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Season 38 (2021-2022)[]

Season Changes[]

  • New opening sequence: a redesigned version of the globe intro shows clips from the show; including Art Fleming and Alex Trebek. The clips from the show zooming out revealing the peach Jeopardy! logo in a gray and silver outline, then; the peach Jeopardy! logo zooms forward, revealing the 2013-present set.
  • The contestant introductions, Daily Double, Video Daily Double, Double Jeopardy!, Final Jeopardy! graphics, and the split-screen credits gained a new look to match the season's title card.
  • The Jeopardy! theme is rerecorded in a more modern style, and was composed by Bleeding Fingers Music.
  • Jimmy McGuire became the stage manager, replacing the retired John Lauderdale.
  • This is the last season to feature the Jeopardy! Clue Crew, which was disestablished at the end of this season.
  • This is the last season where Lisa Broffman was credited as the supervising producer.
  • On early episodes of this season, Mike Richards was still the executive producer of both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. However, he resigned from the position on August 31, 2021, shortly before the season started airing. Beginning with the October 11, 2021 episode, Michael Davies was credited as the executive producer of Jeopardy! for the first time, but never actually assumed the role on its sister show Wheel of Fortune.
  • This season is both the last season with Mike Richards as the executive producer of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, and the first season with Michael Davies as the executive producer.
  • This is the first of two seasons where Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings are both co-hosts.
  • Beginning with this season, Bialik and Jennings both stood at the podium, when the Final Jeopardy! category is revealed on the monitor before the last commercial break. After the last commercial break, both Bialik and Jennings reveal the Final Jeopardy! clue.
  • This is first full season where Jeopardy! and its sister show Wheel of Fortune are distributed by CBS Media Ventures.
  • The Alex Trebek dedication card was removed from the closing credits.
  • The closing theme resumes ending at the same time as the credits do.
  • At the beginning of this season, the Final Jeopardy! category briefly appeared on the top of the clue. On later episodes of this season, the Final Jeopardy! category was removed from the top of the clue, while contestants wrote their responses down. The category on top of the clue in Final Jeopardy! returned on the May 16, 2022 episode.
  • Starting with this season, Sony Pictures Studios Stage 10 was rechristened as The Alex Trebek Stage to honor his legacy.
  • Consumer Cellular sponsored the cash winning prizes, replacing GEICO.
  • From the March 21, 2022 episode to the end of the next season, Johnny Gilbert announces the people playing for the next episode, except on the season finale and summer reruns.
  • Further changes are made to the set:
    • The host's podium is redesigned again, but this time with LEDs bordering the sides.
    • The backdrop for this set consisted of vertical spotlights.
    • One of the curved shapes is slightly changed, and both are now blue; they change to red along with the set background when the "Think" music plays during the Final Jeopardy! segment.
    • Above the horizontal beam, a starry backdrop is added to the set, which made the set to look like nighttime.
  • This season, Johnny says: "Promotional consideration provided by Consumer Cellular" after the host signs off, so the host signs off and goes right to the closing credits; the promotional fee plug was removed from the closing credits after the host signs off.
  • In this season, Jeopardy! did the Professors Tournament, and the National College Championship.
  • This is the last season to have Clay Jacobsen as the director, as he retired from the Jeopardy! staff on the May 6, 2022 episode.
  • On the May 9-June 17, 2022 episodes, Lucinda Owens Margolis was taking over as the director in the closing credits, as Clay Jacobsen retired.
  • Beginning with the June 20, 2022 episode, Russell Norman was credited as the director for the first time in the closing credits.

September 2021[]

  • September 13, 2021: Season 38 begins.
    • Jean, Matthew, Emily, and Nicky dedicate renaming Sony Pictures Studios Stage 10 to The Alex Trebek Stage.
    • This is the last time Johnny simply said "This is Jeopardy!"; it had been used since the syndicated run debuted on September 10, 1984.
    • Matt Amodio is the carryover champion from Season 37.
  • September 13-17, 2021: Executive producer Mike Richards hosted. Richards is announced as "The host of Jeopardy!", as was the case with Trebek for 37 years.
  • September 14, 2021: Johnny Gilbert's opening "From the Alex Trebek Stage at Sony Pictures Studios, this is Jeopardy!" is heard for the first time, which would now be used permanently.
  • September 20, 2021: Mayim Bialik and Ken Jennings began co-hosting for this season. During the introductions, Bialik is announced as "The host of Jeopardy!", as well as "The host of Primetime Jeopardy!", while Jennings is announced as "Hosting Jeopardy!."
  • September 20-November 5, 2021: Mayim Bialik served as hostess for the first time this season.
  • September 24, 2021: Matt Amodio became the third contestant to break the $1,000,000 mark.

October 2021[]

  • October 1, 2021: Amodio surpasses James Holzhauer for the second-longest winning streak.
  • October 8, 2021: Mike Richards was credited as the executive producer for the last time.
  • October 11, 2021: Michael Davies was credited as the executive producer for the first time. Matt Amodio's winning streak also ends, when he was defeated by Jonathan Fisher, finishing with a 38-day total of $1,518,601 in cash winnings, plus $1,000 for finishing in third place.
  • October 11-26, 2021: Jonathan Fisher became an 11-day champion, accumulating $246,100 in cash winnings.
  • October 22, 2021: Jonathan Fisher surpassed Buzzy Cohen for the most games won after defeating a super-champion.
  • October 27-November 2, 2021: Tyler Rhode became a 5-day champion, accumulating $105,901 in cash winnings.

