Jeopardy! Season 31 (2014-2015)

[Trey]

 

I didn't know V--but I definitely knew My Favorite Martian (IIRC, it was on right before or right after Mr. Ed.) (Shut up, you rotten kids... ;) )

 

 

I ran the E.T.'s on TV category but kept waiting for Alf to show up.

Edited December 10, 2014 by Trey

[Roaster]

All right!  Today we had high dollar totals at the end, very close.  Interesting category about Falcons.

 

And a classic FJ category: U.S. Presidents.  (I wonder what the most common FJ category is.  I bet Presidents is high on the list.)

 

For FJ I was torn between George Bush and LBJ.  Wasn't sure LBJ was a representative.  I knew it wasn't Nixon, though.

[mojoween]

Alex's Indian accent wasn't offensive at ALL.

If Mindy didn't get Albany to Buffalo she wouldn't have been allowed to return to Schenectady.

I wasn't looking at the TV when the question was "Who is Jason Momoa" but I rewound to see if they put up a picture. Sometimes the picture clues aren't all bad!

Nixon was my guess too even though I figured he was President too late in the century. Turns out he wasn't that much later than the right answer. I did not know LBJ was either a senator or a congressman so that shows how much I know. I thought Peter would get it, he seemed to be really good with presidents.

Edited December 11, 2014 by mojoween

[mledawn]

Our household was annoyed at the number of attempts that contestant was given at "hydroelectricity". It always varies so much. Grrr.

[peeayebee]

I got FJ. I knew that LBJ was a strong presence in Congress, but I wasn't sure if there was another President before him who fit the criteria.

 

I noticed each of the three contestants got a DD. I wonder how often that has happened.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I got FJ. I knew that LBJ was a strong presence in Congress, but I wasn't sure if there was another President before him who fit the criteria.

 

I guessed Nixon as well since also he met the 4 elected positions criteria (the governmental equivalent of the EGOT).

[Moose135]

I knew he fit, but you Presidential-trivia people out there can perhaps explain why Calvin Coolidge wouldn't be the first.  He was in the house of representatives and the senate of Mass. and then VP and Pres.  Wouldn't that qualify him?

 

Coolidge did not serve in the US House of Representatives or the US Senate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Coolidge

[Sharpie66]

I went with Truman, but I couldn't remember if he had been in both chambers of Congress--I guess not!

[proserpina65]

Jason Momoa was a clue on Jeopardy?  Must've been in the first round, when my Directv was doing one of its periodic resets, making me miss all but the last 2.5 catergories.  Pooey.

[ottoDbusdriver]

Jason Momoa was a clue on Jeopardy?  Must've been in the first round, when my Directv was doing one of its periodic resets, making me miss all but the last 2.5 catergories.  Pooey.

 

You had to identify the actor based on his roles and they mentioned Khal Drago from Game of Thrones (along with the photo).

Edited December 11, 2014 by ottoDbusdriver

[dcalley]

It was the 6'4" category, and the female contestant seemed a little giddy when she answered.

[portia7]

The military dude needs to stand still. All that rocking from left to right made me dizzy. He sure didn't look like a Ryan,

[mojoween]

I didn't like Jennifer's answer of "who is Jim Garner" because I've never heard him referred to that way but after Alex's apparent shock that she knew stoicism I started rooting for her.

All the TS in Double Jeopardy! were bumming me out.

I am less than useless about The Bible. I said King Herod.

[alias1]

The other day, when both non-winning contestants bet their entire amount and ended up with zero, how did they decide who would get $2000 and who would get $1000?

[mledawn]

I could not believe that "turbine" was a TS - I was floored.

 

And yes, Ryan needed to stand still. Don't they beat you into standing still in the military?

[Moose135]

The other day, when both non-winning contestants bet their entire amount and ended up with zero, how did they decide who would get $2000 and who would get $1000?

Probably by the standings after DJ.

[dcalley]

I believe Moose is correct.

 

You guys, Jeopardy is proud of Alex's accent yesterday.

Edited December 12, 2014 by dcalley

[alias1]

Probably by the standings after DJ.

I forgot to mention, they had the exact same amount after DJ.  And it was a lot, something like 12,000.  They both bet it all and both lost it all.  I expected both of them to get just $1000 and was surprised that one of them got the $2000.

[Bastet]

I missed yesterday's episode, but that clip ... yikes.

 

Speaking of yikes, Alex's surprise when women answer correctly is always offensive, but his reaction to stoicism was particularly bad.

