What is ‘Jeopardy’s’ lost decades?

/ May 24, 2014
My how Alex Trebek loves welcoming the TV audience to another night of 'Jeopardy.'

My how Alex Trebek loves welcoming the TV audience to another night of ‘Jeopardy.’

‘Jeopardy’ has sucked me back in lately.

Once every 10 years or so, it seems, my clicker finger stumbles upon America’s great answer-and-question half-hour, and my mind lets it hover … linger … put the remote down … get hooked again.

I have to find out if I’m still any good at shouting out correct questions to the answers that flash from the categories before the three contestants. Thankfully, my dear wife Karen is in, she’s patient with my vocal ways, and she’s ready to pitch in with her own answer upon my stupification.

This formula has been working for us. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover that shortly after host Alex Trebek is done with his pleasantries and the action begins, I appear to know more answers than I did when I was in my 30s or 40s.

The champion of the Battle of the Decades was Brad Rutter.

The champion of the Battle of the Decades was Brad Rutter. (Photo from Sony Pictures Entertainment Company)

But then, to mark what Trebek has been so proudly calling this 30th anniversary season of ‘Jeopardy,’ came the Battle of the Decades, a parade of champions from 1984 to 2014, throughout the period that the Canadian has hosted this weeknight syndication titan of game showery.

The categories and answers and questions became markedly tougher.

I sat silently so much more.

But I did continue to watch.

I wanted to see Ken Jennings, the guy who never seemed to get one wrong. Jennings was the smiling chap who won 74 nights in a row in 2004. His reign ran from June 2 to Nov. 30. He became a national buzzword, the king nerd, a rich and happy smart guy.

In the two-night finals of the the B of D, Jennings was up against Brad Rutter, the record holder in terms of money won because he’d claimed the top spot in two separate tournaments that offered a million bucks to the winner, and a brave third contestant by the name of Roger Craig, who held the record for the biggest one-night money total for taking home $77,000 one night by winning $30,000 in Final Jeopardy.

In both nights of the finals, Craig uttered the words “make it a true daily double” late in the Double Jeopardy … and got the question wrong, losing all of his stash. He was in negative figures and did not participate in the Final Jeopardy for the million buck prize.

Jennings vs. Rutter, one on one. And I saw Ken Jennings get the answer wrong, Rutter answer correctly, and win $1 million for the third time, pushing his career ‘Jeopardy’ earnings to more than $4.355 million.

Julia Collins is another impressive 'Jeopardy' champion.

Julia Collins is another impressive ‘Jeopardy’ champion.

This week, we were back to regular games.

And that meant champion Julia Collins returned to the prestige of the champions’ left podium as you look at the TV screen.

She’s a very good champion. Julia is fast with the clicker finger to beat out the other two players. She’s smart. She’s cool under pressure and bids wisely when she lands the Daily Double and in Final Jeopardy.

Collins won again Friday night, her 15h victory in a row, pushing her winnings over the $300,000 mark.

I am impressed.

Of course, that means she only has to win every night for 12 more weeks to overtake Jennings, or take in another $4 million to approach Rutter. I do not wish to jinx her chances.

Which brings me to my quibble about this recent rediscovery of “Jeopardy.” It seems the producers have been rewriting history.

Art Fleming

Art Fleming, the original host of ‘Jeopardy.’ (Photo from eBay)

This may be the 30th anniversary of their “Jeopardy, but it’s certainly not the 30th anniversary of our “Jeopardy.”

Art Fleming hosted the same answer-and-question show, in black-and-white, weekdays on NBC, from 1964 to 1975.

I know. I watched it during the summer, or when I was home sick. I tried to shout out any answer I thought I knew, to the great amusement of my mother.

Fleming also hosted the first syndicated version of the show, a weekly nightly version, and one they called “The All-New Jeopardy” from 1978 to 1979.

This has no standing in the ‘Jeopardy’ record books.

Here’s the source for the photo of Brad Rutter.

Here’s the source for the photo of Art Fleming.

Do you watch TV game shows? Do you get a lot of answers right while watching at home? What’s your favorite game show ever?

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52 thoughts on “What is ‘Jeopardy’s’ lost decades?”

