Welcome to my editorial for this week! Most of my talking this week is going to be about the new Stephen Fry-hosted version in the UK, with one item from the US version.
Regarding The Signalling Device In The UK Version
There has been some talk in some corners of the Internet regarding the fact that it seems to take UK contestants longer to signal the US contestants.
My theory is that there’s no actual difference between US and UK on this front and that any difference in the two versions comes from editing.
Remember that the UK version, having 91 clues in about 46 minutes, compared to the 61 clues in 20 minutes in the US version, has a lot more time to play with compared to the US, where every second counts in the runtime. Thus, that extra second that we see in the UK would be edited out in the US—because seconds add up over the course of an episode.
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It’s Also Why Stephen Fry Can Be Stephen Fry
That extra time for Jeopardy! UK allows for Stephen to have a more leisurely quiz. Daytime TV—especially teatime TV—is watched differently in the UK compared to the US. While many American Jeopardy viewers would horrified at the idea of joining a game in progress, turning the TV on at teatime with an episode in progress in the UK is something that often happens—and Stephen’s midgame recaps are important to catch up those viewers who may have missed the opening segments. (Remember—and I’ve said this before—this show is not being made for a North American audience.)
These viewers are also used to seeing Stephen as a host of QI for many years and would enjoy hearing him pass along these little tidbits of information. (I, for one, thought it was delightful that he got to gush about Norwich City on Friday.)
I should also point out that the ratings for Jeopardy are similar to the ratings that Tipping Point had been pulling; I’d be shocked not to see a second series of Stephen Fry-hosted episodes.
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Wednesday’s game saw the following clue, in military abbreviations—XO: He’s second in command to the CO. Obviously, the show took some deserved heat for usage of the word “he” in this clue, as anyone—not just men—should be able to serve as an executive officer. (Or, any leadership in the military, for that matter.) Moreover, the clue would have worked just fine without the word “He’s” in there—”XO: Second in command to the CO” works just as well. That was a misstep by the show for sure, and I’d certainly like to see fewer of those easily-correctable mistakes in the future.
In Closing
Next week is Week #2 of 2024—have a great week!
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I’m writing from the UK and have just found your site. Thank you for it, Andy. It’s brilliant.
I lived in the States for a short time in the 1980s and enjoyed Jeopardy then, and it feels like I’ve been reunited with a long-lost friend this week.
I see what you mean when you said on Tuesday that the UK version is a bit different from the American one, but like you I love it and really like how Stephen Fry presents it. I certainly hope it gets a second series.