JEOPARDY! has scored a new champion in author Johanna Stoberock, who looked thrilled after winning Tuesday’s episode.
However, the contestants all tuned out on the correct Final Jeopardy response- leaving TV lovers stunned.
Returning champ Dillon Hupp faced Johanna, a recently published fiction writer and adjunct professor from Walla Walla, Washington, and Ian Marquand, a retired broadcaster and state medical board executive from Los Angeles, California.
Dillon -a development director from North Little Rock, Arkansas- who once won his state Quiz Bowl championship (but not nationals)- returned with a 1-day total of $21,999.
Ken Jennings, 48, was impressed that all three players had the lead at different points in the Double Jeopardy! round.
“Great game all three of you,” the 74-time-winner turned host applauded.
Johanna’s correct response on the last Daily Double kept her in first place going into a tight race to the finish.
Going into Final Jeopardy, she had $15,600, Ian $11,600, and Dillon had $10,600.
Under “TV History” it read: – “The 1980s’ ‘Magnum, P.I.’ used a soundstage of this long-running drama that had just ended, & even referred to its lead character.”
Surprisingly, no one could guess “Hawaii-Five-0” which ran from 1968 until 1980, and lent its soundstage to the show from the clue.
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Dillion decided to bet it all from third place, so despite dropping a big $8,601, Johanna rode the wave and won with $6,999.
She and Dillon had written “MASH,” which ended in 1983- barring it as a precursor- and was filmed in California.
Ian wrote “Mannix” which ended in 1975 and which Ken shaded he hasn’t “thought about in a while.”
Ken then explained to the three players: “Magnum PI was also shot in Hawaii and you might recall it used the same soundstage where Hawaii-Five-O had been filming.
“And even mentioned Stephen McGarrett [the fictional protagonist of Hawaii Five-O] occasionally.”
Johanna looked absolutely thrilled being declared the winner and was gasping with joy, despite her low score her morale was high as could be.
And while the internet loved seeing her be declared the one to beat, many people were bothered not one of them knew their TV lore.
‘SOO EASY’
One Twitter user wrote: “I can’t believe not one of the contestants got Final Jeopardy! I’d be embarrassed …”
Another celebrated: “No better ego boost than getting final jeopardy right when none of the contestants do.”
One Reddit user wrote: “I found the final question to be an easy one today, I’m quite surprised no one got it.”
Another wrote: “I blanked out and landed on Dallas. I couldn’t pin down the years it ran. The ‘named character’ had me wondering. Turns out it ran later than I thought.”
A third commented in the thread: “Today’s final Jeopardy was soooo easy.”
A fourth defended: “I wrote down MASH as well, despite thinking to myself, ‘Wasn’t MASH a comedy…?’ Glad to see I was in good company with Dillon and Johanna.”
A fifth wrote: “Like 2 of the contestants, I said MASH. I knew Magnum takes place in Hawaii, and the correct response did occur to me as well, so it was a bit of a coin flip.”
“Great game from all three players, but happy to see Johanna walk away with it!”
“I think they were trying to think of a long-running show that ended ~1980, and decided to just write down something.”
One more wrote: “When will this 1-3 game curse end? This month’s been rough so far.”
JEOPARDY! DROUGHT?
There hasn’t been a four-day winner on Jeopardy! since Stephen Webb’s eight-day streak ended on March 16.
Ben Chan bowed out after his third runaway win, he did not compete on Monday, April 14 as scheduled, concerning fans- as he seemed like he was going to break the curse.
In a rare occurrence, there were three new contestants instead and Ben will be returning to go for win four as the returning champ (of two out of a technicality) on May 15’s episode.
As for Ben, he later clarified the real reason he did not return as scheduled.
“Before yesterday’s episode taped, I had tested positive for COVID; it was a very mild case, as you can see, I’m fine.
“Most importantly, my buzzer finger is fine, so I’m excited to watch what happens over the next few weeks, see who I’ll be competing against on May 15,” he said during a virtual appearance on Good Day Wisconsin.
One fan responded when he tweeted out the story: “Looking forward to your return!”
‘ALBANY TO DENVER TO BOSTON?’
As for Final Jeopardy, last night’s episode resulted in a truly rough guess from one of the contestants.
The clue under “U.S. Geography” read: “Interstate 25 connects these 2 state capitals, 1st & 2nd in elevation, & in between runs through No. 3, Denver.”
With $3,200 to her name and in third place, Année Tousseau was first to respond and she incorrectly wrote: “Albany and Boston.”
Fans were shocked by the mind-boggling try as one fan tweeted: “If you’re gonna be wrong, go all out.
“Are you trying to tell me that Denver, Colorado, isn’t between Albany, New York and Boston, Massachusetts? Who knew?” wrote another.
“Classic Albany to Denver to Boston road trip at the top 3 elevations in the country,” snarked a third.
The contestants last evening also went two-for-five on a Beatles category and didn’t know the lyrics from a clue were asking for “Strawberry Fields Forever” in one of the more “painful” misses of the round.
