Top syndie laffers see sweeps spike
Everybody loves 'Friends,' 'Seinfeld'
Daily skeins that tend to run during access time periods (6-8 p.m.) -- such as the off-network sitcoms, magazines, gamers and dating shows -- were among the biggest winners, as dark set in an hour earlier and viewers headed indoors for stunt programming. (The frame that ended Nov. 3 includes the first two weekdays of the sweep.)
The six top-rated off-net laffers all hit season highs, with "Friends" leading the pack by moving up 7% week-to-week to a 7.3 national household rating, according to Nielsen.
Following "Friends" were: "Seinfeld" (up 11% to 7.2), sophomore "Everybody Loves Raymond" (up 10% to 6.7), newcomer "Will & Grace" (up 10% to 4.4), fellow freshman "That '70s Show" (up 16% to 3.7) and "Home Improvement" (up 6% to 3.5).
Frosh gamer "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," which airs largely in access, earned the biggest week-to-week gain of any rookie firstrun strip.
The show beat its season high of 2.7 -- which the show had averaged for the two previous weeks -- by moving up 11% week-to-week to a 3.0. That put the show third among the gamers, behind "Wheel of Fortune," which is the top-rated program in all of syndication, and "Jeopardy."
"Wheel," too, hit a season high, moving up 8% to 9.6, while "Jeopardy" was up 6% to tie its 7.4 season high. "Hollywood Squares," which followed "Millionaire" in the gamer game, moved up 17% to a new season high of 2.7.
"Entertainment Tonight" led the access mags, moving up 9% to 6.1, its highest rating in 30 weeks.
Even with the previous week, "Inside Edition" was next at 3.2, followed by "Extra" (up 12% to a season high 2.9) and "Access Hollywood" (up 13% to tie its 2.7 season high).
In relationship land, "Blind Date" led, matching its 1.7 season high from the previous week, and was followed by "Elimidate" (up 7% to 1.6) and "The Fifth Wheel" (up 8% to 1.3.).
Among courtshows, the leader, "Judge Judy," hit a season high, moving up 8% to 5.2.
In talk, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" led as usual, moving up 9% to 5.9, followed by freshman ratings monster "Dr. Phil," which ironically was the only new firstrun strip to dip week-to-week. "Dr. Phil" was down 5% to 4.2.
