Seinfeld may have to be rechristened "the show about nothing but solid
syndicated ratings." It may have been flat for the week ending Jan. 19, but for
the fifth week out of the past six, it was also the top off-net comedy in
syndication.
The week's largest rating spike belonged to Entertainment Tonight Weekend. Already the
top weekly hour, ET Weekend was up a dramatic 57 percent to a new season high of 4.7.
Powering that performance was a tribute to the late Maurice Gibb that
featured an emotional 1989 ET interview with the singer.
ET Weekend has now been the top-rated weekly hour for 57 of the past 58
weeks. The show is up 18 percent from last year at this time, the only top-10
weekly hour up year-to-year.
The No. 2 weekly was off-net ER, up 33 percent to a season high 2.8,
but down 13 percent from last year.
Third place was a tie between off-net The Practice, up 9 percent to a
2.5 though down 7 percent from last year, and Stargate SG-1, down 4
percent to a 2.5 and down 19 percent from last year.
The second week of the national run of Good Day Live was unchanged
from its debut at a 0.8.
The top rookie talker continues to be Dr. Phil, unchanged at a 4.8 and
with a 2.7 in the key women 18-through-49 demo.
In second place among talkers was The John Walsh Show, up 15 percent
to a 1.5 and with a 0.8 in women 18 through 49.
The veteran talk and court shows were mostly flat to slightly higher for the
week.
The biggest percentage gainers in daytime were The Other Half, up 11
percent to a new season high of 1.0; The Jerry Springer Show, up 8
percent to a 2.7; and Crossing Over with John Edward, up 8 percent to a
1.4.
Oprah, the top talker, was unchanged at a 5.7.
Judge Judy, the top court show, recorded a 2 percent increase to a new
season high of 5.7.
In access, most of the heavyweights were in a fairly narrow range.
Seinfeld was unchanged at 7.8; ET was the top magazine for the
340th straight week, up 2 percent to a 5.9; and Wheel of Fortune
continues as the top game show, down a tick (1 percent) to a
9.8.
