History of Jeopardy! in Timeline
Jeopardy! is an American quiz game show created by Merv Griffin, distinguished by its unique format. Contestants are presented with general knowledge clues formatted as answers, and their task is to deduce the corresponding question. This reversal of the traditional question-and-answer dynamic sets Jeopardy! apart. The show tests contestants' breadth of knowledge across various subjects, rewarding quick thinking and accurate recall. The game consists of multiple rounds where contestants accumulate money by correctly answering clues. The contestant with the most money at the end of the game wins and has the opportunity to play in Final Jeopardy!.
July 1941: CBS Television Quiz Airs
In July 1941, the Gil Fates-hosted program CBS Television Quiz aired using a similar format of giving contestants the answers and requiring the questions.
May 1942: CBS Television Quiz Ends
In May 1942, the CBS Television Quiz program concluded its run.
1963: Merv Griffin's Account of Show Creation
In a 1963 Associated Press profile, Merv Griffin provided an account of how he created the Jeopardy! quiz show.
March 30, 1964: Original Daytime Version Debut
On March 30, 1964, the original daytime version of Jeopardy! debuted on NBC.
1964: Milton Bradley Jeopardy! Board Game Release
From 1964, Milton Bradley began issuing annual board games based on the original Jeopardy! version.
1964: Art Fleming Hosting Begins
In 1964, Art Fleming began hosting all versions of Jeopardy!.
1964: Jeopardy! Theme Music
Since the debut of Jeopardy! in 1964, several songs and arrangements have been used as the theme music, most of which were composed by Griffin. The main theme for the original Jeopardy! series was "Take Ten", composed by Griffin's wife Julann.
1964: Original Jeopardy! Series
The original Jeopardy! series premiered on NBC on March 30, 1964.
1967: Archived Episodes
Various episodes from 1967 are listed among the holdings of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
1971: Archived Episodes
Various episodes from 1971 are listed among the holdings of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
February 21, 1972: Episode No. 2,000 Exists
Episode No. 2,000 from February 21, 1972, in color, exists at the Paley Center for Media.
1973: Archived Episodes
Various episodes from 1973 are listed among the holdings of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
September 1974: Nighttime Syndicated Edition Airs
In September 1974, a nighttime syndicated edition of Jeopardy! began airing weekly.
1974: Show Moved Out of Noontime Slot
In 1974, Lin Bolen moved the original Jeopardy! series out of the noontime slot as part of her effort to boost ratings among the 18–34 female demographic.
1974: Archived Episodes
Various episodes from 1974 are listed among the holdings of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
January 3, 1975: Original Daytime Version End
On January 3, 1975, the original daytime version of Jeopardy! concluded its run on NBC.
June 1975: Syndicated Edition Episode Exists
A June 1975 episode of the weekly syndicated edition of Jeopardy! exists at the Paley Center for Media.
September 1975: Nighttime Syndicated Edition End
In September 1975, the nighttime syndicated edition of Jeopardy! ended.
1976: Milton Bradley Jeopardy! Board Game End of Run
In 1976, Milton Bradley stopped issuing annual board games based on the original Jeopardy! version, with a single release in 1982.
1977: Pilot Taped for CBS
In 1977, a pilot was taped for CBS, and the premiere exists among the Paley Center's holdings.
October 2, 1978: The All-New Jeopardy! Premieres
On October 2, 1978, The All-New Jeopardy! premiered on NBC.
October 1978: "The All-New Jeopardy!" Revival
In October 1978, a revival of the show, named "The All-New Jeopardy!", started airing on NBC.
1978: John Harlan Announcer
In 1978, John Harlan announced for Jeopardy!.
March 2, 1979: The All-New Jeopardy! Ends
On March 2, 1979, The All-New Jeopardy! ended after airing 108 episodes.
March 1979: "The All-New Jeopardy!" Ends
In March 1979, "The All-New Jeopardy!" ended its run on NBC.
1979: Art Fleming Hosting Ends
In 1979, Art Fleming's tenure as host of all versions of Jeopardy! concluded.
