CBS Television Distribution’s Judge Judy hit a big milestone in the week ended Nov. 15, notching its 1,000th week in a row as syndication’s top court show. Judy has been leading the courts for more than 19 years in a winning streak that started in September 1996.
Judy grew 5% for both the week and year, nearing the 8.0 rating mark with a 7.9 live plus same day rating in households, according to Nielsen Media Research, the show’s strongest rating since January 2014, and led all syndicated strips for the 22nd consecutive week.
The rest of the court shows, along with most of daytime, were all down or flat in light of breaking news reports in the aftermath of the terror attacks in Paris. CTD’s Hot Bench, the number-two courtroom, slipped 4% from its series high to a 4.3, but was still up 35% over last year at this time, the largest annual increase of any strip in syndication. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court fell 5% to a 1.8. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis and MGM’s Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court both were unchanged at a 1.5 and 1.4, respectively. Twentieth’s Divorce Court dropped 7% to a 1.3. Trifecta’s Judge Faith was flat at a 0.9 for the ninth week in a row.
In the third full week of the November sweep, CTD’s Dr. Phil maintained its talk lead with a steady 3.4, matching the show’s season high and finishing first in the genre for the 10th consecutive week. Among women 25-54, Phil also was in front with a 1.7 in the key demo.
Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and MIchael, which tied Warner Bros.’ Ellen for second place in households in the prior week, pulled ahead, advancing 4% to a 2.8. Ellen declined 4% to a third-place 2.6.
Fourth place was a three-way tie between NBCUniversal’s Steve Harvey, Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams and NBCUniversal’s Maury at a 1.7. Harvey eased 11% and Wendy declined 6% while Maury was flat.
NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, which, along with Live, was one of only two talkers to improve, rose 7% to a 1.5, matching its season high.
CTD’s Rachael Ray, SPT’s Dr. Oz, NBCU’s Jerry Springer, Warner Bros.’ The Real, CTD’s The Doctors and NBCU’s Meredith Vieira all remained at their season highs 1.4, 1.3 ,1.3, 1.1, 1.0 and 0.9, respectively.
Warner Bros.’ new entry, Crime Watch Daily, made it 10 straight weeks at the top of the freshman class, holding steady at its series best 0.9. Disney-ABC’s FABLife, which will see star and executive producer Tyra Banks exit, gave back 13% from its best level to a 0.7. NBCU’s Crazy Talk eased 14% from its season high to a 0.6.
Among women 25-54, Crime Watch climbed 20% to a first-place 0.6, while Crazy Talk and FABLife remained at a 0.5 and 0.4, respectively.
In the metered markets, Warner Bros.’ Ice & Coco finished its three-week test on four Tribune-owned stations in New York, Houston, Miami and Norfolk, Va., which began on Nov. 9, with an overall 0.7 rating/2 share average. That was down 46% from its year-ago time periods from a 1.3/5 to a 0.7/2. Among women 25-54, the show dropped 56% from a 0.9/7 time-period average to a 0.4/3.
In access, magazines surged on news of Charlie Sheen’s admission of being HIV positive after being buffeted in the prior session by real-time news coverage of the Paris terror attacks.
CTD’s genre leader Entertainment Tonight finished first with a 6% gain to a new season-high 3.5. In second place, CTD’s Inside Edition rebounded 10% to a season best 3.3. NBCUniversal’s Access Hollywood showed the most growth of any top-tier magazine, jumping 19% to a new season-high 1.9, tying Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which added 6%. Warner Bros.’ Extra jumped 7% to a 1.5, its second highest rating of the year. CTD’s The Insider shot up 18% to a 1.3, matching its season high.
Twentieth’s Dish Nation was flat at a 1.0, while Trifecta’s OK! TV continued its see saw pattern, rising 50% to a 0.3 from a 0.2.
The games, on the other hand, were mixed. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune recovered 9% to hit a new season-high 7.4. CTD’s Jeopardy! also buzzed to a new season-high 6.9, up 8%. Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud faded 2% to a 6.5, however Feud added 2% for the year and was the only game ahead of last year at this time.
Further back, Debmar-Mercury’s sophomore Celebrity Name Game and Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire both were unchanged at a 1.3. However, Celebrity Name Game was steady compared to this time last year, while Millionaire was in the red by 35%.
MGM’s viral video show RightThisMinute clocked its third-straight 1.1, off 31% from last year at this time.
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory warmed up 3% to a new season-high 6.4 to lead the off-net sitcoms. Twentieth’s Modern Family faltered 3% to a 3.4. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men declined 4% to a 2.6. Twentieth’s Family Guy gave back 5% to a 2.1, tying Warner Bros.’ rookie 2 Broke Girls, which grew 5% to a new season high, and Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly, which was flat. SPT’s Seinfeld stayed at a 1.8. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother sagged 6% to a 1.7. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show was unchanged at a 1.5, while Twentieth’s King of the Hill declined 7% to a 1.3.
