• by Wayne Friedman , May 6, 2015

Seven months into the syndication TV season, there are a number of gains among daily first-run TV shows -- in particular, game and talk programs. 

CBS Television Distribution’s “Wheel of Fortune” is up slightly -- 20,000 total average viewers -- to a Nielsen live program-plus-same day of 11.18 million average viewers through April 26th of this year over the same seven-month period a year before. Longtime leader “Wheel” is tops among all daily syndicated TV series.

Sister game show “Jeopardy,” also distributed from CBS, is up 3% to 10.38 million viewers. Right behind these two is one of the biggest syndication movers so far to date: Twentieth Television’s “Family Feud” is 20% higher to 9.198 million viewers.

Two leading daytime talk shows, CBS’ ”Dr. Phil” and Disney-ABC Domestic Television’s “Live with Kelly & Michael,” also posted positive results: “Phil” is 6% higher, now averaging 4.45 million viewers; “Kelly & Michael” is 5% higher to 4.09 million.

Four other talk shows -- although well behind the category leaders -- also posted higher results: NBCUniversal’s “Steve Harvey” is 6% higher to 2.56 million; Twentieth Television’s “Wendy Williams” earned 16% more to 2.14 million; NBCU’s “Steve Wilkos” adding 2% to 2.05 million; and NBC’s “Jerry Springer” inching up 1% to 1.87 million.

Warner Bros.’ “Big Bang Theory” still leads all off-network sitcoms at 9.27 million viewers, down 4% from a year ago. Newer off-network show Twentieth’s “How I Met Your Mother” has gained 9% to 3.2 million.

CBS’ “Judge Judy” still has a dominant lead over all Monday through Friday court shows -- 9.66 million viewers, down 4% from a year ago. Newer show “Lauren Lake’s Paternity Court” is up 21% to 1.7 million viewers.

CBS’ “Entertainment Tonight” is still the champ of all entertainment magazine shows -- with 4.92 million viewers, down 8% from a year ago. “ET” is getting more competition from its sister magazine show distributed by CBS, “Inside Edition,” which improved 3% to 4.45 million.

Farther back in this group is Warner Bros.’ “TMZ”, which is up 6% to 2.84 million. Sony Picture Television’s “Right This Minute” added on a big 47% to 2.18 million.