Jeopardy! Season 34 (2017-2018)

[GreekGeek]

I know, the Robert Redford TS was shocking. I guess it's silly to expect a category devoted to a 50+ year old show to be spoiler-free, but I kind of wished the synopsis hadn't given away the twist,

I thought someone might jump in with Buddy Holly after Richie Valens was ruled incorrect, since they both died in the same plane crash. I also knew Garfield (missed DD) thanks to Sondheim's Assassins. That show has the best history lessons! Also got matchy-matchy, Maggie Smith and Michael Caine, and Warren G. Harding.  I drew a complete blank on FJ.

I thought it was hilarious that someone thought "Demetria Guynes" was Jack Nicholson's screen name!

[opus]

The unrevealed Twilight Zone question is posted at jeopardy.com

[Miss Chevious]

Count me in with those that can’t believe no one knew Robert Redford. Also got match-ey match-ey, Charles Bronson & James Garner, Maggie Smith & Michael Caine, James Garfield (DD). 

Had no clue for FJ, I barely know my own state’s senators much less those in other states.

Am still beating myself up for not get Buddy Holly. Glad Lindsey’s gone and Flora just seemed like she was bored with the whole thing.

[Browncoat]

I knew Michael Caine, but tried to make so much more from Margaret Smith.  I really didn't think it would be that simple. 

[Ailianna]

27 minutes ago, irisheyes said:

How could they not get FJ?  They gave you the states!!!

 

23 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

FJ took me just a second, mostly because I suck at anagrams.  Also because I live in Virginia, but Kaine came to mind first.  Then I switched to Warner, and then thought, "Oh, shoot, Elizabeth.... Warren!  That's it!"  But if they'd given any other states, I wouldn't have had a clue -- I know my Senators, but not too many others.

 

6 minutes ago, Tunia said:

Surprised by the TS FJ.  Warren/Warner was so easy that we said "Wait...is there any other name we can make out of Markey?"

 

2 minutes ago, Miss Chevious said:

Had no clue for FJ, I barely know my own state’s senators much less those in other states.

I really felt like this was an extremely difficult, and even unfair FJ.  You have to know the names of state senators which, as noted above, it isn't exactly something even educated, interested persons are going to know, and to know the names of 2 of them.  I know who Elizabeth Warren is, but I always think she's from Ohio.   There was no way in hell I was ever going to get it (especially since I started by talking myself out of the automatic assumption that senators from MA are called Kennedy), and I don't know how they expected this to be randomly gettable by people from all over the country with only 30 seconds to think and all the lights.  As we see, even when you get the first half, it doesn't mean you get the second half.

[secnarf]

I'm not American, so I don't know a heck of a lot of senators. I know Elizabeth Warren, but not enough about her to come up with her from the clue. Having said that, when given "Warren" and "anagram", it took me all of two seconds to come up with "Warner".  Never heard of Senator Warner but it just worked with the letters. I'm surprised that, since two people did manage to come up with Warren, they couldn't take that step to get Warner.

[Mondrianyone]

2 hours ago, Ailianna said:

Based on that, however, I'm not sure what evidence Zirkle has to support his conclusion.  I'm going to go with the account of a contemporary at this time over someone 2000 years later who seems to have done a metaphorical autopsy.  But maybe he has more information than is present there.

Suetonius questioned the death account in real time, in the paragraph before the Zirkle mention, on the page you linked.  But that was just incidental to the point I was making anyway, so no big deal.

47 minutes ago, ProudMary said:

I cannot believe that Robert Redford--pictured no less!--was a TS. You've got to be kidding me. He's still acting on a fairly regular basis. He starred in a Netfix original film late in 2017 and was in a Marvel movie just a few years back! I realize it was a young photo of him, but not having gone the plastic surgery route, he still looks like Robert Redford.

And he co-starred with Nick Nolte (don't judge me, but I still love him in spite of everything--I thought he was the handsomest man in the world back in the Rich Man, Poor Man days, even though he looked alarmingly like an adult version of my brother) in the film of Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, and they were wonderful together.

It seems to me we've seen more people of color on the show in the last six months, say, than practically in the whole past decade.  Which is a great thing.  Partly for that reason and mostly because he wasn't irritating, I was happy to see Gilbert win.

