R.I.P. Alex Trebek

[Fracktured]

I think it’s going to be extremely difficult to replace Alex for numerous reasons. Many fans will simply have problems with whoever takes over. I get the Ken Jennings idea as someone who is a familiar face and seems to be well liked among Jeopardy fans but is he good enough to take over? I couldn’t tell you the answer to that. They know that they will never fill Alex’s shoes but just find someone to carry on the show. It will be interesting to see what happens. I hope the show survives though. There’s so much crap on TV and jeopardy is such a great game show.

Rick

[ronmac]

I think it’s going to be extremely difficult to replace Alex for numerous reasons. Many fans will simply have problems with whoever takes over. I get the Ken Jennings idea as someone who is a familiar face and seems to be well liked among Jeopardy fans but is he good enough to take over? I couldn’t tell you the answer to that. They know that they will never fill Alex’s shoes but just find someone to carry on the show. It will be interesting to see what happens. I hope the show survives though. There’s so much crap on TV and jeopardy is such a great game show.

Rick

People said the same thing when Alex replaced Art Fleming.

[rdclark]

We'll see how Jennings does during his trial run the week after next. One problem is that Jennings is well-known in the trivia community; hundreds of potential contestants have had personal contact with him over the years. And supposedly you're disqualified from competing on the show if you know anyone who works there personally.

Trebek was a newscaster early in his career, and a number of news people have been floated as potential hosts. This idea appeals to me; someone with the right sort of gravitas, the range of knowledge, the experience in front of the camera. And no prior connection to the trivia-industrial complex.

[Progatron]

I must admit, Jennings did a decent job in his first episode tonight. He was clear and quick. No questions missed, and nothing eye-rolling out of his mouth. Pleasantly surprised.

[rdclark]

He gets it: it's all about the game. Draw little attention to yourself, maintain order, be clear and unambiguous, facilitate the gameplay. He'd be a fine host, and there are many others who would also be fine hosts.

We can thank Alex for showing the way. If this were a new game, a new show, it might be more important for the host to exert influence on the audience. But Jeopardy! is the star here, so the host's job is not to occlude it.

[dropforge]

But Jeopardy! is the star here, so the host's job is not to occlude it.

Exactly.