Jeopardy! Season 37 (2020-2021)

[853fisher]

I surprised myself a few times tonight, especially with "entropy" and "Shogun."  I think I pulled the vague knowledge of a 70s novel set in Japan with that title from the patter between Brett and Charles on "Match Game," of all places.  My favorite bit of new info is that Buda and Pest were separate entities until only 150 years ago.  I found that fascinating!

I was disappointed nobody knew Pokemon or especially Valerie Harper.  I will never forget seeing her in the play "Looped" as a declining Tallulah Bankhead.  My mother and I had taken the train to New York City to tour colleges and allowed ourselves a night out on the town.  I will never forget Valerie's performance: absolutely captivating.

Finally, I swore to myself I wouldn't mention this anymore, but since Ken brought it up: what's with talking about travel restrictions in the past tense?  Does he know something I don't, or was he talking about some formal / legal restriction that is now gone?  The production team has made a choice to disregard the ongoing advice of many epidemiological professionals.  As I've said before, I accept that reasonable minds may differ, but I found it disingenuous to act like they waited until that advice was no longer in effect or something.  I wish they would not encourage cross-country travel for a game show.  Failing that, I wish they would stop bringing it up so I could get back to trying to ignore it.

[Bastet]

The Russia TS was stunning.  The cyclops and tibia TS were unexpected, and homonym and Valerie Harper surprised me a bit, too.  But it was a nicely balanced game.

The video games category kept me from running the first round; I only knew Madden.  I missed only five or six clues in DJ and got FJ, so my week is off to a great start.

[Browncoat]

Agreed, @Bastet, about the Russia TS.  How quickly we forget!

[Clanstarling]

We're having bad weather, so our digital antenna feed was pretty pathetic. Usually it's just the picture, but this time the audio was crappy too. We missed the entire naming of the categories for Double Jeopardy, so were pretty clueless.

Despite that I surprised myself and ran three categories - The 20th Century, the 1971 Emmys, and Carpet. I don't believe I've ever run three categories in a single episode before. I mean, it surprises me when I run one.

Completely and utterly blew Greek - I had an excuse for the first time (missed the categories and the audio of the selection was crap) but that doesn't excuse all of them.

No FJ for me today. Entropy just doesn't enter my mind. Or maybe my mind was blown. 😉

[Mindthinkr]

I was able to come up with Shogun. I just rewatched the series a few months ago and was delighted that aged well. I also got Cyclops, tibia, Norway and Valerie Harper. I just blanked on FJ and was really mad because after all of the bio/chem courses I took that should have some to me. I slapped myself on the forehead and said I should have had a V8 (made into a Bloody Mary of course). 

[Gimmick Genius]

On 1/28/2021 at 9:33 AM, Trey said:

 I pictured Custer in buckskins (I must have seen pictures at some time) so I went with those two.  Ken's comment that one was killed in a poker game and one died in battle made me pretty sure I was right.  

Back a few days to Custer and Hickoc... I figured out they were the answer, but I never knew their deaths were just a few weeks apart. I wondered what that does to the chronology of LITTLE BIG MAN. It's a long time since I've watched the film, but I think Dustin Hoffman's 'Jack Crabb' (a sort of frontier-era Forrest Gump) was present at both their demises, but the film reverses the order, with Jeff Corey's Hickoc dying BEFORE Richard Mulligan's Custer.

 

I missed Tibia because I thought Ken said the "largest bone in the leg" which is the femur. 

FJ entropy was an instaget -- although I second-guessed and rejected "inertia." I knew Entropy from Asimov's short story, THE LAST QUESTION.

[Trey]

It was a pretty lacklustre game for me as well as the contestants. I am sorry to see Zach go but he did make it to the ToC.

For ts's or missed DDs I got Shogun, Valerie Harper, homonym, and cyclops.

I am not very strong in science/chemistry stuff so I missed FJ.  I said synergy, same as Zach did, but apparently it has nothing to do with science.  I then wondered if it would even have been around in the 1860's but it turns out it's been around since the 1600s, according to M-W.

