Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

This is where all of the games are discussed.

Moderators: alietr, trainman, econgator, dhkendall

Post Reply

How do you rank the 3 guest hosts so far (best to worst)?

Ken-Mike-Katie
18
24%
Ken-Katie-Mike
43
57%
Mike-Ken-Katie
3
4%
Mike-Katie-Ken
1
1%
Katie-Ken-Mike
6
8%
Katie-Mike-Ken
4
5%
 
Total votes: 75

User avatar
alietr
Site Admin
Posts: 8981
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD

Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by alietr »

Pick the order from best to worst.
Bamaman
Also Receiving Votes
Posts: 12898
Joined: Sat Jul 02, 2011 1:39 pm

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by Bamaman »

The board limits on polls are going to be a problem after this as one that includes Oz is going to require 24 options.

I had Ken Katie Mike. I really liked Katie more than I expected. Her lack of experience in this format held her back at first but she really grew into the role as it went on. I still put Ken first as I thought he did better overall but he also had more time to show what he could do.
Last edited by Bamaman on Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
MarkBarrett
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 16472
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:37 am
Location: San Francisco

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by MarkBarrett »

Majority vote for me as I was able to watch the Katie games without thinking about her being a guest host and instead just enjoy J! One thing I noticed while archiving is that there were fewer times I had to put a first name in parentheses when just a last name was given.

Katie sometimes gave extra comments after clues that were mostly reactionary. Alex did it sometimes, while he was also great at giving informative aside after a contestant's response.

Ken gets the gold medal as he added his own style of humor to the game while not taking away from the game. Ken's true knowledge of the material will always exceed the other guest hosts and that is important.

Mike is bronze while he was quite competent in the role. I don't think of him as worst; it's just that Katie and Ken were a little better. Mike's style made J! seem the most different from the past and had me more often thinking there was a new host at the helm.
Leander
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 2189
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:18 am

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by Leander »

Different styles but I liked both Ken and Katie. Was pleasantly surprised at how well Katie did. I’d give Ken a slight edge due to his game knowledge and zippier pace, but would be happy with either as host. Did not care for Mike as much, especially after seeing Katie. He seemed too “game showy” for Jeopardy.
mas3cf
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 1406
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2019 7:15 am

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by mas3cf »

Ken gets the gold from me for fast pace, clearing the boards consistently, and keeping the game true to its history while adding his own flavor. Plus, he's very well equipped to make rulings on the fly.
User avatar
AFRET CMS
JBOARDIE OF THE MONTH!
Posts: 1764
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 2:48 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by AFRET CMS »

Bamaman wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:50 am I had Ken Katie Mike. I really liked Katie more than I expected. Her lack of experience in this format held her back at first but she really grew into the role as it went on. I still put Ken first as I thought he did better overall but he also had more time to show what he could do.
Very nicely put, so I'm going to piggyback on your comment if I may.
I'm not the defending Jeopardy! champion. But I have played one on TV.
Peter the accountant
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 689
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2017 2:13 am

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by Peter the accountant »

I'll be a slight contrarian and put Katie ahead of Ken. I believe that J! is first a TV show, then a game show. As TV, Katie's comfort on camera shined through. Ken seemed a little out of place, and Mike - well - stick to producing, please.

I'll admit that Ken may have done slightly better on the game portion, although his repertoire of responses seemed a bit limited to me. Same word, same inflection, every time. But Katie was head and shoulders better in the introduction, interviews, and transitions. She's clearly done that part before. Thousands of times.

I'm looking forward to more guest hosts - some more than others.
--Peter
User avatar
Rackme32
Three-time Failer Of The Online Jeopardy! Test
Posts: 1039
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:16 am

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by Rackme32 »

I went Ken-Mike-Katie, but they all did very well.
User avatar
The Talking Mime
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 534
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:27 pm

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by The Talking Mime »

I have it as Ken-Katie-Mike.

I'm trying to watch the guest hosts with an open mind, but I still think Ken is perfect for the job. I thought he grew into the hosting gig very well during his time, and I think his history with and love for the show would be assets. When he had to make rulings or give extra information to clues and responses when possible, it felt natural.

Katie did well and got better over her two weeks. But she did seem too mellow and lacked excitement and engagement in some places, as TPH hinted at in another thread. Mike had the opposite problem. He felt too ostentatious for my tastes. But other than that, I thought he was solid.
"There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge."
-Bertrand Russell
Xu Donym
Loyal Jeopardista
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Apr 19, 2019 1:00 pm

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by Xu Donym »

I wish there were an option for a three-way tie, or at least two-way.

Much to my surprise, each of these first three guest hosts brought something different to the task that added something special. And each could be knocked down a peg for one reason or another.

If you're a slave to social media, Mike gets the edge, as both Katie and Ken are known off-set for their individual worldviews that offend various potential viewers. On-set, however, neither Katie nor Ken evinced anything other than nonpartisan respect for the game and the players.

