Strong Ratings Week For ‘Live’ And ‘Harry’

The newly renamed Live with Kelly and Ryan made a solid debut in the session ending May 7, which was the first full week of the May sweep. The long-running morning staple, which named Ryan Seacrest to cohost with Kelly Ripa, took over the No. 2 spot in talk behind leader Dr. Phil.

Live got a 19% lift from the prior week to a 2.5 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating and immediately leapfrogged over closest rival Ellen DeGeneres, which declined 4% to a third-place 2.2.

Dr. Phil continued to be highest rated talker by a wide margin for the 35^th week in a row with a steady 3.4, and grew the most from last year of any top-tier talk show.

Maury was a distant fourth, remaining at a 1.6, and Steve Harvey rounded out the top five at a 1.5, flat week to week but off 21% from last year.

The second-biggest gainer among all 14 talkers was newcomer Harry, which kicked into a higher gear with an 11% improvement to a 1.0, and drew approximately 1.3 million daily viewers.

Among women 25-54, The Doctors came up with the best percentage increase in the genre, racing ahead by 33%.

Dwarfing all shows was Judge Judy, the only program to reach the nosebleed 7 ratings level. Judy jumped 4% to a nine-week-high 7.0, and by a widening margin was the No. 1 strip in syndication overall for the sixth straight week.

Meanwhile Judy spinoff Hot Bench was the fourth-highest-rated strip in daytime, scoring a five-week high 2.3 and growing 5%.

In access, Extra notched the largest increase among the magazines, strengthening 9% to a 1.2, even though it was preempted more than once in the top four markets.

Entertainment Tonight led the group for the 40^th consecutive week, holding firm at a 3.0.

Elsewhere, none of the other game shows were able to approach the ratings for Steve Harvey-hosted Family Feud, which dipped 3% to a 6.3.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.5, -6% from the week before)

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (1.2, up 20%)

• Maury (1.1, unchanged)

• Ellen DeGeneres (1.0, -9%), tied with Steve Wilkos (1.0, unchanged)

• Wendy Williams (0.9, -10%), tied with Jerry Springer (0.9, unchanged)

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) 3.4 NC

2. Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 2.5 +19%

3. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.2 -4%

4. Maury (NBCU) 1.6 NC

5. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.5 NC

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.4 NC

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.3 -7%

7. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 NC

9. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.2 +9%

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

11. Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

12. The Real (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

12. The Doctors (CTD) 0.8 NC

DAYTIME ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Harry (NBCU) 1.0 +11%

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.0 +4%

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.3 +5%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.2 NC

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.0 NC

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.8 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 6.3 -3%

2. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 5.9 NC

3. Jeopardy (CTD) 5.8 -2%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.6 NC

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

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (Disney-ABC) 1.3 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.0 NC

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.8 +4%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.4 -7%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.3 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.2 +9%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.0 NC

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.7 NC

8. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 4.8 -2%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 2.6 +4%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 2.3 +5%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 1.8 -5%

5. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 1.7 NC

5. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.7 +6%

7. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.4 NC

8. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.2 NC

8. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.2 NC

10. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.1 -8%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOUR DRAMAS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.6 -10%

2. Blue Bloods (CTD) 2.1 +11%

3. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.5 +7%

3. American Ninja Warrior (NBCU) 1.5 +7%

5. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.4 -7%

6. Rizzoli & Isles (WBDTD)

6. Major Crimes (WBDTD) 1.1 NC