Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud continued to defy the typical summer slump, winning the game race for the third week in a row for the week ending June 28.
The Steve Harvey-led game show was in sole possession of first place with a 5% weekly gain to a 6.2 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That beat CBS Television Distribution’s Jeopardy!, which added 3% for the week to a second-place 6.1. CTD’s perennial leader, Wheel of Fortune, took third place for the first time in recent memory with a 2% gain to a 6.0. Year to year, Feud is up 27%, while Jeopardy! improved 5% and Wheel weakened 2%.
Meanwhile, Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire remained mired at its all-time low 1.6 for the ninth time in ten weeks, declining 20% from last year. Debmar-Mercury’s freshman Celebrity Name Game recovered 8% to a 1.3.
CTD’s Judge Judy demonstrated the biggest weekly jump of any strip, adding 18% from the prior week to a 6.7, the show’s best performance since the week of May 10 and easily topping every other syndicated strip despite being in reruns for part of the week.
Among the other courts, the Judge Judy Sheindlin-created Hot Bench dipped 5% in a week of all repeats to a 1.9. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court was unchanged at a 1.7. Twentieth’s Divorce Court added 8% to a 1.4. Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis remained at its season low 1.2 for the third straight week. MGM’s Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court climbed 10% to a 1.1, while Trifecta’s rookie Judge Faith was flat at a 0.7.
CTD’s Dr. Phil again tied with Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Michael to lead the talk shows. Both shows eased 4% to a 2.6 and both improved 4% from last year at this time. Live led among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, however, unchanged at a 1.4 for the week.
NBCUniversal’s Maury was mostly in reruns but managed to leap into a tie for third place with Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres for the first time this season. Maury climbed 6% while Ellen, in repeats, lost 6% to hit a new season low for the second week in a row. Among women 25-54, Maury gained 8% to a 1.3 to tie Dr. Phil, while Ellen was flat at a 1.1. This put Ellen behind Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, which had a 1.2 in the demo, down 8% for the week.
Back in households, NBCU’s Steve Harvey slipped 6% to a 1.6, tying Wendy, which was flat. NBCU’s Jerry Springer and Steve Wilkos both grew 8% for the week to tie at a 1.4. Compared to last year at this time, Wilkos gained 8% while Springer shot up 17%, talk’s largest annual increase. Wendy had the second-best year-to-year surge in talk with a 14% improvement. CTD’s Rachael Ray receded 8% to a 1.2, tying SPT’s Dr. Oz, which eased 8% and matched its all-time low.
NBCU’s Meredith Vieira, CTD’s The Doctors and Warner Bros.’ The Real all were unchanged and tied at a 0.9 with all three in reruns.
In the metered markets, the test run of Fox’s The Boris and Nicole Show, which began on Monday, lost 11% from a revised 0.9/3 on day one to a 0.8/2 on day two. The show was down 27% from its lead-in and unchanged from year-ago time periods across 12 metered markets, which was last summer’s test of Hollywood Today Live in the top two markets. Among women 25-54, Boris and Nicole dropped 25% on day two from a 0.8/5 to a 0.6/4.
In access, CTD’s Entertainment Tonight regained its usual position at the top of the magazine rack with a 3% advance to a 3.1, that show’s highest ratings in five weeks. CTD’s Inside Edition was off 3% to a 2.9. Warner Bros.’ TMZ recovered 6% to a 1.7. NBCU’s Access Hollywood gave back 6% to a 1.5. Warner Bros.’ Extra held steady at a 1.3, while CTD’s The Insider yielded 8% to a 1.2. Twentieth’s Dish Nation was flat at a 1.0 for the sixth week in a row, while Trifecta’s OK! TV was unchanged at a 0.2.
Elsewhere, MGM's video variety show RightThisMinute, whose co-host, Beth Troutman, has been named news anchor at WCNC Charlotte, N.C., rose 7% to a 1.5
Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory showed some spark, rebounding 8% to a 5.3 to lead the off-net sitcoms. Twentieth’s Modern Family faded 3% to a new series-low 3.1. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and Twentieth’s Family Guy both stayed at a 2.8 and 2.4, respectively. Warner Bros.’ rookie Mike and Molly moved up 5% to a 2.2. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother sagged 5% to a 2.1. SPT’s Seinfeld remained at a 1.9. Warner Bros.’ The Middle softened 5% to a 1.8. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show declined 6% to a 1.5, while Twentieth’s King of the Hill was flat at a 1.4.
