‘Jeopardy!’ Summer TV Schedule & Season 40 Update
This… Is… Jeopardy!
For exclusive news and updates, subscribe to our Jeopardy! Newsletter:
Jeopardy!‘s 39th season came to a close last Friday, July 28, and the show will now be airing reruns until Season 40. But the ongoing writers’ strike has caused significant changes for the game show for the remainder of the year, beyond the summer schedule.
Below is everything you need to know about the upcoming Jeopardy! plans.
What is the Jeopardy! Summer Schedule?
Jeopardy! kicked off its run of repeat episodes on Monday, July 31, starting with the first-ever Second Chance Tournament, which is set to air through August 11. The two-week competition originally aired last year and saw 18 past players return for a second shot at making the 2022 Tournament of Champions.
After the Second Chance rerun, the show will re-broadcast the three-week 2022 TOC, which featured super-champs Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio, and Mattea Roach.
This will be followed by a selection of “producers’ picks” running from September 4 to September 8. The producers will select a handful of their favorite episodes from Jeopardy!‘s past.
Why The Reruns?
The ongoing WGA strike is the reason Jeopardy! will be airing reruns across the summer rather than the previously planned post-season tournaments. Jeopardy! uses WGA writers, who have joined the picket lines to protest against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Before the strikes, Jeopardy! planned to hold a number of post-season tournaments, including a new Second Chance competition, Champions Wildcard, and, of course, the 2023 Tournament of Champions.
However, several Season 39 champions, including Ray LaLonde, Hannah Wilson, and Cris Pannullo, said they would refuse to participate in the TOC until the strikes were resolved.
In response, Jeopardy! producers said they had no intention to film any of the post-season competitions while the strikes are ongoing.
Will Season 40 Still Air?
While the post-season tournaments have been postponed, Season 40 is still scheduled to proceed with recycled material from WGA writers. This decision to re-use past questions has caused controversy among Jeopardy! fans and former contestants.
“Jeopardy! has a long history with and tremendous respect for the WGA and our writers,” Sony Pictures Television said in a previous statement. “We have always been careful to honor our WGA agreements and we would never air game material not created by WGA writers. However, just as we did, led by Alex Trebek, during the 2007-2008 strike, we will deliver first-run episodes again this fall.”
According to the website on-camera-audiences.com, where fans can buy tickets to attend studio tapings, Jeopardy! Season 40 is scheduled to begin taping on August 15.
Season 40 is expected to start airing on September 11.
Who Will Host Season 40?
An official decision has yet to be made, but it’s safe to say that Mayim Bialik won’t be returning to host just yet. Back in May, The Big Bang Theory alum stepped away from Season 39 in solidarity with the striking writers.
Ken Jennings filled in for Bialik for the remainder of Season 39, and most expect him to continue as host for Season 40. However, the Jeopardy! GOAT has faced mounting pressure from viewers in recent weeks to join Bialik in her stand.
Jeopardy!, Weekdays, check local listings
