JEOPARDY! is taking a commercial break from regular episodes to air its first-ever Second Chance competition starting Monday.
Here are the 18 players back with a vengeance having lost the first time around – including one contestant insiders hinted is sure to win.
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On Monday, October 17, the 18 power players who nearly, but didn’t, win during their previous Jeopardy! games will be back on-screen.
As Ken Jennings, 48, revealed last week during the normal show – which will pause so the tournament can play out for two weeks – these hand-picked contestants are back “for redemption.”
Each week will spotlight three semifinal games and a two-day finale.
The victor of each week’s tournament bracket will then score the two remaining slots in the Tournament of Champions which airs directly afterward.
The contenders were chosen by execs because the show felt they, especially, deserved a second chance.
There, they can beat super-champs like Amy Schenider, Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach and Ryan Long.
They can even defeat the legends they lost to in the following two-week prestigious playoffs which are worth $250K.
Like fan-favorite Sadie Goldberger – whose shock loss to Megan Wachpress on June 20th came down to a controversial ruling from the judges.
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ONCE BITTEN
Hundreds felt Sadie was “robbed” as she would have won had the show ruled in her favor during Final Jeopardy.
The show has stood by that her otherwise correct Final Jeopardy response of “Harriet Tubman” was “incomplete” with but an “n” missing – hundreds were left upset calling it the season’s “most painful loss”.
EP Mike Davies, who picked each player, earlier spoke out: “We talked to Sadie, it was a tough ruling, it was a great game and we’re so happy we can invite her back.”
All of this will air for the next month instead of the regular show.
WHO IS: RETURNING?
Week 1 (Oct. 17 to 21)
- James Fraser, a naval aviator from Newport Beach, California. (Season 37)
- Aaron Gulyas, a community college history instructor from Grand Blanc, Michigan (Season 38)
- Molly Karol, a certified public accountant from Austin, Texas (Season 38)
- Tracy Pitzel, an accountant from Ellensburg, Washington (Season 38)
- Renée Russell, a branch-office administrator from Baltimore, Maryland (Season 38)
- Pam Schoenberg, a dentist and entrepreneur from South Salem, New York (Season 38)
- Jessica Stephens, a statistical-research specialist from Nashville, Tennessee (Season 38)
- Erica Weiner-Amachi, a teacher from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Season 38)
- Cindy Zhang, a user-experience designer from New York City (Season 38)
Week 2 (Oct. 24 to 28)
- Sadie Goldberger, an interpreter from Columbia, Maryland (Season 38)
- Alicia O’Hare, a social worker from Long Beach, Long Island (Season 38)
- Do Park, a sportswriter from Minneapolis, Minnesota (Season 38)
- Tom Philipose, a writing professor from Forest Hills, Queens (Season 38)
- Nikkee Porcaro, an educational consultant and business owner from Silver Spring, Maryland (Season 37)
- Jeff Smith, a music educator from San Diego, California (Season 38)
- Sarah Snider, a teacher from Fishers, Indiana (Season 38)
- Rowan Ward, a chart caller, writer and editor from Chicago, Illinois (Season 37)
- Jack Weller, a law student from San Diego, California (Season 37)
‘THEY CAN BEAT ANYBODY’
Another player who is getting buzz is Rowan Ward.
Two Jeopardy! figures exclusively told The U.S. Sun they think will be one of the two winners of the special comeback tournament.
In 2021, Rowan faced Matt Amodio and led in the first round, they had 22 correct clues and 3 incorrect and had $13,600 to Matt’s $27,200 before Final Jeopardy, giving the 38-time winner a run for his money.
One insider told The U.S. Sun: “One of them is a really excellent player.”
On winning the Second Chance Tournament they revealed: “I think its very likely.”
“The way that Rowan plays I feel that they can beat anybody.”
“Rowan played Matt Amodio really tough in the final game of Season 37 and led up to the first round.”
“But just in terms of quizzing ability and command of the signaling device, I feel that Rowan could more than hold their own with anyone in the Tournament of Champions field.”
Fans are buzzing in general ahead of the games, as one shaded online: “This is more worthwhile than the [weekly] celebrity version [with Mayim Bialik].”
Another tweeted: “Second chance #jeopardy competition sounds pretty awesome.”
A third excitedly wrote: “Bringing back the losers for a second chance!” though the term is a little loaded since everyone loses on Jeopardy! eventually.
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