What’s Jeopardy? That is the question that was ultimately left behind when Alex Trebek passed away in late 2020. As stated in his autobiography “The Answer Is…” he explained that one of the reasons that the show worked was because it wasn’t about the host. It was his ability to make every contestant feel like they were the most special person in the room. He grew eager during interviews to know their weird little histories. He knew how to punctuate awkward silence with a joke. Everything he did was encouraging to others, allowing them to never feel intimidated by the pressure. This was, of course, from decades of experience and a passion that was so transparent that it only helped to elevate the series.
Let’s just say that the era immediately following his passing has been one of the roughest in the show’s history. It couldn’t help but be, especially as the series had to start anew for the first time in so long. Many have printed words on the demise of former producer and host Mike Richards, citing him as the show’s ultimate downfall in an attempt to make it more trendy. Some have blamed him for the chaotic outcome over the hosting gig, even sabotaging fan favorite LeVar Burton with an unceremonious week-long run. While the show has mellowed for the time being, the question still remains: What’s Jeopardy?
I am confident that Matt Amodio didn’t set out to be the shining answer when he took the online Jeopardy! test many months ago, signing onto a dream gig for many quiz-minded individuals across America. To him, it was probably just a chance to know what it was like to hold the buzzer, listening to that echoic music during Final Jeopardy as he writes the answer. Everybody who watches the show has this fantasy, especially since so many of the series’ most established winners come from modest backgrounds, having their lives changed by a small sum of money. The few who manage to go further have become “Jeopardy! royalty,” which is definitely a title that’s earned the hard way. I’m sure that Amodio would’ve been happy if he won a day. What he did instead was counterargue everything else that was distracting the discussion from the heart of the show’s format.
What’s Jeopardy? It’s the feeling that anyone could be a winner, that someone could run a category and suddenly move from last to first, the crowd clapping in acknowledgment. Maybe a moment stands out, becoming a meme that makes them a local celebrity back home. This show was always about the contestants, and Amodio was that first reminder during arguably the worst period of the show this year. As Richards was receiving complaints about misogynistic comments, as many tuned out because of how unappealing hosts like David Faber were, there was Amodio doing the unthinkable. He was, in some respects, carrying Jeopardy! in its hour of need as a contestant you could root for, wanting to see go further than absolutely anyone had in 17 years. Even the way he answered drew commentary, finding his impersonal use of “What’s” to be something robotic or obnoxious.
Amodio is the perfect success story. He was a Ph.D. student in computer science at Yale University. When he won those first few days, the shock on his face felt genuine. As the numbers flashed across the screen, he had this grin that had as much disbelief as you did. Unlike somebody like James Holzhauer whose strategy was more prominent, Amodio had strange luck of running boards without really having much of a bold strategy. If he got a Daily Double in the closing stretch, there was never a moment where took a giant lead, even if the second place was $20,000 behind. He was conservative. There was never intimidation about him. He was honestly the type who seemed like he could go at any time, and that fragility made every new win all the more exciting.
I think back to the most recent Jeopardy! All-Star in Holzhauer and realize how much of an anomaly Amodio seems. Despite winning more money, the Las Vegas gambler had a much shorter run that was definitely flashier. I personally disliked the way he played because it felt like he “broke” the game. There was an excitement to watching him run a board and bet so much on a single question, but for the most part, he had an unfair advantage. On the one hand, it was a perfect chance to remember Jeopardy!’s greatness while Trebek was still alive. However, it was also not fun because who would want to play Holzhauer? When he starred in “The Greatest of All Time” Tournament against Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings, the game moved so fast. It was thrilling, but also, it made one miss the appeal of this show being the work of the common man. Where were the players who didn’t seem preprogrammed for greatness?
Amodio is honestly one of the first players that I’ve been excited about since maybe beloved wise-cracking bartender Austin Rodgers. It isn’t just them answering questions, but that there are moments filled with personality, recognizing that underneath the difficulty is a passion for the gameplay. Everyone there is having fun, and it’s easy to take too seriously. Amodio didn’t hide his joy and frustration. He was increasingly candid, even making the late-season hosts a lot more enjoyable than their stodgy demeanor would suggest. I would especially say that Amodio elevated the Joe Buck era, where they clearly ribbed each other and cracked jokes whenever they had the chance.
