Syndication Ratings: ‘Jeopardy!’ Celebrates a Happy New Year With Million-Dollar Winner Amy Schneider

'Jeopardy!' is seeing its third player streak this season with Amy Schneider winning 30 games in a row and counting.
'Jeopardy!' is seeing its third player streak this season with Amy Schneider winning 30 games in a row and counting. (Image credit: Sony Pictures Television/'Jeopardy!')

Jeopardy! remained syndication’s top show in the week ended January 2, with its latest million-dollar winner, Amy Schneider, who through January 11 has won 30 consecutive games and surpassed the $1 million mark, something only four other people have done. 

CBS Media Ventures’ Jeopardy! jumped 10% from the prior week to a 5.6 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen. That topped Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud, starring Steve Harvey, which improved 6% to a 5.4 for second place in both syndication and among game shows. Per usual, Feud led all of syndication in the key women 25-54 demographic at a 1.9.

CBS’s Wheel of Fortune accelerated 9% to a third-place 5.0. 

Fox’s freshman You Bet Your Life, starring Jay Leno, lost 13% to a 0.7, tying Fox’s 25 Words or Less, which logged a 0.7 for the fifth time in seven weeks. Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask continued at a 0.4 for the tenth straight week. 

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Disney’s internet video show RightThisMinute ratcheted up 17% to a new season-high 0.7.

CBS’s magazine leader Inside Edition was flat at a 2.1, but corporate cousin Entertainment Tonight spiked 11% to a 2.0. NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood strengthened 14% to a 0.8, matching its season high. Fox’s TMZ, Warner Bros.’ Extra, CBS’s DailyMailTV and Fox’s Dish Nation all stayed put at a 0.7, 0.6, 0.5 and 0.2, respectively.

In daytime, shows cleared on CBS affiliates were pre-empted on December 31 for coverage of college football’s Sun Bowl.

Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan remained the talk leader for a second straight week, staying at its season-high 1.8. Among women 25-54, Live led with a 0.7, followed by CBS’ Dr. Phil at a 0.6.

In households, Phil nipped at Live’s heels with a 13% gain to a second-place 1.7, despite being completely in repeats. 

Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres, also in repeats, was steady at a 0.9. An all-rerun week of NBCU’s Kelly Clarkson eased 11% to a 0.8, tying CBS’s Rachael Ray, which stayed put, and NBCU’s conflict talker Maury, which recovered 14% from a series low.

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Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams stood pat at a 0.7 with encore episodes as the host remained out on medical leave.

Disney’s Tamron Hall, also in a week of repeats, preserved its 0.6, tying NBCU’s conflict talker Steve Wilkos, which held steady for a tenth straight week.

CBS’ Drew Barrymore, Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz and Debmar-Mercury’s rookie Nick Cannon were all in line with the prior week’s 0.5, 0.5 and 0.4, respectively.

NBCU’s out-of-production Jerry Springer stayed at a 0.3 for the fifteenth week in a row, tying Warner Bros.’ The Real, which registered a 0.3 for the 32nd time in 33 weeks. Bringing up the rear was CBS’s The Doctors, which flatlined at a 0.2 for the 43rd straight week.

‘Judge Judy’ Rules the Court Shows

CBS’s Judge Judy was once again the high court, jumping 7% to a 4.9 and ranking as the No. 4 show in syndication. Although Judy is no longer in originals, among women 25-54, Judy took second in overall syndication at a 1.8, second only to regular demo leader Family Feud at a 1.9. 

CBS’s Hot Bench booked a 7% improvement to a 1.5 in households. 

Warner Bros.’ People’s Court collected a 0.8 for the tenth time in 11 weeks. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis maintained a 0.6 for the sixteenth consecutive week. Fox’s Divorce Court was awarded a 0.5 for the fifth straight week, tying NBCU’s Judge Jerry, which rebounded 25% from a series low to a 0.5. Wrigley Media’s rookie Relative Justice delivered a 0.3 for the fourth week in a row.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory continued to lead the off-network sitcoms with a steady 2.0. Disney’s Last Man Standing stepped up 8% to a 1.4. Both Warner Bros.’ newbie Young Sheldon and veteran Two and a Half Men motored ahead 13% to a 0.9. Disney’s Modern Family featured a 0.8 for the fourth straight week, tying Sony’s The Goldbergs, which held steady for a fifth week. Sony’s Seinfeld snared its fourth consecutive 0.7. Disney’s Family Guy gave back 14% to a 0.6, tying Disney’s Black-ish, which boasted a 0.6 for the fifth week in row. Finally, Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly managed a second 0.5, tying Warner Bros.’ Mom, which maintained for a fifth week. ■

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for nearly 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for entertainment marketing association Promax. She has written for such publications as TVNewsCheck, The New York Post, Variety, CBS Watch and more. Albiniak was B+C’s Los Angeles bureau chief from September 2002 to 2004, and an associate editor covering Congress and lobbying for the magazine in Washington, D.C., from January 1997-September 2002.