ETA:  Shocked that no one got Warren/Warner.  I thought that was super easy.

Edited January 11, 2018 by Mondrianyone
one more thing

[CarpeDiem54]

OMG!  Can't the show coordinators use cattle prods on contestants like the hemming and hawing Lindsay?  Or at least threaten her with butterflies if she doesn't hurry the hell up?  So glad she flamed out.  I'm also glad Flora the slouching retired stripper lost.  So, congrats to Gilbert!  Way too many clues left on the board.

I think Lindsay was one of those contestants who have seen words but don't have a clue how to pronounce them, like shillelagh (pronounced shi lay lee) and Sacagawea.  She mispronounced a couple of other answers, too.

I got Buddy Holly, Anne Lindberg, mind, Robert Redford (WTF?!), hardware and software, Spanish Civil War, Charles Bronson and James Garner, and Maggie Smith and Michael Caine.  I probably would have gotten 10 more if they'd bothered to clear the damned board!

For FJ, all I came up with was Warren.  So whilst I was apparently a genius during the first two rounds, I was a moron at the end.

[saber5055]

This episode opened with a glamour shot of Flora: "I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMille." I wish Lindsay would have played with other contestants who talk and comment constantly, making the game all about them and what they (don't) know. Imagine, three people ughing and oohing and oh yeahing over Trebek's reading of the answers. That would be magical! I'm still bent that the pronunciation she-lah-lah was allowed for shillelagh, when it's she-lay-lee. Yeah, I looked it up. I could have run the Twilight Zone category since I not only watched that show as a kid, I've rewatched it multiple times on Antenna TV. The Shatner Creature-On-The-Wing episode is classic, and I made a point to watch the Redford episode since I've always had a gigantic crush on him. So let me join the Disappointed Redford TS Club here. It was interesting Trebeck hinted that clues were more difficult this year. Did they get some new writers? That FJ was never going to come to me for the reason Ailianna gave. Meanwhile: Yeay Gilbert. Thank GOODNESS you won over "I'm So Haute" Flora and "I Can Say Stuff" Lindsay.

[Spunkygal]

I'm sad that Anne Morrow Lindbergh is always a TS. Not only did no one get her in today's game, but not too long ago, she was the answer to a FJ regarding her writing that no one got. In addition to being an accomplished writer, she is in the National Aviation HOF (and received other aviation recognitions). She led a most interesting life.

[Jesse]

1 hour ago, secnarf said:

I'm not American, so I don't know a heck of a lot of senators. I know Elizabeth Warren, but not enough about her to come up with her from the clue. Having said that, when given "Warren" and "anagram", it took me all of two seconds to come up with "Warner".  Never heard of Senator Warner but it just worked with the letters. I'm surprised that, since two people did manage to come up with Warren, they couldn't take that step to get Warner.

Yeah, I'm not great at anagrams, but I am surprised that they couldn't get to Warner from Warren, given they had Warren. (Whether or not contestants should be expected to know Elizabeth Warren is from Massachusetts is another question.)

[partofme]

I think I know the names of more Senators than the average American but all I could come up with were Warren and Kane, I had no clue who the other two were other than being fairly sure they were dems.

[Sharpie66]

I’ve been a presidential assassination geek since I was a kid, so I was flabbergasted at the miss on Garfield. (FYI, PBS recently had a great show, maybe on Nova?, about his shooting and lingering death.) Also bummed they didn’t clear the Twilight Zone category.

[secnarf]

6 minutes ago, Sharpie66 said:

I’ve been a presidential assassination geek since I was a kid, so I was flabbergasted at the miss on Garfield. (FYI, PBS recently had a great show, maybe on Nova?, about his shooting and lingering death.) Also bummed they didn’t clear the Twilight Zone category.

I am nowhere near a "presidential assassination geek". I'm not even American. I still got Garfield easily. There were 4 presidents who were assassinated; it's not hard to know the rough timeframe of each. McKinley was around the turn of the century.