 

[shapeshifter]

3 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

Despite that I surprised myself and ran three categories - The 20th Century, the 1971 Emmys, and Carpet. I don't believe I've ever run three categories in a single episode before. I mean, it surprises me when I run one.

Heh, now I know I am a Carpet expert. 😉

[bad things are bad]

Quote

We all had mad crushes on Richard Chamberlain

Yes, between Shogun and especially Thorn Birds, definitely lusted after him. Who knew 🙂

 

[Gimmick Genius]

19 minutes ago, bad things are bad said:

Yes, between Shogun and especially Thorn Birds, definitely lusted after him. Who knew 🙂

 

There was a TV remake of NIGHT OF THE HUNTER with Richard Chamberlain in the Robert Mitchum role. Total waste of time; out of his element. OTOH, Chamberlain was the original Jason Bourne in the BOURNE IDENTITY miniseries opposite Jaclyn Smith. Never seen it but I'd watch it for her.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Gimmick Genius
Spelling

[853fisher]

I forgot to ask, was there a particular pathway to knowing that "fair dinkum" referred to an honestly-played game?  It can't be as obscure as I thought it was, because one out of the three did almost know it (and the producers put it in the middle box), but I don't know how.  I wondered whether someone like Rebel Wilson, the Australian comedian who is pretty popular lately, used it.  Or perhaps people follow Australian sports.  Or, and I know this is crazy, but maybe people who watch or appear on Jeopardy! just know trivia? 😉  But I am curious.  Usually I have at least heard of a response I failed to come up with, but not that one.

[shapeshifter]

54 minutes ago, bad things are bad said:

Quote

We all had mad crushes on Richard Chamberlain

Yes, between Shogun and especially Thorn Birds, definitely lusted after him. Who knew 🙂

You mean Dr. Kildare? https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/flipbooks/reprints/Dr_Kildare_is_a_Doll/

[Trey]

20 minutes ago, 853fisher said:

Or, and I know this is crazy, but maybe people who watch or appear on Jeopardy! just know trivia? 😉

I think it's a pretty old phrase.  I have known of it for a long time and I am old.  Unfortunately, last night I said "fair dickum" instead of "fair dinkum".  Oh, so close. And I really do know the correct phrase, it just came out wrong.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Trey

[MrAtoz]

I want to say that, back around the time of Crocodile Dundee, Paul Hogan did an ad campaign for Australian tourism where he suggested coming to Australia to have "a fair dinkum holiday."  I think that's probably where I first heard that phrase.

[Cherpumple]

I'm pretty sure I learned the phrase "fair dinkum" from the menu at Outback Steakhouse many years ago, lol. I couldn't have told you the definition, but the clue had enough information for me to get it right.

[ams1001]

I wonder how tall Steve is. I know they try to even them out with the height of the platforms but he is still noticeably taller than the others. (Which leads me to this side wonder: how high do the platforms go?)

TS's I got: crosscut, Nicholas Sparks, Dickens, Hartford Courant, Curaçao (missed DD), and Bingo Lingo.

FJ was instaget. 🙂

Steve was lucky. I wonder what his thinking was in not betting anything. Just hoping they'd get it wrong and bet big enough?

[3 is enough]

Steve is very tall.  He used to be a reporter on one of the local tv stations in Las Vegas and I recognized him instantly last night. They used to joke about his height on the station.

[SoMuchTV]

Doctor soice? My childhood, and my children’s childhoods,have been a lie!

[Katy M]

I got fj.  Although I had no idea it was pronounced that way.

I got the ts of Sparks, Dickens, yellow journalism, Courant and Curacao.  

I got the entire categories of 2 letter e an Western right.

Dombey and Son is my fave Dickens book. How dare nobody know that?

[Browncoat]

I did not get FJ.  I had no idea it was ever pronounced like that.

But I did get crosscut, Hartford Courant, Curacao, bingo lingo, and fickle nickel.  

[M. Darcy]

Leopold and Loeb! I did a report on them in high school - it was on famous kidnappings. 

