‘Jeopardy!’ producer reveals big changes for ‘derailed’ Season 40

That is (Season) 40.

“Jeopardy!” showrunner Michael Davies revealed Monday that the long-running quiz present will use recycled materials and have former contestants in its upcoming season as a result of ongoing Hollywood writers strike.

Davies defined that it “wouldn’t be honest to have new contestants making their first look” on the present with materials that isn’t unique or that was written pre-strike.

“So we determined that basically we would have liked to ask again and provides a second likelihood typically to gamers who in all probability thought that their likelihood to return again and play on the Alex Trebek stage had gone eternally,” he mentioned on the “Inside Jeopardy!” podcast.

“We’re going to open the season with a second likelihood event for gamers from Season 37 who misplaced their preliminary recreation, and winners from that can advance to a Season 37 and Season 38 champions wild card,” he continued.

Davies additionally introduced a bump in prize cash for the upcoming fortieth season.

“The fabric that we’re gonna be utilizing is a mixture of fabric that our WGA writers wrote earlier than the strike, which remains to be within the database and materials that’s being redeployed from a number of, a number of seasons of the present,” Davies mentioned.

He revealed that the preliminary plans for the post-season had been “derailed.”

He wasn’t in a position to give a timeline for when the “common” episodes of the present will air. The Writers Guild of America strike started in Might.

“I perceive that the perfect episodes which might be doable are episodes that function our writers writing unique materials and the perfect contestants that we placed on the air taking part in that unique materials,” he admitted.

Davies added that he “admires” and “misses” the present’s “beloved” writers, who’re petitioning for larger wages, regulation surrounding synthetic intelligence, and higher pay from streaming providers.

Writers are an important a part of “Jeopardy!,” as they write the questions which might be learn every episode.

The information comes after an unidentified supply informed The Hollywood Reporter final month that the present could be utilizing recycled materials to start the brand new season.

In response, a number of contestants who’re slated to be a part of the present’s upcoming Event of Champions voiced their considerations, with some vowing they wouldn’t cross the picket line to take part.

However a “Jeopardy!” rep informed The Put up that there was by no means “any intention of manufacturing a Event of Champions for Season 39 till the strike is resolved.”

The choice nonetheless left some gamers, like Season 39 contestant Ray Lalonde, feeling “upset.”

“Primarily I discovered this response disappointing as a result of the present continues to wish to shoot new reveals throughout the WGA picket line,” the Toronto-based winner informed The Put up final month.