Did Ken Jennings Kill Jeopardy?

[QuikSand]

So, Mrs. Q and I were pretty regular viewers of Jeopardy! even before becoming TiVo subscribers. When we started setting up season passes, it was an easy one, and we never missed an episode (other than the kids tournaments and so forth).

Ken Jennings came along, and you know that story (if you're reading this thread, at least) -- he was the first to *realy* take advantage of the new rule that the winner just plays on until he loses, rather than being unceremoniously kicked off with a car after an arbitrary five victories, as in the past. Ken won 72 times, I believe, spanning two seasons, and showed a reasonable amount of class and humor in the process. I'm sure there are people who don't like him -- we do.


Fast forward to today. For about the last year or so, we have still been recording Jeopardy! but we rarely watch it at all. Mrs. Q, for reasons I can't really understand, frequently flips through the episode and watches only the contestant interviews and Final Jeopardy! -- approaching the inverse of the decisions I'd make if I were forced to abbreviate it dramatically. But bottom line is, neither one of us is motivated to really watch the show any longer.

True, we have had some life changes in the intervening times... but I suspect it's something stronger than that. Anyone else suffering a newfound lack of interest in the run-of-the-mill weekday episodes of Jeopardy! being broadcast these days? Did Ken kill the show? Or was it that gigantic tournament that did it? Or something else?

[Lathum]

I don't think anything has killed the show, I still enjoy it and watch everything except for the contestant interviews, those people need better stories.

And I hat the kids tournaments, they are such a pointless waste of time.

[Passacaglia]

I tend to think no. Jeopardy was kind of on its way out, anyway. For me, Jeopardy took a deep plunge in my life when I moved to Chicago, where it comes on at 3:30 instead of 7:30, so if we wanted to ever watch it, we had to tape it. I remember telling a friend of mine from college (who I used to watch Jeopardy with pretty often) that I tape Jeopardy, and he thought it was so stupid, until I mentioned Ken Jennings, and he thought it was acceptable, I guess. Anyway, I think people were losing interest before, and Jennings was just a slight bump, holding off the inevitable.

Oh, and then there's the clue crew. :rolleyes:

[Drake]

New babies kill regular TV viewing. For about 18 years.

[Toddzilla]

New babies kill regular TV viewing. For about 18 years.True dat.

[JS19]

I don't think anything has killed the show, I still enjoy it and watch everything except for the contestant interviews, those people need better stories.

And I hat the kids tournaments, they are such a pointless waste of time.

I second this. If anything kills this show it's gotta be those damn interviews, sometimes I wish I could jump through the TV and give some of those people a beating they should have gotten a long time ago.

[Subby]

That's interesting - my wife used to watch it regularly but hasn't much since Ken and the tourney. I wonder if that just felt like the apex of the show for most - and the ordinary isn't really competing. I'll have to aske her...

[Schmidty]

I never watch the show for the contestants; I watch it because I like trying to answer the questions, so the Jennings thing means nothing to my viewership.

[QuikSand]

I never watch the show for the contestants; I watch it because I like trying to answer the questions, so the Jennings thing means nothing to my viewership.

Prior to the evidence of the last few years, I would have given basically this response as well... but my/our actions suggest otherwise.

[Draft Dodger]

actually, it was Eckstein4Prez

[Kodos]

I think the show is okay, but I hate smug Alex Trebec. And the interviews are death. If you are going to watch it, is HAS to be taped, because the interviews will suck your will to live away, and then the commercial gap before final Jeopardy is horrendous. If you don't have the 30-second skip button or fast forward, prepare to waste part of your life every episode.

Of course, my wife loves the show, so I am stuck watching Alex and his damned impressions every night.