[Driad]

Speaking of the platforms, have they had a contestant who could not stand for the length of the game? Presumably they could attach a chair to a platform.

FJ:  I know 3 or 4 writers for children, and only Seuss ends with S.

[zoey1996]

On 2/1/2021 at 8:05 PM, Browncoat said:

Several of us took over the TV room in the Campus Center at college to watch the miniseries of Shogun.  We all had mad crushes on Richard Chamberlain, and went around saying, "Arigato" instead of "thank you" for weeks.

 

7 hours ago, bad things are bad said:

Yes, between Shogun and especially Thorn Birds, definitely lusted after him. Who knew 🙂

Dating myself here, but I had a crush on Dr. Kildare!

I got Dombey because I’m currently reading Claire Tomlin’s biography of Dickens.

Somewhere I’d read or heard about the “Seuss” pronunciation, so got that one!

[ams1001]

I've long known it was pronounced "soice" but I never say it that way 'cuz no one else does.

30 minutes ago, Katy M said:

Dombey and Son is my fave Dickens book. How dare nobody know that?

I took a Dickens class in college. The professor who was supposed to teach it had surgery over the winter break and was supposed to miss the first couple weeks, but his recovery took longer than expected so he didn't end up teaching that semester at all. The guy who was covering it was the "Medieval/Renaissance Guy" and hadn't taught Dickens since grad school. (Side note: Old/Middle English with a thick Tennessee access is... interesting.) When he found out he'd be teaching the whole semester he decided to cut two books from the syllabus. He ended up cutting Dombey & Son in part because it was one of the longer ones (also The Mystery of Edwin Drood, but he made that extra credit on the final...with a question you couldn't even bluff if you didn't at least know the plot). I still haven't read it...

[chessiegal]

The universe hit me on the head this afternoon to ensure I got FJ! I watched an episode of Weekend With Yankee on PBS this afternoon, and their first stop was Hanover, NH where they visited Dartmouth and discussed their most famous alumnus.

[ams1001]

 

21 minutes ago, M. Darcy said:

Leopold and Loeb! I did a report on them in high school - it was on famous kidnappings. 

For some reason Lerner & Loewe popped into my head and I said, "That's not right."

[853fisher]

Another interesting, well-contested game.  I felt less bad about Henry's last-minute missed DD after the FJ miss indicated he wasn't going to win anyway.  I joked that his story about the Watergate connection with his wife could've had a punch line about recordings if this was a different sort of show.  Here are the specs of the Oliver 777, if you're as curious as I was: unfortunately you have to write them to get the price, and you know what they say it means if you have to ask, so I guess I'll keep using my home silverware.  I got to Dr. Seuss after a little thinking: I'm proud to say he's my fraternity brother!  Even still, I too pronounce it the wrong way so people know who I'm talking about.

1 hour ago, Katy M said:

Dombey and Son is my fave Dickens book. How dare nobody know that?

I like Dickens but haven't read all his works (yet).  I'm afraid I didn't even recognize the title.  It goes on the list to read, and then maybe you'll speak to me again. 😉

 

Meanwhile, four new guest hosts announced: Anderson Cooper, Sanjay Gupta, Savannah Guthrie, and Mehmet Oz.  My reaction is a big fat "meh."  I can just about deal with the carousel of celebrity guests, although I would prefer stability, but I really dislike the inclusion of the charlatan Oz on a show that celebrates intellectualism.  I've reserved longer comment for the guest hosts thread, because I know some feel that lengthy discussion bogs down this one where we mostly do game chat, but I thought I'd mention it for those who do not follow the other threads as closely.

Edited February 3, 2021 by 853fisher
Seuss

[Bastet]

I can't believe they used "Gypsies" in the flamenco clue!  It's 2021, and not a single person on staff knows that's a slur?  I grew up with the joking threat "I'm going to sell you to the Gypsies" and used to use it on my cats when they were naughty, but I knocked that off long ago when I learned the true nature of the word.  I won't even say it to a cat, and it was just broadcast on a nationally syndicated program.  Gross.