[saber5055]

Sharpie, I watched that PBS show on Garfield but forgot which president the show was about. I could tell you all the details, just not the president's name. I have selective Alzheimer's I guess. As for Virginia Senator John Warner, he was married to Elizabeth Taylor for a while, it was HUUUUUGE (!) news in the day. Then there's Mark Warner, no relation, also a senator from Virginia. So I guess Warner was enough of an answer. That or Kit Warner. Ugh, thinking about that FJ hurts my brain.

[peeayebee]

I too got Garfield. Having read a biography of him a few years ago helped. 

Like everyone else, I was shocked that no one knew Robert Redford. The only other TS I got was Maggie Smith & Michael Caine.

For FJ, I first thought of Warner for a Senator from Virginia. Oddly, it took me a moment to think, "Now what are the senators of Massachusetts?... Elizabeth Warren!"

Flora reminded me of Elvira.

[lb60]

Dear Alex,

Whenever you say $10,000, or a lesser amount, is not a big win, I want to punch you in the throat, you twit.

Signed, 

Someone who would be grateful to win that amount for not even one day's work.

Dear Flora, 

Stand up straight. Also, you're on Jeopardy, not Porn Stars!

Signed,

A concerned (and slightly horrified at that opening pose) viewer.

Add me to the how in the hell do three people not know Robert Redford when they show a picture of him group.  

I got Garfield and I think a few others that I'm forgetting.

Got stuck on Kaine for FJ and could not work my way out of that.  Considering how much MSNBC I watch, I'm ashamed of myself.

Congrats to Gilbert.

Edited January 11, 2018 by lb60

[ProudMary]

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

At that point, I wanted Alex to press a trap door button to get rid of all three of them and quickly usher in new contestants.

 

2 hours ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

OMG!  Can't the show coordinators use cattle prods on contestants like the hemming and hawing Lindsay?  

I would most definitely watch the alternative versions of Jeopardy! that you two are creating!

[Tunia]

^^^LOL - Sounds like an intellectual version of The Gong Show.

[saber5055]

I would be a BIG FAN of that new quiz show hosted by Spunky and Carpe. Plus a $10,000 win on your show will be considered a great achievement, right? I'm in!

[Sharpie66]

There are certain categories that I think all Jeopardy contestants have to be well versed in to even make the show. US presidents is one, world geography is another, and movies is a third, with many others (opera, sports teams/stadia, and a good grounding in math and science) helping to improve your chances of winning. I will admit that several of these are ones I would have to bone up on before trying out!

[DrScottie]

4 hours ago, Sharpie66 said:

I’ve been a presidential assassination geek since I was a kid, so I was flabbergasted at the miss on Garfield.

Both McKinley and Garfield were from Ohio and both were assassinated. It's not that unreasonable a guess. I thought it too at first given the recent news about naming Denali back to Mt. McKinley but realized the date was off. 

1 hour ago, forumfish said:

Robert Redford being a TS made me sad, and reminded me of a time when I mentioned Rock Hudson in a conversation with my best friend and her reply was, "does he go to our school?"

They need to watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Great movie. 

6 hours ago, Tunia said:

Surprised by the TS FJ.  Warren/Warner was so easy that we said "Wait...is there any other name we can make out of Markey?"

 Being from Massachusetts, I got it quickly, but I also thought about Senator Merkley and realized it while close it's not an anagram and he's from Oregon not Virginia. 

3 hours ago, lb60 said:

Dear Alex,

Whenever you say $10,000, or a lesser amount, is not a big win, I want to punch you in the throat, you twit.

Signed, 

Someone who would be grateful to win that amount for not even one day's work.

He's upset with the lack of big wins this season. Too bad, so sad. 

[Mystery Author]

Quote

(if it's a biblical insect, it has to be a locust!)

Yup. I can't even think of other one. I'm surprised Lindsay didn't say "Butterfly."

Quote

They need to watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Great movie. 

It is a great movie, but Redford had a mustache. How about The Sting, an even better movie? And he looked just like his freakin' picture! Oh, and All the President's Men and my fave favorite The Candidate. Why yes, I'm a Redford fan.

Mr. Author beat me to Buddy Holly.

I did get FJ, but I [finally] figured it out while Alex was checking the wrong answers.