  2. Pingback: Good Music Jeopardy Questions

  5. I like the game show segments on Jimmy Fallon’s show. I’m never up late enough to watch though. I loved watching Wheel of Fortune with my Grandma because she would shout out answers in her broken english and get so excited if she nailed one.

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  6. I used to kick-a at Wheel of Fortune. Jeopardy now irks me with the special video questions, etc.

    One of my good friends was on the show against Ken Jennings. She came in second.

    My favorite game shows are reruns on cable of Match Game, Let’s Make a Deal, and Family Feud. If I am home on a workday, I make time for The Price is Right. Frat boys guessing the price for a gallon of milk =funny 🙂

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    • Wow, playing against THE Ken Jennings. Your friend was unlucky. She’ll never know if she would have won otherwise.

      I am a fan of The Price is Right, too, Jeanette. Much to love on that one.

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  7. “Do you watch TV game shows?”
    Used to.

    “Do you get a lot of answers right while watching at home?’
    Rarely.

    “What’s your favorite game show ever?”
    Gong Show (daytime version with Chuckie, Chuck Barris)
    Loved The Unknown Comic and Gene, Gene, The Dancing Machine.
    And of course, Jaye P. Morgan with all of her hats.

    Tanks fer the memories..

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  9. What? They don’t count the Art Fleming years? I ask you, what is a game show that neglects its own history? I am now going to deal with my disappointment about this by going to smell some flowers, Mark. Thanks for the post and the inspiration.

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    • Doesn’t this whole “30th anniversary of ‘Jeopardy season’ hoo-hah seem shallow, pompous and deceitful, Ann?

      But smelling the bouquet of life should help us both get over it.

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  10. Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy … when you put the two up against each other, I prefer the latter. It’s more of a challenge, and it is more of a learning experience. Between friends and loved ones, a fun competition can be had. I, too, am addicted.

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  11. I missed the play off with Jennings. Thanks for informing. If memory serves I think he has missed final Jeopardy answer a few times but he is a shrewd bidder. I remember the old Jeopardy board. The Jeopardy Wheel of Fortune marriage has been around a long time. My aunt use to laugh that Pat Sajack was always looked at the women breast. But a few years ago they said him and Vana White use to get drunk before the shows. So my aunt may have gotten it wrong, Pat may have been ready to pass out. 🙂

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  12. I could never get my head wrapped around answering in the form of a question, i.e., What is or who is… blah, blah, blah. So even if I had the right answer, I would never get it right!
    Diana xo

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  16. I lost on Jeopardy. I was up against two guys. One owned a plumbing company; the other was an architect. They both held advanced degrees.

    I will never forget how the stage fright got to me. I was tense. I was nervous. It was definitely not my night to shine! I heard all the answers, but I just couldn’t get the questions right. Then I got the Daily Double. I made it a true Daily Double, thinking that if I knew the question I could actually pull an upset. I lost all hope when my mind went completely BLANK.

    Last thing I remember is taking Potpourri for $100. My head started to spin, and I gave up.

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  17. Very interesting, I thought tribec was the only one who ever did it. Also I just posted a challenge to find out people’s best day ever, I would be very interested to hear about yours.

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  18. like you, i have always stumbled upon jeopardy over the years, and then sucked in, and have to blurt out my answers. certain categories would totally slay me and others, i can answer each almost as soon as they turn. i remember the art fleming version too, wonder why it’s not part of the celebration? perhaps some contract stuff or unresolved issues? what a showdown you witnessed. are you happy with the winner? i recently read about a big winner, who broke the tradition, by jumping all over the board rather than going through an entire category (no rule against it), and the other winners were thrown off and could not come up with answers. wonder why no one has every tried this before?

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    • In this tournament, several of the good players jumped around the board, and it upset my world of order, I must say, Beth.

      The winner, Brad, was very smart, I must say, stating the obvious. Also very camera savvy. When I Googled to see he was listed as a Hollywood actor/producer, I stopped rooting for him somewhat. I go for the littler guy. Although all of these champs were flush from previous ‘Jeopardy’ victories. My favorite moments were when Roger Craig did true Daily Doubles with more than $10,000 on his board both times, the crowd buzzing when he said it, and groaning when he got it wrong.

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