Top Talkers Are Syndication’s Bright Spot

The three top talk shows — Dr. Phil, Live with Kelly and Ryan and Ellen DeGeneres — all enjoyed rating records and were syndication’s loudest voices in the session ending Nov. 14.

Phil had a particularly positive prognosis with its strongest showing since the week ending Feb. 28, taking sole possession of first place for a second straight week. Sporting a new season high 1.9 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating, the most-watched Carla Pennington-helmed talker spiked 6% from the prior frame.

Live was a robust second, rallying 6% to a 1.7 and equaling its highest score of the season.

Ellen, a red-hot performer of late, leapt into undisputed third place with an 11% surge to a 1.0, matching its best rating of the syndication year. Looking ahead, Ellen’s early overnights for its Meghan Markle major exclusive on Nov. 18 were up 50% in New York and 133% in Los Angeles.

Further back, Wendy Williams weakened 22% to a 0.7 with Michael Rapaport filling in as the week’s guest host, but that was good enough to tie Rachael Ray for sixth place.

In court show action, Judge Judy was on fire, hitting its highest rating since the week ending July 18 and leading the gavelers for the 1,312^th week in a row with a 4.9.

Turning to access time periods, Jeopardy narrowly led the game shows and all of syndication with a flat 5.6. Family Feud climbed 4% to a 5.4. Extra was the sole magazine moving up among women 25-54, ballooning 50% in the key demo.

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

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.7, +17% from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (0.6, -14%)
• Ellen DeGeneres (0.4, unchanged), tied with Kelly Clarkson (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) 1.9* +6%

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

Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 1.0 +11%

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 0.9 NC

Maury (NBCU) 0.8 NC

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 0.7** -22%

Rachael Ray (CMV) 0.7 NC

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.6 NC

Dr. Oz (Sony) 0.6 NC

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.6 NC

Drew Barrymore (CMV) 0.5 NC

Nick Cannon (CMV) 0.4 -20%

The Real (WBDTD) 0.3 NC

Jerry Springer (NBCU) 0.3 NC

The Doctors (CMV) 0.2 NC

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CMV) 4.9* +2%

Hot Bench(CMV) 1.5 NC

People’s Court (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Divorce Court (Fox First Run) 0.5 NC

Judge Jerry (NBCU) 0.4 NC

Relative Justice (EW Media Group) 0.3 NC

GAME SHOWS

Jeopardy (CMV) 5.6 NC

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.4 +4%

Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 5.1 -4%

25 Words or Less (Fox First Run) 0.8 +14%

You Bet Your Life (Fox First Run) 0.7 NC

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.4 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CMV) 2.3 NC

Entertainment Tonight (CMV) 2.1 NC

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 0.8 NC

TMZ (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Extra (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Daily Mail TV (CMV) 0.5 NC

Dish Nation (Fox First Run) 0.2 -33%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.0 NC

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

Young Sheldon (WBDTD) 0.9* +13%

The Goldbergs(Sony) 0.9 +13%

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 0.8 +14%

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 0.8 +14%

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 0.7 NC

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.7 NC

Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 0.6 +20%

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.5 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.4 +6%

American Ninja Warrior (NBCU) 1.3 +44%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.3 +8%

Chicago Fire (NBCU) 1.2 NC

Monk (NBCU) 1.1 NC

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 1.1 -8%