Warner Bros.' The Big Bang Theory has risen to take its place alongside of CBS Television Distribution's Judge Judy and Wheel of Fortune as the top-rated show in syndication.
Big Bang, which is in its first year of off-net syndication, climbed 4% for the week to a 7.6, tying Judy, which remained at its season high, and Wheel, which was flat.
Among the rest of the veteran sitcoms, Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men, now solidly in second place, added 2% to a 6.5. Twentieth's Family Guy was flat at a 4.1. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother declined 6% to a 3.2. Sony's Seinfeld slipped 4% to a 2.6, tying CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond, which was flat. Warner Bros.' Friends gained 9% to a 2.5. Twentieth's King of the Hill added 5% to a 2.2.
Behind Big Bang, NBCU's rookie 30 Rock eased 7% from its season high to a 1.4 in late-night time slots. Twentieth's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia fell 8% to a 1.2. Sony's ‘Til Death was flat at a 0.7.
CTD's Dr. Phil secured its standing as the top talker, taking the number one slot for the 15th time this season, and inching up 3% to a 3.3, the show's second highest rating of the season.
Next in line was Sony's Dr. Oz, flat at a 2.9. Disney-ABC's Live! with Kelly regained 4% for the week to a 2.7. NBCU's Maury faded 4% to a 2.5. Warner Bros.' Ellen dropped 8% to a 2.4. CTD's The Doctors improved 7% to a 1.6, tying CTD's Rachael Ray and NBCU's Jerry Springer, both of which held steady. NBCU's Steve Wilkos also was steady at a 1.4. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams rose 9% to a 1.2, while Sony's Nate Berkus dropped 9% to a 1.0.
NBCU's slow roll-out Access Hollywood Live grew 11% from the same week last year in households to a 1.0 rating/3 share. It also added 17% among women 25-54 to a 0.7 rating/5 share in its 17 metered markets.
Warner Bros.' rookie talker Anderson held firm at a 1.4. Debmar-Mercury's Jeremy Kyle and Entertainment Studios' We the People each were flat at a 0.7 and 0.5, respectively.
Excused, CTD's new dating show, added 17% to a 0.7.
Following Judge Judy, CTD's Judge Joe Brown dipped 3% from the prior week to a 3.0. Warner Bros.' People's Court added 5% to a 2.2, while Judge Mathis tacked on 6% to a 1.8. That tied Twentieth's Judge Alex, which was steady. Twentieth's Divorce Court added 7% to a 1.6. CTD's Swift Justice was flat at a 1.4, while America's Court advanced 11% to a 1.0.
Magazines were mostly up or flat, except CTD's Inside Edition, which dropped 3% to a 3.2. CTD's leader, Entertainment Tonight, was flat at a 3.9. Warner Bros.' TMZ was steady at a third-place 2.2. NBCU's Access Hollywood improved 5% to a 2.1. CBS Television Distribution's The Insider added 6% to a 1.8, matching its season high. The Insider Weekend jumped 40% from last year to hit a new season-high 1.4. Warner Bros.' Extra remained at a 1.6, even after being preempted in many markets due to NBC's pre-Super Bowl coverage.
Elsewhere in access, game shows were little changed. CTD's Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! each were flat at a 7.6 and 6.2, respectively. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud upticked 3% to a 3.2. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire depreciated 4% to a 2.5.
