The session ending June 13 was a big one for Judge Judy. The daytime hit, which is preparing to exit first run syndication after 25 years for a new venue, topped the court shows for the 1,290th consecutive week with a 6% spike to a 5.2 live plus same day national rating, according to Nielsen.
That was more than three times the rating of any other daytime program in syndication. The Judy increase came despite a total of more than nine hours of French Open tennis preemptions in the daypart on NBC affiliates on June 10 and 11. In fact, CBS Media Ventures’ Judge Judy was the only one of the seven nationally cleared courtrooms able to improve from the previous docket.
Judge Judy Sheindlin’s creation Hot Bench was the second-highest gaveler with a steady 1.4. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis were flat at 0.8 and 0.6, respectively. NBCUniversal’s Judge Jerry skidded 17% to a new series low 0.5, tying Fox’s Divorce Court, which was unchanged at a 0.5. The verdict on Trifecta’s Protection Court was a 0.2 for the ninth week in a row.
Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan dipped 6% to a 1.6 but was No. 1 among talkers for a fifth week in a row, including one tie with CMV’s Dr. Phil. The morning favorite has now finished first or tied for first in 34 of the past 40 weeks. Among women 25-54, Live has the strongest talk score season to date and rules the category with a 0.7 demo rating for the week.
Back in households, encore episodes of Dr. Phil gave back 7% to a 1.4 but took the second spot without difficulty. Moving up to third place, Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams elevated 11% to a 1.0 after bringing back a partial studio audience beginning June 1 instead of playing only to a group of show staffers.
NBCU’s conflict talker Maury tumbled 10% to a 0.9 matching its all-time low and tying Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, which recovered 13% to a 0.9. Already renewed sophomores NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson and Disney’s Tamron Hall held their ground at 0.8 and 0.7, respectively, with Tamron tying veterans CMV’s Rachael Ray and NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which both broke even at a 0.7.
Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz continued to operate at a 0.5 for a second week. Reruns of CMV's already greenlit newcomer Drew Barrymore retained a 0.4. Warner Bros.’ The Real registered a 0.3 for a fourth straight week. CMV’s The Doctors remained in intensive care, flatlining at a series low 0.2 for a 16th week and tied the out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer, which stagnated at its low water mark of 0.2 for a 40th week.
In access time periods, the game shows played to bigger crowds. The survey said Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud forged ahead 9% to 5.9 to lead all programs with Judge Judy as the No. 2 show in syndication.
CMV’s Jeopardy! jumped 4% to a 5.1 with a second weekly stint for guest host Mayim Bialik. CMV’s Wheel of Fortune inched up 2% to a 4.8. Further back Fox’s 25 Words or Less logged a 14% rebound from series low levels to a 0.8. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask answered with a 25% pop to a 0.5. Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute was mired at a series low 0.6 for the 12th consecutive week.
The news on the magazine rack was that all shows posted steady to higher ratings even though access strips in some large markets often went head to head with or were completely iced out by NHL Stanley Cup Playoff action on four of the five days. Headliners CMV’s Inside Edition and sister show CMV’s Entertainment Tonight both rose 5% to 2.1 and 2.0, respectively. Among women 25-54, ET was top rated in the category with a 0.7 compared to a 0.6 for Inside.
Back in households, NBCU’s Access Hollywood, Warner Bros.’ TMZ and Warner Bros.’ Extra all hung tough at 0.8, 0.7 and 0.6, respectively, with Extra tying CMV’s DailyMailTV, which shot up 20% to a 0.6. Fox’s Dish Nation ricocheted off its season low set in the prior frame, climbing 50% and serving up a 0.3 for the 40th time in the past 41 weeks.
On the off-net sitcom scene, Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory had the loudest voice in the room with a stable 2.2. Fox’s Last Man Standing vaulted 13% to a 1.7. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men slumped 10% to a new series low 0.9, tying Disney’s Modern Family, which fielded a 0.9 for the fourth time in five weeks. SPT’s The Goldbergs gave away 11% to a new series low 0.8, tying Disney’s Family Guy, which gravitated to a 0.8 for a third week in a row and SPT’s Seinfeld, which was even steven at a 0.8 for the seventh straight week. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls refunded 13%, down to a 0.7, tying Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly, which maintained a 0.7 for a 15th week. And finally, Warner Bros.’ Mom and Disney’s Black-ish both backed down 14% to a 0.6, tying Debmar-Mercury’s Schitt’s Creek, which ran steady at 0.6.
