'ET' wins scandalously

'Weekend' edition, other syndies survive election

By MELISSA GREGO

"Entertainment Tonight's" weekly edition was the weekend warrior during the third full week of the November sweeps, earning its best ratings in more than four years.

"ET Weekend," with an episode about TV's greatest scandals, beat all other weekly hours with a 4.3 national household rating for the week ended Nov. 19, according to Nielsen. The last time the show performed as well was February 1996.

Repeats of "The X-Files" ran a close second among weekly hours, moving up 5% from the previous week to 4.1. Frosh firstrun actioner "Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda" was third in the batch with a 3.7, dipping 3% from the previous week.

"Xena: Warrior Princess" followed with a 3.4, then "Stargate SG-1" with a 3.3, and "ER" repeats with a 2.8. "V.I.P." turned in a season high of 2.7, and the frosh repeat run of "Nash Bridges" earned a 2.6.

'Spin' tops new laffers

Among the new off-net sitcom runs, the top four performers earned new season highs: "Spin City" was up 10% from the prior week to 3.3, "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" was up 11% to 2.0, "Suddenly Susan" moved up 13% to 1.7 and "Jamie Foxx" improved by 7% to 1.5.

"Moesha" repeats also earned a 1.5, moving up 15% to match a previous season high. "Cosby" edged down 7% to 1.3, and "Clueless" was even with 1.1.

Due to round-the-clock election coverage during the week, cable news networks have posed stronger competish for viewers this November than last.

Still, the magazines held on.

"Entertainment Tonight" was up 5% to 6.1, followed by "Inside Edition," which was even with its previous week's season high of 3.3. "Extra" edged down 3% to 3.2, and "Access Hollywood" remained even with the prior week at 2.4. Sophomore mag "National Enquirer Uncovered" was up 9% to 1.2.

Talk flops

Perhaps suffering from election coverage competish, every show in daytime talk was even with the prior week or down. "Oprah" led as usual, flat at 6.0, followed by "Live With Regis," down 12% to 3.7. "Jerry Springer" was next, flat at 3.6.

Among the courtshows, no offering moved in either direction more than a tenth of a ratings point, with "Judge Judy" leading the pack, flat at 6.8, and "Power of Attorney" leading the newcomers, flat at 2.5.

The biggest improvement among any of the firstrun strips that rate above a 1.0 rating was snagged by reality offering "Real TV," which saw a 13% boost to 1.8.