CTD’s The Doctors, which saw a jump in the previous session, gave back 10% to a 0.9, tying NBCU’s Meredith Vieira, which was flat.
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily led a steady pack of rookies at a 0.9, followed by Disney-ABC’s FABLife at a 0.7 and NBCU’s Crazy Talk at a 0.6. Crime Watch also continued to lead the freshmen in the key demo with a 0.6 among women 25-54. FABLife and Crazy Talk tied at a 0.4.
Keeping with the trend, CTD’s Judge Judy also was steady at a 6.8 to lead all of syndication for the 16th consecutive week. Likewise, Judy’s off-spring Hot Bench was unchanged at its series-high 2.1.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court stood pat at a 1.7. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis sagged 7% to a 1.4. MGM’s Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court dropped 8% to a 1.2, tying Twentieth’s flat Divorce Court. Trifecta’s Judge Faith was unchanged at a 0.9.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight dipped 3% to a 3.0, leading in a magazine category in which all of the top-tier shows were down by a tenth of a point. CTD’s Inside Edition fell 3% to a second-place 2.9. Warner Bros.’ TMZ skidded 6% to a 1.7. NBCU’s Access Hollywood relinquished 6% to a 1.6. Warner Bros.’ Extra eased 7% to a 1.4. CTD’s The Insider declined 9% to a 1.0. Twentieth’s Dish Nation was flat at a 0.9 for the fifth week in a row, while Trifecta’s OK! TV rebounded 50% – or one tenth of a point – to a 0.3.
The top-three games remained bunched together with CTD’s Wheel of Fortune dipping 3% to a 6.4, followed by CTD’s Jeopardy!, which inched up 2% to a 6.1. Debmar-Mercury’s FamilyFeud lost 6% to a third-place 6.0.
Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire remained down 37% from last year at this time at a flat 1.2, while Debmar-Mercury’s sophomore Celebrity Name Game fell 8% to a 1.1.
Elsewhere, MGM’s viral video show RightThisMinute was flat at a 1.1.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory led the off-net sitcoms at an unchanged 5.7. Twentieth’s Modern Family finished 3% higher at a 3.4. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved down 7% to a 2.6. Twentieth’s Family Guy was stable at a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ newbie 2 Broke Girls recovered 5% to a 2.0. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly softened 5% to a 1.9, while SPT’s Seinfeld, Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother, The Cleveland Show and King of the Hill all were flat at a 1.8, 1.7, 1.6 and 1.3, respectively.
