The Jeopardy! juggernaut powered by James Holzhauer drove on in the week ended May 5, lifting the show to a 14-year high in the first full week of the May sweep, which runs April 25 through May 22.
CTD’s Jeopardy! jumped 11% from the prior round to a 8.3 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, its biggest number since the week ending March 6, 2005, and its third straight first-place household finish in overall syndication.
Related: Syndication Ratings: 'Jeopardy!' Keeps Jumping as James Holzhauer Keeps Winning
Jeopardy! sister show, Wheel of Fortune, added 10% to a 6.4, that show’s strongest rating since the week ended March 10. Both games are produced by Sony Pictures Television.
From May 6 through May 17, Jeopardy! is airing a previously scheduled teachers’ tournament. So far, pro gambler Holzhauer, who will be back on May 20, has won well over $1.6 million and 22 consecutive games, second only to all-time Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings.
Meanwhile, Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, which often leads the games, recovered 2% to a 6.1 and third place.
Disney’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire broke even at a 1.6, while Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask was unchanged at a 0.5 for the eighth straight week.
Disney’s viral video show RightThisMinute maintained a 1.2 for a fourth straight week.
Elsewhere, CTD’s Judge Judy, the season-to-date leader among households, hit an eight-week high 7.2, inching up 3% for the week and the year. Judy has finished first in overall syndication in 40 of the past 43 weeks with four ties.
CTD’s Hot Bench, the only court show besides Judy in the weekly plus column, rose 5% to a 2.2 and ranked as the third-highest rated show in daytime behind only Judy and CTD’s talk leader Dr. Phil.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and JudgeMathis and Twentieth’s Divorce Court all were flat at a 1.5, 1.0 and 0.7, respectively.
Dr. Phil, which has led the talkers for 139 consecutive weeks with five ties, had the largest increase of the 14 shows in the category, climbing 7% to a 2.9. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil led with a 1.2.
Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan remained in second place for the tenth straight week, despite a 5% dip to a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres added 5% to a 2.0 for third. Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams was unchanged at a 1.4.
NBCU’s Maury dropped 7% to a 1.3, matching its season low. Rounding out the top six, NBCU’s Steve, which the NBC stations have now officially canceled, was steady at a 1.2.
Meanwhile, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos stayed at a 1.1 for the eighth straight week.
CTD’s Rachael Ray retreated 9% to a 1.0, tying SPT’s Dr. Oz, which was steady for a seventh consecutive week.
Warner Bros.’ The Real, CTD’s The Doctors, Disney’s Pickler & Ben and the syndicated run of NBCU’s out-of-production Jerry Springer all remained at a 0.7, 0.6, 0.4 and 0.4, respectively.
Related: Here Comes Judge Jerry Springer
Among the rookies, CTD’s canceled Face the Truth saw a 0.7 for a third straight week, while Debmar-Mercury’s freshman court show Caught in Providence posted an unchanged 0.6.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight took sole possession of the magazine lead with an 8% advance to a 2.8.
CTD’s Inside Edition stayed at its season-low 2.7. Warner Bros.’ TMZ was a constant 1.3 for the ninth straight week. NBCU’s Access spiked 9% to a 1.2. Warner Bros.’ Extra held steady at a 1.0, tying CTD’s recently renewed sophomore DailyMailTV, which added 11%. Twentieth’s recently canceled Page Six TV and Trifecta’s Celebrity Page remained at a 0.6 and 0.2, respectively.
Meanwhile, NBCU’s Dateline led the true-crime posse for the 34th straight week, jumping 8% to a 1.4.
SPT’s off-A&E Live PD Police Patrol perked up 10% to a 1.1. Off-Investigation Discovery’s TrueCrime Files revealed an unchanged 0.3. Among scripted strips, NBCU’s Chicago PD gave back 18% to a 0.9, after hitting a season high in the prior tour.
Off-net sitcom leader The Big Bang Theory, which is ending its primetime run on CBS this week, downticked 2% to a 4.3. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing slipped 5% to a 2.0, while its Modern Family fell 6% to a 1.7. SPT’s The Goldbergs gave back 7% to a 1.4, tying Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men, which remained at a 1.4. Twentieth’s Family Guy, Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly and Disney’s Black-ish all were unchanged at a 1.2, 1.1 and 1.1, respectively. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls stayed at a 1.0 for the 15th consecutive week, tying SPT’s Seinfeld, which held steady for the ninth straight week, not that there’s anything wrong with that.
