Jeopardy! Season 31 (2014-2015)

[saber5055]

I did laugh, though, at the interview segment (which I rarely watch), when Alex clearly cut her off.

 

 

This. When Trebek did that, I figured his crush was over.

 

This was the first episode where I actually sat and WATCHED instead of just listening with one ear while I continue to work. And I was fascinated by Jennifer's very consistent head jerk at each answer or before each time she asked for a category (I've forgotten which). She did it each and every time, so that I almost called out "Head jerk!" right before she did the head jerk. I was thinking she has Tourette syndrome. Seriously.

 

Anyway, I was all about her getting beat, although to her credit, she did applaud the new champ at the end.

[just prin]

I don't think we have to worry about too many contestants "overacting" during intros, or anytime, for that matter. Most Jeopardy players have the personality of petrified wood, imo. When anyone with a hint of a spark shows up, I rejoice (tho I admit, some of those sparks can turn into an unwanted blaze).

[Scott]

I also missed Friday's show due to news coverage, so I didn't know she was still here, and didn't realize she was going to dance again.  Thank the maker that's over.

 

I may have done a little dance of my own when she lost.  But, if I had, I certainly wouldn't have subjected all of you to it.

[Grundoon59]

She reminded me of certain actors/actresses that some people love and who make my back teeth hurt.  I was pleased to see her go but will give her full points for a wide field of knowledge and of good sportspersonship.  She not only applauded the new champ but I saw her clapping when others got Double Jeopardy right throughout her time of the show. 

[proserpina65]

I was very sorry to see no one seemed to know Margo Martindale or Justified.  I hope they just couldn't call the name of the show (which ended only a few months ago) because the thought of someone never seeing an episode of Justified is as sad to me as someone never watching a single Law & Order episode.  Her Mags Bennett was nothing short of amazing - she was the reason to watch the 2nd season.

 

I've never seen Justified, although I am familiar with Margo Martindale and knew what show they wanted.  But all I could think of was "Rectify" which I knew wasn't right but sounded similar.  I just couldn't get the correct answer out of my brain in time.

[teebax]

She reminded me of certain actors/actresses that some people love and who make my back teeth hurt.  I was pleased to see her go but will give her full points for a wide field of knowledge and of good sportspersonship.  She not only applauded the new champ but I saw her clapping when others got Double Jeopardy right throughout her time of the show. 

I was fine with her the first day. Friday she annoyed me a little. Yesterday I wanted to slap her through the TV after the dance (which I hadn't seen before since I fast forward through a lot of stuff.) But I did like her attitude and that she cheered for her fellow contestants. As I said after her first episode, I can agree with everyone's opinions on her because she's annoying but can be fun. I wouldn't want to hang out with her for very long, and if I had to work with her I'd resign. But she's probably okay in small doses. And she's a smart cookie. 

[DXD526]

I don’t often laugh when Alex tries to be funny, but “a jigger of rum” as an acceptable substitute for pacifier did it.

 

As well as "binky"!

[NorthstarATL]

This. And it wasn't a desperate guess either; she just knew she had that right. Oy.

 

I got the Garry Trudeau TS because when I was a kid my Dad loved Doonesbury but I was too young to get it, which made it mysterious and super cool to me. Jane Pauley gained major cool points with me when I found out she was married to the guy who wrote Doonesbury. "The Sun Also Rises" is my favorite Hemingway so I was happy to see that one too.

 

My first thought when Jennifer lost was how relieved so many people on this board would be, especially you CarpeDiem54!

I was the same way with Doonesbury and Jane Pauley! Considering how lax the judging has been on not requiring both names I wasn't sure just "Jane" wouldn't be acceptable. After all, at home she's Jane Trudeau, and Trudeau was already in the clue. I demand a recount!

[mojoween]

The Coast Guard DD was an insult to anyone's intelligence. And the Massachusetts clue could have just said "In what state is Plymouth Light?" and dispensed with all of the superfluous words.

Korean Peninsula. With a picture. And circled.

Shut UP, show.

My husband got annoyed with Jake's pontificating when answering Yucatan and thought he should have been marked wrong. He was so indignant it made me laugh.

