‘Judge Judy’ Tops a Strong Court Genre

Judge Judy received the most favorable verdict from Nielsen in the session ending April 2 after delivering an unexpected sharp ratings spike and ranking as syndication’s No. 1 show overall.

Despite being completely in reruns, the courtroom phenom scored an 8% increase from the prior week and settled for a 6.7 live-plus-same-day national number, towering over all syndicated rivals.

Also having a strong week was rising courtroom star Hot Bench, which grew 5% to a 2.3 and ranked as the No. 3 daytime show behind only Judy and Dr. Phil, although it was in repeats on all five days.

Elsewhere in daytime, the top four talk shows saw limited movement amid seasonally milder weather in the second week of spring and the third of Daylight Saving Tiem.

Talk leader Dr. Phil, in reruns on two of the five days, held steady at a 3.1 and finished first among chat shows for the 30^th consecutive frame.

Live with Kelly was on hiatus for a second week, airing only taped and repackaged episodes but held firm at a second-place 2.2 and outperformed nearest rival Ellen DeGeneres for a seventh straight week. Ellen declined 10% to a 1.9 in third.

Not far behind Ellen, Maury rounded out the top four with an unchanged 1.6 for the third week in a row.

The only show in daytime hitting a new season low was The Real, which retreated 13% to a 0.7 and fell to last place among talkers.

In access, Family Feud slipped 2% to a 6.4, but was still the game show champion for a 49^th consecutive week and runner-up to syndication leader Judge Judy, while Entertainment Tonight scored a 3.1 for the second straight week and topped the magazines for the 35^th straight session.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.3, -7% from the week before)

• Live with Kelly (1.0, unchanged), tied with Maury (1.0, +11%)

• Ellen DeGeneres (0.9, -10%), tied with Steve Wilkos (0.9, unchanged) and Jerry Springer (0.9, +13%)

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 mean not applicable.

TALK SHOWS

1. Dr. Phil (CTD) 3.1 NC

2. Live with Kelly (Disney-ABC) 2.2 NC

3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 1.9 -10%

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.6 NC

5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.5 +7%

6. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 NC

6. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.4 +8%

8. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.2 -14%

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.2 NC

8. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.2 +9%

11. Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

12. The Doctors (CTD) 0.8 NC

13. The Real (WBDTD) 0.7** -13%

DAYTIME ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Harry (NBCU) 1.0 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.7 +8%

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.3 +5%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.6 +7%

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.3 +8%

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.8 +14%

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 6.4 -2%

2. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.3 +13%

3. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.1 +9%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.7 +13%

5. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.2 NC

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (Disney-ABC) 1.4 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.1 NC

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.9 +12%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.5 NC

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.3 -7%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.1 -8%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.0 +11%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.8 +14%

8. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.2 +2%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 2.9 +4%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 2.5 NC

4. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 1.8 +6%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 1.8 +6%

4. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.8 +6%

7. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.5 -6%

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.3 +18%

9. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.2 NC

9. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.2 +9%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOUR DRAMAS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 4.1 +2%

2. Blue Bloods (CTD) 2.2 +22%

3. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.5 +7%

3. American Ninja Warrior (NBCU) 1.5 -6%

5. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.4 +8%

6. Rizzoli & Isles (WBDTD) 1.2 +9%

6. Person of Interest (WBDTD) 1.2 +20%

6. Elementary (CTD) 1.2 +20%