1982: Milton Bradley Jeopardy! Board Game One-Off Release
In 1982, Milton Bradley issued one more board game based on the original Jeopardy! version.
1983: Greg Kihn's "Jeopardy" Hit Song Release
In 1983, Greg Kihn released the hit song "Jeopardy", which was later parodied by "Weird Al" Yankovic.
September 10, 1984: Syndicated Show Premiere
On September 10, 1984, the daily syndicated version of Jeopardy!, familiar to modern viewers, premiered.
1984: Vacation Packages and Merchandise
From 1984 to 2002, non-winning contestants on the Trebek version of Jeopardy! received vacation packages and merchandise donated by manufacturers as promotional consideration.
1984: Return of Jeopardy!
In 1984 when the series returned, the top prize awarded to the winner was originally valued at $100,000.
1984: Alex Trebek Hosting Begins
In 1984, Alex Trebek began hosting the daily syndicated version of Jeopardy! with Johnny Gilbert as announcer.
1984: Alex Trebek's Jeopardy! Premiere
In 1984, Alex Trebek's Jeopardy! premiered. It is featured on the Jeopardy!: An Inside Look at America's Favorite Quiz Show DVD.
1984: "Weird Al" Yankovic's Parody Song Release
In 1984, American musician "Weird Al" Yankovic satirized the 1960s version of Jeopardy! with his single "I Lost on Jeopardy".
1984: Trebek Version Premieres
In 1984, the Trebek version of Jeopardy! premiered, featuring a game board that used individual television monitors for each clue within categories.
1984: Original Clue Values
In 1984, when the syndicated Jeopardy! series began, the clue values ranged from $100 to $500 in Jeopardy! and $200 to $1,000 in Double Jeopardy!.
1984: Written Exam for Contestants
Since 1984, prospective Jeopardy! contestants begin with a written exam comprising 50 questions.
1984: "Think!" Used as Main Theme
Since the syndicated version of Jeopardy! debuted in 1984, a rendition of the tune "Think!" has been used as the main theme song.
1984: Daily Syndicated Version Debuts
The daily syndicated version of Jeopardy! debuted on September 10, 1984, in response to the success of the syndicated version of Wheel of Fortune.
1984: Ringing in Allowed
Until the end of the 1984-85 season, contestants were allowed to ring in as soon as the clue was revealed.
September 1985: Ringing-In Rule Change
Since September 1985, contestants must wait until the clue is read before ringing in; lights were added to the game board to signal when it is permissible to signal.
1985: Set Design Changes
From 1985, Jeopardy! sets were designed to have a background color of blue for the Jeopardy! round and red for the Double Jeopardy! and Final Jeopardy! rounds.
1985: "Forrest Bounce" Strategy
In 1985, Chuck Forrest first used the "Forrest Bounce" strategy, where contestants randomly pick clues to confuse opponents.
1985: Record Lowest Jeopardy! Score
In 1985, Joan Kantor set the record lowest Jeopardy! score at -$5,100 during Season 1.
1985: Tournament of Champions Format
The Tournament of Champions format, devised by Alex Trebek, has been used since the first tournament in 1985.
1989: Fleming criticizes syndicated Jeopardy!
In 1989, original host Art Fleming expressed his dissatisfaction with the daily syndicated Jeopardy! series in an essay published in Sports Illustrated. He criticized the Hollywood setting and the changes made to the show.
1989: Trebek-hosted Jeopardy! episodes collected
Starting in 1989, copies of 43 Trebek-hosted syndicated Jeopardy! episodes aired between 1989 and 2004 have been collected by the UCLA Archive.
1990: Super Jeopardy! aired on ABC
In 1990, Super Jeopardy! aired on ABC, featuring 35 top contestants from previous seasons of the Trebek version and one champion from the original series, competing for a $250,000 top prize.
1991: New Grid-Resembling Set
In 1991, Jeopardy! introduced a brand new set that resembled a grid.
1991: Monitors Upgraded
In 1991, the original television monitors on the Jeopardy! game board were replaced with larger and sleeker ones.
