“Jeopardy” Seizes First Place From “Family Feud”

Review based on a national syndicated rating report for the week ending October 3, 2021.

For the first time since the week ending April 18, 2021 Jeopardy (5.5 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, up 2% from the week before) found itself all alone at the top of the syndication chart in the session ending October 3.

The show – with temporary host Mayim Bialik taking a second turn at the podium – was buoyed by the breath-taking game play of super-contestant Matt Amodio, who won more consecutive Jeopardy games than anyone in the show’s history other than Ken Jennings. Amodio’s reign didn’t come to an end until October 11.

Family Feud (5.3, down 2%), which had been tied for first place with Jeopardy in the prior week, remained in repeats as it prepared to begin its new season on October 11. Rookie quiz You Bet Your Life with host Jay Leno (0.7, down 13%) fell further behind in its third outing.

Talk shows were led by Dr. Phil (1.8, steady) for the second week in a row, while Live with Kelly and Ryan (1.7, up 6%) and Tamron Hall (0.7, up 17% in households and up 50% in the key W25-54 demo) were the biggest gainers in the category.

Ellen DeGeneres (1.0, steady) also had a strong showing, shrugging off numerous news preemptions to retain its highest Nielsens of the year and snaring third place among talkers with an average 1,425,000 viewers each day.  Currently in its last season, the show’s ratings have soared 43% over the past four weeks.

In a battle between talk newcomers Drew Barrymore (0.5, steady), which was the only chat fest to bow last season season, finished 25% ahead of the highly promoted Nick Cannon (series premiere 0.4) debut.