The
first week following the end of Daylight Savings Time brought with it the
traditional big increase in PUT levels, and most shows found
themselves at or near their highest levels of the year.
Among
talk shows, in the week ending Nov. 14, which includes the second week of the
November sweep, Oprah and Dr. Phil held strong. Judge Judy came up big in court and Swift Justice led the rookie pack by a
huge margin. Entertainment Tonight
widened its lead over the magazines and Wheel
of Fortune rolled over the game shows.
CBS Television Distribution's Oprah was number one among
talkers, scoring its highest-rated week in almost three years. This week
included the four highest-rated episodes of the season, moving up 17% from the
week before to a new season high 6.1. CTD's Dr.
Phil remained at its season high 3.0 for a second straight week.
Disney-ABC's Live! with Regis and Kelly
added 4% to a 2.6. Sony's Dr. Oz was
fourth with a 4% increase to a new season high 2.5. Warner Bros.' Ellen slipped 4% to a 2.3; NBCU's Maury was unchanged at a 2.0 while CTD's
The Doctors grew a healthy 6% to a
new season high 1.8.
Among
the closely watched newcomers to syndication, CTD's Swift Justice With Nancy Grace made it nine consecutive weeks as
the top new first run strip, jumping 8% from the week before to a 1.4 in
households and scoring double-digit gains in every key female demo, including a
50% surge among young women 18-34. Sony's Nate
Berkus climbed 11% to a 1.0. Twentieth's Don't Forget the Lyrics, Litton's Judge Karen's Court and Entertainment Studios' America's Court with Judge Ross were all flat at 0.9, 0.6 and 0.4, respectively.
In
thirteen metered markets, NBCU's Access
Hollywood Live was up 13% from last year's time period average to a 0.9
rating/3 share and saw its women 25-54 demo rating spike 50% in the second week
of the sweep. CTD's The Insider lept
20% from the prior session among women 25-54 and 11% in households to a new
season high 2.0, its strongest performance in nine months. Year-to-year the show was
the only magazine strip to improve, growing 11% from last year at this time. CTD's
Entertainment Tonight also hit a new
season high 4.3, up 5% week to week in households and 12% in the women 18-49
demo. CTD's Inside Edition was the
only magazine to decline from the prior session, losing 3% to a 2.8. Access Hollywood was steady at a 1.9 in
households and up 8% among women 25-54. Warner Bros.' TMZ recovered all of the prior week's loss and was up 13% to a 1.8.
Warner Bros.' Extra rose 6% to a 1.7
and its Extra: Weekend skyrocketed
44% from last year to a 1.3.
Judge Judy continued to surpass
the veteran court shows, opening up 130% higher than the next highest-rated legal show scoring a new season high 4.6, up 5% from the week before. Judge Joe Brown was steady at a 2.0, People's Court dropped 5% to a new
season low 1.8, Judge Mathis sank 6%
to a 1.5 while Judge Alex was up 8%
to a 1.3.
Game
shows were mostly unchanged, although topper Wheel of Fortune and second place Jeopardy! both notched new season highs with Wheel spinning a 7% gain from the week before to a 7.5 and Jeopardy! buzzing in with a 5% advance
to a 5.9. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,
Family Feud and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? were all flat at 2.2, 1.6 and
0.9, respectively.
Veteran
off-net sitcoms were led by Two and a Half Men, which was 7% higher at a new season best 6.0. Family Guy grew 10% to a new season high 3.4. My Wife and Kids remained at a 2.8. Everybody Loves Raymond was up 4% to a 2.8 and Seinfeld hit a new season high 2.6, up 4% from the week before. How I Met Your Mother led the rookie
off-net and off-cable strips with an unchanged 2.3. Meet the Browns jumped 14% to a new season high 1.6. The New Adventures of Old Christine fell
8% to a 1.2 while Ugly Betty picked
up 11% to a new season high 1.0.
