In the otherwise slow week between Christmas and New Year’s, Santa gave Disney-ABC’s Live With Kelly and Ryan the gift of winning.
The show, in originals in the week ended Dec. 31, scored its best week since Ryan Seacrest joined as co-host on May 1, 2017, surging 13% to a new season high 2.6 live plus same day household ratings average, according to Nielsen Media Research, and tying CBS Television Distribution’s usual leader Dr. Philfor first place in talk.
That’s the first time any talker has equaled Dr. Phil in the weekly household ratings since the week of Aug. 29, 2016.
Dr. Phil, which was the only top-10 talker to include the very low-rated Christmas Day in its weekly average, was in reruns on all five days.
In addition to that, Phil had its primary-run telecasts preempted in most major markets by CBS’ broadcast of college football’sSun Bowl on Dec. 29, resulting in a 13% drop to a new season low.
Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Live With Kelly and Ryan was first in talk for the week with a 1.2 in the key demo.
Back in households, Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, in repeats, also dropped to a new season low, falling back 5% to a 2.0.
After that, most of the other talk shows appeared to be buoyed by viewers home for the holidays with most hitting or tying season highs.
NBCUniversal’s Maury moved up 14% to a new season-best 1.6. CTD’s Rachael Ray rose 8% to a new season-high 1.4, tying NBCU’s Steve, which held steady at its season high for the 10th consecutive week.
NBCU’s Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos each increased 8% to new season-highs 1.3. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz and Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williamsboth rallied 9% to a 1.2. Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily With Chris Hansen also included Christmas Day in its average, but it managed to hold steady at its season-high 1.0 for a fourth straight week.
NBCU’s Harry slipped 11% to a 0.8, falling into a tie with CTD’s The Doctors, which has flatlined at a 0.8 for 17 straight weeks. Warner Bros.’ TheReal, which was recently renewed by the Fox Television Stations through the 2019-20 TV season, fell 13% to a 0.7.
CTD’s Daily Mail TV continued to lead the first-run rookies for the 15th week in a row at a steady 1.0 and a 0.5 among women 25-54.
Twentieth’s Page Six TV, which was preempted in 15 of the top 27 markets by the Foster Farms Bowl on Fox on Dec. 27, backed off 13% from its season high set in the prior week to a 0.7 in households. Among women 25-54, Page Six TV posted a 0.4.
Among the other rookies, Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask climbed 20% to a new season-high 0.6 and a 0.3 among women 25-54. Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben, produced by Scripps, remained at a 0.3 for a 15th straight week, but improved to a 0.2 in the key demo.
CTD’s Judge Judy, in reruns, dipped 3% to a 6.8, tying Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud for the overall syndication lead.
CTD’s Hot Bench heated up 5% to a 2.3. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and JudgeMathis each were unchanged at a 1.6 and 1.2, respectively. Twentieth’s Divorce Court strengthened 11% to a 1.0. Trifecta’s Judge Faith forged ahead 17% to a new season-high 0.7.
Feud also improved 3% to a 6.8 to lead both the games and overall syndication. CTD’s Jeopardy! had no answer, losing 8% to a 6.0 for second place among the games. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune yielded 8% to a 5.9 for third place. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire broke even at a 1.7 for the eighth straight week.
Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute sagged 7% to a 1.4, while NBCU’s off-net strip Dateline also slumped 7% to a 1.3.
CTD’s Inside Edition, unchanged for the week at a 3.0, overtook CTD’s EntertainmentTonight for the magazine lead for the first time since the Thanksgiving holiday week. ET, which included Christmas in its average, slipped 10% to a 2.7.
Warner Bros.’ TMZ sank 7% to a 1.3. NBCU’s Access and Warner Bros.’ Extra, both heavily preempted, tied at a 1.2. Access, which included Christmas in its average, pulled back 14% to a new season low, while Extra, which did not include Christmas, eased 8% from its season high in the prior frame.
Trifecta’s Celebrity Page was unchanged at a 0.3 for the ninth straight week.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory shed 6% to remain the off-net sitcom leader at a 4.8. Twentieth’s Modern Family was flat at a 2.3. SPT’s rookie The Goldbergs added 6% to a 1.8. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing stood pat at a 1.7. Twentieth’s Family Guy gave back 12% to a 1.5, tying Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly, which was flat, and Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men, which sank 12% to a new series low, down 40% from last year. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls and Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show both were unchanged at a 1.2. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother moved up 22% to a new season-high 1.1, tying Twentieth’s King of the Hill and SPT’s Seinfeld, both of which were steady.
Warner Bros.’ off-net rookie Mom remained at a 1.0, while CTD’s newcomer The Game grew 25% to a 0.5.
