Syndies came roaring back in the week ending Jan. 13, with
the repeat-laden holidays finally behind them.
Dr. Phil returned to the top of the talk chart,
followed by Ellen, while the top-three game shows all hit season highs,
and the iconic Family Feud, hosted by Steve Harvey, jumped to an
all-time high.
In its return to originals, CBS Television Distribution's Dr.
Phil gained 23%, the biggest weekly improvement of any top-ten talk show,
averaging a 3.2 live plus same day household rating for the week, according to
Nielsen Media Research. Dr. Phil improved 39% over its ratings in
the week ended Dec. 30.
Warner Bros.' Ellen also came back to life. Taking
over the No. 2 spot, Ellen surged 17% for the week and 13% from the same
week last year to a 2.7. Disney-ABC's Live! with Kelly and Michael,
which had enjoyed three straight weeks at No. 1, declined just 4% for the week
to a 2.6. Sony Pictures Television's Dr. Oz added 13% to hit a new
season-high 2.6, tying Live! for third place.
NBCUniversal's Maury perked up 5% to a 2.3. CTD's Rachael
Ray receded 6% to a 1.5, in a three-way tie with NBCU's Steve Wilkos,
which was unchanged for the week but improved 15% over last year at this time
to earn talk's largest year-to-year increase, and NBCU's Jerry Springer,
which added 7% for the week. CTD's The Doctors held steady at a 1.4.
Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams climbed 18% for the
week to a 1.3. Warner Bros.' Anderson Live was unchanged at a 1.2. And
Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle climbed 20%, or one tenth of a ratings
point, to a 0.6.
All of the rookie talkers -- except Jeff Probst,
which was steady -- also saw gains during the week.
Disney-ABC's Katie clocked its best rating in eight
weeks, growing 5% from its previous session to hit a 2.0, its second-highest
week ever. Katie scored a big get for Thursday, Jan. 24, with an
exclusive with Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, reportedly the victim of an
Internet hoax that led him to believe he had a girlfriend who tragically died
of leukemia last September.
NBCU's Steve Harvey, now definitely returning for
next season and currently being renewed in some markets through 2016, hit a
series high, leaping 14% to a 1.6. CTD's Jeff Probst was flat at a 0.8.
Twentieth's Ricki Lake added 14% to tie Probst at a 0.8. NBCU's Trisha
Goddard jumped 25% to a 0.5.
All of the veteran magazines were up for the week. CTD's
revamped omg! Insider debuted at a 1.5, a 7% improvement from the prior
week and the show's prior version and a 17% gain among women 18-49 to a 0.7. At
the top of the magazine rack, CTD's Entertainment Tonight added 6% to a
3.8, while its Inside Edition climbed 10% to a 3.2. Warner Bros.' TMZ
strengthened 6% to a 1.9. NBCU's Access Hollywood gained 6% to a 1.8.
Warner Bros.' Extra advanced 7%, and 23% in two weeks to a 1.6, tying
its season high. Twentieth's rookie Dish Nation was unchanged at a 0.9.
The top-three game shows all hit new season highs. CTD's Wheel
of Fortune sped up 10% from the prior week to a new season-high 7.6, tying
Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory for syndication's overall lead. CTD's Jeopardy!
buzzed in with a 13% rise to a new season-high 6.8.
Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud hit a new season and
series high, adding 6% to a 5.4 and ranking fourth in overall syndication.
Feud also hit all-time best in daytime's key female demographics, coming
in second behind only CTD's Judge Judy at a 2.3 in women 18-49 and
third behind Judy and Wheel at a 2.6 among women
25-54. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, which will hire
a new host next season,and NBCU's rookie Baggage, starring
Jerry Springer, both were unchanged at a 2.4 and 1.2, respectively.
While most of syndication saw gains as shows returned to
originals, court was largely down or steady. Judge Judy bucked that
trend, however, spiking 11% for the week to a 7.3 and second place in overall
syndication. CTD's Judge Joe Brown also improved, adding 4% to a 2.5. On
the other hand, Warner Bros.' People's Court faded 5% to a 1.9. Warner
Bros.' Judge Mathis dropped 6% to a 1.5. Twentieth's Judge Alex
was flat at a 1.4. Twentieth's Divorce Court dropped 7% to a 1.3.
Entertainment Studios' America's Court was unchanged at a 1.8, while its
newcomer, Justice for All, slid 20% to a 0.4, while its rookie, We
the People, was flat at a 0.2.
The Big Bang Theory led both off-net sitcoms and
syndication at a 7.6, its second-highest rating thus far in syndication. Warner
Bros.' Two and a Half Men tacked on 4% to a 5.5. Twentieth's Family
Guy picked up 8% to a 3.9. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother fell 6%
to a 2.9. Twentieth's King of the Hill and Sony's Seinfeld both
climbed 9% to a 2.4. Warner Bros.' Friends faded 5% to a 2.1. CTD's Everybody
Loves Raymond remained at a 2.0.
