Game show race tightens in second week without Alex Trebek

Review based on a national syndicated rating report for the week ending January 24, 2021.

In the second week without long-time host Alex Trebek, Jeopardy (5.9 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, down 5% from the week before) continued to decline but held on to the game show lead by a narrow margin in the session ending January 24. With star contestant Ken Jennings filling in as the first in a series of guest hosts, the show has now slipped 11% from Trebek’s final frame.

Wheel of Fortune (5.7, down 2%) also weakened in second place, although third-ranked Family Feud (5.6, up 4%) jumped into close contention.

Daytime shows ran into a slew of holiday, basketball and pandemic-related preemptions, and many were completely wiped out by extensive coverage of President Biden’s Inauguration.

Live with Kelly and Ryan (1.9, up 6%) finished first in talk for the ninth week in a row with Dr. Phil (1.7, down 6%) not far behind.

Entertainment Tonight (2.3, up 5%) set the pace among the closely-watched entertainment magazines.  Access Hollywood (1.0), Extra (season-high 0.7) and Daily Mail TV (0.6) all did well to hold their ground.

Judge Judy (5.1, down 6%) did not get to air its primary run in numerous markets but nevertheless continued to be the overall No. 1 show in syndication, season to date, in its 25^th and final first-run year.