Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily had the honor of being the only syndicated strip in first-run to hit a new season high in the week ending January 31, the last full week before the start of the February sweeps.
The freshman strip climbed 10% to a season- and series-high 1.1 live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Crime Watch’s rookie rivals, Disney-ABC’s FABLife, which will end its run after this season, and NBCUniversal’s Crazy Talk both held steady at a 0.8 and 0.6, respectively. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Crime Watch also led, holding firm at a 0.6. FABLife and Crazy Talk both remained at a 0.5 and 0.4, respectively.
Most syndicated shows were saving big episodes for the upcoming ratings period. In addition, levels of people using television were down during the week due to power outages in the aftermath of the record-setting blizzard that fell upon the East Coast.
To that end, CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil managed to stay in the talk lead, but dipped 3% to a 3.3. Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael remained at a 3.2, but beat Phil among women 25-54, at a 1.6 to Phil’s 1.5, tying Warner Bros. Ellen. In households, Ellen dropped 4% to a 2.7 for third place.
NBCU’s Steve Harvey declined 9% to land at a 2.1, after jumping to an all-time high 2.3 in the previous frame with two special episodes featuring Miss Universe and the first runner-up. Harvey famously announced the wrong winner of the beauty contest in December, a flub that’s worked out in his favor with even a Super Bowl ad starring Harvey created around it.
Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams tied NBCU’s Maury for fifth place, with Wendy the only talker to improve for the week, advancing 6% to a 1.8 and equalling its season high, while Maury eased 5%.
CTD’s Rachael Ray receded 6% from its season high to a 1.6.
NBCU’s Steve Wilkos was steady at a 1.5, while Wilkos and Ray each grew 7% from last year at this time, marking talk’s two biggest annual increases.
Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz, hit with a class-action lawsuit last week over the show’s promotion of a so-called “miracle weight-loss cure,” settled for a 6% loss to a 1.5, tying Wilkos.
NBCU’s Jerry Springer slipped 7% to a 1.3. CTD’s The Doctors and Warner Bros.’ The Real both remained at a 1.1, while NBCU’s Meredith Vieira, which will conclude its run in May, gave back 9% to a 1.0 after hitting a new season-high 1.1 in the prior session.
CTD’s Judge Judy dipped 1% from its season high to a 7.8, but gained 10% from last year and led all of syndication for the 31st out of the past 32 weeks.
CTD’s Hot Bench came in second for the 45th straight week, holding steady at its season high 2.6 and climbing 44% from last year at this time, the most of any syndicated strip.
Warner Bros.’ People’s Court recovered 5% to a 2.0. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis was flat at a 1.6. Twentieth’s Divorce Court added 8% to a 1.4, while Trifecta’s Judge Faith remained at a 0.9 for the fifth consecutive week.
Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game, starring Craig Ferguson, was the only game show not to decline for the week, holding steady at its season-high 1.5, and rising 7% from last year at this time.
Leading the games, CTD’s Wheel of Fortune slid 5% to a 7.4. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, another Harvey vehicle, fell 3% to a 7.3, after hitting a series high in the previous week. CTD’s Jeopardy! lost 3% to a 7.0. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, renewed for next season, sank 7% to a 1.4 and declined 22% from last year at this time.
MGM’s viral video show RightThis Minute, which will jump to ABC owned stations next season, clocked an unchanged 1.2 for the fifth straight week and declined 20% from last year at this time.
CTD’s Entertainment Tonight eased 11% to a 3.4, after hitting a new season high in the prior week. CTD’s Inside Edition weakened 3% to a 3.2. Warner Bros.’ TMZ was unchanged at a 1.9 for a fourth consecutive week. NBCU’s Access Hollywood yielded 5% to a 1.8. Warner Bros.’ Extra was one of only two strips in the top five to avoid the down draft, holding steady at a 1.5. CTD’s The Insider backtracked 7% from its season high to a 1.3.
Twentieth’s Dish Nation and Trifecta’s OK! TV were both flat at a 1.0 and 0.3, respectively.
Off-net sitcom leader Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory heated up 3% to a new season-high 6.6, followed by Twentieth’s Modern Family, which also added 3% to a new season-high 3.6. In third place, Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men dropped 7% to a 2.8. Warner Bros.’ rookie 2 Broke Girls grew 5% to a new season-high 2.3. Warner Bros.’ Mike and Molly faded 4% to a 2.2, tying Twentieth’s Family Guy, which gained 5%. SPT’s Seinfeld sank 5% to a 2.0. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother moved up 6% to a 1.8. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show erased 6% to slip to a 1.6, while Twentieth’s King of the Hill descended 7% to a 1.3, tying Warner Bros’ The Middle, which was flat.
