CBS Television Distribution’s Judge Judy, returning to originals in the week ending Aug. 20, regained syndication’s top spot with a 6.7 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That marked Judy’s biggest rating since the week of May 22, as well as a gain of 8% from the prior week and 6% from the prior year.
The only other court show besides Judy to move up by either measure was Judy’s progeny, CTD’s Hot Bench, which hit a six-week high 2.3 and moved up 5% for the week and 10% for the year, despite being in reruns on four days.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis, Twentieth’s Divorce Court and Trifecta’s JudgeFaith all were flat at a 1.5, 1.1, 0.9 and 0.7, respectively, with Faith remaining at its season low for the seventh straight week.Mathis and Divorce Court dropped 15% and 18%, respectively, for the year.
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Elsewhere in daytime, CTD’s Dr. Phil, although completely in repeats, rang up a milestone 50th consecutive week as syndication’s highest-rated talk show with a 2.8. Phil advanced 4% for the week and leaped 33% from last year, which was the largest annual increase of any talker. Among women 25-54, Phil’s repeats were again first with a 1.1 in the key demo.
Back in households, Disney-ABC’s Live With Kelly and Ryan finished second for the 12th straight week with a steady 2.0, despite not being live, airing one pre-taped original and four repackaged shows.
Warner Bros.’ EllenDeGeneres was flat at a its season-low 1.5 for the third time in four weeks. NBCUniversal’s Maury sank 7% to a 1.4, matching its season low. NBCU’s Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos both eroded 8% to a 1.2, equalling their season lows and tying NBCU’s SteveHarvey, which remained at its season-low 1.2 for the fifth straight week.
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Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams was unchanged at a 1.1, tying Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz, which flatlined at a 1.1 for the eighth time in nine weeks. CTD’s Rachael Ray stayed at its series-low 1.0 for the tenth straight week.
Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily With Chris Hansen rose 13% to a 0.9 in repeats, growing 29% from last year at this time. CTD’s The Doctors, also in reruns, improved its circulation by 14% to a 0.8, tying NBCU’s Harry, which held steady. Warner Bros.’ The Real was flat at a 0.7 for the fifth week in a row.
Culinary Genius, it is third week of testing on Fox stations in ten markets, cooked up a 0.6/1, down 25% from both its lead-in and year-ago time-period averages. The show also served up a 0.4/2 among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54.
Another Fox test, court show Ana Polo Rules, admitted a 0.3/1 in four markets, down 40% from its lead-in but even with its year-ago time periods. In the key women 25-54 demo, Ana Polo Rules turned in a 0.1/1.
Back in the nationals, entertainment magazines were relatively stable. Warner Bros.’ TMZ was the only show to decline, while Warner Bros.’ Extra was the only show to improve.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight and CTD’s Inside Edition both held steady at a 2.7 and 2.5, respectively. TMZ slumped 7% to a 1.3. NBCU’s Access Hollywood was unchanged at a 1.2. Warner Bros.’ Extra added 10% to a 1.1. CTD’s soon-to-wrap The Insider stayed at a 0.9. Twentieth’s Dish Nation was unchanged at a 0.6 but down 33% from last year. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page stayed at a 0.3 for the 33rd week in a row.
All of the games were flat to down, led by Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, which fell 2% to lead the category for a 69th straight week at a 6.2. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune skidded 2% to a 5.3. CTD’s Jeopardy! faded 2% to a 5.1, equalling its season low. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire stayed at a 1.5, watching its season low. Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game, getting ready to bow out, was flat at a 1.0.
Elsewhere, Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute remained at a 1.3 for the eighth straight week.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory continued to lead the off-net sitcoms, inching up 2% to a 4.9. Twentieth’s Modern Family forged ahead 4% to a 2.6. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men, Twentieth’s Family Guy, Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly andTwentieth’s Last Man Standing all held steady at a 2.2, 1.8, 1.6 and 1.6, respectively.
Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls slipped 7% to a 1.3. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show stayed at a 1.2. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother and SPT’s Seinfeld both saw shrinkage of 8% to a 1.1, with both series falling to their series lows.
