Jeopardy! Season 34 (2017-2018)

[catrice2]

I'm sorry, I have watched Jeopardy most of my life and I have seen some characters come and go....but  I just can't with this one....I just can't. 

[M. Darcy]

It was the finger gestures when figuring out what to bet for the daily double that pushed me over the edge.

[Browncoat]

1 minute ago, M. Darcy said:

It was the finger gestures when figuring out what to bet for the daily double that pushed me over the edge.

Not to mention whatever the hell that was he did when he was introduced.

[DrScottie]

54 minutes ago, illdoc said:

Okay contestant on the end....what does "Iowa" & "milk cow" lead you to Whistler????  As to "Winslow".... isn't the artist's name "Winslow Homer"? Or is there a different "Artist Winslow"? Of course, FJ was an instaget (or should have been). "Iowa", "milk cow" leads you to "farmer" and you think "artist", "farmer" and immediately you picture "American Gothic" (which we have here in Chicago at the Art Institute). Love him or hate him, you've got to admit that the champ doesn't mind wagering big! $16K on a DD (when you have $18K), not to mention the FJ bet! What is the "one-day record"???

Grant Wood was an instaget for me too. 

Went almost all in on the glockenspiel. Respect. I didn't care for the earlier ba ba ba on the first DD he hit though.  

The one day record is $77000 by Roger Craig. He had $47000 going into FJ with an opponent at $5400 and another who finished in the red. He beat Ken Jennings previous record of $75000. 

[YoureSoUrban]

42 minutes ago, opus said:

They may be running it at 2:05 am (The announcement went by pretty quick, so I'm not 100% sure).

Thanks! Fingers crossed...

[CarpeDiem54]

I thought we had a contender in Veryl for a hot minute.  I wish Chewbacca would stop landing on the DD's or bet everything, with a minute to go in DJ, and get it wrong.  It must be so discouraging for the other contestants during a runaway game.

I agree that innoculation isn't the same as vaccine.

I only got "You rang?"

I guessed Grant Wood from the FJ category title and was pleased when the clue was revealed.

[GreekGeek]

The show was pre-empted here for Las Vegas coverage. I take it Austin won again?

[Grundoon59]

I can admire his brain (a breadth of knowledge) and his guts (scary large bets) but still want him gone.  He is just too twee for me and it seems like the behavior of a precocious kid, not an allegedly grown up person.  

I go back to days of Art Fleming Jeopardy and often find my tolerance for the "character" contestants to be decreasing over time.  In fact I may be falling into the fuddy duddy demographic.

Edited October 3, 2017 by Grundoon59
I didn't spell check enough.

[DrScottie]

7 minutes ago, GreekGeek said:

The show was pre-empted here for Las Vegas coverage. I take it Austin won again?

Yes. It was his fifth win so he's already in the TOC. Today's total $65,600  He had $18,700 and bet $15,700 on musical instruments and got it right.

4 minutes ago, Grundoon59 said:

I can admire his brain (a breadth of knowledge) and his guts (scary large bets) but still want him gone.  He is just too twee for me and it seems like the behavior of a precocious kid, not an allegedly grown up person.  

He does have a wide array of knowledge and I appreciate big bets,  but it is a little tough to watch. I do like people being more lively on the show, but he's over the top. The most annoying were those sound effects he made before that Daily Double bet. Wait, I forgot: "BUNNIES!" 

[Miss Chevious]

I've watched a lot of contestants come and go and every so often one comes along that's OTT. It's one thing to let a bit of personality shine through and I enjoy those contestants way more than the dour ones that looked like they sucked on a lemon or those that gleefully murder the English language. 

But there's a fine line between someone who's pleasantly funny and someone who's smarmy. Austin's crossed that line into smugly arrogant with gestures to boot. 

I liked Matt Jackson, he had that air of self-deprecating humor about him. Austin, not so much. 

I got you rang TS. And FJ was way too easy, it was about the third time Grant Wood was an art FJ. 

Football cancels out Thursday Jeopardy episodes so am catching up here.

[jaybird2]

1 hour ago, M. Darcy said:

After today, I officially hate him. 

And please J! No more Dr Oz. 

i hated him from day one...didn't watch tonight.  i will just come here until he's off.