So Booth on its own is no good, but the very next answer the champ gave that was only a last name that I can't think of right now was ok. Argh, the judging hurts my soul.

[M. Darcy]

Wow that was a comeback from behind victory.

That was a good FJ - I didn't get it but I really feel I should have. I'm not sure if I knew he went to Oxford but I probably did.

[Trey]

 

So Booth on its own is no good, but the very next answer the champ gave that was only a last name that I can't think of right now was ok.

I thought that was a good call from the judges since John Wilkes is better known than Edwin.  i've already forgotten the other clue you refer to but I thought just the last name was okay.  But they should be more consistent.

 

 

My husband got annoyed with Jake's pontificating when answering Yucatan and thought he should have been marked wrong.

 

I agree with your husband on that one - the first words out of your mouth should be the answer.

 

You would think making words out of the letters of Transition would be easy but I found at least a couple of them very hard to work out.

 

And Amelia Earhart shows up again.  She is very popular with the writers.

 

I really thought Scott was done for but he managed to keep it from being a runaway and then came up with the right FJ answer.  I also got Lawrence of Arabia but Churchill very briefly flitted through my mind before I rejected him.  I thought the lady in the middle was pretty good, although too slow against the other two, but her FJ guess of Rommel was just bad...really bad.

Edited July 22, 2015 by Trey

[ottoDbusdriver]

So Booth on its own is no good, but the very next answer the champ gave that was only a last name that I can't think of right now was ok.

I thought that was a good call from the judges since John Wilkes is better known than Edwin.  i've already forgotten the other clue you refer to but I thought just the last name was okay.  But they should be more consistent.

 

The next answer after "What is Booth ?"  was "What is Rogers ?" -- Scott could have meant Kenny Rogers for all we know.  And, yes they should be more consistent.

Edited July 22, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[pandora spocks]

I thought the lady in the middle was pretty good, although too slow against the other two, but her FJ guess of Rommel was just bad...really bad.

 

 

This made me snort with laughter.  It would have looked bad on Rommel's Nazi resume, I guess.

 

For once Alex was right in requiring the first name of Booth.  This eliminated any doubts of whether the Booth was Shirley or Powers.

[CarpeDiem54]

Glad Scott won again. Great come from behind win.

pandora spocks - Shirley Booth - Bawahahaha!

Finally, an FJ I knew, and it was an instaget.

[NorthstarATL]

I was trying to think of a military leader, as quite a few of them went to Oxford, but I was stumped. I'm always bummed a bit when the consistent winner throughout the game loses in FJ., but there were some real giveaway categories tonight. "Pat" Really?

[The Wild Sow]

 

This made me snort with laughter.  It would have looked bad on Rommel's Nazi resume, I guess.

Why?  Great Britain and Germany weren't at war in 1909.  They had some rivalry, of course (see Naval Arms Race), being close relatives & all.   Kaiser Bill was, after all, Queen Victoria's grandson!  But Rommel would have been 17-18 years old at the time and could certainly have gone to college in England had he been so inclined.

 

And Britain had plenty of Fascists and Nazi sympathizers even after Nazism became a "thing."

[Mondrianyone]

This made me snort with laughter.  It would have looked bad on Rommel's Nazi resume, I guess.

 

Maybe if he'd spelled it Achsfurt . . .

[marny]

Just wanted to mention that Jennifer's Twitter account is delightful. @jenniferemorrow

[peeayebee]

I was actually rooting for Jake. Except for a few bad answers, his knowledge base seemed pretty wide.

 

Was anyone else bugged when Alex implied that "conductor" was a stupid answer because the clue was about trains?

[Bastet]

Was anyone else bugged when Alex implied that "conductor" was a stupid answer because the clue was about trains?

 

Yep.  I correctly guessed engineer, but conductor may just as well have come out of my mouth; Alex acted like the contestant had answered pilot or something.

[mojoween]

According to SportsCenter All Night on ESPN radio today is Alex's 75th birthday. Alex and my parents, all turning 75 this year, heh.

I wonder if they figured out the airing schedule so something could be mentioned about it. Last night Wheel of Fortune said it was June but Jeopardy! seems to be better about that stuff and can be topical sometimes.

