Regis Philbin left Live! with Regis and Kelly -- the show Philbin hosted for nearly 30 years in one incarnation or another -- with a big bang, hitting a 6.7 live plus same day household rating on Friday, Nov. 18.
That rating drove the show's weekly average to a season high 4.2 in the week ending Nov. 20, up 40% compared to the prior week and up 75% compared to last year. That also put Disney-ABC's Live! ahead of CBS Television Distribution's Dr. Phil for the first time this season. Phil has been the talk leader for eight out of ten weeks so far this season.
Dr. Phil, meanwhile, dipped 3% to a second-place 3.2, although up 10% from last November. Sony's Dr. Oz inched up 4% to a 2.8. Warner Bros.' Ellen was flat at a 2.5. NBCUniversal's Maury picked up 4% to a 2.4. CTD's Rachael Ray remained at its season high 1.7. CTD's The Doctors declined 6% to a 1.5. NBCU's Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos each were unchanged at a 1.5 and 1.3, respectively. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams weakened 8% to a 1.1, tying Sony's Nate Berkus, which was flat.
Warner Bros.' Anderson remained the top-rated first-run rookie, equaling its season high with an 8% increase to a 1.4, after a November 15 show on the Penn State scandal improved the show's ratings by 15% to a 1.5. Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle and Entertainment Studios' We the People with Gloria Allred each were unchanged at a 0.6 and 0.4, respectively.
CTD's Excused, a new late-night dating show, eased 14% from its prior-week season high to a 0.6.
Warner Bros. ‘ Big Bang Theory rose 7% from the prior week to a new season high 6.4, tying Warner Bros.' usual off-net sitcom leader Two and a Half Men for the first time. NBCU's 30 Rock, which airs in mostly lower-rated late-fringe time periods held steady at a 1.4. Twentieth's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia was flat at a 1.2. Sony's ‘Til Death sank 14% to a 0.6.
Two and a Half Men led the veteran off-net sitcoms, dipping 3% from the prior week. Twentieth's Family Guy advanced 5% to a new season-high 4.2. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother rose 3% to a 3.4. Sony's Seinfeld surged 8% to a new season high 2.7. Warner Bros.' Friends was flat at a 2.4. CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond retreated 4% to a 2.3. Twentieth's King of the Hill declined 5% to a 2.1. Carsey-Werner's That 70s Show stumbled 15% to a 1.7.
Among court shows, CTD's Judge Judy hit a new season-high 7.4, improving 3% from the prior week. CTD's Judge Joe Brown gained 4% to a second place 2.9. Warner Bros.' People's Court and Twentieth's Judge Alex each were unchanged at a 2.1 and 1.7, respectively. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis tacked on 6% to a 1.7, tying Alex. Twentieth's Divorce Court added 7% to a 1.6. CTD's Swift Justice slipped 7% to a 1.3. Entertainment Studios' America's Court with Judge Ross was flat at a 1.0.
CTD's Entertainment Tonight scored its 800th weekly victory among the magazines, with a 4.0, despite dipping 2%. CTD's Inside Edition inched up 3% from the prior week to a new season high 3.3. NBCU's Access Hollywood improved 5% to a 2.1, tying Warner Bros.' TMZ, which also rose 5%. CTD's The Insider remained at a 1.8. Warner Bros.' Extra was flat at a 1.7.
In the metered markets, NBCU's slow roll-out Access Hollywood Live held steady week to week in household share, with a 0.8 rating/3 share. The show also grew 33% in household share among women 18-49 to a 0.5/4.
CTD's game shows, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, each were unchanged at a 7.6 and 6.3, respectively. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud fell 6% to a 3.0, while Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was flat at a 2.5.
