Jeopardy remained in the syndication and game lead for the 10th straight week in the session ended November 20, which included the penultimate week of the CBS Media Ventures’ game show’s annual Tournament of Champions. The Jeopardy tourney was ultimately won by Amy Schneider on November 21.
Jeopardy added 11% for the week to climb to a new season-high 6.1 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
With the World Series and midterm elections concluded and daylight saving time begun, syndies tended to match or exceed their season bests.
CBS’ Wheel of Fortune, which is paired with Jeopardy in many large markets and has been second or tied for second for seven straight weeks, rose 13% to a new season-high 5.4. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud advanced 4% to a 5.0.
Fox’s 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, leapt 14% to a 0.8. Fox’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno lodged a 0.7 for a second week. Leno was recently released from the hospital after suffering serious burns in a garage accident.
CBS’ rookie Pictionary, hosted by Jerry O’Connell, preserved its series-high 0.5 for a third straight week. Allen Media Group’s Funny You Should Ask accumulated a 0.3 for a seventh straight week.
All of the top five magazines beat or matched their previous season highs. CBS’ Inside Edition led the pack, picking up 15% to a 2.3. Sister show Entertainment Tonight surged 16% to a new season-high 2.2, its best performance since the week ending May 8. NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood and Fox’s TMZ stayed put at a 0.8 and a 0.7, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Extra, without baseball preemptions, grew 20% to a 0.6. Fox’s Dish Nation nestled at a 0.2, where it’s been for 32 of the past 33 weeks.
Although CBS’ Dr. Phil was the only talker to grow week to week, elevating 8% to a second-place 1.4, Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan led the category at a steady 1.6. Live remained the talk leader for the 26th straight week, including eight ties with Dr. Phil. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live led with a 0.6, followed by Phil at a 0.5, up 25%, and Debmar-Mercury’s Sherri at a 0.4.
In third place, NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson was steady at a 0.9 and was steady week to week. CBS’ Drew Barrymore also stayed put at a 0.8, while Disney’s Tamron Hall remained at a 0.7.
Continuing the steady trend, CBS’ Rachael Ray, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, repeats of NBCU’s Maury, repeats of Jerry Springer court-and-talk combo all were stable at a 0.7, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.3, respectively.
Turning to talk’s freshman field, leader Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd, shouldered a 0.7 for the tenth consecutive week. That was 13% below the show it replaced in many of the major markets, Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, compared to the same week last year.
Warner Bros.’ Jennifer Hudson held its ground at a second-place 0.6 and bettered by 50% the year-ago rating for Debmar-Mercury’s Nick Cannon, the show JHud replaced in many major markets. NBCU’s Karamo, starring Karamo Brown, held at its season-high 0.4 in households for a second week.
The top two court shows both hit new season highs. Repeats of CBS’ Judge Judy generated that show’s biggest number since the week ending June 12 with a 7% gain to a 4.6. CBS’ Hot Bench, the number-one court show in original production, booked its best rating since the week ending May 22, ascending 8% to a 1.4 in the third week with new judges Yodit Tewolde and Rachel Juarez both of whom joined veteran Michael Corriero on the bench.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis, Fox’s Divorce Court and Wrigley Media’s Relative Justice all continued at a 0.8, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.3, respectively.
Trifecta’s rookie true crime strip iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas turned in a tenth straight 0.5 while Allen Media Group’s rookie court show We the People with Judge Lauren Lake lost 25% to a 0.3.
Warner Bros.’ off-network sitcom leader The Big Bang Theory hovered at a 1.9 for a second week. Disney’s Last Man Standing slipped 9% to a 1.0. Disney’s Modern Family and Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men each moved up 14% to a 0.8, tying Warner Bros.’ Young Sheldon, which stayed at a 0.8. Disney’s Family Guy gave back 25% to a 0.6, tying Sony Pictures Television’s The Goldbergs and Seinfeld, both of which stood pat. CBS’ The Neighborhood held at a 0.5 for a tenth straight week. Finally, Disney’s American Housewife added 33% to a 0.4, tying Disney’s Black-ish, which stayed put for the 14th week in a row. ■
