ABC to air Jeopardy GOAT tournament

[aaron sica]

Two completely unrelated questions:

1) I understand that Brad was in the red at the end of the second game, and couldn't play FJ, but wouldn't it have been fair to subtract that negative amount from the first game to make his total? I realize in the end it didn't matter anyway, but still..

2) They say "weeknights" it will be on, but multiple TV listings sources list sitcoms in the 8pm hour for tomorrow night. What's the story there?

[Matt Ottinger]

If this board had been around in 1984, I'm sure a good number of posters would be saying that the new version of J! wouldn't survive long without Art Fleming.

Or that The Price Is Right isn't the same without Bill Cullen.

Or the probably very real examples you could find ten years ago of people who said that The Price Is Right won't survive without Bob Barker.

[Matt Ottinger]

/That's right, there's middle schoolers who never saw Bob Barker host a new episode of The Price is Right
//You're welcome

That would be my future stepdaughter, just turned 13 and was 9 months old when Drew Carey began hosting.

Yeah, my high school students are only vaguely aware that there was a guy before Drew Carey.

[Matt Ottinger]

1) I understand that Brad was in the red at the end of the second game, and couldn't play FJ, but wouldn't it have been fair to subtract that negative amount from the first game to make his total? I realize in the end it didn't matter anyway, but still..

I see how you could make that case, but I'm sure they planned for that possibility in the rules, plus they're always talking about a "two game final", in that the two games are distinct from one another.  Going back and taking money (OK, fine, "points") away from a completed game isn't much different than going after Marge Simpson for the money she owed them by finishing in the red.

2) They say "weeknights" it will be on, but multiple TV listings sources list sitcoms in the 8pm hour for tomorrow night. What's the story there?

This isn't any different than the sporting events that Jeopardy is trying to emulate, such as the World Series or the NBA Finals.  They only knew for sure that there would be three games played.  Beyond that, it makes sense to post the regular programming schedule, which will be bumped accordingly as the event runs longer.

[tvmitch]

I think the format that they came up with here was the best and most familiar format, given that it is the existing ToC finals format.

However, it is fun to think about other possible ways to run it. How about single, double, triple, quadruple? Four Daily Doubles in the final round! Madness!

[SwohS Emag]

I think the format that they came up with here was the best and most familiar format, given that it is the existing ToC finals format.

However, it is fun to think about other possible ways to run it. How about single, double, triple, quadruple? Four Daily Doubles in the final round! Madness!

I agree; was just thinking about this idea last night too.  What about using the Saudi format, where everything is more or less the same but a third, four-category, Triple-Jeopardy round is added?  They could pad out the hour with other features and conversation, and everything wouldn't feel so rushed.  Just speculation based on Ken's comments, but I'm guessing Alex and the contestants were all pretty winded after playing two intense back-to-back games like that.

[weaklink75]

Night 2 ratings are in- about the same in demos (2.3 in 18-49), up in viewers (14.824 million viewers)- I wouldn't be shocked if it hits 15 million viewers tonight. Interesting that the 2nd half-hour had better demos than the first half-hour; I guess that's down to the format a bit...

[nowhammies10]

The second half peaked at over 15 million, per BuzzerBlog.  Jeopardy! is bigger than the NBA Finals at this point.

[SRIV94]

This isn't any different than the sporting events that Jeopardy is trying to emulate, such as the World Series or the NBA Finals.  They only knew for sure that there would be three games played.  Beyond that, it makes sense to post the regular programming schedule, which will be bumped accordingly as the event runs longer.

Looking at my on-screen guide (which I think is populated by Screener2It, or the other way around), the final four episodes (if there are four) will run next Tuesday through Friday.

[Matt Ottinger]

Looking at my on-screen guide (which I think is populated by Screener2It, or the other way around), the final four episodes (if there are four) will run next Tuesday through Friday.

OK, maybe I didn't understand things clearly.  Are you saying that there won't be a show tomorrow no matter what, and games 4-7 (as needed) will all air next week?  That certainly wasn't how I originally understood it was going to run, but maybe I wasn't paying super close attention.

[Chuck Sutton]

If this board had been around in 1984, I'm sure a good number of posters would be saying that the new version of J! wouldn't survive long without Art Fleming.

Or that The Price Is Right isn't the same without Bill Cullen.

Or the probably very real examples you could find ten years ago of people who said that The Price Is Right won't survive without Bob Barker.

I remember in the results of your 1st greatest game show poll, you said Monty Hall was Let's Make a Deal and they should stop trying to revive because it does not work without him.

[MSTieScott]

This is probably like Celebrity Family Feud considered a different show from the syndicated to qualify for PrimeTime Emmys.  I wonder how big a campaign ABC or Sony will make Alex for Best Reality or Competition Show host or the Tournament for Best Competition Show(Reality was dropped from award name last year)

I wonder whether it would qualify. Last year's rules say that a qualifying entrant has to be a series of at least six episodes or a special. If this tournament ends before six episodes, does airing over multiple nights still qualify as a "special"?

I may be in the minority, but being already like the main theme, it's growing on me more as a potential replacement for if/when they ever decide to update, even if it's not as fast-paced.

Much in the same way the show still busts out the Rock & Roll Jeopardy! theme for the weeks it has youths as contestants, I wouldn't mind if they used this theme exclusively for Tournaments of Champions and other special occasions.

They could pad out the hour with other features and conversation, and everything wouldn't feel so rushed.  Just speculation based on Ken's comments, but I'm guessing Alex and the contestants were all pretty winded after playing two intense back-to-back games like that.

I don't think these specials have felt rushed. With the extra time that prime time provides, there have been opportunities for more long video clues and even some brief, good-natured banter between the contestants. And Alex has yet to give the "less than a minute" warning.

Do we know how many episodes of this were taped each day? A Jeopardy! contestant who becomes champion on a Monday episode may have to play up to five half-hours' worth of the game in one day. I know that it's a little tougher when the competition consists of two of the other best contestants of all time and more difficult material, but fatigue shouldn't be an issue yet.

[snowpeck]

Looking at my on-screen guide (which I think is populated by Screener2It, or the other way around), the final four episodes (if there are four) will run next Tuesday through Friday.

OK, maybe I didn't understand things clearly.  Are you saying that there won't be a show tomorrow no matter what, and games 4-7 (as needed) will all air next week?  That certainly wasn't how I originally understood it was going to run, but maybe I wasn't paying super close attention.

Nick looked up the booking info sent to stations from ABC and this Friday as well as Tuesday-Thursday of next week are listed as the "if necessary" dates. So there should be an episode tomorrow night, which means you may need to pay extra attention to your DVRs to make sure they pick it up.

EDIT: There was an updated booking notice sent down right before Christmas. It's not on this Friday after all. The "if necessary" dates are Tues-Fri of next week.

[Matt Ottinger]

I remember in the results of your 1st greatest game show poll, you said Monty Hall was Let's Make a Deal and they should stop trying to revive because it does not work without him.

Owning it!  In 2006, I said:

At some point, after all the Billy Bushes and Ricki Lakes get through with it, we'll all realize that this show is Monty Hall, Monty Hall is this show, and no one should ever try to remake it ever again.

This proves that I can be wrong, at least once every fourteen years!

[BrandonFG]

I dunno who said it, but once upon a time, folks also said remaking “Match Game” and “The Gong Show” would be like trying to capture lightning in a bottle. They were halfway right.