TV: A Jeopardy! Tribute

Quiz shows aren't anything new, of course, but the unparalleled success of the Alex Trebek version of Jeopardy! must bring pause to even the most cynical observer. Here is a show devoted to minutiae and useless tidbits, to the flotsam of human experience, and yet it has penetrated the pop culture in a way few game shows ever have. After all, you can probably hum the Jeopardy! theme. Can you say the same for the $100,000 Pyramid?

Sometimes the answers are mind-numbingly simple, made so that almost any adult can figure them out. In other cases, it's something you'd need to have prior knowledge of, whether it's the history of the Tudors or the inner workings of a catalytic converter. The structure of the show lends itself to being followed along actively by the viewer, who is either amazed or exasperated by the performance of the contestants.

Here's a sampling of Jeopardy!'s greatest moments, pop culture parodies, and homages:

One of the now-classic Will Ferrell Jeopardy! skits:



A fun moment with Ken Jennings, the longest-running Jeopardy! champion:



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