JEOPARDY! fans hit the rewind button on Wednesday’s episode as it seemed like a contestant had picked a fight with Ken Jennings.
The Second Chance faceoff featured Rachel Cohen, Randall Rayford, and Andrew Whatley – who boldly answered a clue with the one word he was cautioned to avoid.
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The sparks flew in Double Jeopardy! when the $1200 clue under “11-letter worlds” triggered a momentary meltdown.
Ken, 49, laid down clue-turned-challenge: “Flammable, but with 2 more letters, & if you even think of saying inflammable, I’m coming over there.”
Ignoring the warning, Andrew responded with what, to many fans, sounded like just that – “inflammable.”
“No!” Ken scoffed with a laugh, catching everyone off-guard as more laughter erupted from the audience.
He ruled Andrew incorrect, asserting the correct response was: “combustible” as the giggles continued into the next clue.
FANS REACT: ‘DID HE JUST!?’
Fans erupted on social media, speculating if the contestant was intentionally rattling Ken, daring him to “come over there.”
One fan wrote on Reddit: “Andrew saying inflammable after the clue specifically said that was not the answer was hilarious.”
Another quipped: “I’m disappointed that he did not, in fact, go over there. Just another empty threat from Ken.”
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A third argued: “I think he said IMflammable, so Ken was not derelict in his duties.”
A fourth agreed: “I think he said ‘imflammable,’ which is actually where my brain initially went, even though I don’t think it’s a word.”
Other fans argued Andrew’s apparent lack of realization, as one remarked: “Right!? and he didn’t seem to realize it afterward either.”
Another fan wrote: “I suspect Andrew might have thought the clue read ‘unflammable.’ I had to rewind the DVR, thinking ‘Did he just say the word they said it wasn’t?'”
As the game heated up, Randall stole the spotlight with a daring $9800 Daily Double, prompting Ken to exclaim, “Wow!”
Going into Final Jeopardy, Andrew held 6,400, Randall a sizable $19,600, and Rachel 13,200.
Under “FROM THE FRENCH” the clue read: “With murder, shadows, a nosy reporter & Peter Lorre, 1940’s “Stranger on the Third Floor” is the first example of this, some say.”
Randall and Andrew aced it with “Film Noir,” while Rachel, unfortunately, wrote: “Voyourism.”
Randall added $6,801 to win with $26,401 and he’ll head to the next Second Chance finals.
‘ENOUGH SECOND CHANCES!’
In late December, the Season 39 Second Chance competition, designed as a redemption round for 36 non-winners from last season, kicked off.
This four-week showdown sees four winners emerge, stretching until January 15.
Each claims $35,000 and a coveted spot in a Season 39 Wildcard Competition starting January 16 (for brief winners from last season).
This following competition holds two golden tickets to the Tournament of Champions, which will finally air mid-February.
Fans are having tournament fatigue as the momentous 40th season – which premiered in September – has solely consisted of tournaments.
While some were scheduled because of the since-resolved WGA strike, the strike is now over, and tournaments are still going.
One fan blasted on X on Wednesday: “When will all these Second Chance tournaments end?”
Another argued: “When are regular shows coming back?” while a third slammed, “This has gone on way too long.”
A fourth wrote: “We’ve quit watching. So sick of ‘Second Chance.'”
Another user posted: “At this point, it’s like the Sixth Chance tournament.”
A fifth recently wrote: “Am I the only one confused by all the second chance and wild card tournaments?
“I do NOT understand why there are so many; it’s been going on for 6 months now. Every time I think it’s over because I just watched 2-day event, they start ANOTHER one the next day.”
In a huge break from past years, regular episodes will only be at the tail end of the season, not back until April, 2024.
TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS APPROACHING
However, Season 39 Second Chance also marks a return to the norm.
The tournament was supposed to kick off Season 40 before the Writers Guild of America strikes – and it features the return of all new material.
Juveria Zaheer scored praise when she won group one, and Xanni Brown won group two.
Now, only two slots remain before Wildcard begins- then the long-awaited ToC takes flight in just a month and change.
The 2024 Tournament of Champions will have an unprecedented 27 contestants, featuring the likes of Hannah Wilson, Ben Chan, and Cris Pannullo.
The winner of the ToC pockets $250,000 and joins a short list that includes Amy Schneider and James Holzhauer.
The winner also gets invited to the next Jeopardy Masters, so fortune and perhaps even TV fame are at stake.
BYE-ALIK
Meanwhile, last month, co-host Mayim Bialik was let go, leaving former champ Ken as the sole host in quite the shakeup.
The Big Bang Theory alum, 48, dropped the bombshell that she was fired in a statement on Instagram.
The text-based message over a blue backdrop read: “As the Holiday break begins in Hollywood, I have some Jeopardy! news.
“Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy!.”
She continued: “I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a primetime Emmy for hosting this year and am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been part of the Jeopardy! family.
“For all of you who have supported me through this journey and to the fans, contestants, writers, staff of America’s favorite quiz show, thank you.”
She heavily implied leaving was not her decision, but did not explain her exit.
An hour after her statement, the official Jeopardy! account confirmed the news.
Mayim has since removed “co-host @jeopardy” from her Instagram bio.
“It took me off guard, because I loved working with my Mayim and I’m gonna miss her. I can’t speak to her decision-making process or her opinions about it,” Ken since told the Hollywood Reporter.
“But on my end, I’m just a fan of Jeopardy! and I’m always delighted to host when they call upon me. I just feel extremely lucky to have even been considered for this job as a non-broadcaster.
“It’s such an honor and, hopefully, I look forward to 37 more years of doing it, when I’ll be a very, very old man.”
Jeopardy! airs weeknights at 7 pm E.T. – check your local TV listings.
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