Live with Kelly and Ryan was the only first-run strip able to improve in the preemption-heavy week ended October 16, rallying 7% to a 1.6 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen, and remaining the top talker for the 21st straight week, including eight ties with CBS Media Ventures' Dr. Phil. Disney's Live with Kelly and Ryan, which saw Kelly Ripa’s husband Mark Consuelos sub in for Ryan Seacrest during the week, also led among women 25-54 with a 0.6, followed by Dr. Phil at a 0.4.
Stronger than usual competition came from 10 Major League Baseball playoff games on cable and live streaming from October 11 through 14, and heavy broadcast coverage of games on October 11 on Fox. On top of that, stations sacrificed daytime lineups on October 13 for coverage of the U.S. House of Representatives' continuing investigation of the January 6 Capitol riots.
Among the closely watched rookie talkers, Debmar-Mercury's Sherri, starring Sherri Shepherd, was able to break out of the week’s ratings average a low-rated episode on Tuesday, October 11, and remained at a 0.7 for a fifth straight week -- or every week that it has been on the air.
Fellow talk rookie Warner Bros.' Jennifer Hudson, also in week five, included all five days in its average but still held steady at a 0.6, despite losing its primary run in six of the top nine markets, among others, on October 11, and also being heavily preempted on October 13.
NBCUniversal's Karamo, starring Karamo Brown, held at a steady 0.3 in its fourth week and grew 100% to a 0.2 from a 1.0 among women 25-54.
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Dr. Phil, NBCUniversal's Kelly Clarkson, CBS' Drew Barrymore -- now airing as two cumed half-hours, Disney's Tamron Hall and CBS’ Rachael Ray all retained a 1.3, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7 and 0.6, respectively.
Among NBCU's so-called conflict shows, Steve Wilkos weakened 17% to a 0.5 Reruns of Maury and the Jerry Springer combo of talk and court shows stayed at a 0.4 and a 0.3, respectively.
Repeats of CBS' out-of-production court leader Judge Judy slipped 7% to a season-low 3.8. CBS' Hot Bench, Warner Bros.' People's Court and Judge Mathis and Fox's Divorce Court, now hosted by Star Jones, all stayed put at a 1.2, 0.7, 0.6 and 0.5, respectively. Wrigley Media’s sophomore Relative Justice receded 25% to a 0.3.
Trifecta's true-crime series, iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas, and court show Entertainment Studios’ We the People with Judge Lauren Lake remained in lock step at a 0.5 and a 0.3 in their fifth weeks in syndication.
CBS' Jeopardy! was stable at a game and syndication leading 5.2 for the fifth straight week, including one tie with Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud. CBS' Wheel of Fortune fell back 2% to a 4.7 in second place to tie Feud, which also downticked 2%. Feud, as per usual, led the games and syndication among women 25-54 at a 1.5.
Fox First Run’s You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno rolled a second straight 0.7, tying Fox’s 25 Words or Less, which held steady for the 16th straight week. CBS’ rookie game Pictionary, starring Jerry O’Connell, gave back 20% to a 0.4 after last week being syndication’s only newcomer to grow in households.
Entertainment Studios’ veteran Funny You Should Ask answered at a 0.3 for a second straight week.
CBS’ magazine leaders Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight each held steady at a 2.1 and a 2.0, respectively. NBCU’s Access Hollywood hovered at a 0.7 for a second straight week. Fox’s TMZ forfeited 14% to a 0.6. Warner Bros.’ Extra preserved its 0.5. Fox’s Dish Nation was relegated to a 0.2 for the 28th consecutive week.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory led the off-net sitcoms at a 1.9 for a third straight week. In second place, Disney’s Last Man Standing stood pat at a 1.0. Disney’s Modern Family skidded 13% to a 0.7, tying Disney’s Family Guy and Warner Bros.’ Young Sheldon and Two and a Half Men, all of which maintained for the week. Sony’s The Goldbergs faded 14% to a 0.6, tying Sony’s Seinfeld, which was even steven for an eighth consecutive week. CBS’ rookie The Neighborhood and Disney’s veteran Black-ish broke even at a 0.5 and a 0.4, respectively. ■
