Talk Shows Have A Lot To Chat About

Talk shows were the big movers in the session ending Jan. 15, with leader Dr. Phil opening a 48% advantage over the field.

Phil surged 16% to a 3.7 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen rating, its second-highest number of the season. In addition, it was the only talker ahead of last year, improving 16% from the same week in 2016 and finishing first for the 19^th week in a row.

In second place, Live with Kelly held steady and remained tied with an unchanged Ellen DeGeneres at a 2.5.

Other double-digit gainers in talk besides Phil were:

• Steve Harvey, which recovered 13% to a 1.7, but was still down 11% from last year at this time.
• Newcomer Harry with host Harry Connick Jr., which jumped 20%, the biggest percentage increase of any show in syndication, to a four-week high 1.2.
• The Doctors, which rose 13% to a 0.9 and pulled ahead of The Real, which stayed at a 0.8.

Elsewhere, courtroom standout Hot Bench was the only daytime strip to hit a new season high, improving 8% to a 2.6. This made it the week’s No. 3 daytime show overall, behind only Phil and Judge Judy.

Judy topped all syndicated strips for the 20^th time in the past 24 weeks, holding firm at a lofty 7.4.

In access, magazines came back to Earth after a big runup the week before. In fact, the only mag in the plus column was Extra, which strengthened 8% to a five-week high 1.4.

Entertainment Tonight led the category for the 24^th straight week, despite dipping 3% to a 3.6.

Family Feud slipped 4% to a 7.3, but blitzed the game shows for the 38^th consecutive week.

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

• Dr. Phil (1.6, +14% from the week before)
• Ellen DeGeneres (1.3, unchanged)
• Live with Kelly (1.2, unchanged)
• Maury (1.1, unchanged)
• Wendy Williams (1.0, 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) 3.7 +16%

2. Ellen DeGeneres (WBDTD) 2.5 NC

2. Live with Kelly (Disney-ABC) 2.5 NC

4. Steve Harvey (NBCU) 1.7 +13%

5. Maury (NBCU) 1.6 -6%

6. Wendy Williams (Debmar-Mercury) 1.5 NC

7. Rachael Ray (CTD) 1.4 -13%

8. Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 1.3 -7%

8. Dr. Oz (Sony) 1.3 NC

10. Jerry Springer (NBCU) 1.2 -14%

11. Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen (WBDTD) 1.0 NC

12. The Doctors (CTD) 0.9 +13%

13. The Real (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

DAYTIME ROOKIE SHOWS

1. Harry (NBCU) 1.2 +20%

COURT SHOWS

1. Judge Judy (CTD) 7.4 NC

2. Hot Bench (CTD) 2.6* +8%

3. People’s Court (WBDTD) 1.8 NC

4. Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 1.4 NC

5. Divorce Court (Twentieth) 1.1 -8%

6. Judge Faith (Trifecta) 0.8 -11%

GAME SHOWS

1. Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 7.3 -4%

2. Wheel of Fortune (CTD) 7.1 NC

3. Jeopardy (CTD) 6.8* +1%

4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (Disney-ABC) 1.8 NC

5. Celebrity Name Game (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 1.3 -7%

INTERNET VIDEO

1. Right This Minute (Disney-ABC) 1.5  NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

1. Entertainment Tonight (CTD) 3.6 -3%

2. Inside Edition (CTD) 3.2 NC

3. TMZ (WBDTD) 1.7 -6%

4. Access Hollywood (NBCU) 1.5 NC

5. Extra (WBDTD) 1.4 +8%

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) 5.8 -19%

2. Modern Family (Twentieth) 3.1 NC

3. Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 2.7* +4%

4. Mike and Molly (WBDTD) 2.0 -5%

5. Family Guy (Twentieth) 1.9 -42%

6. Last Man Standing (Twentieth) 1.8 -5%

6. Two Broke Girls (WBDTD) 1.8 -22%

8. How I Met Your Mother (Twentieth) 1.5 +7%

9. Seinfeld (Sony) 1.2 -8%

9. The Middle (WBDTD) 1.2 -20%

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOUR DRAMAS

1. Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 4.5 +5%

2. Blue Bloods (CTD) 2.5* +14%

3. CSI Miami (CTD) 1.7* +13%

3. American Ninja Warrior (NBCU) 1.7 -6%

5. Castle (Disney-ABC) 1.5 -6%

6. Person of Interest (WBDTD) 1.4* +17