‘Jeopardy!’ Bosses Drop Big News About Season 40 Changes – Fans Aren’t Happy
Jeopardy! producers Michael Davies and Sarah Whitcomb Foss have shared details on future Jeopardy! plans now that the WGA strike is over, confirming that new contestant episodes won’t return until at least April 2024. The news has not gone down well with a lot of Jeopardy! who are desperate for the show to return to normal with new contestants.
On the latest episode of the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, Davies and Foss updated fans on what they can expect in the coming months, noting that the official Season 39 post-season will begin in the new year before Season 40 gets underway properly.
“We cannot wait to welcome the rest of the Jeopardy! family home,” Foss said, speaking of the returning WGA writers. The show has been using recycled material and material written before the strikes for its recent Second Chance tournament and currently airing Champions Wildcard.
Foss continued, saying that Davies came up to her months ago asking for a plan should the strikes last a long time. “We have to come up with a contingency plan, kind of that holdover… but now, we get to fill it in with our writers, and then we get to get into our official post-season.”
Even though the show’s writers are returning, with new material expected for later in the Wildcard tournament, it won’t change the plans as far as the schedule.
As Foss explained, following the currently airing Wildcard (featuring Season 37 and 38 contestants), the show will move on to another Second Chance (with Season 39 contestants), followed by another Champions Wildcard (with former Season 39 champs), and then the much-anticipated Tournament of Champions.
“It’s going to be the biggest field we’ve ever featured in TOC history,” Foss stated. “So many great competitors, some still to be determined based on these upcoming Champions Wildcards.”
Foss also mentioned the return of the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament and a second edition of Jeopardy! Masters, which James Holzhauer won earlier this year.
“Our number one, sort of, imperative right now is to get the post-season back on track,” Davies added. “And then after that, our regular season, as many weeks as possible of the regular season after that post-season.”
“I do want to assure everybody, we are going to get to multiple weeks of regular, Virginia, new contestants who have never been on the Alex Trebek stage before,” Davies continued. “We’re going to get to that at the end of the season. We should have at least 16 weeks.”
There is still no official word on when Mayim Bialik will return as host. The Big Bang Theory alum stepped away back in May in solidarity with the WGA strike; Ken Jennings has been hosting the recent episodes of Jeopardy! and Celebrity Jeopardy!
“It’s not for me to personally judge anyone else’s decision [but] I am a union supporter,” Bialik told Vanity Fair in a recent interview.
The reaction to the news of more tournaments was mixed, to say the least, with many fans desperate for episodes with new players.
“Apparently we’re not getting any regular Jeopardy! until April 2024. Nearly two-thirds of this season will be tournaments. So yeah, way, way too much,” wrote one fan on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum.
“Too many “special” tournaments and too many second chances! All of this is diluting the value of a regular game,” said another.
“I agree… especially because the quality of gameplay during these tournaments has not IMO been particularly elevated, as one might have hoped,” added another commenter. “I hope the producer’s stated desire to make the show more like a sport does not lead to increased emphasis on this kind of self-referential gimmick in the future, now that the strike has concluded.”
Another fan added, “I totally agree. It’s getting to be a little “Participation Trophy Jeopardy”-ish.”
“I agree, I’m not a big fan of the second chance tournaments. If they’re going to do Second Chance just make it one week a season or every other season with just a week of normal gameplay,” said another.
Others were more lenient, with one viewer writing, “The other option was no new Jeopardy at all during the writer’s strike, so take your pick. You don’t have to watch it.”
Jeopardy!, New Episodes, Weeknights, Check your local listings
This… Is… Jeopardy!
Get absolutely everything about Jeopardy! in your inbox!
Conversation36 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
O
Ken Jennings should be the permanent host. He is wonderful! Love him! Mayhm Baliak is awful. I don't watch when she is host.
73
-
B
He was a fine contestant. That doesn't mean he should be the host. Name another game show that did it that way.
3
-
O
Maym is effectless and rude! Comes across like she is more intelligent than contestants when they answer incorrectly. Ken is much more satisfying to watch...
36
-
P
Ken is an arrogant little know it all look at me pipsqueek. Fire him!
2
-
O
I agree
Ken has proved to be the best
6
-
-
R
I agree
2
-
O
Donna
-
-
P
Ken needs to go.
