'Jeopardy' Is Coming To Netflix, So Get Ready For More Alex Trebek In Your Life
I'll take "Bingewatching" for 200, Alex. One of the only television constants we can rely on in this world is the soothing and formulaic quiz show Jeopardy!. We can always count on longtime host Alex Trebek for a delightfully awkward response to a contestant's odd hobby and perfect pronunciation of a question using foreign words. If you could use an extra dose of risky wagers and the Final Jeopardy theme tune, you're in luck. Jeopardy! is coming to Netflix, and I'm ready to perfect my trivia skills.
While 60 older episodes of Jeopardy! are currently streaming on Hulu, The Hollywood Reporter says that Netflix launched 45 library episodes of the series on Oct. 30. While you're out of luck if you want to keep up with current episodes, the episodes that just debuted on Netflix still focus on serious competition. The streaming lineup includes excerpts from the show's annual Tournament of Champions series and its Battle of the Decades game. Some of the information might be a little dated by now, but I'm still creating my own buzzer system to play along with these sessions.
Netflix's acquirement follows Hulu's August deal that marked Jeopardy!'s first streaming agreement. Like with Netflix, Hulu's 60-episode archive of the series includes games from recent Tournaments of Champions, a Battle of the Decades series, a College Championship, and Kids Week. The episodes available on Netflix are reportedly also on Hulu. Even if you can't indulge in a daily half-hour of Jeopardy! alongside a dose of Wheel of Fortune, now you have two different sources for some intellectual time before returning to your guiltier TV pleasures. Heck, you could even grant yourself a true Daily Double and watch more than one episode.
Now in its 35th year, Jeopardy! will kick off 2019 with its first Team Tournament. Called the All-Star Games, this particular series will bring back memorable top winners to play in three-person teams, with each member playing a single round within one episode. As always, Trebek, who has hosted since the current daily series premiered in 1984, will helm the special championship, but he may not be on our TV screens for much longer.
The 78-year-old's Jeopardy! contract ends in 2020, and Trebek has been vocal about what may come next. Earlier this year, he admitted there's only a "50/50" chance of him continuing on the show afterward. He even named possible replacements for the hosting gig, singling out sportscaster Alex Faust and attorney and radio talk show host Laura Coates. Fortunately, we don't have to imagine a Jeopardy! without Trebek for now, but imagining a future without his droll dad jokes is a bit of a bummer.
Seeing as shows usually don't appear simultaneously on rival streaming services, Jeopardy!'s deal with Netflix and Hulu is nonexclusive in the United States. In my book, the more Jeopardy!, the better, so if any other companies want in on this deal, be my guest. Give me "Obsessed" for 800, Alex.
Jeopardy! is currently streaming on Netflix and Hulu.