‘Dr. Phil’ Stands Alone In A Tough Week

Most of the top syndicated shows slipped under the weight of preemptions in the session April 4, with some reporting their lowest levels ever. News coverage of opening arguments in the Derek Chauvin trial and the attack at a U.S. Capitol checkpoint as well as the regional round of March Madness and a rain-delayed NASCAR race hampered strips, especially those cleared on network affiliates.

On the positive side, Dr. Phil emerged as the only first-run strip to overcome the general downdraft. Despite plenty of preemptions, the good doctor still rose 7% from the week before to a 1.6 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating and tied the red-hot Live with Kelly and Ryan for first place in talk. Live, which began its spring hiatus, aired repackaged episodes all week and gave back 11% to a 1.6.

Further back, Wendy Williams dipped 10% to a 0.9 and finished in a third-place dead heat with Maury, which matched its series low, moving down 10% to a 0.9.

In fifth place, Ellen DeGeneres declined 11% to a new, all-time low 0.8 and landed in a tie with sophomore star Kelly Clarkson, which held steady.

In access, the survey said Family Feud topped the game shows and all of syndication for a third straight week although it slid 6% to a 5.1.

Jeopardy continued to erode with Dr. Oz at the podium for a second weekly stint, skidding 6% to a 4.9, its lowest rating of calendar year 2021. That landed the former TV home of the late, great Alex Trebek in a second-place tie with Wheel of Fortune, which was flat at a 4.9.

Elsewhere Access Hollywood, Extra and TMZ were the only magazines among the Big 5 to resist the declines, holding their ground at 0.9, 0.7 and 0.8, respectively.

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

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.7, unchanged from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (0.6, unchanged)
• Tamron Hall (0.4, unchanged), tied with Wendy Williams (0.4, -20%), Maury (0.4, unchanged) and Ellen DeGeneres (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 (CMV) 1.6 +7%

Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 1.6 -11%

Maury (NBCU) 0.9 -10%

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 0.9 -10%

Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 0.8** -11%

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 0.8 NC

Rachael Ray (CMV) 0.7** -13%

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.7 -13%

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.7 -13%

Dr. Oz (Sony) 0.6 NC

The Real (WBDTD) 0.4 NC

The Doctors (CMV) 0.2 NC

Jerry Springer (NBCU) 0.2 NC

FIRST-RUN ROOKIE

Drew Barrymore (CMV) 0.5 -17%

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CMV) 4.6* -6%

Hot Bench(CMV) 1.5 NC

People’s Court (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.6* -14%

Judge Jerry (NBCU) 0.6 -14%

Divorce Court (20th Television) 0.5 NC

Protection Court (Trifecta) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.1 -6%

Jeopardy (CMV) 4.9 -6%

Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 4.9 NC

25 Words or Less (CMV) 0.7 NC

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.4 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CMV) 2.2 -4%

Entertainment Tonight (CMV) 2.0 -5%

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 0.9 NC

TMZ (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Extra (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Daily Mail TV (CMV) 0.6 NC

Dish Nation (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.4 -4%

Last Man Standing (Disney-ABC) 1.8 NC

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 1.0 NC

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 1.0 +25%

The Goldbergs(Sony) 0.9 NC

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.9 +13%

Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Mom (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.6 -14%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 4.1 +5%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.8 -5%

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 1.2 -33%

Monk (NBCU) 1.1 +10%

NCIS (CMV) 1.0 NC

NCIS: New Orleans (CMV) 0.9 -10%