What ought to happen next?

[Bamaman]

Even if they air two weeks from the vault after Christmas we would already know who the new host is. He or she would have to be signed and games would have been filmed prior to Christmas. Even though only the staff and players would be there, the identity of the new/interim host will leak out.

[opusthepenguin]

honestly, should probably do a couple weeks of reruns, syndication be damned.

If they're going to do reruns, they really need to insert some reruns (Heck, there's a Teachers Tournament from last season that hasn't been rerun yet--throw in a "taped before COVID-19" disclaimer if need be) before Alex's final episode. It would be supremely stupid of the show to lose out on ratings from Alex's final show and then make it worse by running reruns.

I'd like to see them rerun shows where Alex has a great moment or two. Those are hard to think of because Alex never made the show about him. But he's gotten off some good quips and had some fun exchanges over the years. Get the crew together on Zoom and have them brainstorm and reminisce. They'll come up with some favorite moments to rerun. They should definitely use the one about the concrete-eating goat.

[opusthepenguin]

Even if they air two weeks from the vault after Christmas we would already know who the new host is. He or she would have to be signed and games would have been filmed prior to Christmas. Even though only the staff and players would be there, the identity of the new/interim host will leak out.

Unless they decide that this is the ideal time to move to live broadcast with play-by-play and color commentary and the possibility that the game will go into overtime and preempt whatever silly sportsballz game is scheduled.

Oh, and assuming the execs are reading this comment, they will naturally see the brilliance of my idea and want to get to work on it right away. So may I suggest the following for the broadcast booth:

Play-by-Play: Mark Barrett
Color Commentary: Stefan Goodreau
Stats and Facts: cheezguyty

I know that lineup is kind of pasty white and testosterone filled. But they're still my first choices. If the execs do want to expand the color and gender palette though, I can't imagine a better choice than Colby Burnett and Stephanie Jass. Whatever notoriety attaches to the latter would, I think, work in her favor. Most viewers would see it as a shot at redemption and would be pulling for her. I know I would.

[Volante]

Even if they air two weeks from the vault after Christmas we would already know who the new host is. He or she would have to be signed and games would have been filmed prior to Christmas. Even though only the staff and players would be there, the identity of the new/interim host will leak out.

Oh, I'm not saying there should be repeats due to any host changes or anything...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55030611

[California's] new daily curfew, from 22:00 until 5:00, begins on Saturday night and will carry on until 21 December, with a possible extension if needed, according to authorities.

To add, I don't think the curfew itself would halt filming, but as things are getting worse and restrictions are being added; they may decide to take a pause or, if things -do- get substantially worse, it may come from higher up to quit filming, full stop.

[MarkBarrett]

Even if they air two weeks from the vault after Christmas we would already know who the new host is. He or she would have to be signed and games would have been filmed prior to Christmas. Even though only the staff and players would be there, the identity of the new/interim host will leak out.

Unless they decide that this is the ideal time to move to live broadcast with play-by-play and color commentary and the possibility that the game will go into overtime and preempt whatever silly sportsballz game is scheduled.

Oh, and assuming the execs are reading this comment, they will naturally see the brilliance of my idea and want to get to work on it right away. So may I suggest the following for the broadcast booth:

Play-by-Play: Mark Barrett
Color Commentary: Stefan Goodreau
Stats and Facts: cheezguyty

I know that lineup is kind of pasty white and testosterone filled. But they're still my first choices. If the execs do want to expand the color and gender palette though, I can't imagine a better choice than Colby Burnett and Stephanie Jass. Whatever notoriety attaches to the latter would, I think, work in her favor. Most viewers would see it as a shot at redemption and would be pulling for her. I know I would.

It's an honor just to be nominated, thanks. "pasty white"? Hey, I've been outside to check the mailbox for a ray or two of sunshine. I'd count the newspapers as well, but that's before daylight is fully in effect. And once a week I roll out & fetch the garbage, recycling and compost bins. WWE Sheamus is definitely paler than I am.

[opusthepenguin]

It's an honor just to be nominated, thanks. "pasty white"?

I also said "testosterone filled". Try to focus on that.

[kingskip]

If they have to dig into the vault and then LeVar Burton becomes host then they definitely need to show his Celebrity appearance from 1995.

