Baseball’s World Series was the latest obstacle in syndies’ path as three games airing on weeknights on Fox caused widespread preemptions amongst access shows in the week ended Oct. 28. The week also included the first two week days of the November sweep that’s running Oct. 25 to Nov. 21.
Still, CBS Television Distribution’s Judge Judy rose to the occasion, leading all of syndication for the 13th straight week and surging 6% from the prior week and 3% from last year to a new season high 7.3 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, the show’s biggest household rating since the week of March 5.
The only other court show to improve on the week was CTD’s Hot Bench, which rose 5% to a 2.3 and ranked as the third highest daytime show for a third straight week. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court, Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis and Twentieth’s Divorce Court all were unchanged at a 1.4, 1.0 and 0.7, respectively.
In access, none of the games improved. Debmar-Mercury’s usual leader, Family Feud, faded 3% to a 6.1 to tie CTD’s Jeopardy!, which held steady. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune slowed 2% to a 5.9.
Related: ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ ‘Jeopardy!’ Renewed Through 2022-23 on ABC Owned Stations
Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire lost 6% to a new season-low 1.5, while Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask remained at a 0.5 for the 14th straight week.
Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute clocked a 1.2 for a sixth consecutive week.
Among magazines, CTD’s Entertainment Tonight was the only strip to move up in a week where shows were either competing with the World Series in some markets or preempted by the games. ET still managed to climb 7% to a new season high 3.1, its best number since the week of May 28.
Related: 'ET' Headed Over the Top With ‘ET Live’
CTD’s Inside Edition was flat in second place at a 3.0. NBCU’s Access eased 8% to a 1.2 but finished third in the genre for a second straight week. Warner Bros.’ Extra moved up to fourth place for the first time this season, holding steady at a 1.1.
CTD’s DailyMailTV delivered a stable 1.0 and for the first time, tied Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which declined 17% to a new season low due to heavy preemptions on Fox-owned stations. This also was true for Twentieth’s Page Six TV, but it managed to hold on to a 0.6. Trifecta’s Celebrity Page posted a 0.2 for the fourth straight week.
In daytime, CTD’s Dr. Phil strengthened 4% to a four-week high 2.9 to lead the talkers for the 112th straight week including two ties. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil also led with a 1.3.
Related: Dr. Phil McGraw Renews Deal with CBS Television Distribution Through 2023
Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan took second for the fifth straight week with a 5% jump to a 2.2. Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres remained at a third-place 2.0 for the fifth consecutive week. NBCU’s Maury recovered 8% to a 1.4. NBCU’s Steve, starring Steve Harvey, held steady at a 1.3. Among women 25-54, Steve improved 20% to a 0.6.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, CTD’s Rachael Ray, Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz and Warner Bros.’ The Real all were steady at a 1.3, 1.3, 1.1, 1.1, 1.0 and 0.7, respectively.
CTD’s The Doctors slipped 17% to a 0.5, while NBCU’s Jerry Springer, which airs only in repeats and is rated separately for its CW network and syndicated runs, was flat at a 0.4. Disney-ABC’s Pickler & Ben, produced by E. W. Scripps, continued to tie Springer at an unchanged 0.4.
Related: Jerry Springer to Return to Daytime as Court-Show Star
Among this year’s two new first-run rookies, CTD’s panel talker Face the Truth starring Vivica A. Fox, was steady at a 0.8, while Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence held at a 0.6.
On the true crime beat, NBCU’s off-net strip Dateline improved 8% to a 1.4. SPT’s off-A&E LivePD Police Patrol popped up 22% to a new season-high 1.1. Off-Investigation Discovery True Crime Files stayed at a 0.3 for the seventh straight week.
Meanwhile, NBCU’s scripted police procedural Chicago PD shot up 11% to a new season-high 1.0 in its fifth week in syndication.
Many of the off-net sitcoms were preempted for Fox’s airing of the World Series, forcing ratings down across the board. Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory dipped 2% to a new season-low 4.0. Twentieth’s Last Man Standing slid 9% to a 2.1 Twentieth’s Modern Family forged ahead 5% to a 2.0. SPT’s The Goldbergs stood its ground at a 1.5. Twentieth’s Family Guy gave back 7% to a 1.3, tying Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men, which held steady for a second week. Disney-ABC’s Black-ish banked a 1.1 for the third straight week, tying Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly, which rebounded 10% to a 1.1. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls sank 10% to a new series low 0.9, tying Warner Bros.’ Mom and SPT’s Seinfeld, both of which were unchanged.
