Syndies Stay Steady In First Week Of Dec.

Syndicated shows held on to most of their recent sharp gains in the session ending Dec. 11, even though some were in repeats for part of the week.

Dr. Phil dwarfed the talk shows for the 14 straight frame with a 3.5 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating, dipping 3% for the week, but shooting up 21% from last year at this time.

Second-place Ellen DeGeneres was unchanged at a 2.6 while slipping 4% from last year.

Sophomore true crime series Crime Watch Daily notched the largest annual increase in the category, improving 25% from last year to a 1.0, despite easing 9% from its prior week’s season high.

On the rookie front, Harry, the season’s sole new first-run strip, maintained its previous session’s 1.2 and scored its highest weekly ratings yet in Boston, Tampa, San Diego, Las Vegas and Oklahoma City and in its 13^th outing.

Elsewhere, courtroom queen Judge Judy was partially in repeats and gave back 1% to a still-potent 7.2. That put it in a dead heat for the No. 1 spot among all syndicated shows with Family Feud, which edged up 1% to a new season high 7.2. However, season to date, Judy topped all shows with a 7.0 average.

Hot Bench, the No. 2 gaveler, grew 4% to a 2.5 and matched its season high even through it was in reruns on four of the five days.

Enertainment Tonight led the magazines for the 19^th consecutive week, holding steady at its season-high 3.4 and climbing 10% year to year, the biggest annual advance in the genre.

In off-net, leader Big Bang Theory was far in front, but dipped 3% to a 5.6. Newcomer Last Man Standing finished fourth among sitcoms, advancing 5% to a new season high 2.0.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.6, unchanged from the week before)
• Ellen DeGeneres (1.3, +8%)
• Live with Kelly (1.1, unchanged), tied with Maury (1.1, +10%)
• Wendy Williams (1.0, unchanged), tied with Steve Wilkos (1.0, +11%)

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) 3.5 -3%

2. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.6 NC

3. Live with Kelly (Disney-ABC) 2.4 NC

4. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.7 +13%

5. Maury (NBCU) 1.6 +7%

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.5 NC

7. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.4 NC

7. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.4 NC

9. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.3 +8%

10. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.2 NC

11. Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen (WBDTD) 1.0 -9%

12. The Real (WBDTD) 0.9 NC

12. The Doctors (CTD) 0.9 NC

DAYTIME ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Harry (NBCU) 1.2 NC

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.2 -1%

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.5 +4%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8* +6%

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.3 NC

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.1 NC

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.9* +13%

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 7.2* +1%

2. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 6.5 NC

3. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.3* +2%

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

5. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.3 NC

INTERNET VIDEO

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

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.4 NC

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.1 NC

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.7* +6%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.4 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.3 NC

6. The Insider (CTD) 1.2 -8%

7. Dish Nation (Twentieth) 0.8 NC

8. Celebrity Page (Trifecta) 0.3 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

1. Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 5.6 -3%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 2.9 NC

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 2.6 NC

4. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 2.0* +5%

5. Family Guy (Twentieth) 1.9 NC

5. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 1.9 NC

7. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.8 NC

8. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.3 NC

8. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.3 -7%

10. The Cleveland Show (Twentieth) 1.2** -8%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOUR DRAMAS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 4.6* +2%

2. Blue Bloods (CTD) 2.0 NC

3. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.6* +23%

3. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.6 NC

5. American Ninja (NBCU) 1.5 -6%

6. Rizzoli & Isles (WBDTD) 1.2 NC