As Regis Philbin headed into his finals days on Disney-ABC's Live! with Regis and Kelly, the show soared to season highs.
In the week ended Nov. 13, the second full week of the November sweep, Live! hit a 3.0, a 3% increase and the first time the show has made it into the threes this season.
While that's a strong performance for the morning talk fest, it was not enough to overtake CBS Television Distribution's Dr. Phil, which was the top talker for the eighth time this season. Dr. Phil has been number one for eight out of this season's nine weeks, including one tie with Sony's Dr. Oz.
Dr. Phil scored his second highest rating of the season, hitting a 3.3, a 6% jump from the prior week and a 10% from last year. That's second only to the show's premiere week ratings, which featured Dr. Phil McGraw's exclusive interview with the parents of the acquitted Casey Anthony. Dr. Phil also grew 18% among women 25-54 to a 2.0, to lead all talkers in that key female demographic. Dr. Phil has the advantage of airing in higher-rated afternoon timeslots, while Live! predominantly runs in the morning across the country.
Dr. Oz, in third place, fell 4% to a 2.7. Warner Bros.' Ellen added 4% to hit a new season high 2.5. NBCUniversal's Maury dropped 4% to a 2.3. CTD's Rachael Ray remained at its season high 1.7, while CTD's The Doctors gained 7% to a 1.6. NBCU's Jerry Springer was flat at a 1.5, while NBCU's Springer spin-off, Steve Wilkos, climbed 8% to a 1.3. Debmar-Mercury's Wendy Williams and Sony's Nate Berkus each were flat at a 1.2 and 1.1, respectively.
Among the first-run newcomers, Warner Bros.' Anderson fell 7% to a 1.3 from its prior week's season high. Anderson did not air in number-two market, Los Angeles, on Monday, Nov. 7.
Debmar-Mercury's recently renewed Jeremy Kyle tacked on a tenth of a ratings point to climb 20% to a new season-high 0.6. Meanwhile, Entertainment Studios' We the People with Gloria Allred declined 20% to a 0.4.
CTD's Excused, a new late-night dating show, was flat at its season-high 0.7.
NBCU's slow roll-out Access Hollywood Live maintained its 0.9 rating/3 share average in the metered markets where it airs, while improving in households in the top three markets. The show added 14% in New York, and 13% in both Los Angeles and Chicago.
Among magazines, CTD's Entertainment Tonight and sibling, The Insider, each clocked new season highs covering the guilty verdict in the trial of Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's doctor. Murray was convicted of manslaughter for giving his patient Propofol, a surgical anesthetic, to help him sleep. Genre leader ET gained 5% from the prior week to hit a 4.1 in households. ET also added 14% to a 2.5 among women 25-54. The Insider increased 6% to a 1.8 to take fifth place in the genre.
In second place, CTD's Inside Edition added 3% to a 3.2. NBCU's Access Hollywood eased 5% from its previous season high to a 2.0, tying Warner Bros.' TMZ, which fell 5%. Warner Bros.' Extra fell back 6% to a 1.7, following the prior week's season high.
CTD's Judge Judy rose high above the court shows, climbing 6% from the prior week and 57% from last year to a new season-high 7.2. That also ranked Judy second in all of syndication, behind only CTD's Wheel of Fortune. Judy also spiked 42% among women 18-34 to a 1.7.
In second place, CTD's Judge Joe Brown held steady at a 2.8. Warner Bros.' People's Court perked up 5% to a 2.1. Twentieth's Judge Alex advanced 6% to a 1.7. Warner Bros.' Judge Mathis was flat at a 1.6. Twentieth's Divorce Court added 7% to a 1.5. CTD's Swift Justice remained at its season-high 1.4, while Entertainment Studios' America's Court with Judge Ross grew 11% to a new series high 1.0.
In access, Warner Bros.' new off-net sitcom, The Big Bang Theory, tacked on 5% to hit a new season high 6.0. NBCU's 30 Rock, airing mostly in late fringe, improved 8% to a 1.4, matching its season high in households and gaining 22% among women 18-34 to a 1.1. Meanwhile, Twentieth's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, also airing mostly in late fringe, slipped 8% to a 1.2. Sony's ‘Til Death climbed 17% to a 0.7.
Warner Bros.' Two and a Half Men led the veteran sitcoms, adding 6% to a 6.6. Twentieth's Family Guy gained 11% to a 4.0. Twentieth's How I Met Your Mother was flat at a 3.3 Sony's Seinfeld inched up 4% to a 2.5. Warner Bros.' Friends also moved up 4% to a 2.4, tying CTD's Everybody Loves Raymond, which was flat at a 2.4. Twentieth's King of the Hill climbed 5% to a 2.2. Carsey-Werner's That 70s Show spiked 18% to a new season high 2.0.
Among the games, three of the four hit new season highs. Wheel of Fortune led the syndie pack, edging up 4% to a new season-high 7.6. CTD's Jeopardy! also hit a new season high, adding 3% to a 6.3. Debmar-Mercury's Family Feud, starring Steve Harvey, finished 7% ahead of the prior week, marking a new season-high 3.2. Disney-ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire shed 4% to a 2.5.
