Despite an electric tournament run, season 41 has lost its steam as it comes to a lackluster conclusion

JEOPARDY! fans are demanding that the show make big rule changes to shake up the current format after feeling like its ‘gone downhill’ with a ‘carousel’ of one-day champs.

Following a nail-biting series of spinoff tournaments, season 41 of Jeopardy! is coming to a dwindling close that has resulted in runaway games, but very few repeat champions.

Ken Jennings hosts Thursday’s game of Jeopardy!Credit: Jeopardy!

Ken Jennings hosts Thursday’s game of Jeopardy!Credit: Jeopardy!

Thomas Sweeney was a one day Jeopardy! championCredit: Jeopardy!
In many recent Jeopardy! games, the winner has had only a one-day streak, and most have failed to extend their streaks to even two days.

While it is rarer to get to the five-day winning streak to qualify for the Tournament of Champions, most seasons are full of three or four-day champions.

This year has had more one-day champions than other recent seasons, with a lot of “runaway games” – meaning the players who are in second and third position are not even within striking distance of taking the lead from the winner.

Fans have taken note of the “carousel of one-day champions” and the increase in runaway games, leading them to demand that Jeopardy! producers make some changes.

“The season has gone downhill fast. They need to make some kind of production adjustments, whether that be to the game itself or even in the casting process,” a viewer noted.

“Is there anything the show can do to give us more ‘stars’? I know that sounds weird about Jeopardy but there has to be a way to get better TV than a brand new winner every single day,” a second questioned.

While another viewer offered a suggestion online of how they would up the excitement of the game: “I’d replace FJ with a ‘speed round’ with an ‘Elam ending’ type scoring goal…. a target goal is set of $9,000 more than the leaders score.

“You ask questions worth $2,000 each (top DJ value) randomly from all 12 categories of the game. If you buzz in wrong, you do go down $2k…

Jeopardy! contestants from L-R: Thomas Sweeney, Anne LaGatta and Geoff BarnesCredit: Jeopardy!

“You play until someone gets to or over the target score.   Then, technically, someone can potentially come back, even from way back…. even people who finish DJ negative can still play.”

Another suggested that the show could “make the second place prize 5k instead of just a $1000 difference,” noting that currently, second place receives $3,000 while third gets $2,000.

One more claimed their idea would “never happen” but said: “If a player has a true runaway heading into FJ, then they win the game regardless allowing them to wager it all for a big payday while the win has already been guaranteed.

“This won’t happen because it would make the payouts much larger and someone has to pay for that. Would be fun to watch though.”

Jeopardy! fans make major complaint over players as they fail to get clue correct in triple stumper

Jeopardy! Masters fans make major complaint about player as they say the outcome is always ‘so predictable’

In today’s game, one-day champion Thomas Sweeney tried to break the single-game curse and extend his winnings to day three.

The survey technician from Ohio played against Geoff Barnes, an analyst from Washington, D.C. and Anne LaGatta, a college professor originally from New Jersey.

Newcomer Geoff was off to the early lead when he doubled his score after finding the first Daily Double.

In the Double Jeopardy round, Thomas scored the second Daily Double – and accurately responded to give him a $3,000 boost.

Geoff couldn’t be caught though, increasing his lead to $15,800 when he accurately guessed the third Daily Double.

Heading into Final Jeopardy!, it was looking like another runaway game as Geoff had a whopping $23,000 compared to $9,600 for Anne and $4,800 for Thomas.

“An 1845 article called ‘annexation’ was the first appearance of this two-word phrase implying inevitability,” host Ken Jennings read under the category “Phrase Origins.”

Only Geoff was correct on the last clue, answering “What is manifest destiny?”, adding $1,000 to his score to leave him with an impressive $24,000.

Anne ended the game with just $1 while Thomas remained in third with $0.

Fans are hoping that Geoff can continue his strong performance tomorrow and be the first multiple-day champion the show has had since earlier this month.

Geoff smiles after winning his first Jeopardy! gameCredit: Jeopardy!

The one-day champion scored an impressive $24kCredit: Jeopardy!