[hdayejr]

Oh, the other thing that needs to happen: They need to provide a reasonably priced streaming option for cord cutters who don't get TV reception. There are a LOT of people who are saddened by Alex's death but who truthfully haven't seen him in years. They like him, but not enough to take on a ridiculous cable bill just to watch the one show. Make a deal with Netflix or Hulu to stream current shows. Not old shows. Not shows on a one-day delay (though that would be better than the current situation). Make them available by 7:30 on game day at the latest.

I don't know what their current contracts will allow them to do. But if they can legally make this streaming arrangement, they need to do it NOW. Fire the Sony exec's nephew who got put in charge of Crackle and turn that into a legitimate option if you want. Many many many people will want to see Alex's last games, but they're not going to take on a cable bill to do so. Get those viewers now and you might hang on to some when the new host shows up.

Ever heard of an antenna?

I'm losing iq points in page 1 of this thread with other posts. But this takes the cake

[Volante]

Oh, the other thing that needs to happen: They need to provide a reasonably priced streaming option for cord cutters who don't get TV reception. There are a LOT of people who are saddened by Alex's death but who truthfully haven't seen him in years. They like him, but not enough to take on a ridiculous cable bill just to watch the one show. Make a deal with Netflix or Hulu to stream current shows. Not old shows. Not shows on a one-day delay (though that would be better than the current situation). Make them available by 7:30 on game day at the latest.

I don't know what their current contracts will allow them to do. But if they can legally make this streaming arrangement, they need to do it NOW. Fire the Sony exec's nephew who got put in charge of Crackle and turn that into a legitimate option if you want. Many many many people will want to see Alex's last games, but they're not going to take on a cable bill to do so. Get those viewers now and you might hang on to some when the new host shows up.

Ever heard of an antenna?

I'm losing iq points in page 1 of this thread with other posts. But this takes the cake

I had no idea everyone lived within range of their closest syndicate's antenna!

[seaborgium]

Oh, the other thing that needs to happen: They need to provide a reasonably priced streaming option for cord cutters who don't get TV reception. There are a LOT of people who are saddened by Alex's death but who truthfully haven't seen him in years. They like him, but not enough to take on a ridiculous cable bill just to watch the one show. Make a deal with Netflix or Hulu to stream current shows. Not old shows. Not shows on a one-day delay (though that would be better than the current situation). Make them available by 7:30 on game day at the latest.

I don't know what their current contracts will allow them to do. But if they can legally make this streaming arrangement, they need to do it NOW. Fire the Sony exec's nephew who got put in charge of Crackle and turn that into a legitimate option if you want. Many many many people will want to see Alex's last games, but they're not going to take on a cable bill to do so. Get those viewers now and you might hang on to some when the new host shows up.

Ever heard of an antenna?

I'm losing iq points in page 1 of this thread with other posts. But this takes the cake

If you were here more often, you'd know better than to ask Opus if he's ever heard of an antenna. search.php?keywords=antenna&terms=all&a ... mit=Search

[opusthepenguin]

Oh, the other thing that needs to happen: They need to provide a reasonably priced streaming option for cord cutters who don't get TV reception. There are a LOT of people who are saddened by Alex's death but who truthfully haven't seen him in years. They like him, but not enough to take on a ridiculous cable bill just to watch the one show. Make a deal with Netflix or Hulu to stream current shows. Not old shows. Not shows on a one-day delay (though that would be better than the current situation). Make them available by 7:30 on game day at the latest.

I don't know what their current contracts will allow them to do. But if they can legally make this streaming arrangement, they need to do it NOW. Fire the Sony exec's nephew who got put in charge of Crackle and turn that into a legitimate option if you want. Many many many people will want to see Alex's last games, but they're not going to take on a cable bill to do so. Get those viewers now and you might hang on to some when the new host shows up.

Ever heard of an antenna?

I'm losing iq points in page 1 of this thread with other posts. But this takes the cake

Don't lose any more iq points if you can possibly avoid it. The single digits loom. When I refer to "cord cutters who don't get TV reception" I don't mean "because they're too cheap to pay for an antenna."

[Robert K S]

I spent more money on different antenna rigs than I had any right to trying to get reliable reception. Never achieved good OTA acquisition, and I live in my urban center.

[seaborgium]

Official word has come out that J! will be resuming production at the end of this month (starting 11/30) with "a series of guest hosts from the Jeopardy! family – starting with Ken Jennings."