It’s still surreal to know that among Amodio’s few accomplishments include surviving through SIX hosts. Throughout wondering if each of them were worthy of the gig was this contestant who was clearly there for the competition. While most came and went with the familiar turnstile quality, he was always there. Like the best contestants, his appeal wasn’t overnight but a slow burn that revealed itself as suddenly one week turned into a month and suddenly he had a record that made you eager to see how far he could push it. There had been 10 day runs, but nobody often pushed beyond it for this or that reason. When would his stamina break?
I first recognized the potential for his greatness when he was approaching a million dollars acquired in competition. Around $800,000 I remember pondering if he could actually push ahead and get into seven digits. Even with clear signs that he was in a rhythm, I doubted the potential. Very few, especially with the way that Amodio played, had pulled it off. Very quietly, he broke a million swiftly in the days ahead, joining an echelon that only Jennings and Holzhauer had achieved beforehand. As he crossed Holzhauer’s 32-game winning streak he suddenly reached uncharted territory. For the first time since 2004, somebody had the fortitude to take on Jennings’ historic records.
That is the thing that should never be lost in everything. While he only made it up to a 38-day win, he became the contestant with the second-longest winning streak in the show’s history. While his total winnings still weren’t necessarily setting new records, there was this anticipation that he could. Even in his final episode, host Mayim Bialik pointed out that Amodio was officially over halfway to matching Jennings’ 74-day winning streak. Nobody had gotten this close before, and even if his final game may have been more of a whimper, it wasn’t necessarily one of disappointment. He had put in the effort and walked away with $1,519,601. He would appear in the Top 10 highest earners for any game show.
Some may argue that he jumped ship either from exhaustion or that he needed to return to his Ph.D. program. Given that he recorded all 39 of his episodes over nine days, it may have been a mix of both. Still, there was something incredible about this feat. For the first time since Holzhauer, Jeopardy! had a contestant who you not only wanted to see win as many games as possible but actually pulled it off. Most contestants, no matter how smart, often fall victim to some trap. Amodio didn’t. He persevered in ways that even the most classical of winners could admire. He simply played the game and proved that this show wasn’t about having the flashiest host who could draw in viewers. What the show needed were contestants as genuinely interested in the game as him.
I’m not saying that Amodio saved Jeopardy! No one person in front or behind the camera could do that. For as much as the series needed him to draw in viewers, it was that chance to remind viewers why the show matters. It was never about having the biggest press. The greatest moments were organic to contestants, and Amodio had plenty to keep him at the forefront.
The one hypothetical that’s left to ask is if Jeopardy! would’ve been as noteworthy this past summer without him. Like every single game that’s ever aired, it’s tough to say one way or the other. There have been exciting games alongside boring ones. It probably would’ve been more pronounced given how disjointed the rest of the series was. While the contestants would still play with that magnetic draw, it feels like the show needed Amodio. They needed someone who was an above average contestant to remind people that yes, this show is capable of surprises, of living in spontaneous moments that shocked and amused. Watching Amodio occasionally fall into the red only to pull himself back up to first was a sight to behold. He became the stuff of legend very quickly, and there was an urgency that the show hadn’t really had no matter who was hosting. You didn’t so much care what the host would do as much as if Amodio could pull it off.
There have been many contestants over the years who have qualified as Jeopardy! royalty, but what’s amazing about Amodio is that even in a Post-Trebek era, he had the heart and soul of someone who grew up clearly obsessed with the original. It didn’t matter that certain variables were changed, that suddenly he was facing six different hosts while quietly reaching records that seemed so out of reach. It is rare for a contestant like him to come along and carry a show. Even if he never matched Jennings, the feeling that he might was exciting. If nothing else, it was evident that this peak of game show history could be reached again. Maybe not with Amodio, but maybe somebody would come along and do the unthinkable. So long as Jeopardy! is allowed to air, that dream of the unexpected happening remains a delicious cornerstone.
This is probably not the end of Amodio’s time on the series. He is more than likely appearing on Tournament of Champions to reach another rite of passage. For the time being, he remains in a pantheon of greats, serving as a reminder of what having knowledge and a competitive attitude could do for somebody. His life is forever changed, and it’s likely that he will only become more of a fixture in the series’ new history going forward. What will that look like? How soon until we find somebody of his level again? It might be a few years. Maybe it’s already happening with his replacement Jonathan Fisher. Whatever the case may be, it’s a reminder of what Jeopardy! actually is about. It’s not about finding a host that looks great on a poster. It’s about finding a contestant with enough passion to play the game to the best of their abilities.
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