1991: Seniors Tournament Quarterfinals Incident
In the quarterfinals of the 1991 Seniors Tournament, no contestant ended with a positive score, resulting in an additional wild card contestant advancing.
1992: White Men Can't Jump Subplot
In 1992, the film White Men Can't Jump featured a subplot about a character competing on Jeopardy!
January 19, 1993: Scott wins a game
On January 19, 1993, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Darryl Scott won a game with the lowest amount possible, at $1.
1993: Tenth Anniversary Tournament
In 1993, Jeopardy! held the Tenth Anniversary Tournament.
1993: Jeopardy! named best game show of the 1970s by TV Guide
In its April 17–23, 1993, issue, TV Guide named Jeopardy! the best game show of the 1970s as part of a celebration of the magazine's 40th anniversary.
1994: Jeopardy! called an American icon
By 1994, the press had begun referring to Jeopardy! as "an American icon".
1994: GSN reruns Jeopardy! episodes
In 1994, GSN, an affiliate of Sony Pictures Television, began rerunning episodes of Jeopardy! since the channel's launch.
1994: Production Location Change
Since 1994, Jeopardy! contestants are required to travel to the production location in Culver City, California, making travel and lodging arrangements at their own expense.
November 11, 1996: New Set Designed by Naomi Slodki
On November 11, 1996, Jeopardy! introduced the first of several sets designed by Naomi Slodki, intended to resemble "the foyer of a very contemporary library, with wood and sandblasted glass and blue granite".
1996: Start of Celebrity Jeopardy! Sketches
In 1996, Saturday Night Live began featuring the recurring Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch.
1996: First International Tournament
In 1996, the first International Tournament was held, featuring champions from international versions of Jeopardy!, with a top prize of $25,000.
April 1, 1997: Host Switch as April Fool's Joke
On April 1, 1997, Alex Trebek and Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak switched places as an April Fool's joke.
April 30, 1997: Salisbury wins a game
On April 30, 1997, Benjamin Salisbury won a Celebrity Jeopardy! episode with $1.
1997: Main Theme Rearranged
In 1997, the main Jeopardy! theme and Final Jeopardy! "Think!" cue were rearranged by Steve Kaplan.
1997: Second International Tournament
In 1997, the second International Tournament took place, recorded in Stockholm on the set of the Swedish version of Jeopardy!, and featured a top prize of $25,000.
1997: End of Background Colors
In 1997, the sets no longer had a background color of blue for the Jeopardy! round and red for the Double Jeopardy! and Final Jeopardy! rounds.
1998: Jeopardy! Official Website Launch
As early as 1998, Jeopardy!'s official website was active.
1998: Rock & Roll Jeopardy! and Jep! Debut
In 1998, Rock & Roll Jeopardy! debuted on VH1 and Jep!, a children's version, aired on GSN.
1998: "Jeopardy! Brain Bus" Introduced
Since 1998, a Winnebago recreational vehicle dubbed the "Jeopardy! Brain Bus" travels to conduct regional contestant search events throughout the United States and Canada.
1999: Jep! Ends
Jep!, a children's version of Jeopardy!, aired on GSN during the 1998–1999 season.
December 31, 1999: GSN Aired Finale of 'The All-New Jeopardy!'
On December 31, 1999, GSN aired the finale of The All-New Jeopardy! as part of its "Y2Play" marathon.
2000: Rutter wins regular episodes and cars
In 2000, Brad Rutter won $55,102, including the value of two cars worth $45,000, over five regular episodes of Jeopardy!.
January 2001: Jeopardy! ranked #2 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest Game Shows list
In January 2001, TV Guide ranked Jeopardy! number 2 on its "50 Greatest Game Shows" list, second only to The Price Is Right.
February 9, 2001: Chastain wins a game
On February 9, 2001, Brandi Chastain won a Celebrity Jeopardy! episode with $1.
November 26, 2001: Clue Values Increased
On November 26, 2001, the clue values in Jeopardy! were increased to $200–$1,000 in the Jeopardy! round and $400–$2,000 in the Double Jeopardy! round.
