Jeopardy! has been a constant for so many people over its nearly 40 year run, as the game show where you provide answers by asking a question hasn't changed its format too much.
Jeopardy! Masters is a slight tweak to that, with its primetime airing, month-long format and other small details. But one tweak in the Jeopardy! Masters premiere got some fans enraged: a category based on fonts.
During the first game of the hour-long episode, featuring Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio and Andrew He, there was a Double Jeopardy category labeled "A Real Font of Knowledge." Longtime Jeopardy! fans could probably guess that based on the spelling the category would have to deal with specific type fonts. What they could not prepare themselves for was how those clues would be presented. In addition to the specific wording of the clue giving the contestants a chance to guess the font, the text was also written in that font, all different than the traditional font the game show uses.
While some fans enjoyed that a category was devoted to a topic they nerd out over, others had some strong negative actions, including wondering if someone should go to jail:
This feels illegal and someone should go to jail. #Jeopardy #JeopardyMasters pic.twitter.com/DNAY2ozjCOMay 9, 2023
And dear God, NEVER have a clue in Comic Sans again. #JeopardyMasters pic.twitter.com/ppz1wB3lQ8May 9, 2023
This is it. This is the most cursed thing that has ever been broadcast on television. #JeopardyMasters pic.twitter.com/w8vgThj9i2May 9, 2023
Jeopardy! clues about fonts, written in the font they reference. I love it, but seeing Jeopardy! clues in anything other than Korinna breaks my brain! #JeopardyMasters pic.twitter.com/fyavwK8CweMay 9, 2023
Thankfully for those fans, the new fonts were an exception for that category and are not expected to become the norm any time soon.
That wasn't the only new tweak for Jeopardy! Masters that got fans' attention though. In addition to a slightly different looking board and set, for the first time in Jeopardy! history the show revealed to viewers at home where the Daily Doubles were in each round, which had fans torn:
I love that they’re revealing the daily double to the audience. Fun 😄 #JeopardyMastersMay 9, 2023
Honestly not a big fan of the fact that they show you where the Daily Doubles are now. #JeopardyMastersMay 9, 2023
However, one thing that all the fans could agree on was the return of the classic "beep boop" sound effect that helped define the show in its early years being included in the intro. It's been a while since the sound effect was on the show, but fans recognized it immediately and were over the moon about its inclusion.
OMG THEY BROUGHT IT BACK #Jeopardy #JeopardyMasters @Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/A7V8tstiBlMay 9, 2023
I love the old "do do do" board sound on the intro to #JeopardyMastersMay 9, 2023
BEEP BOOPS!!!!!#JeopardyMastersMay 9, 2023
THE BEEP BOOPS OMGGGGG!!! #JeopardyMastersMay 9, 2023
ORIGINAL BOARD NOISES#JeopardyMasters #Jeopardy pic.twitter.com/4T91rYVNW4May 9, 2023
Combine all this with some great banter between host Ken Jennings and the contestants, particularly James Holzhauer who is embracing his self-proclaimed title as a "game show villain," and Jeopardy! Masters is off to a fun start. Should be a blast to watch over the next few weeks.
You can do so with the next episode airing on Tuesday, May 9, at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC. All episodes are streaming on-demand on Hulu the day after they air on ABC.