A quartet of talkers — Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, NBCUniversal’s Steve, Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz and CBS Television Distribution’s The Doctors — were the only four in the genre to show gains in the week ending April 22, the last full week before the start of the May ratings period.
Ellen added 5% to a 2.2 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, tying Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan for second place behind CTD’s talk leader Dr. Phil.
Steve — the host of which, Steve Harvey, just won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding informative talk show host — spiked 8% to a 1.3 in households, rising to number five in the talk rankings and also added 17% among women 25-54 to a 0.7. Dr. Oz, which won the Daytime Emmy for outstanding informative talk show, rose 10% from a series low to a 1.1. And CTD’s The Doctors delivered a 14% increase to a 0.8, breaking a tie and pulling ahead of Warner Bros.’ The Real, whose stars were just named outstanding entertainment talk-show hosts at the Daytime Emmys.
[NBC's 'Days,' CBS' 'The Talk' Lead Daytime Emmys]
Nine of the other 10 veteran talkers remained in a holding pattern and were unchanged as producers continued to stockpile episodes for the upcoming survey period.
Dr. Phil was steady at a 3.1 in households to lead the category for the 85th straight week, including two ties. Among women 25-54, Phil also led with a 1.2 in daytime’s key demographic.
Back in households, Live, which tied Ellen for second place in households, and NBCU’s Maury both were steady at a 2.2 and 1.4, respectively.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams weakened 8% to a 1.2, while CTD’s Rachael Ray, NBCU’s Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos, Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen and The Real and NBCU’s soon-to-depart Harry all were unchanged at a 1.1, 1.1, 1.0, 0.9, 0.7 and 0.7, respectively.
Among the rookies, CTD’s DailyMailTV was stamped flat for a fourth straight week at a 1.0 in households and 0.5, among women 25-54. Twentieth’s Page Six TV, in its sixth week of new host tryouts, held steady at a 0.7 in households and receded 20% in the demo to a 0.4.
Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask sagged 20% to a 0.4 in households but remained at a 0.2 in the demo. Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben, produced by E. W. Scripps, was on par with the prior week’s 0.3 and 0.2 in the demo.
The top-three court shows were down by single digits. CTD’s Judge Judy, still in repeats, dipped 3% to a 6.6 but remained syndication’s top-rated series for the ninth straight week and rose 2% from the same week last year.
CTD’s Hot Bench was in repeats on two of the five days and slipped 4% to a 2.2, tying Live and Ellen as the third-highest ranked show in daytime, behind Judy and Phil.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court slid 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis, which was named outstanding legal and court show at the Daytime Emmys, remained at a 1.1 for the fourth consecutive week. Twentieth’s Divorce Court rebounded 13% from a series low in the prior week to a 0.9. Trifecta’s Judge Faith stayed at a 0.6.
In access, magazines were little changed. CTD’s Entertainment Tonight, the Daytime Emmy winner for outstanding entertainment news program, tied CTD’s sister show Inside Edition, with both shows inching up 3% to a 3.0 for the category lead.
Warner Bros.’ TMZ, NBCU’s Access, Warner Bros.’ Extra and Trifecta’s Celebrity Page all were steady at a 1.4, 1.2, 1.1 and 0.2, respectively.
Among games, the top-three shows remained close. Debmar-Mercury’s leader Family Feud recovered 2% to a 6.5, coming in just behind Judge Judy for second place in overall syndication. CTD’s Jeopardy! responded with its own 2% increase to a 6.2, while in third place, CTD’s Wheel of Fortune was flat at a 6.1. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be A Millionaire remained at a 1.6 for fourth straight week.
Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute remained at a 1.4. NBCU’s off-net true crime strip Dateline declined 7% to a 1.3.
Off-net sitcom leader The Big Bang Theory skidded 6% to a 4.6. Twentieth’s Modern Family stayed at its series-low 2.0 for a second straight week. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing, SPT’s newcomer The Goldbergs and Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men all were stable at 1.7, 1.6 and 1.6, respectively. Twentieth’s Family Guy skidded 7% to a 1.4, tying Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly, which was unchanged. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls gained 9% to a 1.2, while SPT’s Seinfeld and Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show were both changed at a 1.1 and 1.0, respectively, with Cleveland holding at its series low for a second week.
Among the rookie off-nets, Warner Bros.’ Mom held at a 0.9, while CTD’s The Game continued at an unchanged 0.4 for the 11th time in 12 weeks.