 

Ryan reminded me of Tom Arnold circa Roseanne with the way he moved around like that.

 

I know James Garner was referred to as Jim socially, but I've only ever seen him credited as James, so I'm iffy on that being ruled correct.

 

Margaret Mead as a triple stumper?  I found that quite surprising, along with blood pressure and turbine.  Also Jennifer not knowing LVB = Ludwig van Beethoven, but her reaction afterward tells me she's well aware what a brain fart that was.  Cloakroom was less surprising, but still something I'd have thought at least one of the three would know.  Same with Dumas, George Sand and flywheel.  I had no idea who wrote Life of Pi either, though.

 

And no clue on FJ, either, as is so often the case with religion/mythology clues.  Like Jennifer, I threw out King David, but I felt sure that wasn't right.

[mojoween]

For the stock clues, if the symbol is BBW (that makes me giggle because I'm twelve), shouldn't the correct answer have been Build-A-Bear Workshop? Alex gave him the correct as soon as he said Build-A-Bear so maybe they just let it go.

[SyracuseMug]

I heard the champ say "Khrushchov" rather than Khrushchev. I'm surprised it was accepted.

[peeayebee]

I heard that too. Maybe they just give more leeway with foreign names. 

 

Things I learned: 

 

- shrews are smelly

- the BF in BF Goodrich stands for Benjamin Franklin

[Bastet]

BBW (that makes me giggle because I'm twelve)

 

I get the distinct impression Googling that would result in one of those searches I feel the urge to physically scrub from my computer, so if you'll take pity and spare me a trip to Urban Dictionary, I'm all ears -- what is BBW?

[GreekGeek]

Speaking of yikes, Alex's surprise when women answer correctly is always offensive, but his reaction to stoicism was particularly bad.

 

Yes. I wonder if Epicureanism would have also been an acceptable answer. Epicurean philosophy emphasized "ataraxia," generally translated as "imperturbability" or "inner tranquility." 

And no clue on FJ, either, as is so often the case with religion/mythology clues.

 

I generally do well with them, especially Greek mythology, but this one stumped me. I thought of Abraham.

I heard the champ say "Khrushchov" rather than Khrushchev. I'm surprised it was accepted.

 

They don't generally penalize for incorrect pronunciation, so I put it down to that.

 

As for "Jim Garner," I also was a bit surprised, but I guess if "Garner" is acceptable...I've always been confused on "Jimmy Stewart" vs. "James Stewart."

[opus]

I get the distinct impression Googling that would result in one of those searches I feel the urge to physically scrub from my computer, so if you'll take pity and spare me a trip to Urban Dictionary, I'm all ears -- what is BBW?

You were right. Don't google it.

[The Wild Sow]

 

It's been awhile since Safire had his column, so I wasn't too surprised that a youthful set of contestants didn't know him.

Well, yes....considering that he died in 2009!  I was surprised when Alex said his name "is" rather than "was."  Did Jeopardy miss the fact that Safire is deceased?

[opus]

To be fair, it will always be his name.

[Bastet]

As for "Jim Garner," I also was a bit surprised, but I guess if "Garner" is acceptable...I've always been confused on "Jimmy Stewart" vs. "James Stewart."

 

I believe Stewart was not only commonly known as Jimmy (and Jim), but was credited as both James and Jimmy, in which case either one would be acceptable.  I think of the Garner clue as more akin to William Powell -- that's how he was always credited, but he was widely known as Bill.  I suspect either one would be accepted for Powell, so I guess Jim is fine for Garner.  It just sounded odd, as Garner is not as commonly known by the public as Jim as were Stewart and Powell as Jimmy and Bill, respectively.

[dcalley]

I forgot to mention, they had the exact same amount after DJ.  And it was a lot, something like 12,000.  They both bet it all and both lost it all.  I expected both of them to get just $1000 and was surprised that one of them got the $2000.

In that case they go back to the scores at the end of J round.

[alias1]

In that case they go back to the scores at the end of J round.

Oh, that makes sense.  I think the gal did have more money before they went into FJ.  In fact that's shown in the clip that someone provided with Alex's crazy attempt at an Indian accent.  Thanks!I

[opus]

If they were tied at that point, it goes back to who had the most money in their pocket when they walked into the studio.

[ChicagoCita]

There used to be a catalogue, or magazine, I forget which, called BBW, which stood for Big Beautiful Woman.  If there's another meaning, I don't know it.

