Jeopardy! Timeline (syndicated version)/Season 16

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Season 16 (1999-2000)

Starting with the December 6, 1999 episode, the Jeopardy! Online logo changed to "Play Online and Win".

Season Changes

• With the start of the season, a new version of the Sony Pictures Studios flyover in the intro was used this season, zooming out to show various photographs from the show on TV tubes including Seasons 14, 15, and 16 moving from right to left on a blue background. As this happens, gold letters form the Jeopardy! logo, then, one last TV tube floats from the left, zooming in to reveal the 1996-2002 set.
• WebTV plays online with Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. To show that the programs were interactive, a WebTV bug was added at the beginning of the show for season 16. It was used until February 26, 2001. This is also the last season when the contestants walked onto the set at the start of the show, and when Johnny used his famous opening catchphrase, "Now entering the studio are today's contestants."
• This is the last full season for the following:
  • The consolation prizes took place at the end of Double Jeopardy!, and before the Final Jeopardy! segment.
  • Consolation prizes feature merchandise for both second place and third place.
  • A full version of the 1997-2001 theme since Season 14.
  • The studio audience is shown on camera.
  • The categories flip over since Season 14.
  • Johnny says "From the Sony Pictures Studios, this is Jeopardy!" since Season 13.
  • The audience applauds coming out of the second commercial break.
  • The contestant graphics are in a blue strip with a split animation since Season 13.
• This is first season where the audience was already silent coming out of the second commercial break.
• On early episodes of this season:
  • Johnny signs off, but this changes in the latter half of this season.
  • Harry Friedman and Merv Griffin were both executive producers.
  • Bob Sofia is credited as the technical manager.
  • Johnny says "Today's second and third place contestants will receive…" after the host signs off.
• On later episodes of this season:
  • Johnny no longer signs off during the credits which continues to be used as of now.
  • Merv Griffin is no longer credited as the executive producer, so Thomas Ucciferri became executive producer, and Harry Friedman was credited as the producer.
  • Bob Sofia is credited as the technical supervisor.
  • Johnny said "Promotional consideration provided by..." after the host signs off. As a result, it is also the first season to have the promotional fee plugs in the closing credits.
• For the first half, Thomas Ucciferri was the production manager. John Alexander was the production supervisor in the second half.
• In the second half of this season, Thomas Ucciferri is no longer the production manager, Bob Cisernos takes over as production manager, Randy Berke took over as the production supervisor.
• On the season premiere week, Game Show Network changed to the "Ball Maze" ID with the voiceover saying; "Why just watch television when you can play from home? Game Show Network! Buzz your cable company to get in the game!".
• The sliding doors on the set now has a brighter shade of pink and the color does not change in the Double Jeopardy! round.
• The DAILY DOUBLE graphic cards show the two words appearing in a single line.
• The title graphic cards are now changed to blue with some blue screen monitors in the background where the Jeopardy! is in silver instead of gold.
• This is the last season where Merv Griffin is the executive producer since Season 1 and the first season where Harry Friedman is the executive producer until the end of Season 36.
• Gary Johnson became co-producer starting with the November 8, 1999 episode.

September 1999

• September 6, 1999: Season 16 premieres.
• September 6-10, 1999: Back to School Week is held for the first time. This is the first time kids ages 10-12 have been invited to play on the program following the cancellation of Jep!.

October 1999

• October 1, 1999: Steve Fried retires undefeated with $45,200 and a new Chevy Corvette.
• October 20, 1999: Eddie Timanus is the first blind contestant to appear on Jeopardy!. Due to his blindness, he is given the categories on a braille card and types his name and Final Jeopardy! responses on the monitor using a braille keyboard.
• October 26, 1999: Eddie Timanus retires undefeated with $69,700, and two new Chevy Camaros.

November 1999

• November 1-12, 1999: The Teen Tournament is held. Chacko George won the tournament, $25,000 and a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24. Emily Deveau received $15,000 and Kristi Jones received $10,700 for exceeding her minimum.
• November 8-19, 1999: The second week of the Teen Tournament and Celebrity Jeopardy! are both held at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
  • November 8, 1999: Gary Johnson joined the Jeopardy! staff as co-producer. Randy Berke became stage manager alongside John Lauderdale for the New York Shows, making his debut until becoming production supervisor on the November 22, 1999 episode.
• November 15-19, 1999: Celebrity Jeopardy! was held.
  • Rosie O'Donnell, Noah Wyle, and Carol Burnett compete on Monday.
  • Brian Dennehy, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Andy Richter compete on Tuesday.
  • Jon Stewart, Shawn Colvin, and Michael Boatman compete on Wednesday.
  • Nathan Lane, Meredith Vieira, and James McDaniel compete on Thursday.
  • Andrea McArdle, Peter Krause, and Sandy Duncan compete on Friday.
• November 22, 1999: Bob Sofia becomes technical supervisor.
• November 29, 1999: In the category "Johnny Gilbert Rocks!"; announcer Johnny Gilbert appeared for the second time in a category, which consisted of all the quotes from the songs performed by Johnny.

