First Sweeps Week Brings New Season Highs

Top-tier talk show ratings soared in the week ending Nov. 3, which included the first two weekdays of the important November sweeps period. Leading the talk list for the 11^th week in a row, Dr. Phil hit a new season high.

Also scoring new season bests with sharp week-to-week increases were: Live with Kelly and Michael, Ellen, Dr. Oz and Steve Harvey, the last of which posted its highest ratings ever. Katie also had a good week, moving up and keeping pace with Harvey.

The talk show newcomers ran into preemptions for coverage of the LAX shootings on Nov. 1. Bethenny led the rookies among women 25-54 and improved 20% week to week among women 18-34. (Queen Latifah‘s ratings are being reprocessed by Nielsen and were not available at press time.)

At the very top of the syndication chart, Judge Judy tied Wheel of Fortune, with both shows hitting new season highs.

In access, magazines held onto most of the big gains they made in the prior session, and were little changed, although Extra Weekend climbed 43% to a 1.0, matching its season high.

The week’s top nationally rated daytime talk shows in the women 25-54 demo were:

• Ellen (1.9, up 6% from the week before)
• Live with Kelly and Michael (1.8, +13%)

• Dr. Phil (1.7, unchanged)

• Dr. Oz (1.2, unchanged), tied with Maury (1.2, unchanged)

• Steve Harvey (1.1, +10%), tied with Wendy Williams (1.1, +10%)

• Katie (1.0, +11%)

In the household rating rankings that follow, * indicates a new season high rating; ** indicates a new season low; % change is from the previous week; NC indicates no change from the previous week.

TALK SHOWS

1. Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.1* +3%

2. Live with Kelly and Michael (Disney-ABC) 3.0* +15%

3. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.9* +12%

4. Dr. Oz (Sony) 2.2* +10%

5. Maury (NBCU) 1.9 NC

6. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.8 +6%

6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.8* +6%

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.4 NC

8. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.4 NC

10. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.3 NC

11. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 NC

12. The Doctors (CTD) 1.1 -8%

13. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

14. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 NC

15. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

16. Trisha (NBCU) 0.5 NC

17. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

2. Arsenio (CTD) 0.7 NC

3. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.2* +1%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8* +6%

3. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.6 NC

3. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.6 NC

5. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

6. Paternity Court (MGM) 0.8 -20%

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.8 NC

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.0 -3%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.8 -5%

3. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.8 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.5 -6%

5. OMG! Insider (CTD) 1.5 +7%

7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.0 NC

8. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.9 -10%

9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

10. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 7.2* +3%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.3* +3%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 4.8* +2%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.2 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.9 NC

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.5* +7%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.7 +3%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.9 NC

5. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.1 +5%

6. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.9 NC

7. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.7 NC

7. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.7 NC

9. Rules of Engagement (Sony) 1.6 -6%

9. Friends (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

11. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

12. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC

ROOKIE OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Modern Family (Twentieth) 4.5* +7%

2. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.9 NC

3. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

4. Community (Sony) 0.4 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 4.7* +2%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.8* +9%

3. House (NBCU) 2.8 -20%

4. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.3 +5%

4. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.3* +5%

6. CSI Miami (CTD) 2.1 NC