‘Judy’ Fights Off KBJ And NCAA Competition To Grow

Ratings bloomed for Judge Judy in the first week of spring, the session ending March 27. The world’s most famous TV judge witnessed a 10% weekly surge to a daytime-leading 4.5 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating.

Ironically the Judy jump came despite competition from coverage of the beginning of Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.

In addition, some shows were bounced out of their time periods but the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA basketball tournament.

In talk show action, Live with Kelly and Ryan ruled, finishing first for the third week in a row with a steady 1.6, while Dr. Phil and Ellen DeGeneres made it close. America’s doctor delivered a 7% increase to a 1.5, and DeGeneres continued to gain steam in its 19^th and final season with a 13% spurt to a 0.9.

Both Phil and the iconic Ellen held 100% of their year-ago ratings. On the other hand, Maury was down the most of any talk show year to year, eroding 30% from the same week in 2021.

Also of note, Wendy Williams rose 14% to a 0.8 with guest host Sherri Shepherd.

Family Feud remained the game show leader (and overall syndication winner) with an unchanged 5.2, followed by Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, which both inched up 2% to a 5.1 and a 4.6, respectively.

However, You Bet Your Life lost 13% to a 0.7, landing in a tie with 25 Words or Less, which logged a 0.7 for the fifth week in a row.

The top talk shows for the week among women 25-54 were:

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.6, unchanged from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (0.5, unchanged)
• Maury (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

Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 1.6 NC

Dr. Phil (CMV) 1.5 +7%

Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 0.9 +13%

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 0.8 +14%

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 0.8 NC

Maury (NBCU) 0.7 NC

Rachael Ray (CMV) 0.7 NC

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.6 NC

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.6 NC

Drew Barrymore (CMV) 0.5 NC

The Good Dish (Sony) 0.4 NC

Nick Cannon (CMV) 0.4 NC

Jerry Springer (NBCU) 0.3 NC

The Real (WBDTD) 0.3 NC

The Doctors (CMV) 0.2 NC

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CMV) 4.5 +10%

Hot Bench(CMV) 1.4 -7%

People’s Court (WBDTD) 0.7 -13%

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.6 +20%

Judge Jerry (NBCU) 0.4 NC

Divorce Court (Fox First Run) 0.4 NC

Relative Justice (EW Media Group) 0.4 NC

GAME SHOWS

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.2 NC

Jeopardy (CMV) 5.1 +2%

Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 4.6 +2%

You Bet Your Life (Fox First Run) 0.7 -13%

25 Words or Less (Fox First Run) 0.7 NC

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.4 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CMV) 2.0 -5%

Entertainment Tonight (CMV) 1.8 -10%

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 0.8 NC

TMZ (Fox First Run) 0.7 NC

Extra (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Daily Mail TV (CMV) 0.5 NC

Dish Nation (Fox First Run) 0.2 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.0 NC

Last Man Standing (Disney-ABC) 1.2 -8%

Young Sheldon (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 0.8 +14%

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

The Goldbergs(Sony) 0.7 -13%

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 0.7 -13%

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.7 NC

Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 0.5 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.5 NC

Mom (WBDTD) 0.5 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 2.7 +8%

Chicago Fire (NBCU) 1.2 -8%

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 1.1 +10%

Monk (NBCU) 1.0 NC

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.0 -33%

Bull (CNV) 0.8 -11%

­­­6. Seal Team (CMV) 0.8 NC