If you're looking for poise and polish, Katie gets the edge, yet neither Ken nor Mike were uncomfortably unpolished.

If you're looking for the dog with the waggingest tail, Mike gets the edge, but there was nothing wrong with Ken's energy or Katie's evident love of the game.

If you're hoping to continue a legacy, Ken is the obvious choice, but the show's Executive Producer is obviously a huge part of that legacy, and though Katie doesn't have the show-related legacy, her family connection to pancreatic cancer gives her a sad and special connection to Alex.

Alex often expressed his view that the players -- not the host -- were the stars. Maybe what we've seen in the last few weeks suggests that the show could do well for a while with three or four excellent hosts, rotating so their schedules would remain free for other projects.
goongas
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 377
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 10:34 pm

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by goongas »

Alex often expressed his view that the players -- not the host -- were the stars. Maybe what we've seen in the last few weeks suggests that the show could do well for a while with three or four excellent hosts, rotating so their schedules would remain free for other projects.
In an interview I saw, someone said they are looking for someone to permanently host, J! could not be their weekend gig. They don't want J! to be seen as a lower priority for a host.
QuizGeek75
Loyal Jeopardista
Posts: 102
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 9:22 pm
Location: Denver

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by QuizGeek75 »

It's a tough call because I have Ken and Katie tied for keeping the game going. Both of them have their own senses of humor and they know how to keep the game going. Katie has a lot of experience with being on television, despite not being associated with game shows. Ken clearly has the most experience when it comes to playing the game as a contestant, so he understands how nerve wracking it is to be a contestant.
Just a person who loves game shows.
User avatar
alietr
Site Admin
Posts: 8981
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Bethesda, MD

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by alietr »

Xu Donym wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 10:22 pm If you're a slave to social media, Mike gets the edge, as both Katie and Ken are known off-set for their individual worldviews that offend various potential viewers. On-set, however, neither Katie nor Ken evinced anything other than nonpartisan respect for the game and the players.

If you're hoping to continue a legacy, Ken is the obvious choice, but the show's Executive Producer is obviously a huge part of that legacy, and though Katie doesn't have the show-related legacy, her family connection to pancreatic cancer gives her a sad and special connection to Alex.
Since I'm not a slave to social media, does Mike get the edge because of his looks? That would be a shame if he got it for that reason. And he just joined the show recently, so he really isn't a part of any legacy tied to the show.
User avatar
Roadgeek Adam
TOC Geek
Posts: 395
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:20 pm
Location: East Amherst, New York
Contact:

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by Roadgeek Adam »

Bamaman wrote: Sat Mar 20, 2021 9:50 am The board limits on polls are going to be a problem after this as one that includes Oz is going to require 24 options.

I had Ken Katie Mike. I really liked Katie more than I expected. Her lack of experience in this format held her back at first but she really grew into the role as it went on. I still put Ken first as I thought he did better overall but he also had more time to show what he could do.
That's why SurveyMonkey exists. You don't need to provide 24 options and still do ranked choice anyway.
Adam Seth Moss
DoorDasher (since May 7, 2020)
M.A. History, Western Illinois Univ, 2017
B.A. History (minors in PoliSci & PubAdm), Montclair State Univ, 2015
A.A. History & Education, Middlesex County Coll., 2013
teapot37
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 2054
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2011 10:02 pm
Location: Louisville KY

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by teapot37 »

Mike's hosting style really had too much of a GSN-host feel to it. I was kinda pleasantly surprised by Katie, although she does have some tics and tendencies that don't rub me the right way.
Not many people can say they've lost four times on Jeopardy!.
User avatar
twelvefootboy
Watches Jeopardy! Way Too Much
Posts: 2702
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 11:18 pm
Location: Tornado Alley / Southwest Missouri

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by twelvefootboy »

I'll confess to my Social Justice agenda, but even before my filter, I went with Katie/Kennie/Mikie. I think Katie's enthusiasm was genuine, but it might seem fake after 30 seasons or so, even if it isn't. For the long run, I can see Ken standing the test of time. Mike was a pro, in both a good way and a bad way, and would undoubtedly grow on me.

I'm hoping the upcoming hosts do well. I'm trying to treat it like a newly pitched game show, and the CV of the host is not a factor :).
Disclaimer - repeated exposure to author's musings may cause befuddlement.
User avatar
Woof
Swimming in the Jeopardy! Pool
Posts: 5125
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:53 pm

Re: Rank the Three Guest Hosts So Far

Post by Woof »

Thinking of Alex’s “the contestants are the stars “ motto, I thought that Ken did the best job of showcasing the contestants. Perhaps because he’s some familiar with the format and comfortable with the material, he was able to devote a bit more attention and focus on the players to good effect.
Post Reply