‘Wendy’ Subs Get The Job Done Again

The hot topic in syndicated ratings for the session ending Nov. 21 was another strong outing for The Wendy Williams Show without Wendy, which forged ahead 14% from the prior frame to a 0.8 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating.

In its fifth straight week of guest hosts, the show featured the team of Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos who sat in for two of the five days, as well as comedian Bill Bellamy, who also had a two-day stint.

That put Wendy well ahead of the currently in the news Dr. Oz, which slipped 17% to a new season low 0.5 household rating and an average 788,000 daily viewers.

In first place, Dr. Phil had more than triple that with a 1.9 rating and 2,663,000 daily viewers.

Not far behind were fellow top-of-the line talkers Live with Kelly and Ryan and Ellen DeGeneres, which held their ground at a 1.7 and a 1.0, respectively.

All three shows equaled their highest ratings of the season despite being hit by preemptions for coverage of the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict and President Biden’s remarks on the infrastructure bill.

Although most of the talk category is down substantially year to year, popular sophomore Drew Barrymore stood out as the only show in the top 10 able to retain 100% of its household ratings from the same week of 2020.

In access time periods, Jeopardy inched up 2% to a 5.7 to lead the game shows. Next in line was Family Feud, which fell 2% to a 5.3.

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)
• 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) 1.9 NC

Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 1.7 NC

Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

Maury (NBCU) 0.8 NC

Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 0.8 +14%

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 0.8 -11%

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

Dr. Oz (Sony) 0.5** -17%

Nick Cannon (CMV) 0.4 NC

The Real (WBDTD) 0.3 NC

Jerry Springer (NBCU) 0.3 NC

The Doctors (CMV) 0.2 NC

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CMV) 4.8 -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) 5.7 +2%

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.3 -2%

Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 5.2 +2%

You Bet Your Life (Fox First Run) 0.7 NC

25 Words or Less (Fox First Run) 0.7 -13%

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) 0.6 +20%

Dish Nation (Fox First Run) 0.3 +50%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.1 +5%

Last Man Standing (Disney-ABC) 1.2 NC

Young Sheldon (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

The Goldbergs(Sony) 0.9 NC

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 0.8 NC

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 0.7 -13%

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 0.7 NC

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.7 NC

Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.5 NC

Mom (WBDTD) 0.5 +25%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.1** -9%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.2 -8%

Chicago Fire (NBCU) 1.1 -8%

Monk (NBCU) 1.0 -9%

Bull (CNV) 0.8 NC

Castle (Disney-ABC) 0.8 NC