[Fex]

In the leap category, when they showed the Fosbury Flop picture I thought they'd ask for his name. Instead they asked for "flop". It seemed too easy - they gave Fosbury and did they even say it was alliterative?!! But I can't remember what dollar value the clue had. Maybe it was appropriate.

[shksabelle]

Nobody likes a greedhead

Go away!

[dcalley]

2 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

And please J! No more Dr Oz. 

I agree. Don't promote that quack.

[Clanstarling]

2 hours ago, M. Darcy said:

And please J! No more Dr Oz. 

AMEN.

2 hours ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

I thought we had a contender in Veryl for a hot minute. 

I agree that innoculation isn't the same as vaccine.

She might have beat him if she'd gotten the doubles instead. I was thoroughly ticked at Alex when he said something like "it's hard to play well against someone like Austin" - Veryl played very well. I think Alex meant it differently, but it came out as rude to Veryl and the other contestant.

I objected to accepting inoculation - but after going through Merriam Websters definition of inoculation and its very circular definition of vaccination, I think they might actually be in the same neighborhood.

[DrScottie]

1 hour ago, Fex said:

In the leap category, when they showed the Fosbury Flop picture I thought they'd ask for his name. Instead they asked for "flop". It seemed too easy - they gave Fosbury and did they even say it was alliterative?!! But I can't remember what dollar value the clue had. Maybe it was appropriate.

$1600 so not appropriate given both Fosbury and alliterative. 

[opus]

1 hour ago, Fex said:

In the leap category, when they showed the Fosbury Flop picture I thought they'd ask for his name. Instead they asked for "flop". It seemed too easy - they gave Fosbury and did they even say it was alliterative?!! But I can't remember what dollar value the clue had. Maybe it was appropriate.

I didn't see it (Vegas coverage). Did they get it right? Anyone say Fosbury Flip? Fosbury Fall?

[Misslindsey]

I actually like Austin, but I do tend to like the more polarizing contestants like Arthur Chu, Matt Jackson, and Alex Jacobs. I was pretty indifferent to the much loved Julia. 

I did get FJ, but I attribute that to my dad being an art teacher. I might not have known it otherwise.

[Mystery Author]

I love Austin, too. He can serve me drinks anytime. Except, I think he'll retire from bartending :) 

Or buy his own bar.

Shouted out the answer to FJ before Alex finished reading the clue. Then I had to explain to Mr. Author that 'American Gothic' was "that scene they show at the beginning of the Rocky Horror movie."

[whinewithwine]

There was an obvious edit right when Alex told Austin he was correct in FJ.  Wonder what Austin said.

[teebax]

I tried to watch without looking at him to see if it would help. It didn't. 

I see him as an attention whore who's trying to be memorable. If that's the case it's working.

His knowledge base and aggressive wagering are more than enough to make him a popular contestant. Instead, he is flailing around, being condescending about things he doesn't like, and being disrespectful to his opponents. 

I respect those of you who are enjoying him, but he can't lose fast enough for me! 

[PaulaO]

I fell asleep at a Rolling Stone concert during Gimme Shelter.  I got no problem with Austin.  I hated Arthur Chu and Matt Jackson.  To each his own, except we all agree.  NO MORE DR. OZ.

Edited October 3, 2017 by PaulaO

[alias1]

For a jeopardy contestant, I couldn't care less what their taste is in music.  I'm impressed with how they play.  The guy is polite, starts at the top, and has unbelievable DD wagers.  I find him fun to watch.   I'm really sorry that he's so polarizing. 

[StaceyNotStacie]

Austin's appearance bugs me more than his playing style. He needs a good haircut and a shave. He looks like he literally roled out of bed and showed up at the studio. 

[Hpmec]

Austin must be a huge Matt Jackson fan, so much so that he feels compelled to imitate Jackson's shameless mugging for the camera. Someone on staff needs to remind him why he's there. Play the damn game and leave the cloying personality quirks at home. For years, the Jeopardy contestant coordinators managed to find intelligent people with pleasant personalities. They should return to that formula and weed out people (looking at you Austin) who engage in "aren't I awesome" exhibitionism. Love Jeopardy. Hate contestants who use the show to showcase their narcissism. 

