The syndicated ratings chart was rocked by a sharp jump in talk shows in the session ending Jan. 15. All of the top six veteran chat fests finished at, or near, season highs, with four mustering major increases.

Live with Kelly and Ryan ranked at the head of the class for the 34^th consecutive semester, chalking up a 6% improvement from the week before to a 1.7 live-plus-same-day national Nielsen, its second biggest rating of the season.

Dr. Phil was also healthy, injecting a 15% increase to a 1.5.

The strong No. 3 talker was Kelly Clarkson, clocking a 0.9. Right behind was Tamron Hall, harvesting growth of 14% to a 0.8 in households and 33% to a new season high 0.4 in the key women 25-54 demo.

The recently renewed Drew Barrymore tied Tamron in the household ratings, while Rachel Ray cooked up a 17% spike to a 0.7.

Talk show rookies were on a roll, with Sherri rising 17% to a 0.7 and Jennifer Hudson hitting a 0.6 while surging 50% among women 25-54 to tie Sherri at a 0.3 in the demo.

Hudson also overtook the year-ago ratings for Ellen in multiple markets. For example, in Birmingham, Ala., Hudson scored 1.6 for the week, beating DeGeneres, the show it replaced, by 60%.

Not to be taken lightly, freshman Karamo fielded its season high 0.4 for a fourth straight frame.

In access, two of the top four magazines were movers, with Entertainment Tonight tallying a 4% increase to a new season high 2.4, and Extra, which has swelled 40% in the past two weeks, surging 17% to a new season 0.7 to tie TMZ in the household ratings.

The top talk shows for the week among women 25-54 were:

• Live with Kelly and Ryan (0.6, unchanged from the week before)
• Dr. Phil (0.5, unchanged)
• Tamron Hall (0.4, +33%)

In the household rating rankings that follow, % change is from the previous week; * indicates a new season-high rating; ** indicates a new season low; NC indicates no change from the previous week; NA means not applicable.

TALK SHOWS

Live with Kelly and Ryan (Disney-ABC) 1.7 +6%

Dr. Phil (CMV) 1.5 +15%

The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBCU) 0.9 NC

Tamron Hall (Disney-ABC) 0.8 +14%

Drew Barrymore (CMV) 0.8 NC

Rachael Ray (CMV) 0.7 +17%

Steve Wilkos (NBCU) 0.6 NC

Maury (NBCU) 0.5 NC

Jerry Springer Combo (NBCU) 0.3 NC

FRESHMAN SHOWS

Sherri (CMV) 0.7 +17%

Jennifer Hudson (WBDTD) 0.6 NC

iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas (Trifecta) 0.5 NC

Pictionary (CMV) 0.5 NC

Karamo (NBCU) 0.4 NC

We the People with Judge Lauren Lake (CF Entertainment) 0.3 NC

COURT SHOWS

Judge Judy (CMV) 4.4 NC

Hot Bench(CMV) 1.2 NC

People’s Court (WBDTD) 0.8 NC

Judge Mathis (WBDTD) 0.6 +20%

Divorce Court (Fox First Run) 0.5 NC

Relative Justice (EW Media Group) 0.3 -25%

GAME SHOWS

Jeopardy (CMV) 5.9 +2%

Wheel of Fortune (CMV) 5.4 NC

Family Feud (Debmar-Mercury/FMNA) 5.0 NC

You Bet Your Life (Fox First Run) 0.7 NC

25 Words or Less (Fox First Run) 0.7 -13%

Funny You Should Ask(Entertainment Studios) 0.3 NC

MAGAZINE SHOWS

Inside Edition (CMV) 2.4 NC

Entertainment Tonight (CMV) 2.4* +4%

Access Hollywood (NBCU) 0.8 NC

TMZ (Fox First Run) 0.7 NC

Extra (WBDTD) 0.7* +17%

Dish Nation (Fox First Run) 0.2 NC

OFF-NET SITCOMS

Big Bang Theory (WBDTD) 2.0 +5%

Last Man Standing (Disney-ABC) 1.0 -9%

Modern Family (Disney-ABC) 0.8 +14%

Young Sheldon (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

Two and a Half Men (WBDTD) 0.7 NC

The Goldbergs(Sony) 0.6 NC

Family Guy (Disney-ABC) 0.6 NC

Seinfeld (Sony) 0.6 NC

The Neighborhood (CMV) 0.6 NC

Black-ish (Disney-ABC) 0.4 NC

OFF-NET WEEKLY HOURS

Dateline Weekly (NBCU) 3.4 -3%

Law & Order: SVU (NBCU) 1.9 -5%

Chicago Fire (NBCU) 1.1 +10%

Chicago P.D. (NBCU) 1.0 +11%

Magnum P.I. (CMV) 0.7 -13%

­­­Seal Team (CMV) 0.7 NC

The Rookie (Disney-ABC) 0.7 -22%