Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud led all of first-run syndication among daytime's key demographic of women 25-54 for the first time in the week ended Oct. 12. The game show improved 42% to hit a 3.0 in the demo, according to Nielsen Media Research. That topped CTD’s Judge Judy, which came in second place overall in the demo at a 2.9, followed by CTD’s Wheel of Fortune in third place at a 2.1.
Meanwhile, only two of the 13 veteran talk shows were up for the week: CTD’s Dr. Phil and NBCUniversal’s Maury. CTD’s Dr. Phil led the talkers for the sixth week in a row, adding 3% for the week and 11% for the year to a 3.1 in households, marking the third largest year-to-year increase of any talk show. Only Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which added 23%, and NBCU’s Steve Harvey, which gained 13%, improved more than Phil from the same week last year. Phil also led among women 25-54 with a steady 1.5.
Disney-ABC's Live with Kelly and Michael dipped 3% from the prior week to a 2.8, up 4% from last year at this time.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen dropped 8% to a 2.4, flat compared to last year at this time, while Maury added 5% for the week and year to a 2.0. While gaining for the year, Steve Harvey declined 5% for the week to a 1.8. Wendy Williams was unchanged for the week at a 1.6.
SPT’s Dr. Oz dropped 7% for the week and 30% for the year to a 1.4, but improved 13% among women 25-54 to a 0.9. That tied NBCU's Steve Wilkos in both households, where Wilkos dropped 7%, and the demo, where it was flat.
CTD’s Rachael Ray remained at a 1.3. NBCU’s Jerry Springer stayed at a 1.2. SPT’s Queen Latifah fell 9% to a 1.0, tying CTD’s The Doctors, which was flat. Meredith’s The Better Show also was flat at a 0.2.
Among the rookies, CTD’s Hot Bench, NBCU’s Meredith Vieira and Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game all showed slight gains for the week.
Hot Bench, which is double-run in most of its markets like most court shows, hit a new household high with a 1.5, up 7% from the prior session and up 15% from its debut in the week beginning Sept. 15. Hot Bench also led the rookies among women 25-54, increasing 33% from the previous week to a 0.8, the panel court show’s best showing since its debut.
NBCU’s Meredith Vieira grew 9% for the week to a 1.2 in households, while holding steady at a 0.6 in the key demo. Celebrity Name Game, cleared often in access in top markets, gained 9% to a 1.2 in households, although it dropped 25% in the demo to a 0.6. Warner Bros.’ The Real, which also airs on BET and is run multiple times in several top 11 markets, was flat at a 1.0 in households and a 0.7 among women 25-54. Trifecta’s Judge Faith was unchanged at a 0.7 with a 0.3 in the demo.
Overall household leader Judge Judy jumped 4% to a 7.0. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Twentieth’s Divorce Court were flat at a 1.7 and 1.5, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis lost 7% to a 1.3. MGM’s Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court recovered 9% to a 1.2.
MGM’s viral video show RightThisMinute rebounded 7% for the week to a 1.6.
In access, CTD’s Entertainment Tonight gave back 6% to a 3.2, but marked its 950th consecutive week as the nation’s top-rated magazine show. CTD’s Inside Edition dropped 3% to a 2.8. Warner Bros.’ TMZ and NBCU’s Access Hollywood both were flat at a 1.9 and 1.7, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Extra was off 6% to a 1.5. CTD’s The Insider held steady at a 1.2. Twentieth’s Dish Nation dropped 10% to a 0.9, while Trifecta’s OK! TV was flat at a 0.2.
Among the games, Wheel of Fortune fell 2% from the previous session to a 6.4 in households, but was even with the same week last year. CTD’s Jeopardy! declined 3% to a 6.2, but improved 5% from last year. Family Feud was flat among households for the week at a 5.8, but up 35% from last year. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire with new host Terry Crews faded 5% to a 2.0 in its fifth week and declined 10% from last year at this time.
Off-net sitcom leader, Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory, dipped 2% for the week to a 5.7. Twentieth’s Modern Family declined 8% to a 3.6. Two and a Half Men moved up 7% to a 3.0. Twentieth's Family Guy was unchanged at a 2.4. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother picked up 5% to a 2.3. Warner Bros.’ rookie Mike and Molly spiked 11% in its third week to a new season-high 2.0. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show was flat at a 1.8, tying SPT’s Seinfeld, which surged 13%. Twentieth’s King of the Hill and Warner Bros.’ The Middle both remained at a 1.6.
