By Kimberly Speight
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – “Jeopardy!” continued its winning ways for the week ending July 25 as the game show took the top spot in syndication for a fourth consecutive frame.
The game show, which tied with “Wheel of Fortune” for No. 1 during the week ending July 4 but has surpassed “Wheel” to lay sole claim to the top spot in the three weeks since, averaged a 9.6 household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That figure is down 6% week-to-week but up 60% from the same frame a year ago.
“Jeopardy!’s” season finale aired July 23 with contestant Ken Jennings winning $75,000, a one-day record for a “Jeopardy!” contestant. Jennings, whose total winnings of $1.3 million make him the highest cumulative winner in the game show’s history, will return for his 39th appearance in the Sept. 6 premiere of “Jeopardy!’s” 21st season.
“Wheel” is still benefiting from Jennings’ winning streak. Although the game show — which is paired with “Jeopardy!” in slots in a majority of markets — was down 1% week-to-week to an 8.5, “Wheel” is up 15% compared with the same period last year.
“The Oprah Winfrey Show,” meanwhile, was again the No. 1 talk show. “Oprah” averaged a 6.1, down 3% week-to-week. “Entertainment Tonight” topped the entertainment newsmagazines with a 4.4, down 4%. “Judge Judy” led the court shows with a 4.4, up 2%. “Everybody Loves Raymond” led the off-network sitcoms for a third consecutive week with a 5.8, up 4%.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
