‘Live’ Shows Ratings Life In Languid Week

The majority of strips moved sideways or slightly lower as mid-spring temperatures rose, keeping many viewers outdoors and away from their sets in the week ending May 12.

The biggest bright spot among top-tier talk shows was Live with Kelly and Michael, which was one of only three takers up from the week before. The others were Wendy Williams and Anderson Live.

Live with Kelly and Michael also surged 13% from last year at this time and finished second to Dr. Phil, which led the category for the 30^th time out of 34 weeks this season.  Wendy was up 18% year to year.

Another strong performer was Ellen, which grew 4% from last year and finished a close third.

Judge Judy was syndication’s No. 1 show overall for the second straight week with ratings higher than the next three courtrooms combined.

In access, the only magazine strip to outperform the prior week was Extra, while its Extra Weekend soared 29% and was the only nationally syndicated weekend magazine to increase week to week.

In the metered markets, new interactive game show Lets Ask America gained 7 to a 1.6 rating/4 share and slow rollout Access Hollywood Live was unchanged at a 0.9/3, but up 20% among women 25-54.

The top nationally rated talk shows in the key women 25-54 demo were: Dr. Phil (1.7 demo rating, down 19% from the week before); Ellen (1.6, unchanged); Live with Kelly and Michael (1.4, -7%); Maury (1.3 -7%), tied with Dr. Oz (1.3, unchanged); Wendy Williams (1.0, +11%); and rookie Steve Harvey (0.9, unchanged), tied with Steve Wilkos (0.9, unchanged).

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) 2.9 -12%

2. Live with Kelly and Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.6 +4%

3. Ellen (WBDTD) 2.5 NC

4. Dr. Oz (Sony) 2.2 -4%

5. Maury (NBCU) 2.0 NC

6. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.6 NC

7. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.5 NC

8. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.4 NC

9. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.3 NC

9. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 NC

9. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.3 +8%

12. The Doctors (CTD) 1.2 -8

13. Anderson Live (WBDTD) 1.0 +11%

14. Jeff Probst (CTD) 0.6 NC

14. Ricki Lake (Twentieth) 0.6 NC

14. Trisha (NBCU) 0.6 NC

17. Jeremy Kyle (Debmar-Mercury) 0.4 NC

18. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.6 NC

2. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.5 NC

3. Jeff Probst (CTD) 0.6 NC

3. Ricki Lake (Twentieth) 0.6 NC

3. Trisha (NBCU) 0.6 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.5 -3%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.0 NC

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.9 NC

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.7 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.5 +7%

6. OMG Insider (CTD) 1.4 NC

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 1.0 -9%

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.7 -1%

2. Judge Joe Brown (CTD) 2.3 +10%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.7 NC

4. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.5 +15%

5. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.4 NC

6. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.3 +8%

7. America’s Court with Judge Ross (Entertainment Studios) 0.7 NC

8. Justice for All with Judge Cristina Perez (Entertainment Studios) 0.4 NC

9. We the People with Gloria Allred (Entertainment Studios) 0.2 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.3 -3%

2. Jeopardy (CTD) 5.8 -3%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 4.5 -2%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 2.4 +4%

5. Baggage (GSN) 1.0 -9%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 6.5 NC

2. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 4.6 +5%

3. Family Guy (Twentieth) 3.4 +3%

4. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 2.4 NC

5. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 2.1 -5%

6. Seinfeld (Sony) 2.0 -9%

6. Friends (WBDTD) 2.0 NC

8. Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD) 1.7 -6%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.3 -3%

2. Law & Order (NBCU) 2.8 NC

3. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.5 -11%

3. Castle (Disney-ABC) 2.5 +19%

5. House (NBCU) 2.4 +20

6. CSI: Miami (CTD) 2.3 -12%