First Sweeps Week Brings Some Good News

In the first full week of the November sweep, Entertainment Tonight (CTD) scored its highest rating of the season after airing exclusive video of a jailhouse confrontation between Beth Holloway and Joran Van der Sloot, the last person to see Holloway’s daughter alive. In the session ending Nov. 7, ET jumped 5% from the week before to a 4.1, its biggest rating in 18 weeks. Companion Entertainment Tonight Weekend, which also featured the dramatic video, surged 47% to a new season high 2.2.

Magazine Shows

Inside Edition (CTD) was unchanged at a 2.9; Access Hollywood (NBCU) climbed 6% to a 1.9 and grew 33% in the women 25-54 demo; The Insider (CTD) was the only magazine to beat its prior-year performance, moving up 6% from the same week after holding firm week to week at a 1.8; Extra (WBDTD) was steady at a 1.6 in households and saw a 13% increase among women 18-49, while Extra Weekend leaped 18% to a new season high 1.3; TMZ (WBDTD) was the only mag to decline, dropping 6% to a 1.6.

Talk Shows

In daytime, Dr. Phil (CTD) continued to roll, notching a new season high for the third straight week. Phil jumped 11% to a 3.0, its highest rating in six months. The No. 2 talker was also up by double digits across the board in female demos, including a 25% gain among women 18-34; Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) also clocked a new season high, gaining 9% to a 2.4.

Among other top-tier talkers, Oprah (CTD) held onto the lead but was flat from the previous week at a 5.2 (and was up 6% from the same week last year); in third place, Live with Regis and Kelly (Disney-ABC) dipped 4% from the previous week to a 2.5; and Dr. Oz (Sony) added 9% to a 2.4, tying Ellen for fourth place; while Maury (NBCU) was flat at a 2.0.

First-Run Rookies

Swift Justice with Nancy Grace (CTD) grew 8% in households to a 1.3 and 40% among women 18-49 to lead the rookie first-run strips for the eighth consecutive week. Meanwhile, Oprah spinoff Nate Berkus (Sony) declined 10% to a 0.9. The Swift Justice lead in viewers over Berkus grew to 54%, with Justice attracting 1.824 million viewers on average per program, while Berkus got 1.183 million.

Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Twentieth) was unchanged at a 0.9; Judge Karen’s Court (Litton) and America’s Court with Judge Ross (Entertainment Studios) were flat at a 0.6 and 0.4, respectively.

Access Hollywood Live (NBCU), which is cleared in 13 metered markets, was up 25% from last year’s time period average to a 1.0 rating/3 share in the first week of the sweep.

Court Shows

Judge Judy (CTD), the only veteran court show to improve week to week, advanced 5% to a 5.4; Judge Joe Brown (CTD) held firm at a 2.0; People’s Court (WBDTD) was steady at a 1.9; while Judge Mathis (WBDTD) dropped 6% to a 1.6; and Divorce Court (Twentieth) slid 8% to a 1.2.

Game Shows

Wheel of Fortune (CTD) was up 4% to a new season high 7.0 in an otherwise quiet week for game shows. Jeopardy (CTD), Who Wants to be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC), Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) and Are You Smarter Than a 5^th Grader? (Twentieth) were all flat at 5.6, 2.2, 1.6 and 0.9, respectively.

Off-Net Rookies

How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) led the rookie off-net and off-cable strips with an unchanged 2.3; Meet the Browns (Debmar-Mercury) gained 8% to a new season high 1.4; The New Adventures of Old Christine (WBDTD) was flat at a 1.3; Ugly Betty (Disney-ABC) added 13% to a 0.9; True Hollywood Stories advanced 14% to a 0.8; Entourage (WBDTD) held firm at a 0.7; Curb Your Enthusiasm (WBDTD) skidded 14% to a 0.6; and Real Housewives (NBCU) was unchanged at a 0.5, but soared in every key female demo, including a 100% improvement among woman 18-34.

Off-Net Sitcoms

Veteran off-net sitcoms were led by Two and a Half Men (WBDTD), which was up 6% to a new season high 5.6; Family Guy (Twentieth) was steady at a 3.1; My Wife and Kids (Disney-ABC) rose 8% to a new season high 2.8; Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD) remained at a 2.7 for the second week; Seinfeld (Sony) sped up 9% to a 2.5; and George Lopez Show (WBDTD) slowed down 4% to a 2.3, tying The Office (NBCU), which rebounded 10% to a 2.3.

Off-Net Weekly Hours

Criminal Minds (CTD) led the off-net weekly hours, forging ahead 13% to a new season high 3.4; Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) gained 9% to a 2.5; Numbers (CTD) also gained 9% to a 2.4; while Bones (Twentieth) surged 26% to a new season high 2.4 and a tie with Numbers; and Without a Trace (WBDTD) saw a 10% increase to a 2.3.