Halloween Week A Ratings Treat For Courts

Court shows, led by Judge Judy, got the most favorable ratings verdicts in the Halloween week session ending Nov. 1 with all of the top four gavelers scaring up significantly higher numbers.

Judy was the biggest gainer, surging 16% from the previous docket to a new season high 5.9 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating, and outperforming all syndicated shows in households. In the coveted women 25-54 age group, the first run force majeure rocketed 25% and has now been the No. 1 courtroom for 1,258 consecutive weeks — or every week for more than 24 years.

Hot Bench, the second-highest gaveler — and a Judge Judy Sheindlin success story— rose 6% to a 1.7, matching its season high.

People’s Court climbed 9% to a third-place 1.2 while Judge Mathis moved ahead 13% to a 0.9, equaling its season best.

Elsewhere in daytime, Live with Kelly and Ryan held steady at its season high 1.9 to tie Dr. Phil, which eased 5% at the top of the talk shows.

In access, game shows were lively with Family Feud, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune all winning new season highs. Feud led the quiz and giveaways with a 5.8, followed by Jeopardy, hosted by the late Alex Trebek, at a 5.4 and Wheel right behind at a 5.3.

On the magazine rack, Inside Edition set the pace, clocking a new season high 2.4 with a 4% advance. Of note, TMZ rebounded 60% from an all-time series low in the previous week to a 0.8.

On the heels of TMZ was the heavily preempted Daily Mail TV which still spiked 17% to a 0.7 and tied a steady Extra.

The week’s top-rated daytime talk shows in the women 25-54 demo were:

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.9, +13% from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (0.7, -13%)
• Ellen DeGeneres (0.6, +20%)
• Maury (0.5, unchanged)
• Kelly Clarkson (0.4, -20%), tied with Tamron Hall (0.4, unchanged), Steve Wilkos (0.4, unchanged) and Wendy Williams (0.4, unchanged)

In the household rating rankings that follow, % change is from the previous week; * indicates a new season-high rating; ** indicates a new season low; NC indicates no change from the previous week; NA means not applicable.

TALK SHOWS

Dr. Phil (CTD) 1.9 -5%

Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 1.9 NC

Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 1.2 +9%

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 1.0 NC

Maury (NBCU) 0.9 NC

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 0.9 NC

Rachael Ray (CTD) 0.9 NC

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.9 NC

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.8** -11%

Dr. Oz (Sony) 0.7 +17%

The Real (WBDTD) 0.4 NC

The Doctors (CTD) 0.3 NC

Jerry Springer (NBCU) 0.2 NC

FIRST-RUN ROOKIE

Drew Barrymore (CTD) 0.6 NC

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CTD) 5.9* +16%

Hot Bench(CTD) 1.7 +6%

People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.2 +9%

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.9 +13%

Judge Jerry (NBCU) 0.7 -13%

Divorce Court (20th Television) 0.7 NC

Protection Court (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

GAME SHOWS

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.8* +9%

Jeopardy (CTD) 5.4* +8%

Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 5.3* +6%

25 Words or Less (CTD) 0.8 -11%

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.4 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CTD) 2.4* +4%

Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 2.2 NC

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.0 NC

TMZ (WBDTD) 0.8 +60%

Extra (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Daily Mail TV (CTD) 0.7 +17%

Dish Nation (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 +50%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.6 +13%

Last Man Standing (Disney-ABC) 1.8 +6%

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 1.2 +9%

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 1.1 +10%

The Goldbergs(Sony) 1.0 NC

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 0.9 NC

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.9 +13%

Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.7 NC

Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 0.7 +17%

Mom (WBDTD) 0.7 +17%

Schitt’s Creek (CTD) 0.7 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.9 -3%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.7 NC

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 1.6 +33%

NCIS: New Orleans (CTD) 1.0 NC

NCIS (CTD) 1.0 NC

Monk (NBCU) 0.9 NC

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 0.9 +13%