I agree it was a boring game, but I like the new champ and was glad to get rid of Ms. Um.

[Toothbrush]

So over these slow-ass people. Two games in a row that not only was the board not cleared, but only 1 DD was uncovered in DJ. 

Glad Lindsey was a one & done. She & Matt's category hopping in DJ was annoying me. 

TS I got Tuesday were John Anniston, locust, Encyclopedia Brown, Donald O'Conner, Donald Fagan (Walker Beckett - another timely death reference in a clue)

FJ was an instaget, but I thought the name was spelled Pliney, and pronounced with a long I as opposed to short. Don't know if that would have caused me to be ruled incorrect since the e would change the prononciation.

TS I got for Wednesday were Buddy Holly, Robert Redford (WTF - there was a picture, and the man looks the same), hardware/software, matchy-matchy, Spanish Civil War, Charles Bronson & James Garner

My FJ thought process: "Warren, that's one. The only VA senator I know is Liz's ex, but I don't know if he is still in the Senate. What was his name? Warner! Oh shit, it fits the clue! He must still be a Senator".  No way would I have had time to write Warner, and turns out I was right for the wrong reason...lol 

Like Gilbert, hope he sticks around. 

8 hours ago, Kimmmmmm said:

Expected Flora to be introduced as "retired adult film actress..."

LMAO! 

[GreekGeek]

1 hour ago, Toothbrush said:

FJ was an instaget, but I thought the name was spelled Pliney, and pronounced with a long I as opposed to short. Don't know if that would have caused me to be ruled incorrect since the e would change the prononciation.

 

Hard to tell nowadays, but I don't think so. Years ago I saw a New Yorker cartoon--I think it was by Roz Chast--showing three Romans, "Pliny the Elder," "Pliny the Younger," and "Pliny the Tiny." The latter was the size of a Ken doll. So if a national magazine for sophisticated people (or those who want to seem like sophisticated people) can publish a cartoon like that, I think your "Pliney" would be allowed.

[ProudMary]

5 hours ago, forumfish said:

Robert Redford being a TS made me sad, and reminded me of a time when I mentioned Rock Hudson in a conversation with my best friend and her reply was, "does he go to our school?"

Yet they got the Rock Hudson question even though he died more than 30 years ago!  Makes the Redford TS even more incomprehensible.  Go figure. ?

[HissyFit]

2 hours ago, tvaddict44 said:

....

The Michael Caine - Maggie Smith movie referenced is one of my favorites.  Wonderful line: When they're about to depart for the award show where Maggie is nominated , Michael's character says "Let me rub your hump for luck!"  My husband uses that line on me sometimes for kicks...

If he continues to do it, you're not kicking him hard enough.

[Conotocarious]

Final jeopardy was so easy I was surprised Alex called it hard. But I live in Virginia. As for Warren, if you paid any attention at all to national politics especially during the last election, you should know who she is and where she’s from. 

Edited January 11, 2018 by Conotocarious

[Clanstarling]

On 1/9/2018 at 6:29 PM, Fex said:

I thought so at first, and that's what I said (why do I know that? I wasn't even guessing but I can't figure out how) but I suppose the clue said he was the younger one by mentioning his uncle. Still I would definitely have written it just in case!

It's already been covered, but I think the full designation should have been used, because uncles don't necessarily have the same name, and aren't necessarily older (my father's uncle was much younger)

14 hours ago, illdoc said:

Can't believe Robert Redford was a TS (granted, an old picture, but still). Not to mention "the fifth dimension--mind". I also could have sworn she answered "sha-lay-lo" instead of "sha-lay-lee" (I know, I'm bad at spelling, that's why I did it phonetically---the Irish club) and was surprised when we came back after the break and her score wasn't deducted.

I heard "la" at the end, and was gobsmacked when they didn't take money away.

13 hours ago, Kimmmmmm said:

Expected Flora to be introduced as "retired adult film actress..."

Snicker. She was pretty sultry there, leaning on that podium and shaking her goods now and then.

