With CBS in “accelerated development” on “The Gates,” which, if picked up to series, would become the network’s first new daytime soap opera since launching “The Bold and the Beautiful” in 1987, many in the entertainment industry have questioned what that means for “The Talk,” the daytime talk show that replaced the long-running drama series “As The World Turns,” which concluded its run after more than 54 years on the network in September 2010.

Currently in its 14th season, “The Talk” ranks as the third most watched daytime talk show, behind only ABC’s “The View” and syndicated talker “Live with Kelly and Mark.” Despite that, the show is currently down double digits among Total Viewers and the key Women 18-49 sales demographic, often ranking at the bottom half in both categories among all daytime broadcast shows and has remained CBS’ least-watched and lowest-rated daytime series overall since it premiered in October 2010.

In a report by Deadline, the outlet notes that CBS had hoped to reinvigorate the show when it hired former “Late Late Show with James Corden” executive producer Rob Crabbe last summer to replace outgoing executive producer Kristin Matthews, who had been with the show in various capacities since it launched. Some of the changes cited by Deadline include Crabbe “extending the first act of the show and injecting more intimate interview segments.”

Internally, “The Talk” lost two valuable players behind the scenes in recent weeks due to layoffs enacted by CBS parent Paramount Global. Among those exiting were current series executive Laurie Seidman and one of the show’s publicists.

That said, it’s not all doom and gloom for “The Talk.” The show has beaten or tied ABC’s “GMA3: What You Need to Know” in Women 18-49 several times this season and regularly tops “GMA3” and NBC’s “NBC News Daily” in Women 25-54. In fact, during the week of March 4-8, 2024, the most recent week in which daytime broadcast ratings are available, “The Talk” held a commanding lead over both shows even with the program not airing on all five days due to CBS’ continued coverage of the UEFA Champions League games.

For the week in question, “The Talk” averaged 1.224 million viewers compared to 1.393 million for “GMA3” and 1.116 million for “NBC News Daily.” Among Women 18-49, “The Talk” averaged 120,000 viewers compared with 98,000 for the ABC News program and 96,000 for NBC’s news show. Meanwhile, among Women 25-54 viewers, “The Talk” led with 168,000 viewers while “GMA3” pulled in 141,000 viewers in the demo and “NBC News Daily” picked up 132,000 viewers.

Following a tumultuous 11th, during which several roster changes took place on-screen, including the exits of Marie Osmand, Eve, Sharon Osbourne, Carrie Ann Inaba and Elaine Welteroth, the show stabilized itself when it launched its 12th season, spearheaded by the introduction of two male permanent co-hosts – Jerry O’Connell and Akbar Gbajabiamila. Mere weeks into that season, veteran NBC News journalist Natalie Morales joined the team. Within months, the show managed to attract its best overall audience since the early days of the pandemic.

During the week of November 27-December 1, 2023, “The Talk” hit a season high among Total Viewers with 1.401 million viewers tuned in, marking the show’s best performance since early May 2023. For that week, “The Talk” tied “The View” (2.344 million) in both Women 18-49 (0.2 rating) and Women 25-54 (0.3 rating). Among the unrounded demos, the shows were in a virtual tie, with “The Talk” hitting a 0.22 rating vs. “The View” at a 0.23 rating. In unrounded Women 25-54, “The Talk” had a 0.30 rating compared with “The View” and its 0.34 rating.

In early January, “The Talk” hit another new season high, averaging 1.408 million viewers.

Speaking of “The View,” despite attracting over a million more viewers, the ABC chatfest was tied with “The Talk” in both Women 18-49 and Women 25-54 during the week of March 4-8, 2024, each with a 0.2 rating in Women 18-49 and a 0.3 rating in Women 25-54. In unrounded, “The View” had a 0.20 rating in Women 18-49 compared with a 0.18 rating for “The Talk.” Among Women 25-54, “The View” did a 0.33 rating (tied with “TODAY with Hoda & Jenna”) vs. a 0.27 rating for “The Talk.”

Earlier this week, “The Talk” featured Douglas Emhoff, the Second gentleman of the United States, as a guest in a sign that the show isn’t afraid to have the important conversations facing the nation today, something “The View” has leaned heavily into over most of its 27 season run.

Speaking on his decision to take a step back from his job as an entertainment lawyer in support of his wife, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Second Gentleman, said, “By actually taking a step back and not being bitter about it, not being salty about it not being bitter about it, not being salty about it, without regrets, And then really leaning into this role as the first Second Gentleman of the United States, that actually helps her, and helps the administration.” He added, “She’s really supportive of me. Like this morning, you’re going on the show, you’re going to be great…she’s traveling, she will see this, don’t worry.”

Watch a clip from his appearance on the show below.

“The Talk” is hosted by Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood. The show airs weekdays at 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT on CBS and is also available to stream Live and On Demand on Paramount+.