Syndie Toppers: ‘Wheel,’ Judy, Phil, Anderson

Judge Judy (CTD), Dr. Phil (CTD) and Anderson (WBDTD) were the daytime syndication standouts in the session ending Jan. 15.

Court Shows

Daytime queen Judy hit a milestone 800 weeks in a row as the No. 1 court show in syndication. That translates into topping the courtrooms every week for more than the past 15 years. In addition, Judy matched its highest ratings of the season in the frame, growing 3% week to week and 55% year to year to a 7.6, a number that is more than double any other daytime strip.

Among the other gavelers, Judge Joe Brown (CTD) jumped 7% from the week before to a 3.0; People’s Court (WBDTD) lost 9% to a 2.1; Judge Alex (Twentieth) sank 6% to a 1.7; and Judge Mathis (WBDTD) was unchanged at a 1.7.

Talk Shows

Elsewhere in daytime, Dr. Phil was the No. 1 talk show for the 12^th time this season, climbing for the third week in a row, with a 10% advance to a 3.2.

Dr. Oz (Sony) was unchanged at a 3.0; Live with Kelly (Disney-ABC) was flat at a 2.7; Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) was unchanged at a 2.4, tying Maury (NBCU), which weakened 4% to a2.4; Rachael Ray (CTD) held steady at its season high 1.8; The Doctors (CTD) gained 7% in households to a 1.6 and 50% among women 18-34 in its first full week without co-host Jillian Michaels; and Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) hit an all-time high 1.4, up 17% from the prior week and 56% over the past two weeks.

First-Run Freshmen

The recently renewed Anderson had the largest increase of any new show. The first-run rookie surged 25% from the week before in households to a new series high 1.5, tying 20-year veteran Springer. In addition, Anderson scored 20% or better increases in every key female demo.

Jeremy Kyle (Debmar-Mercury) and We the People with Gloria Allred (Entertainment Studios) were flat at 0.6 and 0.5, respectively. New latenight dating show Excused (CTD) jumped 17% to a 0.7.

Magazine Shows

In access, magazines continued to generate ratings heat. Leader Entertainment Tonight (CTD) grew 3% to a 3.9; Inside Edition (CTD) added 6% to a 3.3; Access Hollywood (NBCU) rose 5% in households to a 2.0 and spurted 15% in the women 25-54 demo; TMZ (WBDTD) was up 5% to a 2.0; The Insider (CTD) gained 6% to a 1.7; while Extra (WBDTD) held firm at a 1.6, despite not airing in numerous markets due to news coverage.

Game Shows

Among game shows, Wheel of Fortune (CTD) inched up 3% from the previous session to a new season high 7.8, topping the list of all syndicated shows for the week. Jeopardy (CTD) upticked 2% to a 6.3; while Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) were unchanged at 3.2 and 2.6, respectively.

Off-Net Sitcoms

In off-net syndication, freshman sitcom Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) was up 3% week to week to a new season high 7.0; Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) fell 1% to a second-place 6.6; Family Guy (Twentieth) gained 5% to a 4.3; How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) was down 3% to a 3.4; and Seinfeld (Sony) and Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD) were flat at a 2.6.

Among the new laffers following Big Bang, 30 Rock (NBCU) held steady at a 1.4 in late fringe; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (Twentieth) was up 9% to a 1.2; while Till Death (Sony) was unchanged at a 0.7.

Off-Net Weekly Hours

On the weekend, Criminal Minds (CTD) pulled away from the off-net weekly hours with a 27 spike from the prior frame to a new season high 3.8. Monk (NBCU) remained second with an unchanged 2.8; Law & Order (NBCU) was flat at 2.7, tying Without a Trace (WBDTD), which picked up 8% to a new season high 2.7; and Numbers (CTD) was in the plus column with an 8% advance to a new season high 2.6.