2001: Rutter wins Tournament of Champions
In 2001, Brad Rutter won the $100,000 first-place prize in the Tournament of Champions.
2001: Main Theme Rearranged Again
In 2001, the Jeopardy! main theme was rearranged again by Steve Kaplan.
2001: Third International Tournament
In 2001, the third International Tournament was held, featuring champions from each of the international versions of Jeopardy!, with a top prize of $50,000.
2001: Rock & Roll Jeopardy! Ends
Rock & Roll Jeopardy! ended on VH1 in 2001.
May 16, 2002: Cash Consolation Prizes
Since May 16, 2002, non-winning contestants receive cash consolation prizes: $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place.
2002: Rutter wins Million Dollar Masters Tournament
In 2002, Brad Rutter won the $1 million first-place prize in the Million Dollar Masters Tournament.
2002: Celebrity Jeopardy! Hiatus
In 2002, Saturday Night Live's recurring Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch went on hiatus, but reappeared on special occasions until 2015.
2002: Another New Set Introduced
In 2002, another new set was introduced for Jeopardy!.
2002: Non-Cash Prizes End
In 2002, non-winning contestants on Jeopardy! stopped receiving vacation packages and merchandise as prizes.
September 8, 2003: Five-Day Limit Eliminated
On September 8, 2003, the five-day limit for consecutive wins was eliminated, allowing contestants to win indefinitely.
December 2003: Steve Kaplan's Death
In December 2003, Steve Kaplan, who served as music director for Jeopardy! died.
2003: Top prize increased
In 2003, the top prize for the Tournament of Champions increased to $250,000.
2003: Five-Time Champion Rule Removed
Prior to 2003, a five-time champion would retire and return to the Tournament of Champions.
2003: Tie-Breaker Seed
Since the removal of the five-game limit in 2003, in the unlikely case of a tie in total winnings between two Tournament of Champions players, the player who won the most games receives the higher seed.
November 30, 2004: Ken Jennings' winning streak ends
On November 30, 2004, Ken Jennings' 74-game winning streak on Jeopardy! came to an end when he was defeated by Nancy Zerg.
2004: Trebek-hosted Jeopardy! episodes collected
Copies of 43 Trebek-hosted syndicated Jeopardy! episodes aired between 1989 and 2004 have been collected by the UCLA Archive.
2004: Kevin Mitnick Wins Hacker Jeopardy
In 2004, Kevin Mitnick won 'Hacker Jeopardy' at the DEF CON hacker conference in Las Vegas.
2004: Cash Prizes Sponsored
Since 2004, a presenting sponsor has provided cash prizes to the losing contestants on Jeopardy!.
November 8, 2005: Jeopardy!: An Inside Look DVD Release
On November 8, 2005, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the DVD Jeopardy!: An Inside Look at America's Favorite Quiz Show.
2005: Ultimate Tournament of Champions
In 2005, Jeopardy! featured the 15-week Ultimate Tournament of Champions, with 145 former champions competing for a $2,000,000 prize.
2005: Jennings wins second place in Ultimate Tournament of Champions
In 2005, Ken Jennings won the second-place prize of $500,000 in the Ultimate Tournament of Champions.
2006: Transition to High-Definition Broadcasts
In 2006, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune transitioned to high-definition broadcasts, with slight modifications to the set. The HD improvements represented a combined investment of approximately $4 million.
2006: Award categories removed
In 2006, the categories of Outstanding Direction for a Game/Audience Participation Show and Outstanding Special Class Writing were removed from the Daytime Emmy Awards.
2006: Video Wall Introduced
In 2006, the television monitors were discarded in favor of a nearly seamless projection video wall.
2006: Jeopardy! ranked #2 on GSN's 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time
In the summer of 2006, Jeopardy! was ranked number 2 on GSN's list of the 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time, second only to Match Game.
March 16, 2007: Three-Way Tie
On March 16, 2007, a three-way (non-zero) tie for first place occurred on the syndicated version hosted by Trebek, between Scott Weiss, Jamey Kirby, and Anders Martinson, who all ended the game with $16,000.
