NBC Universal Domestic Television’s “Deal or No Deal” took the top ratings prize among syndicated rookies for the 2008-09 season thus far, trumping the rest of the freshman pack for its first official week’s ratings.
For the week ending Sept. 14, “Deal” drew a household rating of 1.6, giving the series the best game show debut since “Millionaire” in 2002.
Placing second, CBS Television Distribution’s “The Doctors” saw a 1.3 rating, the strongest start for a talk show since “Rachael Ray” in 2006.
Sony Pictures Television’s “Judge Karen” took third with a 1.1 rating, followed by Program Partner’s “Family Court With Judge Penny” with a 0.6. Data for Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution’s “The Bonnie Hunt Show,” also a rookie this year, wasn’t available as it was being reprocessed.
Most of the rest of the syndicated field rolled out season debuts during the week ending Sept. 14. In talk shows, while CBS’ “Oprah” rode high with a 5.0 (56% better than its closest competitor, “Dr. Phil”), WB’s “Ellen” enjoyed a strong bump to kick off her sixth season.
Increasing 16% year-to-year, “Ellen” grabbed a 2.2 rating, thanks to a jolt early in the week with an appearance from Michelle Obama, as well as video and pictures from Ms. DeGeneres’ and Portia de Rossi’s wedding.
The rest of the pack included CBS’ “Phil” (3.2), Disney-ABC’s “Live With Regis and Kelly” (2.6), CBS’ “Rachael Ray” (1.7), WB’s “Tyra” (1.1) and NBC’s “The Jerry Springer Show” (0.9). “Phil” encountered some preemptions in seven of the top 22 markets, as a rescheduled U.S. Tennis Open final aired on Sept. 8.
For the magazine show, CBS’ “Entertainment Tonight” took in a 4.0, up 25% from last week. CBS’ “Inside Edition” placed second in the genre with a 2.9, up 21%, and third-place “TMZ” (2.1) from Warner Bros. held steady.
NBC’s “Access Hollywood” captured a 2.0, up 5%, followed by CBS’ “The Insider” (1.9), increasing 12% week-to-week, and WB’s “Extra,” up 21% with a 1.7.
In game shows, CBS’ “Wheel of Fortune” (6.6) and “Jeopardy!” (5.5) enjoyed week-to-week increases of 12%. Disney-ABC’s “Millionaire” buzzed in a 2.6, up 4%, while Twentieth Television’s “Family Feud” stumbled 12% from last week down to a 1.5.
For the court shows, CBS’ “Judge Judy” grabbed a 4.3, up 2% week-to-week, while “Judge Joe Brown” landed second with a 2.4, an increase of 4%. WB’s “People’s Court” (2.3) and “Judge Mathis” (1.8) stayed flat. Twentieth Television’s “Judge Alex” (1.6) and “Divorce Court” (1.5) dipped 6%.