 

4 hours ago, Toothbrush said:

My FJ thought process: "Warren, that's one. The only VA senator I know is Liz's ex, but I don't know if he is still in the Senate. What was his name? Warner! Oh shit, it fits the clue! He must still be a Senator".  No way would I have had time to write Warner, and turns out I was right for the wrong reason...lol 

Almost exactly the same process, except that I figured Warner's son was now senator. Though so far as my very quick search seems to indicate, he's not related - but he did replace Liz's ex. (in 2008)

[graybrown bird]

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia is also in the news quite a bit these days as he is a leading minority figure on the Senate committee investigating possible Russian involvement in the 2016 election.

[GalvDuck]

Is it just me or should they have gotten McKinley since the butterflyophobe guessed it incorrectly earlier in a different question and Alex specifically said it was 20 years later?  

[Wordsworth]

Yeah, I had to laugh when Alex said that the contestants' inability to get higher numbers meant the questions are harder.  No, it just means the contestants are slower.  Good Lord, people, this is "Jeopardy!", not "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire".  You don't have all day to answer.

[PaulaO]

I had no clue as to FJ! but I have no knowledge of or interest in politics.  I like the new champ.  I like his name (Gilbert!  Blythe???) and he's a cheesehead.  Flora was....odd... but her story about living with cannibals was interesting.

[Sharpie66]

9 hours ago, Mystery Author said:

It is a great movie, but Redford had a mustache. How about The Sting, an even better movie? And he looked just like his freakin' picture! Oh, and All the President's Men and my fave favorite The Candidate. Why yes, I'm a Redford fan.

The Sting was the first “grown-up” movie I saw in the theaters (I was 7 when it was released). It left me with a lifelong love of the grifter genre, men in hats, and Newman and Redford, in particular. When I was around 12, I had a lifesized poster of Redford on my bedroom door. Yum. 

[saber5055]

"Pliny the Tiny" made me snort out loud, which scared my dogs. So thanks for that.

I should have said, "woke up my dogs." I seldom do anything that scares them.

[Browncoat]

That was a tricksy FJ, and I'm glad end girl will get a second chance.  At least I assume it was end girl, since she missed it.  I didn't get it either, although I knew it was something from last year -- just couldn't remember which one.  And I saw all of the Oscar-nominated movies last year, too!

They seemed to be fairly fast at picking clues, and still the board wasn't cleared.  I think the writers need to shorten the category names.  But there were quite a lot of TS, too, which eats up time.  I managed several of the TS, including taro, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, brass, creature feature, Nice, Miles Standish and stereo.

[ClareWalks]

The lady guessing "Eminem" for the picture of Jack White has become a meme on Twitter among my friends. Better guesses: Johnny Depp, Michael Jackson, and "the mask from V for Vendetta."

[DrScottie]

2 minutes ago, Browncoat said:

That was a tricksy FJ, and I'm glad end girl will get a second chance.  At least I assume it was end girl, since she missed it.  I didn't get it either, although I knew it was something from last year -- just couldn't remember which one.  And I saw all of the Oscar-nominated movies last year, too!

They seemed to be fairly fast at picking clues, and still the board wasn't cleared.  I think the writers need to shorten the category names.  But there were quite a lot of TS, too, which eats up time.  I managed several of the TS, including taro, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, brass, creature feature, Nice, Miles Standish and stereo.

Ir was Rebecca, the end lady, who would have had $15,175 dollars had she answered correctly beating Gilbert's amount of $14,399. If Gilbert had the right answer, she wouldn't have been invited back as he would have had $15,201 and won anyway.

I got most of the other TS but couldn't remember taro. 

[Miss Chevious]

Tonight I got TS taro, Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Turn of The Screw, tulips, stereo and Nice DD. Had no idea for FJ. Glad Gilbert’s bet was low so he won again, though I’m glad the lady on the end will be coming back later. 

[GreekGeek]

I missed something--why was Rebecca invited back?

[BuckeyeLou]

11 minutes ago, ClareWalks said:

The lady guessing "Eminem" for the picture of Jack White has become a meme on Twitter among my friends. Better guesses: Johnny Depp, Michael Jackson, and "the mask from V for Vendetta."