2008: Music Package Rearranged
In 2008, the Jeopardy! music package was rearranged again, this time by Chris Bell Music & Sound Design.
November 2009: Jeopardy! Premier Club Launch
In November 2009, Jeopardy! launched the "Jeopardy! Premier Club" viewer loyalty program.
2009: "Think!" Named Best Game Show Theme Song
During GSN's 2009 Game Show Awards special, the Jeopardy! theme song "Think!" was named "Best Game Show Theme Song".
2009: Richter wins in Celebrity Jeopardy!
In 2009, Andy Richter achieved the highest single-day winnings in a Celebrity Jeopardy! tournament, finishing with $68,000 for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
2009: Jeopardy! Set Updated
In 2009, Jeopardy! updated its set once again. The new set debuted with special episodes taped at the 42nd annual International CES technology trade show.
2009: HD Monitors Replace Video Wall
In 2009, the nearly seamless projection video wall was replaced with 36 high-definition flat-panel monitors manufactured by Sony Electronics.
2010: New Set Becomes Primary
In 2010, the new set that debuted at CES became the primary set for Jeopardy! when the 2009–2010 season began.
2010: Craig held single-day winnings record
Since 2010, Roger Craig held the single-day winnings record of $77,000.
February 2011: IBM Challenge airs
In February 2011, the IBM Challenge aired, featuring IBM's Watson computer competing against Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter in a two-game match. Watson won the grand prize of $1 million, which IBM divided between two charities.
June 17, 2011: Trebek receives Lifetime Achievement Award
On June 17, 2011, Alex Trebek shared the Lifetime Achievement Award with Pat Sajak at the 38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards ceremony.
July 2011: Jeopardy! Premier Club Discontinued
In July 2011, the Jeopardy! Premier Club was discontinued.
September 20, 2011: Jeopardy! Hall of Fame added to Sony Pictures Studios tour
On September 20, 2011, a hall of fame honoring Jeopardy! was added to the Sony Pictures Studios tour.
2011: Jennings wins second place in IBM Challenge
In 2011, Ken Jennings won the $300,000 second-place prize in the IBM Challenge.
2012: About.com Praises Jeopardy! Website
In 2012, About.com praised the official Jeopardy! website for its comprehensive information and interactive elements.
2013: Another New Set Introduced
In 2013, Jeopardy! introduced another new set.
2013: TV Guide Ranking
In 2013, Jeopardy! was ranked No. 45 on TV Guide's list of the 60 greatest shows in American television history.
2013: Jeopardy! Ranked Number 1
In 2013, the program ranked number 1 on TV Guide's list of the 60 Greatest Game Shows.
2013: Teen Tournament Semifinals Incident
In the 2013 Teen Tournament, the triple zero loss happened in the second semifinal, which allowed the third semifinal to be played differently from the first.
2013: Tournament of Champions Format Change
Starting with the 2013 Tournament of Champions, semifinal games, like the two-game finals, must have a winner.
January 29, 2014: Arthur Chu's Tie Wager
On the January 29, 2014, episode, Arthur Chu wagered to tie challenger Carolyn Collins rather than winning, following advice to increase the leader's chances of winning.
November 24, 2014: Tie-Breaker Clue Introduced
Since November 24, 2014, ties for first place following Final Jeopardy! are broken with a tie-breaker clue.
2014: Holzhauer appears on The Chase
In 2014, James Holzhauer appeared on The Chase.
2014: 30th-anniversary Battle of the Decades tournament
In 2014, Jeopardy! held the 30th-anniversary Battle of the Decades tournament.
2014: Jennings wins second place in Battle of the Decades
In 2014, Ken Jennings won the $123,600 second-place prize in the Battle of the Decades.
2014: SNL's Black Jeopardy! Debut
In 2014, Saturday Night Live started parodying Jeopardy! with the recurring sketch, Black Jeopardy!
2014: Sports Jeopardy! Premieres
Sports Jeopardy!, hosted by Dan Patrick, premiered in 2014 on the Crackle digital service.
