'Jeopardy!' season ends Friday: Will there be another this fall amid the WGA strike?
"Jeopardy!" ends its 39th season Friday, amid a strike by Hollywood writers and actors that poses a threat to the syndicated quiz show and a celebrity edition that airs in primetime on ABC.
The season is ending with a bit of a fizzle ? it's been more than a month since any contestant has won more than two consecutive games ? and will be followed by the usual re-airing of recent tournaments, starting Monday with the new "Second Chance" contest among notable players who didn't quite make it to the marquee Tournament of Champions.
"Jeopardy!" viewers are diehard fans, and the uncertainty raises questions about the show's future, along with other favorite TV shows and movies. So we're here to answer them.
Will there be a new season of 'Jeopardy!' during a strike?
Yes. The show is scheduled to begin production on its 40th season in mid-August. Because its writers are members of the union that went on strike May 2, the show will recycle clues from its vast archive while awaiting a settlement (and you probably won't notice).
"'Jeopardy!' has a long history with and tremendous respect for the WGA and our writers," producer Sony Pictures Television said in a statement released this week. "We have always been careful to honor our WGA agreements and we would never air game material not created by WGA writers. However, just as we did, led by Alex Trebek, during the 2007-2008 strike, we will deliver first-run episodes again this fall."
When does 'Jeopardy!' return?
The 40th season of Jeopardy is expected to premiere on Sept. 11 (check local listings).
Who will host 'Jeopardy!' next season?
Ken Jennings, for now. Alternate host Mayim Bialik refused to tape the last batch of episodes for the 39th season in May, which is why Jennings has hosted the final four weeks. Sony made no announcement on hosting plans for Season 40, but it stands to reason that without a settlement, Bialik, who is also a member of SAG-AFTRA, won’t be back until the strike is settled.
What happens to 'Celebrity Jeopardy!' now that actors are on strike, too?
The clues for the upcoming season of ABC’s "Celebrity Jeopardy!" were written before the actors went on strike on July 14. Although many celebrities are SAG members, their work on the show is covered by a separate labor agreement and not subject to the strike. The series is expected to return in late September, airing Tuesdays at 8 EDT/PDT and streaming the next day on Hulu. ABC will announce a host for the show (Bialik hosted last season) next week.
ToC "boycott": 'Jeopardy!' champs to boycott in solidarity with WGA strike: 'I can't be a part of that'
Will there be a 'Jeopardy!' Tournament of Champions?
Eventually, but neither the ToC nor any other tournament will be taped until the Writers Guild of America strike is settled.
After a few champions announced plans to boycott the tournament in solidarity with the writers' union, a spokeswoman at Sony, which produces the show, said it had no plans to tape one during the strike. "No contestants from Season 39 have been contacted regarding their availability for any postseason tournaments, including the ToC. The Jeopardy! postseason represents the pinnacle of our competition, and it should feature our strongest players playing our toughest original material," the statement said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Jeopardy!': Will there be a new season amid Hollywood strikes?