Syndication Ratings: Only ‘Dr. Phil,’ ‘Kelly Clarkson’ Show Gains in Sleepy Week

Dr. Phil McGraw hosts CTD's 'Dr. Phil,' which is entering its 19th season in syndication. (Image credit: CBS Television Distribution/Dr. Phil)

Despite being in reruns on all five days, CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil returned to the top of the talkers with a 6% rise to a four-week high 1.9 live plus same day national household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research, in the week ended Aug. 9.

Phil, which was one of just two talkers to improve on the week with NBCUniversal’s newcomer Kelly Clarkson being the only other gainer, has now led the 14-show category in seven of the past eight weeks and 191 of the last 205, including five ties with Disney’s Live with Kelly and Ryan. Last week, Live led with shows remembering the recently passed Regis Philbin and this week, it fell back 16% to a 1.6. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil and Live tied for first at a 0.7.

RELATED: ‘Live’’s Week of Regis Tributes Leads to Weekly Win

Back in households, NBCU’s Maury moved down 9% to a 1.0, matching its series low and tying Warner Bros.’ embattled Ellen DeGeneres, which remained at its all-time low 1.0 for a third straight week.

RELATED: Three EPs Out at Warner Bros.’ ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’

NBCU’s Steve Wilkos, CTD’s Rachael Ray, Debmar-Mercury’s Wendy Williams, Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz, Warner Bros.’ The Real, CTD’s The Doctors and NBCU’s out-of-production syndicated run of Jerry Springer all were flat at season or series lows of 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.4, 0.4 and 0.3, respectively. Wilkos and Wendy marked season lows, while the rest fell to or held at series lows.

RELATED: Dr. Ian Smith is the New Host of CTD’s ‘The Doctors’

As mentioned, renewed rookie Kelly Clarkson added 14% to a 0.8 in households and 33% to a 0.4 among women 25-54 with four originals and one repeat.

Disney’s Tamron Hall, also prepping for season two, was in repeats on four of the five days and preempted for news coverage on several days in major markets but held steady at a 0.7.

SPT’s Mel Robbins, which is near the end of its run, remained at its low 0.3 for a tenth straight week. 

CTD’s top court Judge Judy and its progeny Hot Bench led daytime for a ninth straight session, even though both shows were in repeats. Judge Judy dipped 4% to a 5.4, while Hot Bench added 5% to a 2.0, despite being heavily preempted.

RELATED: Victoria Jenest Promoted to Co-Executive Producer at ‘Judge Judy’

Warner Bros.’ People’s Court and Judge Mathis both held steady at a 1.3 and a 0.8, respectively. Fox’s Divorce Court slid 17% to a new season-low 0.5, matching its series low. Debmar-Mercury’s Caught in Providence posted an unchanged 0.4.

NBCU’s rookie court Judge Jerry sagged 13% to a 0.7. MGM/Orion’s Personal Injury Court stood pat at a 0.4 with Trifecta’s Protection Court not far behind, rising 50% to a 0.3 from a 0.2.

CTD’s magazine leaders Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight and NBCU’s Access Hollywood were all on par with prior week’s 2.4, 2.3, and 1.0, respectively. Warner Bros.’ Extra shot up 14% to a 0.8, despite being bounced by baseball on Fox-owned stations in such markets as New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco and Detroit on Aug. 6. That tied Warner Bros.’ TMZ, which slid 11%, and CTD’s DailyMailTV, which added 14% and will be adding a new host, Thomas Roberts, come Sept. 14.

RELATED: Thomas Roberts Named New Host of ‘DailyMailTV’ in Season 4

Trifecta’s Celebrity Page produced a 0.1 for the second straight week. 

Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud inched up 2% to a 5.6 to lead all of syndication. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune was flat at a season low 4.7 for a second straight week, while CTD‘s Jeopardy! skidded 6% to a new season low 4.5. 

Entertainment Studios’ Funny You Should Ask replied with a steady 0.5 for a fifth consecutive week. 

Fox’s renewed rookie game 25 Words or Less, starring and executive produced by Meredith Vieira, stayed put at a 0.9. SPT’s off-GSN America Says, which is not returning, remained right behind at a steady 0.8.

Disney’s internet video strip, RightThisMinute, maintained its series low 0.6 for a second straight week. 

NBCU’s off-network strip Dateline logged an unchanged 1.1 for the third week in a row, while NBCU’s scripted Chicago PD declined 13% to a 0.7, matching its series low.

Warner Bros.’ The Big Bang Theory remained at its series low 2.5 for a second consecutive week but remained the off-network sitcom leader. Disney’s Modern Family, Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men and SPT’s The Goldbergs all stayed at series lows 1.2, 1.1 and 1.0, respectively. SPT’s Seinfeld and Disney’s Family Guy both gained 11% to a 1.0, tying SPT’s The Goldbergs. Disney’s Black-ish backslid 11% to a 0.8, tying Warner Bros.’ Mom and Mike & Molly, both of which were steady.

Paige Albiniak

Contributing editor Paige Albiniak has been covering the business of television for more than 25 years. She is a longtime contributor to Next TV, Broadcasting + Cable and Multichannel News. She concurrently serves as editorial director for The Global Entertainment Marketing Academy of Arts & Sciences (G.E.M.A.). 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.