[opus]

That's the first entry on google, but each one under it has the letters XXX.

[Prevailing Wind]

There was even a brand of clothing (in JCPenney's, I believe) called BBW.  Now it's become a code for porn-lovin' chubby-chasers.

 

Re Garner:  I think that having "Jim Rockford" in the clue would lead one to say "Jim" Garner.  I miss him.  I'm gonna go watch some DVDs of Maverick now...

[Writing Wrongs]

Speaking of yikes, Alex's surprise when women answer correctly is always offensive, but his reaction to stoicism was particularly bad.

 

I was just going to post about this. It annoys me, too. It's like "Women know stuff? Oh my God!"

[Tigershark]

I was just going to post about this. It annoys me, too. It's like "Women know stuff? Oh my God!"

 

Haven't watched last nights episode, but now I'll have to see it.  Still, for me, nothing beats the dumbfounded expression on Alex's face when my FJ wager was revealed.  The producers wisely edited this out.    He was utterly shocked that a woman could add five digit numbers.  Nearly ruined the moment.

[ABay]

Hot damn it! Now I'm really annoyed that I forgot to set the DVR before I went out last night!

[mojoween]

Interesting that in this week's "Entertainment Weekly" they did tributes to fallen actors and in the James Garner one Sally Field called him Jimmy throughout. I'll give Sally a pass, but I don't know what Jennifer's relationship was with him, heh.

[Snow Apple]

Today's show had the easiest questions I ever saw. And then for a final stunner, I'm actually shocked one person didn't get the FJ question. The clue is a freakin balcony. I know there are people don't know much or anything about Shakespeare, but a Jeopardy contestant?

Edited December 13, 2014 by Snow Apple

[mojoween]

So they went 1/15 on FJ this week?

[CarpeDiem54]

Today's show had the easiest questions I ever saw. And then for a final stunner, I'm actually shocked one person didn't get the FJ question. The clue is a freakin balcony. I know there are people don't know much or anything about Shakespeare, but a Jeopardy constant?

No kidding!

And I so wanted Alex to scream "Attention!" to make Ryan hold the hell still. His constant rocking, and sometimes just staring at the board, is driving me nuts.

[Prevailing Wind]

Did anybody else notice this?  Ryan's last name is Pensyl.  And he's "originally" from Pennsylvania.  I kept giggling through the whole show every time he was on camera.

[peeayebee]

I didn't get FJ. I knew the answer was the city where Romeo & Juliet was set, but I couldn't remember what city. I guessed Padua.

[opus]

I said Tuscany. I had just seen SEINFELD, so I figured maybe it was the maestros' place.

[ChicagoCita]

I knew it had to be Juliet's balcony, but couldn't immediately place the town.  Then I "heard" the narrator in my head:  "Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene." I had NO freaking idea it was in my head, but -- thanks, Miss Yates! from 9th grade English class.

[Bastet]

I had a momentary brain fart, completely blanking on the setting for Romeo and Juliet.  Padua came to mind, but I quickly discarded that as the wrong play.  Verona only took a few more seconds to come to me, but even in the privacy of my living room that was a “This will be so embarrassing if I can't remember" moment.  So I want to feel bad for the contestant who guessed Venice, but her reaction upon finding out she was wrong suggested that it wasn’t a situation in which she couldn’t remember the setting and just tossed something out, but that she genuinely thought it was Venice.  So I’m less charitable.

[Etta Place]

I visited that balcony last year, so Verona was a gimme for me. On the previous day's FJ, I got Pharaoh by thinking that Genesis 40 sounded like it was near the end, and the next book is Exodus, which put me in Egypt.

[dcalley]

So they went 1/15 on FJ this week?

Didn't two people get Verona? And at least one got Hound of the Baskervilles. So 3/15 or better.

[peeayebee]

I had a momentary brain fart, completely blanking on the setting for Romeo and Juliet.  Padua came to mind, but I quickly discarded that as the wrong play.  

You've prompted me to look it up. The Taming of the Shrew was (sometimes) set in Padua. Since I had no idea why I guessed Padua, maybe this info was stuck in my brain.

[Bastet]

I hate The Taming of the Shrew, but I love beyond reason the Moonlighting take on it.  Thus, when I initially blanked on the setting for Romeo & Juliet, thought Padua then  dismissed it, I did so with the "wrong play!" chorus from that episode ringing in my mind.