[saber5055]

Oh, now I am seeing commercials featuring the "flamboyant" Austin, who mugs and jumps around and flails for the camera to show how much FUN it is to watch Jeopardy! now that he is on. He even TELLS us as much during the commercial! He reminds me of when The Chew comes on, which begins with clips of all the "stars" dancing and flailing and mugging so you will be sure to know how FUN! is that show. (I can't get the channel turned quickly enough.) IMO, Austin is being disrespectful to ... well, to everyone and to everything. I wish Alex Jacob would come back in disguise and under an assumed name so he can send Austin away.

[Fex]

Oooh, good game. Not a runaway, and they cleared the board in both rounds! Just too bad that one guy didn't make it to FJ.

The only TS I remember getting is Washington Post Chaise. Before & After is always one of my favourite categories (and stupid answers is the category I would love to never see again).

Even though it was only a $200 clue, I thought it was ridiculous to ask for Bette Davis and Joan Crawford when "...Bette and Joan" was given in the clue.

[mojoween]

I'm an extra salty grumpus but the waving from Austin during the intros was a big giant fucking NO.  Just...stop it.

[GreekGeek]

Austin doesn't have any annoying mannerisms during the game; it's just in the intro that he gets goofy, so tune in a minute or so after start time and you won't be subjected to his silliness if it really irks you. I did take issue with his "School...psssh!" comment at the end of his interview, though.

Good game; the outcome was actually in doubt until the end. I thought the FJ quote sounded like Gandhi, but he was a clue earlier in the game. Surprised Izaak Walton was a TS, since he's one of those authors that seem to turn up as a clue every so often. Nonfiction literature  + fishing = Izaak Walton/The Compleat Angler; fiction + fishing = Hemingway/The Old Man and the Sea. (I don't think the hunt for Moby Dick counts as fishing!)

[mojoween]

Still salty...I want to find whoever hooted in the audience when Austin blurted out "Adonis" and punch him in the nose because seriously, it wasn't a hard clue.

[secnarf]

I wonder if "psalm" would have been accepted instead of "hymn" for that daily double?

FJ was an instaget for me; I was surprised the woman in the middle missed it.

Say what you will about Austin, that's a very impressive 6-day total.

[Browncoat]

While I'm not sad that Ryan lost, I am sad (and annoyed) that Austin won again.  But I'm also not sad that I have an event tomorrow night and will miss the show.  I'm not even going to bother to record it.

I thought of you, @M. Darcy, when the Izaak Walton clue came up!

FJ was another instaget for me.  I have stopped paying too much attention during the game, and so have stopped keeping track of any TS I might get.

[mojoween]

I was super surprised the middle lady missed FJ.  I thought it was rather obvious.  

I also said psalm and wondered if it would be accepted.  It fit the clue.

[Athena]

A quick reminder that any information about the day's episode should be spoiler tagged before 7PM Eastern Time. Anything after 7PM is fair game. Thank you!

[PaulaO]

The first half of the game was taken over by a "special report " about the Vegas shootings.  My answer for FJ!  was "I have no effing clue."  Loved Austin's wager.  Go big or go home!

Edited October 4, 2017 by PaulaO

[CarpeDiem54]

I got Isaac Walton.

I had no clue for FJ.

[RT4]

Felt bad for Amy that she had to go up aginst a super champ cause she was very smart and could have won a few games with a better draw.

Edited October 4, 2017 by RT4

[DrScottie]

7 minutes ago, GreekGeek said:

Good game; the outcome was actually in doubt until the end. I thought the FJ quote sounded like Gandhi, but he was a clue earlier in the game. Surprised Izaak Walton was a TS, since he's one of those authors that seem to turn up as a clue every so often. Nonfiction literature  + fishing = Izaak Walton/The Compleat Angler; fiction + fishing = Hemingway/The Old Man and the Sea. (I don't think the hunt for Moby Dick counts as fishing!)

Got Nelson Mendela as I figured the clue was about apartheid. I knew it was The Compleat Angler but couldn't remember who wrote it.

Sure, his mannerisms can be annoying, but I do have to respect someone who bet $34000. I'm thinking he's going to beat Roger Craig's record of most money in a day at this rate. He's already in the TOC anyway. 

