The original intent of today's Tuesday TV Touchbase was to focus on Peacemaker and Justified as they both reached the end of their respective journeys but I feel compelled to address the Jeopardy National College Championship and the unfortunate end of another television journey.
Alas and farewell to Isaac Applebaum.
In the past, the syndicated version of Jeopardy has represented tournaments with the following format:
- 5 quarter final games with 15 players with 5 winners and 4 wild cards (the highest earning non-winners) advancing to...
- 3 semi final games with 3 winners advancing to...
- 2 final game to produce 1 champion.
It was a format developed in part by former host Alex Trebek.
The format for the primetime Jeopardy college tournament was a monument to bloated excess.
- 12 (yes, twelve) quarter final games with 36 players with 12 winners advancing to....
- 4 semi final games with 3 winners advancing to...
- 2 final games to produce 1 champion.
Have you spotted the flaw in the math?
Someone who actually won a semi final game would not get to advance to the finals. The lowest earner of the 4 semi-final winners would not get to advance to the finals.
Isaac Applebaum, semi final Jeopardy champion, did not advance to the finals.
I think I detect the lingering stench of disgraced former producer and erstwhile host Mike Richards who probably participated in the negotiation with ABC to deliver X amount of hours of prime time programming.
Leaving the gang left behind to sort through this mess as best they can.
The Jeopardy National College Championship was too long and was a slog to get through which Mayam Bialik's normally joyous charms did little to mitigate.
Andrea and I are big fans of Jeopardy and we never miss an episode. But at the end of this tournament, damn! We were exhausted.
Speaking of Mayam, while I've been on team Ken Jennings from day one to take on the hosting gig, I've also been on board if Mayim Bialik got the host job on the regular.
But with Ken's return to the podium on the regular show and with Mayim hosting the prime time show at the same time, seeing the two immediately contrasted, I in the camp that Ken's easy going manner is more consistent with the whole Jeopardy vibe as opposed to Mayim's overly enthusiastic energy.
OK, coming up later today is Tuesday TV Touchbase Part 2 where I will pontificate on the end of Peacemaker season 1 and the long awaited conclusion of my Justified watch project.
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