It's been eight months since Jeopardy! first kicked off its largely enjoyable guest-host experiment with a goal of locking down a permanent replacement for the late Alex Trebek, but due to one reason or three others, the job still hasn't been securely filled. However, Big Bang Theory vet Mayim Bialik has now found her already awesome part-time hosting gig being expanded into something larger in the wake of short-time replacement Mike Richards' highly publicized step-down.
Here's how things will shake out on Jeopardy! going forward for the near future: Mayim Bialik is going to replace Mike Richards as the full-time host as the producer get things settled behind the scenes. At this point, according to Variety, Bialik will take over as host for three weeks' worth of episodes (15), with production resuming this week following Richards' single day of filming. She will also still retain her previously announced gig as the host of Jeopardy!'s future primetime specials.
Obviously, there will still be episodes to follow Mayim Bialik's return as guest host, and it appears Sony will be transitioning back to the round-robin model with more celebrity guest hosts filling the void while a renewed hunt for a permanent ringleader gets underway. They might as well bring in some of Bialik's Big Bang Theory co-stars at this point, to keep fans entertained while not paying full attention to what's happening behind the scenes.
This is the time when many Jeopardy! viewers might be wondering why Mayim Bialik is still only being given another short-term run at hosting, rather than something more extended. But let's not forget that Bialik already kinda has a pair of full-time jobs in the form of the Fox comedy Call Me Kat, which will debut Season 2 in the midseason window, and her super-popular weekly podcast Bialik Breakdown, in which largely celebrity guests pop in and have some pretty heady discussions about mental health and wellness, among other things. Perhaps if she could just develop superpowers and put all that on hold, more Jeopardy! would be a feasible option later this year, but so it goes in a world without superpowers.
Could now be the time when Jeopardy! at least offers LeVar Burton the podium for a more permanent stint, or were his ratings really so low that he isn't a viable option? Could NFL fans say goodbye to Aaron Rodgers in order for him to take over in a full-time capacity? Could the producers pull a complete left-field maneuver by bringing in Alex Trebek's children to follow in their father's legacy? Whatever happens, I'm hoping the show brings James Holzhauer in to live-tweet every episode, because that's just become a little too fun.
Jeopardy! airs weekdays in syndication, so be sure to check your local listings to see when and where it's airing in your area.