November 2021[]

  • November 8-December 3, 2021: Consulting producer Ken Jennings hosted for the first time in this season.
  • November 8, 2021: There is a dedication card reading "You are missed every day." One year after Alex Trebek's death on November 8, 2020, Ken Jennings received a gift from Alex's wife Jean Trebek.
  • November 10-17, 2021: Andrew He became a 5-day champion, accumulating $157,365 in cash winnings. On Andrew He's first appearance, He set a record for a contestant's first victory with $52,001, winning by $2.
  • November 17, 2021: Amy Schneider makes her first appearance on Jeopardy!, defeating Andrew He.

December 2021[]

  • December 6-17, 2021: The Professors Tournament became the first tournament hosted by Mayim Bialik.[1]
    • For the first time, the contestant's occupations, colleges, universities, and names are shown onscreen.
    • The order is reversed during the contestant interviews.
    • From this tournament, the subtitles under the winners have been 'semifinalist or finalist' changed to 'Advance to semifinals or finals'.
    • Sam Buttrey became the first champion of the Professors Tournament.
  • December 20, 2021-January 28, 2022: Ken Jennings hosted for the second time this season. The whooshing sound effects are now permanently used now for the opening montage.

January 2022[]

  • January 7, 2022: Amy Schneider became the fourth millionaire in regular play, the fifth millionaire overall.
  • January 14, 2022: Schneider surpasses James Holzhauer for the third-longest winning streak.
  • January 24, 2022: Schneider surpasses Matt Amodio for the second-longest winning streak.
  • January 26, 2022: Amy Schneider was defeated by librarian Rhone Talsma, finishing with a 40-day total of $1,382,800 in cash winnings, plus $2,000 for finishing in second place, and was the top seed for the 30th Tournament of Champions.
  • January 31-February 11, 2022: Mayim Bialik once again hosted for the second time this season.

February 2022[]

  • February 8-22, 2022: The National College Championship Primetime Special was held hosted by Mayim Bialik.
    • During the third semifinal game of the National College Championship, Liz Feltner and Kristin Donegan both had $22,000 going into Final Jeopardy!. Both responded correctly double their money. Liz won the tie-breaker and advanced into the Finals.
    • Isaac Applebaum finished in 4th Place, and took $35,000. Raymond Goslow, Jaskaran Singh, and Liz Feltner made it to the finals.
    • Singh won the tournament with the $250,000 grand prize, and titled, "National College Champion."
  • February 14-March 25, 2022: Ken Jennings hosted for the third time this season.
  • February 23, 2022: A tiebreaker clue was played for the fourth time during a regular play game in Final Jeopardy!

March 2022[]

  • March 1, 2022: Christine Whelchel finishes with a 4-day total of $73,602.
  • March 4, 2022: This episode features the category "Bordering Russia". The $800 clue has a response of "What is Ukraine?" with a disclaimer indicating that the episode was taped before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
  • March 7, 2022: Margaret Shelton finishes with a 4-day total of $79,700.
  • March 11, 2022: Maureen O'Neil finishes with a 4-day total of $58,200.
  • March 21, 2022: Johnny Gilbert announces the contestants playing on the next episode for the first time.
  • March 28-April 8, 2022: Mayim Bialik hosted for the third time this season.
  • March 31, 2022: Jackie Kelly finishes with a 4-day total of $115,100.

April 2022[]

  • April 5, 2022: Mattea Roach makes her Jeopardy! debut.
  • April 11-May 6, 2022: Ken Jennings hosted for the fourth time this season.
  • April 20, 2022: Only one contestant (Mattea Roach) participated in the Final Jeopardy! round, making it the first Single Player Final Jeopardy! in the post-Trebek era.

May 2022[]

  • May 6, 2022: Mattea Roach is defeated by Danielle Maurer, finishing with a 23-day total of $560,983 in cash winnings, plus $2,000 for finishing in second place. They also hold the longest winning streak in history, the holder of the most prize money in a regular game, and the highest overall winnings among Canadians. Clay Jacobsen was credited as the director in the closing credits for the last time.
  • May 9-July 15, 2022: Mayim Bialik hosted for the fourth and final time this season.
  • May 9-June 17, 2022: Lucinda Owens Margolis was taking over as the director in the closing credits.
  • May 16, 2022: The Final Jeopardy! category returned to the top of the clue during the "Think" music.
  • May 13, 2022-June 6, 2022: Ryan Long became a 16-day champion, accumulating $299,400 in cash winnings.

June 2022[]

  • June 6-13, 2022: Eric Ahasic became a 6-day champion, accumulating $160,601 in cash winnings.
  • June 10, 2022: Sarah Whitcomb-Foss makes her last appearance as a member of the Clue Crew.
  • June 14-21, 2022: Megan Wachspress became a 6-day champion, accumulating $60,603 in cash winnings.
  • June 20, 2022: Russell Norman was credited as the director for the first time.

July 2022[]

  • July 7, 2022: Jimmy McGuire makes his last appearance as a member of the Clue Crew. McGuire presented all five clues in the category "From the Speedway" at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • July 18-29, 2022: Ken Jennings hosted for the fifth and final time this season.
  • July 18, 2022: A tiebreaker clue played for the fifth time during a regular play game in Final Jeopardy!, making this the second season to have two tiebreakers in one season; and the first season to have two tiebreakers during regular games. Beginning with this episode, the tiebreaker logo appeared on the contestant's monitor.
  • July 29, 2022: Season 38 ends.

Post-season[]

References[]

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