JEOPARDY! Masters has scored its first trailer ahead of May 8’s premiere.
Ken Jennings looked dressed for success as the upcoming spinoff’s host, but some fans were left split about the lineup.
ABCKen Jennings will be hosting Jeopardy Masters over 3 weeks starting May 8th[/caption]
ABCThe stage has a custom logo and Amy Schneider looked ready to buzz in[/caption]
Jeopardy! Masters, hosted by Ken, 48, was signed sealed and delivered with Tuesday’s trailer.
The video opened with legendary announcer Johnny Gilbert, 94, reading a mock clue that emerged from a customized clue board made just for the special.
The clue read: “Hosted by the G.O.A.T. Ken Jennings, this is the ultimate competition for six of the highest ranked Jeopardy! champs.”
Under updated theme music, Ken stood front and center and responded in the form of a question: “What is: Jeopardy! Masters.”
“Hosted by me, Ken Jennings starting Monday, May 8th on ABC.”
As Ken teased the upcoming event, Amy Schneider could be seen at the leftmost podium next to Matt Amodio.
The stage got an update too with a new logo as its centerpiece.
Alongside the legendary James Holzhauer, also competing are Amy (40 wins and the 2022 Tournament of Champions), Matt (38 wins), professor Sam Buttrey (2021 Professor’s Tournament winner 2022 ToC finalist), Andrew He (5 wins and 2022 ToC finalist), and Mattea Roach (23 wins).
The round-robin tournament will see every iteration of the contestants face off, with no one eliminated – the prize money for the champ of all champs has not yet been announced.
There will be 20 matches over 10 hourlong episodes in primetime.
The schedule shared on the podcast Inside Jeopardy! is as follows:
Week 1: May 8, 9, 10, 12Week 2: May 16, 17, 18 Week 3: Semi-finals on May 22, May 23 and finals on May 24
‘STILL NOT SURE THESE ARE THE MASTERS’
While many Jeopardy! fans can’t wait, some clocked that five of its six contestants “just” competed in the 2022 Tournament of Champions.
Multiple users commented that they wished the first edition of the special had pulled a little further from the archives.
One wrote: “I’m so excited for this! And glad to see that Ken is hosting!”
Another wrote: “Isn’t this just the most recent Tournament of Champions + James? Where’s Brad Rutter? Chuck Forrest? Frank Spangenberg?”
A third agreed this looked “Awesome,” but “kinda wish they invited back Bob Verini, Frank Jerome Vered, Bob Blake, or the original J! GOAT Chuck Forrest.”
A fourth wrote: “Still not sure how four of these people even qualified besides James and Amy.
“The other four I wouldn’t call Masters. They were standouts from last season sure but not all-time masters.”
A fifth craved: “Ken should be competing in this!!!” although hosts are not allowed to compete, per Jeopardy! rules.
‘I JUST LOOK AT RATINGS’
Jeopardy! Masters is the brainchild of new executive producer Michael Davies and is intended to determine the best player in any given year, a belt-notch higher than the Tournament of Champions (which only features contestants from the prior season).
EP Davies recently said on the show’s podcast that the success of the 2022 Tournament of Champions did factor in to who ranked highest and was chosen.
“I just look at the ratings. Like it is in most sports, recency. You look at Amy Schneider, you look at who gave her a run for her money in the [2022] Tournament of Champions, they rank up there.”
Sam Kavanaugh who won the 2021 ToC tweeted that he was expecting the call, training for it and was outwardly disapointed.
“Well, seeing the news today that I am not invited to the Jeopardy Masters was a bit of a gut punch,” he wrote.
BACK AT THE BUZZER
Jeopardy! Masters will be 32-time winner James’ (who holds the second-highest regular earnings ever with 2.4million) first time back since losing to Ken (but beating Brad) in the famed 2020 GOAT tournament.
Hot off the heels of his original run and 2019 Tournament of Champions win, James had the nation buzzing.
But Ken settled the score by playing James’ game and going all in on every Daily Double he found during the four-episode tournament, becoming the GOAT.
Fans are excited to see if any of the other five Masters can beat James.
The beloved game show also revealed that Cris Pannullo – the 21-day champ who is going to be in the next Tournament of Champions – was tapped as the alternate and was on site in case any of the stars couldn’t make it, which wound up not being the case.
Ken meanwhile is hosting regular episodes until April 28.
Masters will air while Mayim Bialik returns to finish out the regularly airing season starting May 1 and until the summer.
ABCThe Jeopardy Masters trailer revealed there a customized clue board and revamped theme music[/caption]
ABCOne fan knocked: ‘Still not sure how four of these people even qualified besides James and Amy. They were standouts from last season’[/caption]
Getty5 contestants were from the 2022 Tournament of Champions, snubbing OGs like the third GOAT Brad Rutter and the 2021 ToC winner[/caption]