[Crapshoot]

actually, it was Eckstein4Prez

Another OTBL joke gets overdone.... :rolleyes:

[Franklinnoble]

I think Wierd Al killed Jeopardy.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=eJ5bFTldxBY&search=I%20lost%20on%20Jeopardy

[Draft Dodger]

Another OTBL joke gets overdone.... :rolleyes:

that's pretty much what I'm here for

[stevew]

I think the show is okay, but I hate smug Alex Trebec. And the interviews are death. If you are going to watch it, is HAS to be taped, because the interviews will suck your will to live away, and then the commercial gap before final Jeopardy is horrendous. If you don't have the 30-second skip button or fast forward, prepare to waste part of your life every episode.

Of course, my wife loves the show, so I am stuck watching Alex and his damned impressions every night.

Yeah, Trebek kills it for me. Really, by extension the Farrell impersonation of Trebek in celebrity jeopardy was more the final nail in the coffin for me. It brought home the point of how fuckin annoying Alex truly is. Moreso than Jennings winning 70some straight.

[Lathum]

oh c'mon. It's fun to hear Alex say Chile

[Barkeep49]

I would suggest that Jeopardy was already losing interest. That's why they increased the dollar amount and went to the new "winner stays forever" format. Ken Jennings revived it, temporarily, but that was merely a blip in the Fall and Decline of Jeopardy.

[Crapshoot]

that's pretty much what I'm here for

I thought that was what you're there for... :D

[Subby]

Okay I talked to my wife and she said that she doesn't watch it much anymore because half of the appeal is answering the questions and thinking, yeah, I could do that - I could definitely be on there.

And now she can't be on there anymore and she certainly won't be living vicariously through her idiot husband...but anyway.

Guessing this answer probably isn't the clubhouse leader.

[hoosierdude]

Does anyone think Jeopardy is easier than previous decades? I mean most of these questions are simple if you just are observant to everyday life almost.

Bring back the tough version, where you were glad you weren't the schmuck on with two Harvard professors.. :)

[Pyser]

I don't think anything has killed the show, I still enjoy it and watch everything except for the contestant interviews, those people need better stories.

And I hat the kids tournaments, they are such a pointless waste of time.

way to go. kids week just started on the game show re-runs of the show (i tivo the syndicated night version and game show network re-runs).

and i hate the interviews, too. only part i skip.

ken jennings didnt kill it for me, besides, i usually find someone to root for every episode.

all i care about is me and how well i do.

[sterlingice]

Does anyone think Jeopardy is easier than previous decades? I mean most of these questions are simple if you just are observant to everyday life almost.

Bring back the tough version, where you were glad you weren't the schmuck on with two Harvard professors.. :)

This is what has hit me more than anything. It really seems like the questions are a lot easier.

And I hat[e] the kids tournaments, they are such a pointless waste of time.

This goes in line with #1. I don't like any of the fancy weeks they have where the questions are dumbed down further.

SI

[Tyrith]

Yeah, I have to agree with what everyone has said -- the interviews are stupid and the alternative formats are annoying. The only special event that I still like/care about is the college tournament and that's only because I am a college student and still clutching the dream that it could be me in a couple of years.

Ken Jennings was just such a pleasant, good contestant for the show. He was interesting. He was funny. He was witty. He was quirky. He actually understood game strategy. Most of the winners have none of those things. If one of their average winners had reeled off that streak it would have made the show a lot worse, in my opinion.

[Pumpy Tudors]

For various reasons, I haven't seen an episode in about 3 or 4 years. I see lots of complaints here about the contestant interviews? Have they changed recently or something? Back when I regularly watched (about 10 years ago), the interviews only lasted about 2 minutes total, and although they weren't terribly entertaining, I didn't find them painful. Is something different now?

[Young Drachma]

I used to watch it a lot as a kid, my best friend and I would sit on the phone and play...and see who could get more money. Always a good time. They've even gotten rid of the old online game on the web site that let you play against other people.

I have no idea what they're doing, but it seems as if they've dummed it down some in the few times I've seen it lately, but adding all of these clues with people from pop culture talking, rather than just having Alex read the questions.

[General Mike]

I still enjoy it, but I'm not gonna sit around and watch episodes I've already seen.