Arrogant and just not a charismatic human being. 😒
4
-
P
Ken does not have an arrogant bone in his body and he is indeed a charismatic man! I honestly do not know who you are watching...but it's not Ken Jennings!
2
-
-
-
O
Ken only. No one else.
35
-
B
If they bring back Ma you hm B back will not watch those episodes. Keep Ken. She is the worst pre FF ormer I have ever seen.
31
-
P
I do not mind any of the tournaments in process!!! There are only three months left in 2023 so why are people complaining so much? They should be happy that we even had Jeopardy! to watch. These other tournaments have already been scheduled and most likely already filmed. Please be nicer to these people in the competitions! This is a big deal to them and rude of us to complain!
On another note, I still do not see any reason to have Mayim Bialik return as host! Ken Jennings is doing a fine job...even with Celebrity Jeopardy! In my mind he IS the Jeopardy! host and should be the one and only. Mayim always has a lot on her plate and so just let Ken be the host!!!!
22
-
R
Agree to get rid of Mayim. She's awful as a host.
21
-
G
Keep bialek out- everything is secondary
19
-
P
MORE MAYIM PLEASE
19
-
B
I have no problem with all the tournaments. Just PLEASE keep Ken Jennings as host!!!
17
-
C
Please keep Ken Jennings as Jeopardy host!! He is so good as the host!!
15
-
C
Jeopardy's response to the writers strike makes sense in a difficult situation. I think the show was pro-writers in dipping into the bin of answers their own writers had already done. I'll enjoy getting back to the routine but I'm fine in the meantime.
6
-
P
I disagree, i prefer Mayim Bialik over Ken Jennings.
6
-
C
also, fans are fine with this. you're just cherry-picking five angry people on Reddit because you have some sort of deep down hatred of Jeopardy.
5
-
O
So basically fans are still want Mayim gone and we are not getting regular Jeopardy until April. I think the executive producer is killing the show with all these tournaments. I get they needed contingency plans due the writers strike. Now that it’s over, do the tournament of champions after the new year then go back to regular Jeopardy. Everything else is overkill.
As for Mayim, if she eventually returns then that tells me the bosses behind the scenes and the executives at Sony have no interest in removing her. Enjoy Ken as host because if she returns then are your whining and complaining will be moot. She’ll be back and I can rub in all your faces. (Yes I do like Ken as host)
4
-
G
I don’t hate the special tournaments but I’m getting really tired of “The Ken Jennings Show”. Please remind Mr. Smarty Pants he is the moderator and not the star.
4
-
G
Just as long as the bialik disappears for good, I'll be happy and ecstatic.
3
-
G
Hope they do the smart thing and bring Bialik back. Contrary to popular belief, she is very personable and is not stuck up and rude to people like Ken. She makes the show exciting to watch. Love her positive energy.
3
-
O
Maximum needs to go!
1
-
G
Who the hell is maximum?
-
-
-
C
more made for advertising cruft. if I cared what Reddit had to say I'd read Reddit.
2
-
O
I do not like Ken, something about him.
I don't care for the show , since he is on.
-
R
Other tv shows never had this problem.. I dont see why Jeperdy has to drag out old contestants
-
R
Not watching anymore
-
G
I'm sick of these repeat contestants. May discontinue watching the show until April
-
G
I'm about to totally give up on Jeopardy. We keep seeing the same old contestants over and over, most of whom I'd really rather never see again on television. I'm all for the hosting being shared by Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik. Also, if you ever return to just simple daily Jeopardy, it would be great to institute some type of "term limits" on contestants, such as a maximum of 10 episodes. I find that the "dynastic" occupation of the game by the same component over weeks or months to be annoying/boring, and it is also appears to be very intimidating to other contestants who hardly stand a chance against these run-on contestants. I feel very badly for them. Let's give more people a fair chance in the game. I'm looking forward to real Jeopardy. Thanks.
-
G
Can’t wait for Mayim to come back!
-
A
"Virginia"?
-
R
Can't you find a host without a lisp?? Ken Jennings just turns me off!!
-
R
What in the world is wrong with the people driving this bus? And what is a "Virginia, new contestant?"
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services