Warner Bros.’ Crime Watch Daily was the top-rated syndicated rookie in households and daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, in the week ended Sept. 27, the show’s second full week on the air. The show held steady with its premiere week at a 0.8 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
Disney-ABC’s FABLife and NBCUniversal’s Crazy Talk tied for second, with FABLife slipping 13% from week one to a 0.7 and Crazy Talk growing 17% to a 0.7. Among women 25-54, Crime Watch Daily shared first place with Crazy Talk, each at a 0.5. Panel talker FABLife turned in a 0.4. Crime Watch Daily is cleared on Tribune-owned stations in afternoons in top markets, while FABLife is cleared in daytime on ABC-owned and affiliate markets. Crazy Talk, a reality/talk hybrid, is cleared mostly on independent stations.
The week ended Sept. 27 included the Jewish high holiday Yom Kippur, as well as coverage of Pope Francis’ visit to the East Coast, which created lots of interruptions and preemptions.
As a result, only one of the 13 established talk shows was able to improve from the prior week, namely NBCUniversal’s Steve Wilkos, which debuted season 9 with a 17% gain to a 1.4. This marked the highest rating since the week of August 10 for Jerry Springer’s former bouncer and put Wilkos in a tie for sixth place with Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which weakened 7% in the second week of its eighth season.
CTD’s Dr. Phil led the talkers, dipping 3% to a 3.0. Phil has been the top talker for the past 31 weeks out of the past 37, including ties. Phil also led the chat pack among women 25-54 at a 1.6.
Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael snatched the silver, easing 4% to a 2.6. Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres also faded 4% to a 2.2, off 15% from its premiere week.
NBCU’s Steve Harvey was one of only four talkers not to decline for the week, holding steady at a 1.7 and ranking fourth. NBCU’s Maury yielded 6% to a 1.6 with its 18th season opener. Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz and CTD’s Rachael Ray each relinquished 8% to a 1.2, tying NBCU’s Jerry Springer, which was stable with the premiere of its silver anniversary season.
Warner Bros.’ The Real retreated 9% from its second-season bow to a 1.0. NBCU's Meredith Vieira held steady at a 0.9, while CTD’s The Doctors declined 11% to a 0.8.
CTD’s Judge Judy remained syndication’s top show for the 14th consecutive week, despite ticking down 3% to a 6.4.
CTD’s Hot Bench, created by Judge Judy Sheindlin, stood pat at a 2.0, up 43% over the same week last year, and the largest annual increase of any syndicated strip with its move to stronger CBS owned stations last spring.
In third place among the courts, Warner Bros.’ People’s Court recovered 6% to a 1.7. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis and Twentieth’s Divorce Court were unchanged at a 1.4 and 1.2, respectively. MGM’s Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court grew 20% to a 1.2, tying Divorce Court for the first time. Trifecta’s Judge Faith jumped 29% to a 0.9.
Meanwhile, even though this year’s Primetime Emmys scored a record ratings low, all of the entertainment strips were buoyed by their next-day coverage of the event. Compared to the prior week, on Monday, Sept. 21, CTD’s Entertainment Tonight grew 36% to a 3.8. CTD’s Inside Edition, although not strictly an entertainment show, also benefited, growing 14% to a 3.2. NBCU’s Access Hollywood leaped 20% to a 1.8, tying Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which added 6%. Warner Bros.’ Extra spiked 14% to a 1.6, CTD’s The Insider advanced 9% to a 1.2.
For the week, ET grew 7% to a 3.0. Inside Edition was flat at a 2.8. TMZ was flat at a 1.7. Access Hollywood gained 7% to a 1.6. Extra and The Insider stayed at a 1.4 and 1.1, respectively. Twentieth’s Dish Nation and Trifecta’s OK! TV were unchanged at a 0.9 and 0.3, respectively, for the third week in a row.
CTD’s Wheel of Fortune upticked 2% to a 5.9. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud was right behind with a 4% rise to a 5.8. CTD’s Jeopardy! was flat at a 5.5. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire eroded 8% to a new series low 1.1. Compared to last year, Feud was the only game to gain, strengthening 14%. Wheel skidded 6%, Jeopardy! lost 10% and Millionaire, which was downgraded to late-night on WABC New York, tumbled 45%.
Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game kicked off its second season with a 10% rally to a 1.1, tying Millionaire.
MGM's viral video show RightThisMinute was unchanged at a 1.0, down 38% from the last week last year after having moved off Fox-owned stations in top markets.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory was stable for the week at a 5.4. Twentieth’s Modern Family sagged 6% to a 3.0, matching its series low. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved 7% lower to a 2.5, also matching its series low. Twentieth’s Family Guy gave back 5% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ freshman 2 Broke Girls entered the charts at a 2.0 in its premiere week. Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly fell 10% to a 1.8, tying SPT’s Seinfeld, which grew 6%. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother, The Cleveland Show and King of the Hill all were flat at a 1.7, 1.7 and 1. 4, respectively.
