Strong Week For ‘Wheel’ And ‘Judy’

The game show race continued to be a nail biter in the week ending Aug. 10, as Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune both declined and fell into a dead heat. A week ago, Jeopardy upset the usually dominant Wheel for only the second time in 10 years.

At the top of the overall ratings chart, however, Judge Judy forged ahead and was syndication’s runaway No. 1, winning by the widest margin in the show’s 18-year history. Judy, which was entirely in reruns, has now been the highest-rated syndicated show for 20 consecutive weeks.

Among talkers, Dr. Oz and Steve Harvey were the only shows moving up from the prior session in households, even though both were in repeats all week. In addition, Oz grew 11% in the key women 25-54 demo.

Live with Kelly & Michael held steady in households and topped the category in the eighth time in the past nine weeks. Live also finished first among women 25-54, climbing 8% in the demo.

Dr. Phil reruns were a tenth of a point behind Live. Maury held onto third place, while Ellen remained fourth, tying its season low.

Access Hollywood scored the biggest increase among the magazine strips, while the weekly Extra Weekend surged 33%. However, Entertainment Tonight continued to lead the field,

After three weekends, the metered market test of Laughs declined 50% from its lead-in and dropped 33% from its year-ago time period average to a 0.4 rating/1 share. Hollywood Today Live, which is getting a tryout as a strip, averaged a 0.4/1 after five full weeks, losing 50% of its lead-in and falling 42% from its year-ago time periods.

Another trial strip, The Daily Helpline, posted a 0.1/0 after five weeks, down 66% from its lead-in and 75% from its year-ago time period average.

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

• Live with Kelly & Michael (1.4, +8% from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (1.2, -8%), tied with Maury (1.2, -8%)
• Dr. Oz (1.0, +11%)
• Ellen DeGeneres (0.9, unchanged)
• Steve Wilkos (0.8, unchanged)
• Jerry Springer (0.7, unchanged), tied with Wendy Williams (0.7, -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. Live with Kelly & Michael (Disney-ABC) 2.6 NC

2. Dr. Phil (CTD) 2.5 NC

3. Maury (NBCU) 1.8 -5%

4. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 1.7 NC

5. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.6 +7%

6. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.5 +7%

7. Katie (Disney-ABC) 1.2 -8%

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.2 -8%

7. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.2 NC

10. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.1 -8%

10. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.1 -7%

12. The Doctors (CTD) 1.0 NC

13. Queen Latifah (Sony) 0.9 NC

14. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

15. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.5 NC

15. Arsenio (CTD) 0.5 NC

17. Trisha (NBCU) 0.4 -20%

18. The Better Show (Meredith) 0.2 NC

FRESHMEN TALKERS

1. Queen Latifah (Sony) 0.9 NC

2. The Test (CTD) 0.6 NC

3. Bethenny (WBDTD) 0.5 NC

3. Arsenio (CTD) 0.5 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 6.7 +3%

2. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8 +6%

3. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.4 +8%

4. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.3 +8%

4. Judge Alex (Twentieth) 1.3 +8%

6. Paternity Court (Orion Television) 1.0 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 2.9 NC

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 2.7 +4%

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.7 -6%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.4 +8%

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.2 -8%

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.1 -8%

7. Right This Minute (MGM) 1.0 -9%

8. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.9 -10%

9. OK! TV (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

9. America Now (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

GAME SHOWS

1. Jeopardy (CTD) 5.5 -5%

1. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 5.5 -4%

3. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury) 4.4 -2%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.9 -5%

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.4 -5%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 3.3 -3%

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 3.0 -9%

4. Family Guy (Twentieth) 2.7 -7%

5. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.9 -5%

6. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.8 -5%

7. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.7 -6%

7. Friends (WBDTD) 1.7 NC

9. King of the Hill (Twentieth) 1.6 NC

9. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.6 NC

11. Rules of Engagement (Sony) 1.3 +8%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

1. Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBCU) 3.5 +6%

2. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 3.3 NC

3. House (NBCU) 2.9 +21%

4. Castle (Disney-ABC 2.2 +10%

5. Criminal Minds (CTD) 2.0 NC

6. CSI: Miami (CTD) 1.9 -5%