5 minutes ago, secnarf said:

I wonder if "psalm" would have been accepted instead of "hymn" for that daily double?

1 minute ago, mojoween said:

I also said psalm and wondered if it would be accepted.  It fit the clue.

"Great is thy faithfulness" is a hymn. It's a line from Lamentations, not the Book of Psalms. To be a Psalm, does it have to specifically be from that book or any part of the Bible? I've read conflicting pages on that. They might have taken it given the silent p and the leniency the judges have been showing.  

[Grundoon59]

I have to disagree that he is polite.  I see him as trying to be too cool for school.  For example, it's one thing to say I fell asleep at a concert because i didn't like the music (polite).  It's another to say I fell asleep because the music was drivel or whatever words he used.  That's disrespectful to his friend, the band and all the band's fans - all while saying "Look at me, I am cooler than you".  

I have liked other colorful contestants, may like Austin if he chills out a little but right now I am gritting my teeth through the show.  But chacun a son gout,  as Alex might say.

[GreekGeek]

1 hour ago, DrScottie said:

Got Nelson Mendela as I figured the clue was about apartheid. I knew it was The Compleat Angler but couldn't remember who wrote it.

Sure, his mannerisms can be annoying, but I do have to respect someone who bet $34000. I'm thinking he's going to beat Roger Craig's record of most money in a day at this rate. He's already in the TOC anyway. 

"Great is thy faithfulness" is a hymn. It's a line from Lamentations, not the Book of Psalms. To be a Psalm, does it have to specifically be from that book or any part of the Bible? I've read conflicting pages on that. They might have taken it given the silent p and the leniency the judges have been showing.  

The Book of Lamentations has features in common with Lament psalms, but there is no psalm with the title "Great is Thy Faithfulness." So even though the word "psalm" has a silent letter, I don't think it fits the clue.

[peeayebee]

22 hours ago, Misslindsey said:

I actually like Austin, but I do tend to like the more polarizing contestants like Arthur Chu, Matt Jackson, and Alex Jacobs. I was pretty indifferent to the much loved Julia. 

What, are you MAD?!? (I keed, I keed.)

 

3 hours ago, mojoween said:

I'm an extra salty grumpus but the waving from Austin during the intros was a big giant fucking NO.  Just...stop it.

Yeah, that was extra annoying. I think he was doing "All the Single Ladies." For some reason.

 

2 hours ago, secnarf said:

FJ was an instaget for me; I was surprised the woman in the middle missed it.

I didn't get it right away. Then I thought about the phrasing -- "this beautiful country" -- and somehow Mandela came to mind.

I think the only TS I got was Isaak Walton (or, as I typed it, Isaak Walton!). I nearly got Murder in the Cathedral. My attention had lagged, then I looked at what the clue was and thought about Murder somewhere... and time was up.

I was very VERY disappointed that Amy didn't win. She was impressive. I suppose even if Austin hadn't gotten both DDs, she would have lost because she didn't know FJ.

[YoureSoUrban]

Quote

I didn't get it right away. Then I thought about the phrasing -- "this beautiful country" -- and somehow Mandela came to mind.

I was stuck on that same phrase but just couldn't get it. I went with Churchill, knowing it was wrong.

As I've said, I love Austin. His hipster Brooklyn schtick doesn't bug me, but I can understand why it would bug some. Just like Buzzy's Barton Fink look and general pretentiousness made me nearly homicidal.

I sure will be happy to see a category about Hispanic Americans (yesterday's game) that doesn't automatically have Cesar Chavez as the first or second clue. Farm + Hispanic = Chavez has become a Jeopardy! trope.

[Miss Chevious]

I got Izaak Walton, Pillars of the Earth and Washington Post Chaise. Got Mandela for FJ too. Felt bad for Ryan, he didn't stand a chance and Amy gave it the old college try, it's just too bad she couldn't get FJ although with Austin's wager and his correct answer, it wouldn't have made a difference. 

[Toothbrush]

Catching up after a long weekend away. I like Austin's knowledge and wagers, but his histrionics are too OTT. As someone mentioned upthread, a certain caliber of contestant is expected on Jeopardy, in both knowledge & demeanor.  And he doesn't like the Eagles so he is dead to me anyway.

Only the J! round was shown in my city today due to a new conference regarding Las Vegas. 

