Jeopardy!’s ratings plunged in the week ended Aug. 22 with five days of shows pulled from the archives in the season’s penultimate session.
CBS Media Ventures’ Jeopardy! sank 23% to a season-low 4.0 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That marked the steepest decline of any show in syndication. Year to year, however, Jeopardy! was actually up 3%. Jeopardy! fell to a 3.9 in the same week last year, also with a week of repeats.
Also swirling around the show was the ongoing scandal of naming Executive Producer Mike Richards as Jeopardy!’s new host and permanent successor to the iconic Alex Trebek, a move that only survived nine days before fan outrage and negative media coverage forced Richards out. On Tuesday, Richards exited his post as executive producer of both Jeopardy! and its sibling game show Wheel of Fortune, with former Who Wants to be a Millionaire Executive Producer Michael Davies stepping in as interim EP.
Also Read: Mike Richards Out as EP of ‘Jeopardy!,’ ‘Wheel of Fortune’
Meanwhile, Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud grew 6% to a syndication-leading 5.7, while Wheel of Fortune stayed put at a 4.5 for a third straight week.
Fox’s 25 Words or Less logged an unchanged 0.8. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask advanced 25% to a 0.5.
Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute maintained a 0.6.
CBS’ Inside Edition stayed at a 2.2, while sibling magazine Entertainment Tonight eased 5% to a 2.0. NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood held steady at a 0.8, tying Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which forged ahead 14%. Warner Bros.’ Extra preserved a 0.6 for a second straight week, breaking a tie with CBS’ DailyMailTV, which dropped 17% to a 0.5. Fox’s Dish Nation nabbed a 0.3 for the 49th time in the past 51 weeks.
In daytime and early fringe, there were numerous preemptions on Aug. 16 and 20 for coverage of President Joe Biden’s remarks on the withdrawal and evacuation from Afghanistan. NBC affiliates also preempted shows on Aug. 18 for coverage of the president’s remarks on COVID-19 booster shots.
Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan receded 6% to a 1.6 as it began its summer hiatus with repackaged episodes all week. Even so, Live led the talkers for the 15th straight week, including one tie with CBS’ Dr. Phil. Live has now been first or tied for first in talk 44 times in the last 50 weeks. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led with a 0.7, followed by Phil at a 0.5.
Back in households, Dr. Phil pulled back 7% to a new season-low 1.3 with a week of repeats.
NBCU’s Maury moved up 13% to a 0.9. Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres and Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams each secured a 0.8 for the second straight week.
NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson, with five days of repeats, gave back 13% to a 0.7, tying CBS’ Rachael Ray and NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, both of which were flat. Disney’s Tamron Hall eased 14% to a 0.6 with encore episodes on four of the five days. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz suffered a 17% ratings loss to a 0.5.
Repeats of CBS’ Drew Barrymore broke even at a 0.4. Warner Bros.’ The Real recorded a 0.3 for the 14th straight week. CBS’ The Doctors delivered a 0.2 for the 26th consecutive week, tying NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer, which stayed put for the 50th straight week.
CBS’ Judge Judy, which is about to have a change of venue after 25 years in first-run, dipped 2% to a 4.5 with five days of repeats and led the court shows for the 1300th straight week.
CBS’ Hot Bench backtracked 7% for the week to a 1.4 but was the third-highest daytime show after Judy and Live. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis were both unmoved at a 0.8 and 0.6, respectively. NBCU’s Judge Jerry recovered 20% from a series low to a 0.6, tying Mathis. Fox’s Divorce Court stayed at a 0.5 for a fourth week. Repeats of Trifecta’s Protection Court clocked a 0.2 for an eighth consecutive week.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory notched a 10% increase to a 2.3. Disney’s Last Man Standing jumped 7% to a 1.6. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men, Disney’s Modern Family, SPT’s The Goldbergs and Seinfeld, Disney’s Family Guy and Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls all stayed put at a 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, 0.8, 0.8 and 0.7, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly was minus 14% to a 0.6, tying Warner Bros.’ Mom, Disney’s Black-ish and Debmar-Mercury’s rookie Schitt’s Creek, all of which held steady with the prior week.
