Jeopardy! abruptly cuts classic segment from show as fans ask ‘why did they stop?’

JEOPARDY! fans have noticed that the iconic game show quietly chopped a longstanding segment from new episodes, and it was a bit out of nowhere.

Nightly Jeopardy! no longer ends by showing who is competing the next night, and fans are clueless about why.

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Jeopardy! – hosted by the one and only Ken Jennings – made a pretty big changeCredit: Jeopardy!

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The game show no longer displays tomorrow’s contestants, as seen here in 2023Credit: Jeopardy

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‘Anyone else notice they stopped doing that?’ one bummed-out internet user postedCredit: Jeopardy
Jeopardy! is a show centered around tradition, and one of its many comforts is how each episode ends – or was.

For decades, after a winner was declared and their earnings were shown, viewers would see who would play tomorrow.

Announcer Johnny Gilbert, 95, would announce who the reigning champion would face the next day.

The returning champ and their two new challengers would be displayed in a “Tomorrow” graphic during the credits.

‘ANYONE ELSE NOTICE?’

Viewers took to Reddit this week, realizing that this is no longer the case.

Instead, the show goes right to its end credits, and Ken Jennings approaches the players to chat with them as the credits roll.

Though the exact date the change was made isn’t clear, it seemed to have been sometime this month.

Fans are peeved because it’s both always been part of the show and gets people buzzing about tuning in for more.

“Why doesn’t Jeopardy show you which contestants will be appearing on the next show after each game anymore?” one Redditor began a thread.

“Anyone else notice they stopped doing that?”

Others commented, “I was just at the first 3 tapings for season 41 and they didn’t appear to do it for the next season either unless it’s done in post.”

A third wrote, “I noticed that too, my wife was like, who is playing tomorrow?”

And a fourth posted, “Yes I thought there was something wrong with my cable where did the boxout go with the faces of the next players I’m losing my mind.”

While the next day’s contestants are no longer shown on-air, they can still be found on Jeopardy.com, at least.

That said, the change is especially odd because it has gone unexplained and happened mid-season, as Season 40 ends in July.

ART YOU SERIOUS?

Meanwhile, last week, fans called out producers for brazenly forgetting its roots in a bit of an insulting way.

Internet users pointed out that, after recently turning 60, the show has made no effort to celebrate its original host, Art Fleming.

Casual viewers may best associate Alex Trebek as the OG Jeopardy! host, but that isn’t the case.

Art hosted the first iteration of the show on NBC from 1964 until 1979.

He got no mention when the game show turned 60 with a Diamond Celebration in March.

In addition, Jeopardy! launched an annual Honors ceremony in 2022, during which show figures are inducted into a new Hall of Fame.

Six people have been inducted so far, given their impact on the show:

Alex, creator Merv Griffin and his wife Julann, influential former showrunner Harry Friedman, the ageless announcer Johnny Gilbert, 95, and longtime writer Steven Dorfman.

Despite hosting for ten years, Art also does not have a section on Jeopardy.com either.

Fans took to Reddit urging Jeopardy! to fix their strained relationship with the late Art Fleming.

One wrote, “Jeopardy! NEEDS to honor Art Fleming at the next Jeopardy! honors ceremony.”

“I find it infuriating. It’s been 2 ceremonies, and they haven’t honored him. He should have been honored the very first ceremony.”

“Last time around they said something like they wanted to properly check things with his family before properly honoring him. Either the guy has no living family or they’re taking an awful long time,” theorized another.

A third fan buzzed in to say Art does have surviving relatives.

“I’m friends with his granddaughter, actually,” they wrote.

A fourth wrote, “I agree. Without that version, there would’ve been no show to bring back in 1984. Wake up, powers that be in the studio!”

In 2022, its executive producer admitted that the show has not been in contact with his estate since his 1995 passing.

“One name suggested to me was Art Fleming,” EP Mike Davies explained on the Inside Jeopardy! podcast, referring to his snub from Honors.

He implied the show does not have a relationship with Art’s surviving family.

“I would love get in communication to those close to him around him to honor him in the future,” the showrunner – who took over in 2021 – said.

HOST HISTORY

Ken Jennings holds the record for the longest winning streak in Jeopardy! history with 74 consecutive wins in 2004.

Now, he has taken over as a full-time host of the series.

Alex Trebek hosted the show’s modern iteration from 1984 until in November 2020 after losing a battle with pancreatic cancer.

After his death, things got a bit chaotic, as viewers know all too well.

After a series of guest hosts, officials announced that producer Mike Richards and actress Mayim Bialik would be taking over as co-hosts.

However in August 2021, Richards resigned over sexist resurfaced comments and Ken stepped in to split hosting duties with Mayim.

In July 2022, it was announced that Mayim and Ken would continue to host together for season 39.

However, after the show’s summer 2023 hiatus, it was revealed that Jennings would take over as the permanent host for season 40.

Mayim announced in a personal Instagram message in late December 2023 that she would “no longer be hosting” the show.

Ken later said he “understood” the decision as shows “don’t have two hosts.”

Now, Ken helms all facets of Jeopardy! including specials and spinoffs.

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Last week, fans called out Jeopardy! producers for having no relationship with its original host, Art FlemingCredit: Getty

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After him, and of course, Alex Trebek, former champ Ken took over and is now the sole host of Jeopardy!Credit: Getty