The top weekly, hourlong series in syndication all suffered considerable year-to-year ratings erosion during the recently concluded February ratings sweep, except for category leaders "Entertainment Tonight Weekend" and "The Practice."
"ET Weekend" averaged a 4.0 national household rating during the February sweep, according to Nielsen, to lead the weekly hours. Perf marks a 5% improvement over February 2002. Among 18-49 adults, the show grew 25% over last year to a 2.0.
The off-network run of "The Practice" (up 4% to 2.5 among households; flat in the demo at 1.4) tied the off-net run of "X-Files" (down 11% in households, down 26% to 1.4 in the demo) for second.
"Stargate SG-1" (down 14% to 2.4; down 30% to 1.4 in the demo) followed. "Mutant X" (down 18% to 1.4 in the demo) and "World's Wildest Police Videos" (down 6% to 1.5 in the demo) both dipped 8% to 2.3, and "Andromeda" (down 33% in the demo to 1.4) and the off-net run of "ER" (down 7% in the demo to 1.3.) tied at 2.2 in households, with "Andromeda" dipping 27% from last year when it was the second-highest rated weekly hour. "ER" was down 4% in households.
Rounding out the top 10, the off-net run of "Buffy" (down 18% to 1.4 in the demo) and rookie action hour "Adventure Inc." (1.2 in the demo) tied at 2.1, with "Buffy" dipping 19%.
Among the other rookie weekly hours, "She Spies" (1.9 in households, 1.1 in the 18-49 demo) followed "Adventure Inc.," ranking 11th overall in the category. Third among rookies, the off-net run of "Providence" (1.6 household rating; 0.8 demo) placed 15th overall, and rookie "Starhunter" (0.6 household rating; 0.4 demo) was 27th overall.
Sweep rankings for Mon.-Fri. shows in syndication will be available next week. Meantime, during the third full week of the sweep, the week ending Feb. 23, many strips hit or matched new ratings peaks. The season highs were due in part to the blizzard in the Northeast during the President's Day holiday, during which more viewers were home in front of the tube than usual.
For example, rookies "Dr. Phil" (up 14% week-to-week to a 5.8 national household rating) and "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (up 9% to 3.7) hit new highs. Fellow rookies "Pyramid" (up 5% to 2.1), "The John Walsh Show" (up 7% to 1.6) and "Celebrity Justice" (up 8% to 1.4) matched their highest household ratings.
Among the vets to score new season highs were: "Wheel of Fortune" (up 6% to 10.6), "Jeopardy!" (up 5% to 8.3), "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (up 9% to 7.4), "Live With Regis & Kelly" (up 7% to 4.6) and "Maury" (up 15% to 3.8).
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