[teebax]

My husband got annoyed with Jake's pontificating when answering Yucatan and thought he should have been marked wrong. He was so indignant it made me laugh.

I felt the same way, and I'd liked Jake up until that point. The only thing that would have been better than him ultimately losing would have been if he'd gotten that particular question wrong after making the comment he made.

The current champ impressed me by coming back from such a big difference in score to win at the end. Good for him.

[Pallida]

I hate when Alex ruins people's interviews. I was annoyed when he cut off Jennifer's comments about an awesome program. I'd rather hear about that than most engagement stories. And I felt bad for Jake when Alex assumed Jake's family made wine and then promptly moved on after being corrected.

[dcalley]

Jake made a really bad FJ wager. If he'd been right, he would have lost by $100.

[secnarf]

I liked Jake, and I might have been annoyed by his comments before answering Yucatan if that hadn't been such a ridiculously easy DD to begin with, but I was mostly just annoyed that such an easy clue was the DD.

 

I think they'll probably mention Alex's birthday tonight - they must have the dates right, because he did mention his wedding anniversary and presumably he timed it for the airing date to be on their anniversary, not the taping date, otherwise it would come a few months too late!

[saber5055]

Was anyone else bugged when Alex implied that "conductor" was a stupid answer because the clue was about trains?

 

 

Yes, but then everything about Trebek bugs me.

 

Wow, WheatThins, great picture. Very "American Bandstand!"

[Trey]

Yes, but then everything about Trebek bugs me.

 

Wow, WheatThins, great picture. Very "American Bandstand!"

 

I agree, great photo, but I don't recognize who it is.

 

Also, 17wheatthins, are you newly a mod or have I just not noticed before?

[M. Darcy]

 

Was anyone else bugged when Alex implied that "conductor" was a stupid answer because the clue was about trains?

Yes! I work for a union that represents rail workers and I thought the answer was conductor. 

[just prin]

Yes, but then everything about Trebek bugs me.

 

 

 

Ditto the yes! but can't agree on the everything. Have always found him to be pretty good-looking. (Tho aged, still shallow!)

[peeayebee]

I agree, great photo, but I don't recognize who it is.

Alex Trebek, though it kind of looks like Matthew Morrison.

[Trey]

Thanks, peeayebee.  I wonder what program that was.  I didn't know he was ever a singer.

[mojoween]

Matthew Morrison is ALL I see in that pic. I was like "I don't remember that episode of Glee...?"

[opus]

Thanks, peeayebee.  I wonder what program that was.  I didn't know he was ever a singer.

It looks like this show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_R2boTSg2E

[saber5055]

It looks like this show:

 

 

I was close ... he hosted CANADIAN Bandstand! You have a hilarious wiggle-wiggle, Trebek. Wish you would do that on Jeopardy. No wonder he was fawning over Dancing Jennifer.

[secnarf]

Wow, his voice sounds so different in that clip! I can kind of see how it looks like him - though I agree it looks a lot like Matthew Morrison - but he speaks very differently now!

[rubaco]

So Matthew Morrison is destined to be our next Jeopardy host, sounds like. But only if he grows a moustache.

 

I missed tonight's show, was the birthday mentioned?

[mojoween]

Alex mentioned that he has at one point had a birthday but he was kind of cheeky about it.

Ok, what the hell. Gif and Empire State Building as TS? It SAID landmark in the clue, for cod's sack.

I mean, I was surprised The Doors was too because "Love Street" is one of my favorite songs and I thought "Waiting for the Sun" was a gimme but I can see if you didn't know them and besides, Brianne and Kris are too young, right Alex?

I always thought it was Veteran's Administration, not Affairs. Guess not.

Alex took too long exalting on his X-Files history so we had to leave clues on the board.

Brianne saying "noble" instead of "No-BEL" hurt my ears.

Hair was sufficient. Shut up, judges.

The only countries that came to me smaller than England were Greece and Lichtenstein so that was a fail.

[secnarf]

I was really surprised gif was a TS.

 

I had no idea for FJ though - my European history is terrible and I could think of many countries smaller than England :P

[Trey]

An okay game I guess but I never like runaways.