I don't consider cross cut and pull cut synonymous.  It's rip or cross and push or pull; those are two different things. 

Myrlin reminds me of Jessica Hecht as Susan on Friends.  Not physically, other than the hair a bit, but her voice. 

I missed several of the authors in the first round and did not do well in the Norman Conquests category in DJ, but otherwise just missed a handful of scattered clues in each round.  I got FJ as a lucky guess, but didn't know that about the pronunciation of his name until tonight.  That's a piece of trivia that's going to stick with me.

Edited February 3, 2021 by Bastet

[Clanstarling]

2 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

Given the FJ subject, I guessed Seuss before the clue was revealed.  I know that doesn't count, he was the only author I could think of.

I think it counts. 🙂

2 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

Leopold and Loeb! I did a report on them in high school - it was on famous kidnappings. 

I always confuse Lerner and Loeb with Sacco and Vanzetti. Not what each pair did, but for some reason I get the names mixed up. Like I do Calder and Pollack, same thing, have no idea why my mind mixes them up.

6 minutes ago, Bastet said:

I can't believe they used "Gypsies" in the flamenco clue!  It's 2021, and not a single person on staff knows that's a slur?  I grew up with the joking threat "I'm going to sell you to the Gypsies" and used to use it on my cats when they were naughty, but I knocked that off long ago when I learned the true nature of the word.  I won't even say it to a cat, and it was just broadcast on a nationally syndicated program. 

Had the same reaction.

[DrSpaceman73]

I knew FJ because I recall seuss going to dartmouth.  

[theatremouse]

I was thrown by the wording of the final category. I kept thinking "why would they say Writers For Children instead of Children's Authors; what does this imply" and was too distracted to come up with anything.

[Prevailing Wind]

Leopold & Loeb: slightly fictionalized account in the book (and then movie) "Compulsion." (Book by Meyer Levin; movie by Orson Welles)

My 8th grade self swooned over "Dickie Dimples" in Dr. Kildare.

If you think "Seuss" is pronounced oddly, wait til you find out how "Streusel" is correctly pronounced. My mom's first language was German, even though she was born in Philadelphia. Both her parents were immigrants and spoke German at home. When ever a commercial for Pillsbury Streusel came on the TV, she'd yell at it, "STROYSEL!"  (Yelling at the TV comes naturally to me.)

I will not be watching the quack Oz.

[Clanstarling]

2 hours ago, Prevailing Wind said:

If you think "Seuss" is pronounced oddly, wait til you find out how "Streusel" is correctly pronounced. My mom's first language was German, even though she was born in Philadelphia. Both her parents were immigrants and spoke German at home. When ever a commercial for Pillsbury Streusel came on the TV, she'd yell at it, "STROYSEL!"  (Yelling at the TV comes naturally to me.)

My mom too. 🙂 I'm lenient on that one - others bug the heck out of me and I might yell just a bit too.

[Mindthinkr]

I got the NC author Nicholas Sparks, the missed DD of Yellow Journalism, Curaçao, and finally a FJ (Dr Suess). I have a comment, but will put it on the small talk thread. 

[bad things are bad]

Quote

I will not be watching the quack Oz.

Yeah, I am not happy about him being chosen. He's shilled too many useless things

[Roaster]

I got Apollo for FJ because he is the only god (that I could think of) who had the same name in both Greek and Roman mythology.

I didn't get the connection to the Sun King until Ken explained it.
 

[ams1001]

I would like to thank Sheldon Cooper's Fun with Flags for my getting "vexillology."

(JK, I actually knew that before BBT.)

I did not get FJ.

[Ailianna]

I got two FJ right this week so far but both were complete guesses and I seriously kept thinking for new answers because I was 100% sure they were wrong. It sort of goes with my week to date.  Which does not encourage me for the rest of the week...

[Katy M]

I got FJ by reasoning it out.

I got the ts of Botany Bay, Cape Cod, Berlin and Chancellor.

Had a pretty bad DJ.

[M. Darcy]

I got FJ because it was the only god I could think of with the same name as both a Greek and Roman god.  And....maybe it was shown on Versailles? 

