Typically, when you tune into Jeopardy! every night, you expect to see a new pair of new competitors facing off against the reigning champion. But lately, the show has been airing more and more tournaments, featuring players who've already graced the Alex Trebek Stage at one point. While it's fun to see our favorite players return for another chance at glory, some fans have grown tired of the format, with one claiming they've actually "lost all interest in watching" the game show.
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Fans' complaints about the lack of regular gameplay aren't unsubstantiated: According to J! Archive data, the last time a non-tournament game aired was Friday, July 28, 2023, marking the conclusion of Season 39.
Tournaments then took over in light of the 2023 Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, which lasted from May to September. Without Jeopardy! writers to draft new clues, the show continued filming with recycled and already written questions in a series of tournaments, starting with Second Chance (featuring players who didn't win their first game) and then Champions Wildcard (featuring players who won a few games but not enough to qualify for the Tournament of Championship [ToC]). The ToC—open to players who won four or more games—was also delayed due to the strike and finally aired on Feb. 26.
Fans have aired their grievances on social media, calling for a return to the typical format sooner rather than later.
"So when is @Jeopardy getting done with all the tournaments? Are they ever going to have new contestants again? Everytime [sic] I turn it on its a tournament. So tired of watching the same players over and over again. It's getting boring," a viewer wrote on X last week.
On March 13, another wrote, "Tournament fatigue is real. I have lost almost all interest in watching any Jeopardy! now. - tournament or not. I'll stop if I'm flipping channels but it is no longer 'appointment TV.'"
Unfortunately for those who've had enough of the tournament schedule, there's more on the docket, with the first-ever Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament (JIT) premiering after the ongoing ToC concludes this week. (The JIT could start as late as March 20, depending on how the ToC plays out, TV Insider reported.)
According to a March 13 post on Jeopardy!'s official Instagram account, the JIT is bringing back 27 contestants, including fan favoritesAmy Schneider, Sam Buttrey, and Chuck Forrest. But while several fans are excited by the lineup, other commenters remain frustrated with news of yet another tournament.
"I thought they were going back to regular play after TOC!!!!!!" one exasperated fan wrote. Another added, "Enough with the tournaments already!!!! Sheesh!"
On X, viewers also chimed in on the "fatigue" in response to the JIT news, with one stating that the tournaments are "so boring now" and that the show "brought back unnecessary contestants" for the latest competition.
"I miss the regular format," another fan wrote. "I've stopped watching and will maybe come back when it's over."
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Vulture also reported on tournament issues, noting that the uptick in these competitions is part of executive producer Mike Davies' agenda. Last year, Davies spoke at length about his belief that Jeopardy! is a sport and should focus on pitting the best players against one another in an elite competition.
But while bringing back fan favorites who excel at the game may be fun to watch, one fan pointed out that it's not as enjoyable as regular gameplay for viewers who want to play along.
"The reason I hate the tournaments is that the questions are so much harder," a comment on the Vulture piece reads. "Mike misses the fact that Jeopardy! is that show you watch at dinner where you just try to beat your family members. I mean, I’m not an idiot, but I’m nowhere near an elite player, either."
So, if you're eagerly awaiting the return of regular episodes, you'll have to stick it out watching the JIT, unless you plan to take a viewing hiatus. However, you'll be happy to learn that there's an end in sight after that.
In response to an Instagram comment asking about when the show will return to "just regular Jeopardy again," the official Jeopardy! account responded, "Hey there! The regular season will return in mid-April after the conclusion of the Jeopardy! Invitational Tournament."