[MarkBarrett]

Official word has come out that J! will be resuming production at the end of this month (starting 11/30) with "a series of guest hosts from the Jeopardy! family – starting with Ken Jennings."

No surprise about two weeks of special Alex episodes before the final Alex Trebek episode on 1/8/21: https://thejeopardyfan.com/2020/11/prod ... first.html

[Kingrat47]

Official word has come out that J! will be resuming production at the end of this month (starting 11/30) with "a series of guest hosts from the Jeopardy! family – starting with Ken Jennings."

It would appear that I am getting at least a modified version of my wish, to just about everyone else's chagrin. I'm sorry.

I appreciate the various points people have made against the idea of what are effectively public tryouts, but I still think this is a really good idea. I think it's a good idea to let whoever they eventually pick build up their own audience before they have to take the job full time, and I think it's probably useful to have the comparison pool be the other interim guest hosts, rather than Alex Trebek.

I take the point about how this is a hard job, and there's going to be a learning curve, but that is inevitable now, and you might as well start a few promising candidates and see who does best rather than committing to one person up front. Given that you're only going to have pne player carry over from host to host, I don't think the shift is going to be a serious competitive injustice. This is especially true given that literally all of the competitors will have been unconsciously picturing Trebek as the host until very recently.

I understand from my wife that this sort of rotating tryout idea has been done, in the non-game show world, with the various succession plans for Kelly Ripa's co-hosts. If it works for them I don't see why it wouldn't work for Jeopardy.

In any event, it will be interesting to watch. I'm curious to see who they have serve in addition to Jennings.

[talkingaway]

Not a fan of the revolving door of guest hosts - it feels too much like an audition. But I guess running some audition shows parallel to real shows isn't exactly an option in the COVID-19 world we live in, so I guess it makes sense.

My guess would be the GOATs, 2 or 3 other top-tier champs (Buzzy, Austin, and perhaps Roger Craig?). Toss in Jimmy and Sarah too, and you can basically get to the end of the season if everyone gets one or two weeks of taping shows. Perhaps Pat could come in and do a set of shows if they stagger Wheel tapings, but it would make for a long week for him.

Past Power Players could work, but they probably wouldn't want to tape until after the inauguration. And DC-to-CA travel might not exactly work. Past Celebs? I'm not familiar enough with those episodes to really guess, but I imagine it would be a draw.

My hope is they're going for someone really good, but they can't get that person right away because of current commitments. LeVar Burton might fit that bill.

I'm glad they delayed the Christmas weeks of episodes so we all can watch them "live" without preemptions. It'll be weird, especially if they have themed boards, but I guess it works. And, even though Boston regularly delays J! for "Patriots All Access", it seems like without Tom Brady, that series won't last to January.

EDIT: Just thought of a fun host. Watson, anyone?

[Bamaman]

I think dipping into the vault for the last two weeks of 2020 is a great idea. I think having a familiar Jeopardy face as interim host is also good.

[jeffwolfe]

My hope is they're going for someone really good, but they can't get that person right away because of current commitments.

I had a similar thought. They might know who they want, but that person isn't available immediately. Aside from the holiday reruns, they're continuing the show without interruption, so they have to turn things around quickly. It's also possible that they don't know who they want yet, but they're not limiting their search to the people serving as interim hosts. Or they could be deferring all decisions until after the covid crisis has passed. There are several alternatives that make sense.

Ken Jennings already works for the show, so it was probably relatively easy to bring him in for a short stint. They probably didn't announce the other hosts because they don't yet know the whole schedule themselves. The season usually runs to July, so they have six more months of shows to do if they want a full season.

[Bamaman]

A normal season consists of 230 episodes. The rest of the Alex episodes gets us up to 75 shows in S37. Factoring in the two weeks from the vault, that leaves 145 episodes in the rest of the season.

So I wonder if the entire rest of the season will be guest hosts and the permanent one will begin next September.

[econgator]

A normal season consists of 230 episodes. The rest of the Alex episodes gets us up to 75 shows in S37. Factoring in the two weeks from the vault, that leaves 145 episodes in the rest of the season.

So I wonder if the entire rest of the season will be guest hosts and the permanent one will begin next September.

My guess would be yes.

https://www.fox5vegas.com/news/us_world ... _id=995852

"“By bringing in familiar guest hosts for the foreseeable future, our goal is to create a sense of community and continuity for our viewers,” the show's executive producer, Mike Richards, said."