His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge arrived on Monday, July 22, and besides immediately becoming the center of the world's attention, also disrupted syndies in the week ended July 28. Most networks cut into daytime programming and many shows were preempted in favor of royal coverage.
Most talkers held on to their increases from the prior week and turned in steady performances. Magazines also turned in another solid summer week although veteran Access Hollywood and rookie Dish Nation were the only shows in the category to outperform the prior week.
CBS Television Distribution's usual leader, Dr. Phil, and Disney-ABC's Live! with Kelly and Michael shared the top spot, tying at a 2.5 live plus same day household rating. Dr. Phil, which went into a week of repeats on four of the five days, was off 7% from the prior week but up 8% from last year at this time. Live! was up 4% for the week and 9% from last year.
Sony Pictures Television's Dr. Oz moved up to third place in households with a steady 2.1, and grew 9% among women 25-54 with a 1.2, although the show was mostly in repeats. NBCUniversal's Maury, which had been up for two weeks in a row, eased 9% to a 2.0.
Warner Bros.' Ellen was unchanged for the week but spiked 27% over last year, even though the show was in reruns all week. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams, in originals on four of the five days, had talk's biggest gain over last year by far, climbing 75% to a 1.4. Wendy also was up 8% for the week.
NBCU's Steve Wilkos jumped 8% to a 1.3. CTD's Rachael Ray and NBCU's Jerry Springer both held steady tying Wilkos at a 1.3. CTD's The Doctors remained at a 1.2, while Meredith's The Better Show came in last with an unchanged 0.2.
Disney/ABC's Katie dipped 6% to a 1.6, while NBCU's Steve Harvey slipped 8% to a 1.2. Both shows were in originals all week. Meanwhile, NBCU's Trisha, in repeats for the week, was unchanged at a 0.5.
Elsewhere, the test run of Warner Bros.' The Real tied its ratings high thus far, scoring a 1.3 rating/4 share in households on Monday, Aug. 5, and more than doubling Twentieth's Kris Jenner at a 0.6/2, which marks the show's ratings low. Both shows debuted on July 15 and are running on select Fox stations.
Meanwhile, after its third full week, The Real is showing double- and triple-digit growth over its first week and over its lead-ins and year-ago time periods, especially in key demographics. On the other hand, Kris Jenner's trial runis mostly unchanged in week one compared to week three, but showing gains over its August 2012 time-period averages.
Among women 25-54, The Real averaged a 1.2/ 8 in its third week, up 50% from its first week. The Real also surged 200% from its year-ago time period average. Kris was unchanged from its first week at a 0.8/5, but up 60% from its August 2012 time periods.
Among households in its third week, The Real averaged a 1.1/4, up 10% from week one, and up 57% from its year-ago time period average. Kris, at a 0.9/3, was unchanged from its first week, but up 13% from its year-ago time periods.
CTD's Judge Judy was far in front of the court shows with a 6.0, tying CTD's Wheel of Fortune for the first-run lead. In reruns for the week, Judy dropped 6%. Warner Bros.' People's Court sank 6% to a new season-low 1.5. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis was flat at 1.3. Twentieth's Divorce Court was flat at a 1.1. Twentieth's Judge Alex skidded 9% to a new season low 1.0. Entertainment Studios' America's Court tumbled 14% to a 0.6. Newcomer Justice for All added 25%, or one-tenth of a ratings point, to a 0.5, while We the People was flat at a 0.2.
The magazines were mostly steady, although NBCU's Access Hollywood grew 7% from the prior week to a 1.6, while every other veteran in the category remained even with the prior session or declined.
CTD's leader, Entertainment Tonight, held the lead at a flat 3.3. CTD's Inside Edition--despite featuring exclusive TV interviews over two days with Sydney Leathers, the former Internet girlfriend of disgraced former Congressman and New York City Mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner--was flat for the week and down 7% from last year to a 2.7. Warner Bros.' TMZ dipped 5% to a 1.8, while CTD's omg! Insider and Warner Bros.' Extra held steady at a 1.3. Twentieth's rookie, Dish Nation, rallied 11% to a 1.0.
Game shows were mixed, although Disney/ABC's Who Wants to be a Millionaire earned its best rating in 16 weeks with a 9% jump from the prior week to a 2.5. Wheel of Fortune was flat at a 6.0. CTD's Jeopardy! faded 5% to a 5.6. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud finished 5% higher at a 4.5, while NBCU's Baggage remained locked at a 1.0.
Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory inched up 2% to a 6.4 to lead all of syndication. Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men softened 2% to a 4.2. Twentieth's Family Guy rose 6% to a 3.5. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother was flat at a 2.4, tying Twentieth's King of the Hill, which climbed 9%. Warner Bros' Friends and SPT's Seinfeld remained at a 2.2, while CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond remained at a 1.8.