On 9/29/2017 at 2:52 AM, tvaddict44 said:

Austin is closing in on 40, and at that age to still be preening and prancing around is a little silly. 

This! I find him to be dreadfully immature, and I am barely 5 years older than he is. And I can be silly & immature myself. 

On 9/29/2017 at 3:08 PM, DrScottie said:

Longest career announcer for one show. He's done it since syndicated Jeopardy! started. He's 93! Amazing!

93 - wow! He looks great! 

On 9/29/2017 at 5:07 PM, saber5055 said:

I can't stand the obnoxious Austin, and it irritates me that he is smart -- and quick on the buzzer. He needs to hook up with Dancing Jennifer from a couple seasons ago, then disappear. I might have to stab my eyes out if/when he's on TOC.

Oh Lord! Can you imagine how annoying their offspring would be? 

On 9/29/2017 at 6:19 PM, ClareWalks said:

I think Austin saw how loathed Matt Jackson was on these boards and said "hold my beer." LOL

ROFL!!

On 9/30/2017 at 1:34 AM, Poohbear617 said:

Austin bugs the shit out of me. I thought maybe he has Aspergers, but no..just a douche. There was something  else but I could not put my finger on it, then my sister walked in and said "why is the Unibomber on Jeopardy?".  That's it !!!

Your sister nailed it! 

[M. Darcy]

Quote

I thought of you, @M. Darcy, when the Izaak Walton clue came up!

We are forever joined together.   Curse you Jeopardy writers!   Someone has to really like that bastard.  He comes up way to often for someone probably best known at this point because I won't stop talking about him. 

[Clanstarling]

4 hours ago, tvaddict44 said:

Not that he wasn't already dead to me because of all the foolishness, but when he disrespected school and education as having been no benefit to him with a dismissive "Bah" or "Psst" sound, that was the final straw.  Why did Alex go and ask him what made him so smart (or something equally inane for an interview question) thus giving him the opportunity to be even more obnoxious...

It seems also that the silly gestures at the beginning are getting even longer...

That truly pissed me off. I think (hope) he was trying to be silly - but it sure didn't come off that way. 

Every time he hit a daily double I said "Nooo!" If only the woman (sorry forget her name) had hit some of those, she might of won. Of course, she missed FJ, so maybe not. I missed it too, but I plead too much focus on colonialism (after watching the first episode of the Vietnam documentary). I was all about external influence being cut off, not internal struggles.

[teebax]

4 hours ago, tvaddict44 said:

Not that he wasn't already dead to me because of all the foolishness, but when he disrespected school and education as having been no benefit to him with a dismissive "Bah" or "Psst" sound, that was the final straw.  Why did Alex go and ask him what made him so smart (or something equally inane for an interview question) thus giving him the opportunity to be even more obnoxious...

It seems also that the silly gestures at the beginning are getting even longer...

I got the impression he was kidding. I already dislike him, but as a school teacher that would've sent me over the edge if he weren't! 

Someone that knowledgeable would surely credit some of it to education. 

....And don't call me Shirley.

I didn't get FJ, but it made sense when the correct answer was revealed. I felt bad for the middle contestant; she seemed well-read and started at the top of each category. Maybe she should've done some DD hunting, since that's Austin's strategy. 

Did anyone else notice he was much less annoying when he was behind? Every time he hit a DD, I yelled out, "damn it!"

[peeayebee]

30 minutes ago, M. Darcy said:

We are forever joined together.   Curse you Jeopardy writers!   Someone has to really like that bastard.  He comes up way to often for someone probably best known at this point because I won't stop talking about him. 

I look forward to this Jeopardy clue:

Quote

THIS 17th CENTURY WRITER IS BEST KNOWN AS M.DARCY'S NEMESIS.

[M. Darcy]

Quote

THIS 17th CENTURY WRITER IS BEST KNOWN AS M.DARCY'S NEMESIS.

Awesome!  I so have to get a shirt made with that. 

[DXD526]

Damn, Amy came SO CLOSE. I was slightly amused by Smug Chewbacca's DD hunting. I don't remember him doing that in the past, but Amy clearly put him on edge. His anxiety at not having a huge lead was palpable. I enjoyed it. Too bad it didn't pay off.