2015: End of Special Celebrity Jeopardy! Sketches
In 2015, Saturday Night Live ceased featuring Celebrity Jeopardy! sketches on special occasions.
2015: Stephanie Hull's Low Score
In 2015, Stephanie Hull set the fourth-lowest score at -$6,800; her episode also featured a rare Final Jeopardy with only one contestant.
2016: Sports Jeopardy! Moved to NBCSN
In 2016, Sports Jeopardy! moved to the cable sports network NBCSN.
October 17, 2017: Abell wins a game
On October 17, 2017, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Manny Abell won a Jeopardy! game with the lowest amount possible, at $1.
March 1, 2018: Regular Game Tie-Breaker
Until March 1, 2018, no regular game of Jeopardy! had ended in a tie-breaker.
April 9, 2019: Holzhauer surpasses Craig's record
On April 9, 2019, James Holzhauer surpassed Roger Craig's single-day winnings record of $77,000 by earning $110,914.
April 15, 2019: Holzhauer moves into second place for regular play winnings
On April 15, 2019, James Holzhauer moved into second place for regular play winnings on Jeopardy!, behind Ken Jennings.
April 17, 2019: Holzhauer sets new single-day winnings record
On April 17, 2019, James Holzhauer set a new single-day winnings record of $131,127 on Jeopardy!.
April 23, 2019: Holzhauer becomes third Jeopardy!-made millionaire
On April 23, 2019, James Holzhauer became the third Jeopardy!-made millionaire.
June 3, 2019: Holzhauer defeated on Jeopardy!
On June 3, 2019, James Holzhauer was defeated on Jeopardy!, finishing in second place.
June 2019: Holzhauer's Strategy
Between April and June 2019, James Holzhauer regularly used the strategy of playing all of the higher-valued clues first to build up a substantial lead.
2019: Jennings wins All-Star Games
In 2019, Ken Jennings won a $100,000 prize (one-third of the $300,000 second-place prize to his three-player team) in the All-Star Games.
2019: The All-Star Games
In 2019, The All-Star Games featured six teams with three former Jeopardy! champions each. The team of Brad Rutter, David Madden, and Larissa Kelly won the tournament.
2019: Episodes taped without audience
In 2019, the last episodes of the 2019-2020 season were taped without an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
March 2020: Taping Halted Due to COVID-19
In March 2020, taping of Jeopardy! halted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 2020: New Episodes to Air Until June 12, 2020
In May 2020, Sony announced new episodes of Jeopardy! would air until June 12, 2020, including the Teachers Tournament.
June 12, 2020: Last new episode aired
In May 2020, Sony announced new episodes of Jeopardy! would air until June 12, 2020, including the Teachers Tournament.
July 2020: Classic Episodes Rerunning
In July 2020, Jeopardy! began rerunning a package of 20 classic episodes, including the first two from the syndicated run.
August 2020: Production Resumed with Safety Measures
In August 2020, Jeopardy! production resumed with new safety measures in place following government guidelines to protect contestants, staff, crew, and talent.
November 8, 2020: Trebek's Death
On November 8, 2020, Alex Trebek died, which led to the cancellation of Ken Jennings' rehearsal to be interim host.
November 9, 2020: First Episode Aired After Trebek's Death
On November 9, 2020, the first episode of Jeopardy! aired after Alex Trebek's death, featuring a tribute from executive producer Mike Richards and a dedication screen at the end of the credits.
November 30, 2020: Jennings Takes Over Hosting
On November 30, 2020, Ken Jennings took over hosting Jeopardy! after Alex Trebek's death.
December 21, 2020: Reruns Shown
Beginning December 21, 2020, reruns of episodes in which Alex Trebek recorded clues on location were shown.
December 25, 2020: Pre-Taped Episodes Air Posthumously
Following Alex Trebek's death, an announcement noted that the pre-taped episodes of Jeopardy! were to air posthumously until December 25, 2020.
2020: Greatest of All Time tournament
In 2020, Jeopardy! returned to ABC primetime for the Greatest of All Time tournament, where Ken Jennings, Brad Rutter, and James Holzhauer competed for a $1,000,000 prize.
