James Holzhauer's win of Jeopardy!'s Tournament of Champions in the week ended Nov. 17 scored for the veteran game show as well, spiking 7% to a 7.2 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
That gave CBS Television Distribution's Jeopardy! the overall household lead for the week and its best rating since another Holzhauer-fueled session in the week ended June 2, 2019.
The multi-week tournament blew up the show's ratings by 18% over the two-week contest and spawned a primetime Greatest of All Time multi-night battle on ABC in which Holzhauer will face two other champions -- Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter -- for a million-dollar prize beginning Jan. 7 at 8 p.m.
Related: Holzhauer to Take on Jennings, Rutter in ABC Primetime 'Jeopardy!' Tournament
Jeopardy!’s stablemate Wheel of Fortune declined slightly, losing 2% to a 6.2. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud faded 2% to a 5.9, finishing third for the fourth straight week. Entertainment Studios' Funny You Should Ask answered with an unchanged 0.5 for an eighth consecutive week.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight was the only magazine to improve in households, growing 4% to a 2.8, matching its season high and tying sister show Inside Edition, which eased 3%, for the lead.
NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood held steady at its season-high 1.5 for a fifth straight week and was the only magazine to improve in the key women 25-54 demographic, advancing 14% to a 0.8 to match its season high.
Warner Bros.’ TMZ was unchanged at a 1.1. Warner Bros.’ Extra was preempted more than 20 times in the top-50 markets for Fox’s Thursday Night Football but still held its ground at a 0.9. CTD’s DailyMailTV also was stable at a 0.8, while Trifecta’s Celebrity Page stayed at a 0.2 for the 20th straight week.
Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute, which moved solely to late-night time-slots on several ABC owned stations to make room for Disney’s Tamron Hall, slowed 13% to a new series-low 0.7.
Week three of the five-week test of Debmar-Mercury’s Central Ave that began Nov. 4 averaged a 0.9 rating/2 share, down 18% from both its lead-in and year-ago time periods. Among women 25-54, Central Ave mapped out a 0.8/3, which was even with its lead-in and Nov. 2018 time periods.
In daytime, many shows were heavily preempted by all-day public impeachment hearings on Nov. 13 and 15. CTD’s season-to-date household ratings leader Judge Judy lost its primary run in the country’s largest markets to the congressional inquiry and gave back 4% to a 6.8 but still led the court shows for the 1,208th straight week.
CTD’s Hot Bench backed off 5% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis were unchanged at a 1.4 and 0.9, respectively. Fox’s Divorce Court recovered 17% to a 0.7. Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence was flat at a 0.5 for the eighth straight week.
CTD’s Dr. Phil led talk for the 167th week with five ties even though it ran into preemptions and dipped 4% to a 2.5. Among women 25-54, Phil was tied for first with Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan at a 1.0.
Back in households, Live remained at its season-best 2.1, taking second in talk for the 38th straight week, including one tie.
Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres stayed at a 1.9. Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams rose 8% to a 1.4. NBCU’s Maury moved ahead 9% to a new season-high 1.2. CTD’s Rachael Ray rebounded 10% to a 1.1. NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, SPT’s Dr. Oz, Warner Bros.’ The Real and CTD’s The Doctors delivered unchanged ratings of 1.0, 0.9, 0.6 and 0.5, respectively.
NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer sprang up 33% to a 0.4.
Among the rookies, leaders The Kelly Clarkson Show, which has been given the greenlight for season two, and Tamron Hall, both remained at a 1.4 and a 1.0, respectively, in their tenth week on the air.
Clarkson tied 12-season veteran Wendy Williams as the fourth-highest-rated talk show over all, behind only Dr. Phil, Live and Ellen. In addition, Clarkson won its time period in three of the top-ten markets: L.A., Dallas and Atlanta.
Hall held at its season high for a seventh straight week and finish first or second in its time slot in four of the top-ten markets: Philadelphia, Houston, Boston and Atlanta.
SPT’s Mel Robbins stayed at a 0.4 for the sixth straight week.
NBC’s Judge Jerry, starring Springer, was steady at a 1.0. MGM/Orion’s Personal Injury Court was awarded a 20% increase to a new season-high 0.6. Trifecta’s Protection Court stayed at a 0.3.
Among the freshman games, Fox’s 25 Words or Less declined 11% to a 0.8, while SPT’s off-GSN America Says held steady at a 0.6.
NBCU’s off-net crime-focused magazine Dateline stood pat at a 1.2. SPT’s off-A&E Live PD Police Patrol added 10% to a new season-high 1.1. NBCU’s Chicago PD remained at a 0.8.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory stayed at a 3.1. Disney’s Last Man Standing stepped up 5% to a 2.0. Disney’s Modern Family forged ahead 7% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men maintained a 1.3, tying Disney’s Family Guy, which gained 8%. SPT’s The Goldbergs gave back 8% to a 1.2. Disney’s Black-ish ballooned 11% to a new season-high 1.0. SPT’s Seinfeld, Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly and Mom all were on par with the prior week’s 0.9.
