Ken Jennings has been on the forefront of Jeopardy!’s internet hosting duties by his lonesome since late 2023, when former co-host Mayim Bialik was dropped for the only host mannequin. Up to now, he hasn’t seen anybody come near breaking his 74-game win streak, however something can occur on this present. Nicely, as long as it doesn’t radically alter the format that the late, nice Alex Trebek caught with for his 37-season run.
Certainly, whereas Jennings is definitely quippier behind the lectern than Trebek was in his later years (or presumably ever), and asks contestants sillier questions in the course of the mid-round meet-and-greet, his reign on the all-time nice recreation present has largely resembled that of his predecessor. Certain, there are extra tournaments now, however that’s the handiwork of govt producer Michael Davies, and never Jennings himself. In actual fact, when requested by Folks about any potential modifications on the best way, Jennings was fast to level out why the present should not change, saying:
[It has] a really tight format [with a] tradition-observant viewers, a change-resistant viewers. . . . So I do not suppose anyone all of a sudden desires to…What wouldn’t it even be? A catchphrase? ‘Jennings out!’?
I completely get his level. Despite the fact that the Jeopardy!‘s manufacturing as an entire has developed over time — with modifications made to the podiums, the backgrounds, the clue board and extra — the fundamentals of the sport have remained the identical with out many fan requests to change that streak. The 30-clue rounds and question-based answering have been tenets since Alex Trebek’s earliest days, and never even announcer Johnny Gilbert’s supply has modified a lot previously 40 years.
I suppose one of many greatest swings that Jeopardy! has taken with format and gameplay changes got here when Celeb Jeopardy! added a 3rd spherical with $300-$1,500 clue quantities. However that is just for the primetime spinoff, the place the entire prize winnings go to charity, so it makes useful sense to up the ante there.
So far as every day syndicated episodes go, nevertheless, anticipate extra of the identical Jeopardy! we have come to know and love. Which simply so occurs to be the best way Ken Jennings desires it as effectively. In his phrases:
I feel Ryan [Seacrest]’s doing Wheel [of Fortune] now, so there’s unlikely to be massive modifications on my watch. I am a fan at the start. I need to see the Jeopardy I grew up on.
Now, would I cease watching the present altogether if Jennings all of a sudden did have a brand new catchphrase that he shoe-horned into each episode? After all not. In actual fact, I’ve come to think about “What appeals?” to be as near a catchphrase as we’ll get, and I discover myself repeating it occasionally.
Jennings additionally talked within the interview about being extra comfy now than ever within the driver’s seat, particularly after the guest-host brouhaha that adopted Trebek’s dying. However hopefully we can’t have to fret about something vaguely near that taking place once more. Or if it does occur, simply make it a match.