“Live” Looms Large in Talk

Review based on a national syndicated rating report for the week ending March 13, 2022.

Live with Kelly and Ryan (1.7 live plus same day national Nielsen rating, up 6% from the week before) pulled ahead of previous leader Dr. Phil (1.6, down 6%) and swept into first place among talk shows in the session ending March 13. “Live” has now been the clear No. 1 or at least tied at the top of the category 60 times in the past 79 weeks.

Tamron Hall (three-week high 0.7, up 17%) was the only other one of the 15 talkers to move up in a frame marked by numerous UEFA Champions League soccer preemptions.

Of note, Ellen DeGeneres (0.9, steady) broke out of a tie and snared sole possession of third place. The eponymous host of the program will make her final appearance on the beloved hit show — which has won more than five dozen Daytime Emmy Awards and has featured more than 4,000 guests over its 19 seasons — on May 26^th.  The run-up to Ellen’s finale will be marked by a flood of former guests including Michelle Obama, Gwen Stefani, David Letterman and Serena Williams.

Also ending original production in the coming months will be long-running (31 years) conflict talker Maury (0.7, down 30% from last year at this time – the steepest year to year decline of any talk show).

Among courtroom shows, Hot Bench (1.6, up 7%) matched its season high and easily outperformed People’s Court (0.8, up 14%), the next highest gaveler in original production. Trailing the veteran court line-up was the recently canceled Judge Jerry starring Jerry Springer (0.4, down 43% from last year at this time).

Entertainment Tonight (five-week high 2.2, up 5%) was the star of the magazines as the sole strip of the group plowing into the plus column.