Per usual, viewership for syndicated shows slowed down in the pre-Christmas week ending on Christmas Eve, Sunday, Dec. 24. In light of that expected lightened viewership, many shows aired repeats while others were preempted by President Donald Trump’s Dec. 20 address on the tax bill.
Only one of the top-five magazines avoided a downturn:Warner Bros.’ Extra, which also was the only top-five magazine to match its season high, holding steady at a 1.3 live plus same day average household rating,
At the head of the class, CBS Television Distribution’s Entertainment Tonight and sister show Inside Edition remained tied for the third straight week with both shows slipping 6% to a 3.0. NBCUniversal’s Access, which on Dec. 11 dropped Hollywood from its title after 21 years, gave back 7% from its season high in the prior frame to fall to a 1.4 but improved 8% from last year at this time, the largest annual increase of any magazine. Remaining tied with Access for a second week was Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which sagged 7% for the week and down 13% from last year, the most of any magazine.
Trifecta’s Celebrity Page was unchanged at a 0.3 for the eighth consecutive week.
The top-three game shows remained neck-and-neck, although Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud managed to remain in the lead even while backtracking 4% to a 6.6. CTD’s Jeopardy!, in second place, stayed even at a 6.5, while CTD’s Wheel of Fortune, in third, inched up 2% to a 6.4. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire stood pat at a 1.7 in fourth place for the seventh straight week.
Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute slumped 6% to a 1.5, while NBCU’s off-net strip Dateline, renewed for a second season, was unchanged at a 1.4.
CTD’s Dr. Phil aired reruns for most of the pre-Christmas week and pulled back 12% to a 3.0, but remained the talk leader for the 68th straight week. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also led with a 1.2.
Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan retook second place for the first time since the week of Oct. 16, holding steady at a 2.3. Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, in repeats, declined 19% to a 2.1. Rounding out talk’s top four slots, NBCU’s Steve remained at its season-high 1.4, tying NBCU’s Maury, which skidded 7% and fell 13% from last year at this time.
CTD’s Rachael Ray, NBCU’s Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos and Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz all were unchanged for the week at a 1.3, 1.2, 1.2 and 1.1, respectively, but all were down from last year by 7%, 14%, 14% and 8%, respectively.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams went into repeats for the full week and tumbled 21% to a new season-low 1.1. Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen, NBCU’s Harry, Warner Bros.’ The Real — just renewed through 2019-20 — and CTD’s The Doctors all held steady at a 1.0, 0.9, 0.8 and 0.8, respectively. The Doctors has sat at a 0.8 for 16 consecutive weeks.
CTD’s rookie Daily Mail TV dipped 9% from its season high in the previous session to a 1.0 with a 0.5 among women 25-54.
Twentieth’s Page Six TV held steady at its season high 0.8, and tied Daily Mail TV in the key demo.
Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask was unchanged at a 0.5 in households and a 0.2 among women 25-54, while Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben, produced by Scripps, remained at a 0.3 for a 14th straight week and stayed at a 0.1 in the key demo.
CTD’s Judge Judy, in season 22, was the sole court show to improve over last year, gaining 6% annually to a 7.0 while dipping 1% for the week. Judy led all of syndication for the 18th time in the past 19 weeks.
CTD’s Hot Bench dipped 4% to a 2.2. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis, Twentieth’s Divorce Court and Trifecta’s Judge Faith all were flat at a 1.6, 1.2, 0.9 and 0.6, respectively. Compared to last year, the four flat shows were off 6%, 14%, 18% and 25%, respectively.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory led the off-net sitcoms with a 2% dip to a 5.1. Twentieth’s Modern Family and Family Guy and SPT’s rookie The Goldbergs all were unchanged at a 2.3, 1.7 and 1.7, respectively. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing and Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men both added 6% to a 1.7, for a four-way tie with Family Guy and The Goldbergs. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly stayed at a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls gave back 8% to a 1.2, tying Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show which improved 9%. Twentieth’s King of the Hill climbed 10% to a 1.1, tying SPT’s Seinfeld, which was flat.
Warner Bros’ off-net freshman Mom remained at a 1.0, while fellow rookie CTD’s The Game lost20% to a 0.4.