[Browncoat]

I am terrible with mythology, so no FJ for me today!  I said Morpheus.  In my defense, I was trying to multitask and sort of pay attention to a Zoom event at the same time.  Excuses, excuses.....

I did manage to get left brain, Desire, and Cape Cod.

 

40 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

I am really starting to not like Jennings.  I don't care if someone is running away with the game or not, betting a butt load of money on a DD category that the contestant isn't comfortable with just puts him in a deeper hole.   It sure as heck seemed like Jennings was coaxing the dude on the end to bet big, and of course it bit the dude in the ass.  He didn't know the answer.

 

Alex did the same thing many times -- pointing out that the contestant could keep the game from being a runaway if he bet big.  He always tried to get contestants to make large wagers, and gently ragged on them when they didn't.  I can't fault Ken on that -- the contestant didn't have to bet as much as he did.

[ABay]

1 hour ago, M. Darcy said:

I got FJ because it was the only god I could think of with the same name as both a Greek and Roman god.  And....maybe it was shown on Versailles? 

That was exactly it for me, Apollo is the only one with same name in both cultures. Then the whole Sun King thing.

[chessiegal]

We took a guided tour of Versailles and our tour guide made a big point of Louis XIV and his love of dancing ballet and roles he played.

[helpmerhonda]

How weird to hear the Albanese Candy Factory mentioned. It's in my neck of the woods.

Edited February 4, 2021 by helpmerhonda

[Bastet]

Left side of the brain was a really surprising TS, as was profiling and Chancellor.  Cape Cod, British Commonwealth, and Hugo Chavez were also clues I would not have predicted would go unanswered.

I loved Nicole's non-reaction to Ken's "wicked" remark.  I was already rooting for her as the lone woman, but that sealed the deal.

I missed a couple of candies and was as stumped as the contestants by Moorish idol, but otherwise ran the first round.  I got off to a rough start in DJ, only getting two of the "Un" clues, but I wound up doing pretty well, missing probably about half a dozen others as the rest of the board was revealed.  But, as is common with religion/mythology clues, I didn't even have a guess for FJ.

[Driad]

23 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Left side of the brain was a really surprising TS

It was more surprising that they used this question at all.  Wasn't the left vs. right brain idea debunked years ago?

[Cotypubby]

When Ken explained the connection between Apollo and the name “Sun King” that was an “ohhh!” moment for me, but I was totally wrong. I also guessed Morpheus, thinking “of the night” meant the god of sleep. Not sure how night=god of the sun, but ok.

[ams1001]

8 hours ago, Bastet said:

as was profiling

Did none of these people watch Criminal Minds?!

[Katy M]

2 hours ago, ams1001 said:

Did none of these people watch Criminal Minds?!

As soon as they said profiling, I was like, duh, but I don't think I understood the question when it was asked.  i had no idea what they were going for.

[Clanstarling]

13 hours ago, Roaster said:

I got Apollo for FJ because he is the only god (that I could think of) who had the same name in both Greek and Roman mythology.

I had no idea there was one who had the same name in both. So I was flummoxed by the question. I did zero in on Apollo However, despite the clue being clear, I spent time trying to come up with the Greek name, (I chose incorrectly and that's all I'll say about that).

13 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I would like to thank Sheldon Cooper's Fun with Flags for my getting "vexillology."

(JK, I actually knew that before BBT.)

I did not get FJ.

My husband was calling out to Sheldon - help me Sheldon!

10 hours ago, Driad said:

It was more surprising that they used this question at all.  Wasn't the left vs. right brain idea debunked years ago?

I have no idea - but I did remember that it was always opposite of what I thought it was - so I thought "left" and said "right" - sigh...

2 minutes ago, Katy M said:

As soon as they said profiling, I was like, duh, but I don't think I understood the question when it was asked.  i had no idea what they were going for.

That was my problem, and despite the fact that I've watched many a profiling show, I couldn't come up with it. Whereas my husband who never watches those shows, got it right away.