I'm an "Oldster" and even I know what Eminem looks like & that was not him!  That answer made me laugh :)

[saber5055]

My mouth fell open and I was gobsmacked that Eminem was mistaken for Jack White. I for sure can see that becoming a meme, it was a true WTH moment, one of the best ever on this show. I guess the woman could only think of one Detroit artist, and it wasn't Jack White. I can see that clip going viral, too.

LOL at "the mask from V for Vendetta."

[CarpeDiem54]

Congrats to Gilbert!  I guess you just have to complain that FJ wasn't specific enough to get invited back?  Whatever.

I got tulips, creature feature, Nice (missed DD), and stereo.  I had no idea who that creepy looking dude was, but I knew it wasn't Eminem.

FJ was an instaget.

[teebax]

14 minutes ago, CarpeDiem54 said:

Congrats to Gilbert!  I guess you just have to complain that FJ wasn't specific enough to get invited back?  Whatever.

I got tulips, creature feature, Nice (missed DD), and stereo.  I had no idea who that creepy looking dude was, but I knew it wasn't Eminem.

FJ was an instaget.

I'd have to see the wording again, but if they asked about a movie produced by a streaming service instead of distributed by it I'm fine with bringing back the contestant. I wouldn't have known it regardless, but it should've been worded properly I think. 

I had quite a few gets tonight. I had Sleepy Hollow, Turn of the Screw, brass, creature feature, Nice, Miles Standish, and stereo. 

36 minutes ago, BuckeyeLou said:

I'm an "Oldster" and even I know what Eminem looks like & that was not him!  That answer made me laugh :)

Ditto for me. I'd like to see the memes. That was a really bad guess. 

[opus]

Ugh. I had just seen Valerie Bertinelli's The Haunting of Helen Walker , which is based on The Turn of the Screw, but I yelled out The Taming of the Shrew.

[dcalley]

@GreekGeek, there is an explanation here: https://thejeopardyfan.com/2018/01/final-jeopardy-1-11-2018.html

Julie didn't even see the Jack White picture. And they could have picked a better one--yikes!

[Jesse]

Elizabeth Warren on Facebook:

Quote

Mark Warner and I have a lot in common, and it’s not just our last names. He graduated from George Washington University; I dropped out of George Washington University. He attended Harvard Law School; I taught at Harvard Law School. He founded a wildly successful telecom company; I own a cell phone.

We also find ways to work together. Just yesterday, Mark and I introduced an important new bill to hold credit reporting agencies like Equifax accountable and help prevent another data breach that threatens your personal credit. Even if (ALL THREE?!?!) Jeopardy! contestants couldn’t remember our names last night, you can bet that we’re fighting to level the playing field for working people in Massachusetts, Virginia, and people all across the country.

https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethWarren/videos/10155433902578687/

[Tunia]

Plus:  (from Wiki)

Mark Warner is

Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus

Incumbent

Assumed office
January 3, 2017
Serving with Elizabeth Warren

[saber5055]

Jesse. that Elizabeth Warren FB post is golden, thanks for putting it here. I did a true LOL that she "owns a cell phone." And dcalley, I wondered if Julie saw that picture of Jack White. The camera cut away as she was exclaiming and gesturing to the contestant beside her, which made me wonder if she didn't know there was a picture -- I'm not sure how this show works, how players are made aware they need to look ... elsewhere ... to get their clue. Which brings me back to her guess of Eminem, who is also from Detroit. So, I cut her some slack. She shoulda gotten a mulligan just like the person who gets a show do-over after FJ. (Maybe it's the same person, I don't know.)

[lb60]

8 hours ago, Sharpie66 said:

The Sting was the first “grown-up” movie I saw in the theaters (I was 7 when it was released). It left me with a lifelong love of the grifter genre, men in hats, and Newman and Redford, in particular. When I was around 12, I had a lifesized poster of Redford on my bedroom door. Yum. 

The Sting is my favorite movie of all time.  I saw it probably ten times when it was released.  Didn't matter that I already knew the ending, I could not get enough of that movie.

Horrible game for me tonight.  I could not get my brain to work.  Only thing I got was Nice (DD).  I said The Social Network for FJ, but was pretty sure I was wrong. And I was, so, yay me!

Congrats again to Gilbert.