‘Judge Judy’ Hits Six-Week High

In its 25^th and final first-run season, daytime juggernaut Judge Judy jumped 19% to a six-week high 5.1 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating, and out-rated most access shows including watercooler favorite Jeopardy in the session ending May 2.

Jeopardy, with guest host Anderson Cooper for a second week, slipped 6% to a 4.8, landing in a tie with Wheel of Fortune, which also fell 6% to a 4.8.

Family Feud led the games — and all of syndication — with an unchanged 5.5.

While Judy has crushed the court shows for a record 1,284 straight weeks, fellow gaveler Hot Bench continued to grow. The Judy Sheindlin creation spiked 7% to a 1.6, its best number since the week ending March 14.

Turning to the yak pack, Dr. Phil forged ahead 21% to a 1.7 and battled back into a first-place dead heat with season-to-date leader Live with Kelly and Ryan, which relinquished 6% to a 1.7. The two top-tier talkers have been tied for No. 1 in four of the past five weeks.

Other hot talkers moving up included sophomore standouts Kelly Clarkson, which climbed 13% to a six-week best 0.9, and Tamron Hall, which improved 14% to a 0.8 and advanced 33% in the target women 25-54 demo.

In addition, veteran Wendy Williams rose 13% in households to a four-week high 0.9 and 25% in the demo to a 0.5.

Also of note, although the network ratings for the 93rd Academy Awards tanked, entertainment magazines strengthened with star-studded next-day coverage of the Oscars. Compared to the week before, Entertainment Tonight gained 5% to a 2.3 on Monday, April 26; Access Hollywood shot up 11% to a 1.0; and Extra surged 33% to a 0.8. In addition, Daily Mail TV held at a 0.6 and increased 50% in the key demo for the week.

Meanwhile, Kelly and Ryan rallied 11% to a 2.0 single day household rating with its annual “Live After Oscar Show.”

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

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.8, unchanged from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (0.6, +20%)
• Wendy Williams (0.5, +25%)
• Kelly Clarkson (0.4, unchanged), tied with Tamron Hall (0.4 +33%), Ellen DeGeneres (0.4, unchanged) and 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

Dr. Phil (CMV) 1.7 +21%

Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 1.7 -6%

Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

Maury (NBCU) 0.9 NC

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 0.9 +13%

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 0.9 +13%

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.8 +14%

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.7 NC

Rachael Ray (CMV) 0.7 NC

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 NC

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CMV) 5.1 +19%

Hot Bench(CMV) 1.6 +7%

People’s Court (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Judge Jerry (NBCU) 0.6 NC

Divorce Court (20th Television) 0.6 +20%

Protection Court (Trifecta) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.5 NC

Jeopardy (CMV) 4.8 -6%

Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 4.8 -6%

25 Words or Less (CMV) 0.8 NC

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.4 -20%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CMV) 2.1 NC

Entertainment Tonight (CMV) 2.0 -9%

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 0.9 NC

TMZ (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Extra (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Daily Mail TV (CMV) 0.6 NC

Dish Nation (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.4 NC

Last Man Standing (Disney-ABC) 1.7 -6%

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 0.9 -10%

The Goldbergs(Sony) 0.9 NC

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 0.8 -11%

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.8 -11%

Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.6 +20%

Mom (WBDTD) 0.6 -14%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.7 -5%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.6 -11%

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 1.3 -24%

Monk (NBCU) 1.1 +22%

NCIS: New Orleans (CMV) 1.0 +11%

NCIS (CMV) 1.0 +11%