 

I guessed Belgium for FJ.

 

i missed Alex commenting on the birthday.

[mjc570]

I liked tonight's game, although I was surprised at a couple of TSs (esb = landmark = empire state building comes to mind).  I thought all 3 contestants were pleasant, and seemed at least somewhat knowledgeable.  At this point, I'm satisfied if a contestant is not actively annoying, I guess my standards really have slipped. 

[ottoDbusdriver]

Locavore was a Word of the Year ?  Really ?  I don't remember that at all.

 

Empire State Building was a TS in that website category -- but the initials were right there in the clue.

 

Kris stumbled badly in DJ and made it a runaway for Scott.

 

FJ was way too easy.  Way too many clues left on the board today.

 

I was curious about why Brianne pronounced her name like 'Brian'.

[Browncoat]

Me, too, otto -- I thought it was pronounced "Bree-anne", but I guess she can pronounce her name however she wants. 

 

I was rooting for Kris, if only because he didn't start in the middle of the categories.

 

And for FJ, I said, "Who are the Dutch!  No, wait, Dutch is not a country -- what country is that?" and came up with the Netherlands in the nick of time.

[Moose135]

I always thought it was Veteran's Administration, not Affairs. Guess not.

 

It used to be the Veterans Administration, but when it became a Cabinet department in 1989, it was renamed the Department of Veterans Affairs.

[alias1]

I'm starting to not like Scott because of his board jumping.  Also, when he got that clue about Vincent Price being in Thriller, I realized he actually resembles Vincent Price.

[YoureSoUrban]

FJ was an instaget for me because Dutch history is so prevalent here in NYC.

"What is apartheid?" was Teen or Kids level.

I was hoping Alex would pronounce "gif" only one way and then go on about why so I might have some resolution on that topic (I've read the creator says it should be hard g as in graphic but every designer and developer I've ever worked with says jif). The one time Iime I want Alex to be a know-it-all he shows restraint...

[peeayebee]

Hair was sufficient. Shut up, judges.

 

I disagree. The things listed -- beehive and something else -- were hairdos, not just hair.

 

I watched the show with my sister tonight, and as I called out the answers, she kept saying how smart I was. I wasn't, and aren't, so then I started shutting up. On the other hand, she really lacks some common knowledge. She's pretty isolated in what she reads or hears about.

 

I couldn't remember "gif." I said "jpeg" out loud, but knew that wasn't right (4 letters, not 3), and I just couldn't remember the word.

 

I did get FJ pretty quickly. I just thought of the American colonies, and the Dutch came to me right away (New Amsterdam, Peter Stuyvesant) . I even said "Holland, or The Netherlands," and I don't always remember both names. 

 

Jose Chung's From Outer Space is an outstanding X-Files ep. My other favorite is Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose.

[Bastet]

Granted, I don't hang around with many graphic designers/developers, so maybe we're all just ignorant, but I've never heard .gif pronounced with the soft G; it's always the hard.

 

I skipped tonight's episode to watch I Am Jazz (for which I'm trying to set aside my hatred of candid reality programming), so I'm a little bummed to have missed Alex talk about his X-Files appearance.

[Mondrianyone]

I thought that I remembered the inventor saying it was pronounced with a soft g, and that's what the Internet says:

 

Steve Wilhite created the Graphics Interchange Format, or GIF, while working for Compuserve in 1987. On Tuesday, he received a Webby Award for it and delivered his five-word acceptance speech (that's all the Webbys allow) by flashing a GIF on the big screens at the Cipriani Wall Street in New York.

And, in a flash, it all became clear:

"It's pronounced JIF, not GIF."

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/22/tech/web/pronounce-gif/

[ABay]

I had never, ever heard the word "locavore" before last night's game.

[proserpina65]

Ok, what the hell. Gif and Empire State Building as TS? It SAID landmark in the clue, for cod's sack.

 

I wouldn't have been able to come up with "gif" if my life had depended on it, but the Empire State Building one was baffling.

FJ was an instaget for me because Dutch history is so prevalent here in NYC.

 

Me too, although in my case, it was my interest in 18th-19th British Naval history which gave me the Netherlands - thank you very much, Horatio Hornblower.