December 1999

• December 3, 1999: The 1998 Jeopardy! Online logo appears at the end for the last time.
• December 6, 1999: The Jeopardy! Online "Play Online and Win" logo appears at the end for the first time. It has white letters popping one by one on a monitor, the Jeopardy! logo is changed to light blue inside a yellow oval, and the background is changed from purple to black with some blue lights. This continues to be used until early Season 18. However, the techno-music still remains the same, but with some sound effects added at the beginning.
• December 8, 1999: Alex explained what the crew does right before Final Jeopardy!. Jeff Kirby lost and challenges ineligibly on October 12, 2009 as repeat contestant.
• December 16, 1999: Darlene Lieblich retires undefeated with $35,197 and two new Chevy Camaros.
• December 17, 1999: Johnny Gilbert signs off for the last time saying "Jeopardy! was created by Merv Griffin."
• December 30, 1999: A full credit roll was shown.

January 2000

• January 4, 2000: Jack Archey retires undefeated with $51,302 and a new Chevy Corvette.
• January 31, 2000: Lee Lasstier retires undefeated with $54,599 and a new Chevy Tahoe.

February 2000

• February 7-18, 2000: The College Championship was held at home base for the first time since Season 13, with a college-themed set. The contestants were introduced from the left to right positions, entering the auditorium and pausing to be introduced before taking their places behind their lecterns. Janet Wong from Drew University won the tournament with $50,000, a Volvo S40 sedan and a college trophy. Adam Center received $17,299 for exceeding his minimum and Greg Hodgin received $10,000. Lisa Finneran, Rocky Schmidt, and Gary Johnson were credited as co-producers.
  • February 14, 2000: Johnny Gilbert appears in the category “Love Poetry With Johnny Gilbert”
• February 24, 2000: Jeremy Bate retires undefeated with $55,000 and two new Chevy Camaros.

March 2000

• March 17, 2000: Robin Carroll retires undefeated with $64,100, and a new Chevy Tahoe.
• March 20, 2000: The audience no longer applauded, but the audience was already silent coming out of the second commercial break.

April 2000

• April 13, 2000: Mike Blumenfeld retires undefeated with $44,400, and a new Chevy Tahoe.

May 2000

• May 8-19, 2000: The Tournament of Champions is held in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Atlanta Civic Center.
  • During the first quarterfinal games of that episode, after Johnny said "From Atlanta, Georgia, this is the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions!". Then five seconds later, after the audience applause, he introduced Alex on stage first before introducing the contestants. This is because Alex wanted to explain to the viewers at home that this is the first time that they took the Tournament of Champions on the road.
  • Then, they showed the fifteen champions on the game board, followed by an applause.
  • This season's Tournament of Champions included two Teen Tournaments, two College Championships, and eleven 5-time champions. It was the last time the Teen Tournament victors are eligible for the Tournament of Champions.
  • The first three competed in the first match with Johnny's introduction, followed by the game. This was the last time that Johnny announced how much winnings these champions earned on their last appearance of the show during the quarterfinal introductions after their name. Robin Carroll won the tournament and $100,000 making it the second woman to win the Tournament of Champions. Jeremy Bate received $15,000 and Steve Fried received $10,000.

June 2000

• June 2, 2000: Merv Griffin was credited as the executive producer of Jeopardy! for the last time.
• June 5, 2000: Thomas Ucciferri became executive producer, and Harry Friedman became producer.
• June 30, 2000: Alex brings his kids, Matthew and Emily onstage at the beginning of this episode.

July 2000

• July 4, 2000: A full credit roll was shown.
• July 5, 2000: Johnny Gilbert accidentally calls Alex Trebek, "Glenn Trebek" during the introduction for the only known time.
• July 12, 2000: Doug Lach retires undefeated with $85,400 and a new Chevy Corvette.
• July 20, 2000: Tad Carithers retires undefeated with $60,400, and a new Chevy Corvette.
• July 21, 2000: Season 16 ends.
• July 24-September 1, 2000: Summer reruns air.