2020: Jennings wins Greatest of All Time tournament
In 2020, Ken Jennings won the $1,000,000 first-place prize in the Greatest of All Time tournament.
2020: Set Modifications Due to COVID-19
In 2020, the Jeopardy! set underwent several modifications, including a wider studio without any studio audience and new lecterns for contestants and the host, spaced apart to comply with California state regulations after the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020: Tie-Breaker to Win Games
In a tournament format where a player must win multiple games to win the tournament, such as the 2020 Greatest of All Time, the tie-breaker will be used regardless of the score being zero or positive for players to win the game.
January 1, 2021: Reruns Shown
Until January 1, 2021, reruns of episodes in which Alex Trebek recorded clues on location were shown.
January 8, 2021: Alex Trebek's Last Episode
On January 8, 2021, Alex Trebek's final episode of Jeopardy! aired, marking the end of his over 36-year tenure.
January 11, 2021: First Episode with Interim Host Aired
The first episode of Jeopardy! with an interim host aired on January 11, 2021, following Alex Trebek's death.
February 19, 2021: Jennings' Hosting Ends
On February 19, 2021, Ken Jennings' six-week run as host of Jeopardy! concluded.
July 28, 2021: Lowest Score During Burton's Hosting
On July 28, 2021, in an episode hosted by LeVar Burton, Patrick Pierce achieved a score of -$7,400, marking the lowest score during Burton's hosting tenure.
August 11, 2021: Richards Named Host
On August 11, 2021, Mike Richards was announced as the new host of Jeopardy!, succeeding Alex Trebek.
August 2021: Stage Dedicated to Trebek
In August 2021, episodes for the 38th season began taping on Sony Pictures Studios' Stage 10, which was dedicated in Alex Trebek's honor and renamed "The Alex Trebek Stage".
August 20, 2021: Richards Stepped Down as Host
On August 20, 2021, Mike Richards stepped down as host of Jeopardy! due to controversial remarks resurfacing from his past.
September 2021: Mike Richards Briefly Assumes Hosting Role
In September 2021, Mike Richards initially became the permanent host of Jeopardy! but relinquished the role within a week.
September 2021: Richards' Episodes Aired
In September 2021, the five episodes of Jeopardy! hosted by Mike Richards aired.
2021: Schneider's record
Between 2021 and 2022, Amy Schneider earned $1,382,800 in 40 episodes.
2021: Amodio surpasses Holzhauer
In 2021, Matt Amodio surpassed Holzhauer in consecutive games won.
2021: Synthesized Theme Used
In 2021, a fully-synthesized version of the Jeopardy! main theme, based on the 2008 arrangement, was composed by Bleeding Fingers Music and has been used since.
2021: Tie-Breaker Selection
Since 2021, if there is a tie for the contestant with the lowest score, the contestant with the last correct question among the tied players selects the first clue in Double Jeopardy!.
March 30, 2022: Test Episode Released to Public
The 1964 "test episode" of Jeopardy!, of which only a few limited clips had been released, was released to the public in full on the Jeopardy! YouTube account March 30, 2022, and an audiotape containing approximately five minutes (including introductions and Final Jeopardy!) from the first aired episode was also released to the public; both episodes were released to celebrate the 58th anniversary of the show's debut.
April 14, 2022: Davies Named Permanent Executive Producer
On April 14, 2022, Michael Davies became the permanent executive producer of Jeopardy!.
May 2022: Roach streak
In April and May 2022, Mattea Roach earned $560,983 over 23 games.
July 2022: Bialik and Jennings Named Co-Hosts
In July 2022, it was announced that Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings would return as co-hosts of the syndicated version of Jeopardy!.
July 2022: Vintage episodes of Jeopardy! to air on Pluto TV
In July 2022, it was announced that vintage episodes of the daily syndicated Jeopardy! version would be available on a dedicated channel on Pluto TV starting in August.
September 12, 2022: Live Studio Audience Returns
On September 12, 2022, the live studio audience fully returned for season 39 of Jeopardy! after the modified COVID-era set was kept from the previous two seasons.
