Syndication Ratings: In Week Two, 'Live With Kelly and Ryan' Settles In

In its second full week on the air in the week ended May 14, Disney-ABC’s Live with Kelly and Ryan slipped 12% compared to its launch week and 33% compared to the same week a year ago to a 2.2. live plus same day household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.

Still, those numbers are compared to two big weeks. The previous week was the first week for new host Ryan Seacrest, while the same week last year was Michael Strahan’s highly-rated last week before departing for ABC’s Good Morning America.

The session ending May 14 included the midway point of the May sweep, which ran April 27 - May 24, and the vast majority of shows were unchanged to down slightly as warmer weather drove viewing down.

Talk’s top show, CBS Television Distribution’s Dr. Phil, dipped 3% to a 3.3 to remain the talk leader for the 36th straight week. Among daytime’s key demographic of women 25-54, Phil led with a 1.5 while Live was next at a 1.1.

Warner Bros.’ Ellen DeGeneres fell 5% to a third-place 2.1.

NBCUniversal’s Maury, NBCU’s Steve Harvey, Debmar-Wendy’s Wendy Williams, NBCU’s Steve Wilkos and NBCU’s Jerry Springer all were unchanged at a 1.6, 1.5, 1.4, 1.3 and 1.3, respectively. Steve Harvey—the host of which made headlines last week when his ex-wife sued him for a reported $60 million—sagged 17% from last year at this time.

CTD’s Rachael Ray and Sony Pictures Television’s Dr. Oz were in lockstep, both retreating 8% to a 1.1, equaling their series lows and slumping 21% from last year at this time.

NBCU’s newcomer Harry gave back 10% to a 0.9, tying Warner Bros.’ sophomore Crime Watch Daily with Chris Hansen, which held steady at a 0.9. Warner Bros.’ The Real remained at a 0.8 and CTD’s The Doctors declined 13% to a new season low, 0.7.

CTD’s court leader Judge Judy dipped 4% to a 6.7 to lead all syndicated strips for the seventh straight week. CTD’s Hot Bench relinquished 9% to a 2.1. Warner Bros.’ People’s Court, Warner Bros.’ Judge Mathis, Twentieth’s Divorce Court and Trifecta’s Judge Faith all remained at a 1.6, 1.2, 1.0 and 0.8, respectively.

Debmar-Mercury’s game leader, Family Feud, downticked 2% to a 6.2, its lowest non-holiday rating of the season. That was still enough to lead the genre for the 55th consecutive week, however. CTD’s Wheel of Fortune fell 3% to a 5.7. CTD’s Jeopardy! softened 3% to a 5.6. Disney-ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire devalued 6% to a 1.5, matching its season low. Debmar-Mercury’s Celebrity Name Game was unchanged at a1.2 for the fifth straight week.

Disney-ABC’s viral video show RightThisMinute remained at its season-low 1.3 for a fifth consecutive week.

CTD’s Entertainment Tonight eased 3% but remained the magazine leader at a 2.9. CTD’s Inside Edition eroded 7% to a 2.6, equalling its season low. Warner Bros.’ TMZ recovered 7% to a 1.5. NBCU’s Access Hollywood was flat at a 1.3. Warner Bros.’ Extra pulled back 8% to a 1.1. CTD’s The Insider held firm at a 1.0. Twentieth’s Dish Nation was unchanged at its season-low 0.7 for a fourth straight week, while Trifecta’s Celebrity Page remained at a 0.3 for the 19th straight week.

Warner Bros.’ off-net sitcom leader The Big Bang Theory inched up 2% to a 4.9. Twentieth’s Modern Family climbed 4% to a 2.7. Warner Bros.’ Two and a Half Men moved down 4% to a 2.2. Twentieth’s Family Guy grew 6% to a 1.9. Twentieth’s rookie Last Man Standing, which has been canceled by ABC after six years in primetime, slipped 6% to a 1.6, tying Warner Bros.’ Mike & Molly, which also yielded 6%. Warner Bros.’ 2 Broke Girls, canceled by CBS, stood pat at a 1.4. Twentieth’s The Cleveland Show spiked 8% to a 1.3. SPT’s Seinfeld stayed at its series low 1.2 for the eighth straight week. Twentieth’s How I Met Your Mother remained at its series low 1.1, tying Twentieth’s King of the Hill, which climbed 10%.

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.