More Darkness Means More Viewers

Syndicated shows were thankful that Daylight Saving Time came to an end in the week ending Nov. 14 as several shows, including Oprah, Judge Judy, Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Dr. Oz, The Doctors, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, hit new season highs with PUT levels jumping by more than 1.3 million viewers from the prior session.

Talk Shows

Oprah (CTD) grew 17% from the week before to a personal best of the season — 6.1 — in a week that included its four highest-rated episodes of the season.. In the No. 2 spot among talk shows, Dr. Phil (CTD) remained at its season high 3.0 for a second week; Live with Regis and Kelly (Disney-ABC) gained 4% to a 2.6; Dr. Oz (Sony) added 4% to a new season high 2.5; while Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) faded 4% to a 2.3. Maury (NBCU) was flat at a 2.0 and The Doctors (CTD) forged ahead 6% to a new season high 1.8.

Court Shows

Judy clocked its biggest Nielsens in eight months with a 5% week-to-week advance to a 4.6. Judge Joe Brown (CTD) was steady at a 2.0; People’s Court (WBDTD) fell 5% to a new season low 1.8; Judge Mathis (WBDTD) dropped 6% to 1.5; Judge Alex (Twentieth) gained 8% to a 1.3; and Divorce Court (Twentieth) remained at a 1.2.

Magazine Shows

The Insider (CTD) leaped into third place on the magazine rack for the first time this season, with an 11% spike in households to a 2.0, its highest rating in 37 weeks, and a 20% increase among women 25-54. In addition, The Insider continued to be the only news mag strip up from last year, improving by 11% from the same week one year ago.

The top show in the genre, Entertainment Tonight (CTD), also scored a new season high with a 5% increase to a 4.3 in households and a 12% gain among women 18-49. Inside Edition (CTD) weakened 3% to a 2.8; Access Hollywood (NBCU) held firm at a 1.9 in households and rose 8% among women 25-54; TMZ (WBDTD) was up 13% to a 1.8; Extra (WBDTD) rallied 6% to a 1.7; and its companion, Extra Weekend, surged 44% from last year to a 1.3.

First-Run Rookies

Swift Justice with Nancy Grace (CTD) dominated the new first-run strips for the ninth week in a row, growing 8% from the week before to a 1.4 in households and soaring 50% among women 18-34. Nate Berkus (Sony) picked up 11% to a 1.0, while Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Twentieth), Judge Karen’s Court (Litton) and America’s Court with Judge Ross (Entertainment Studios) were all even with the prior session at 0.9, 0.6 and 0.4, respectively.

In week two of the sweep, slow rollout Access Hollywood Live (NBCU) was up 13% from last year’s time period average to a 0.9 rating/3 share in its 13 metered markets and saw its women 25-54 demo rating balloon by 50%.

Game Shows

Game shows continued to be led by Wheel of Fortune (CTD), which posted a new season high 7.5 with a 7% gain. Jeopardy (CTD) added 5% to a new season high 5.9. Other veteran games were unchanged from the prior week with Who Wants to be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC), Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) and Are You Smarter Than a 5^th Grader? (Twentieth) at 2.2, 1.6 and 0.9, respectively.

Off-Net Sitcoms

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) topped the veteran off-net sitcoms with a new season high 6.0, up 7% from the week earlier. Family Guy (Twentieth) tacked on 10% to a new season high 3.4; My Wife and Kids (Disney-ABC) was flat at a 2.8; Everybody Loves Raymond (CTD) gained 4% to a 2.8; and Seinfeld (Sony) added 4% to a new season high 2.6.

Off-Net Rookies

New off-net and off-cable strips were paced by How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth), which was steady at a 2.3; Meet the Browns (Debmar-Mercury) jumped 14% to a new season high 1.6 in second place; The New Adventures of Old Christine (WBDTD) fell 8% to a 1.2; while Ugly Betty (Disney-ABC) bounced up 11% from the prior session to a new season high 1.0.

Off-Net Weekly Hours

Criminal Minds (CTD) again led off-net and off-cable weekly hours, although it gave back 15% from the week before to land at a 2.9. Without a Trace (WBDTD) moved up to second with a new season high 2.5, gaining 9%; Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) dipped 4% to a 2.4; Monk (NBCU) notched a 5% gain to a 2.3; Numbers (CTD) declined 13% to a 2.1; and Bones (Twentieth) tumbled 17% to a 2.0.