September 2022: Clue Crew eliminated
Beginning with the 39th season in September 2022, the Clue Crew was eliminated; Foss became a producer for the show and McGuire a stage manager.
September 2022: Celebrity Jeopardy! Premiere
In September 2022, the new celebrity edition of Jeopardy! premiered.
2022: Jeopardy! employs seven full-time writers and seven researchers
As of 2022, Jeopardy! employs seven full-time writers and seven researchers to create and assemble the categories and clues.
2022: 2022 Tournament of Champions Format
During the 2022 Tournament of Champions, the tie-breaker would be used regardless of the score being zero or positive for players to win the game and either advance to the next round or receive the point towards winning the tournament.
2022: Schneider surpasses Holzhauer
In 2022, Amy Schneider surpassed Holzhauer in consecutive games won.
2022: Jacobsen Succeeded
In 2022, Clay Jacobsen was succeeded by Russell Norman as director of Jeopardy! near the end of Season 38.
2022: Foss took over all producer duties
In 2022, Sarah Whitcomb Foss took over all producer duties following the Clue Crew's disbanding.
2022: Wheel of Fortune puzzle board upgraded
In 2022, the Wheel of Fortune puzzle board was upgraded to a singular electronic screen.
January 2023: Jennings to Host Jeopardy! Masters
In January 2023, ABC announced that Ken Jennings would host a Jeopardy! Masters spinoff, indicating a change of arrangement in hosting duties.
January 2023: Renewal Through 2027-28 Season
In January 2023, the Jeopardy! show's most recent renewal extends it through the 2027–28 season.
May 2023: Bialik Supports Writers Strike
In May 2023, Mayim Bialik opted not to host the final episodes of the Jeopardy! season in support of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, with Ken Jennings stepping in.
August 2023: Consolation Prizes Increased
Starting in Season 40, as of August 2023, consolation prizes were raised to $3,000 for second place and $2,000 for third place due to inflation.
December 2023: Jennings Becomes Sole Syndicated Host
In December 2023, Ken Jennings became the sole syndicated host of Jeopardy!, following a period of rotating hosts.
December 2023: Jennings Named Sole Host
In December 2023, Sony announced that Ken Jennings would remain the sole host of the syndicated Jeopardy! series permanently.
July 14, 2024: Jeopardy! Records Update
As of July 14, 2024, Jeopardy! keeps track of four records: most consecutive games won, highest regular-season winnings, highest single-game winnings, and highest all-time winnings.
July 22, 2024: Alex Trebek Stamp Unveiling
On July 22, 2024, Jean Trebek and Ken Jennings unveiled an Alex Trebek stamp based on the show, officially licensed by the program.
July 31, 2024: Jeopardy! Hosted by Alex Trebek channel ends
On July 31, 2024, the Jeopardy! Hosted by Alex Trebek channel on Pluto TV concluded its two-year run.
2024: Lowest Score in the Jennings Era
In 2024, Erin Buker set the lowest score in the Jennings era at -$7,200.
2024: Pop Culture Jeopardy! Premieres
In 2024, Pop Culture Jeopardy! premiered as an exclusive show on Amazon Prime Video. Hosted by Colin Jost, it featured three teams of three participating in a single-elimination tournament where the winning team earned a $300,000 grand prize.
2024: Game Board Refurbished
In 2024, the Jeopardy! game board was refurbished for season 41, replacing the individual monitors board with a singular electronic screen, similar to the upgraded Wheel of Fortune puzzle board introduced in 2022.
January 13, 2025: Jeopardy! Production Suspended
On January 13, 2025, it was announced that Jeopardy! would suspend production due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.
January 2025: Jeopardy! Production Suspended Due to Wildfires
In January 2025, Jeopardy! suspended production due to the Southern California wildfires.
2027: Jeopardy! Show Extended
In January 2023, the Jeopardy! show's most recent renewal extends it through the 2027–28 season.
Mentioned in this timeline
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Ken Jennings is an American game show host author and...
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