GN Expansion Pak: Pop Culture Jeopardy! is a spin-off worth watching

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There are certain game shows that have stood the test of time. The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! are certainly among the upper echelon, becoming important cornerstones of television and Americana. These TV monoliths are watched by millions every single day and are very much a part of the country’s fabric. Without those shows on the airwaves, something just wouldn’t feel right.

While the tried-and-true shows mentioned above are pretty much perfect in every way, that doesn’t mean there’s not room for experimentation. Within the confines of these games, there’s considerable wiggle room to be found when it comes to new twists. While The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune have been dabbling with fresh approaches via their big money primetime installments, Jeopardy! is looking to take an even bigger swing with an intriguing spin-off.

Truth be told, Jeopardy! has always been the most experimental of the big three game shows. Over the years we’ve seen Sports, Rock & Roll, and even a child-oriented version of Jeopardy!. That said, it’s nearly been 10 years since we’ve seen Jeopardy! strike out with something new, but that all changed this week with the latest offshoot, Pop Culture Jeopardy!.

Even those who don’t watch much TV know how Jeopardy! works. It’s basically a straightforward trivia show, with the only difference being the requirement for contestants to offer their answers in the form of a question. Outside of that, it’s your standard trivia fodder. The same goes for Pop Culture Jeopardy!, which is also self explanatory in its name. The game plays out almost exactly as standard Jeopardy! does, but the questions in this version are centered on music, TV, music, games and so on.

There are no doubt plenty of times when we’ve all watched traditional Jeopardy! and scoffed at some of the contestants’ answers. On the flipside, there are also countless occasions where the questions seem absolutely impenetrable. If you happen to be on the latter side of the fence more often, Pop Culture Jeopardy! could help give you the feeling that the big-brained Jeopardy! players often experience. This is your chance to shine, with questions being almost entirely about light-hearted topics and categories fine-tuned for fun.

Having watched all 3 currently-available episodes of Pop Culture Jeopardy!, I have to say that I’ve come away extremely pleased with what I saw. Yes, the show is nearly identical in terms of gameplay to standard Jeopardy!, but the focus on pop culture really does inject a completely new vibe into the experience. There’s nothing wrong with Jeopardy! proper at all, but I think most of us can agree that the show is a bit dry and buttoned-up. Pop Culture Jeopardy! definitely takes a lighter, looser approach to the entire presentation, and it comes off much better for it.

It all starts with the host, and the powers that be have chosen Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost to fill those shoes. Those who watch SNL know Jost from his “Weekend Update” stint where he delivers the news with a satirical approach. The cadence Jost uses in Weekend Update is very much on display in Pop Culture Jeopardy!, albeit with slightly less guardrails. Jost is free to make quips and small talk as he sees fit and he threads the needle perfectly, keeping the show moving along as a host and inserting light humor that works wonderfully with the pop culture talk. Jost doesn’t go out of his way to talk or be funny, but he seems to naturally know the right times to jump in with a bit of fun.

That easy-going style clearly works for the contestants as well, as they feel a bit more comfortable laughing about certain questions, answers or happenings. It makes for an atmosphere that’s considerably more breezy than standard Jeopardy!, which is one more way to differentiate the shows. There are areas where a spin-off should remain extremely close to the source and areas where the newcomer should try its own thing, and this thread of levity found with the host and contestants feels like a great place for Pop Culture Jeopardy! to chart its own course.

Speaking of the contestants, Pop Culture Jeopardy! changes things up by putting 3 players behind each podium, making for 9 players in each game. There are 3 teams with 3 people, and each is aiming to make their way to the finals throughout 40 episodes. There are brackets to work through and rounds where teams are culled, which adds a bit of intrigue to the process. It’s very possible you could have a favorite team along the way due to their pop culture knowledge and personality, and having a group to root for makes it all the more fun to watch.

As for the game itself, it really is just regular Jeopardy! with a 100% focus on pop culture. If you can think of some area in pop culture, be it big or small, Pop Culture Jeopardy! dabbles in it. You get wide-ranging categories like Musicals and Rappers to ultra-specific runs about the TV show Friends, TikTok trends and so on. It’s crazy to see just how detailed some of the questions get, but equally impressive with what people know. I definitely have my areas of expertise in some pop culture topics, but there are other categories where I wouldn’t stand a chance…which is where other players could swoop in and steal those points easily.

The only real change in terms of gameplay comes from the “Triple Play” feature. This pops up randomly on the board like a Double Jeopardy! opportunity does in standard Jeopardy! games, but how it works is a bit different. When a Triple Play comes up, anyone can buzz in once the question is read. The thing is that each Triple Play has 3 answers, so the team that buzzes in has a chance to get triple the point value. If they miss an answer they lose points, and the other times can buzz in and try their luck. It’s not a major game-changer or anything, but it’s still a nice wrinkle.

Some are worried that Jeopardy! offering shows like Pop Culture Jeopardy! will dilute the experience and stretch the brand too thin. I wasn’t off that mind before the show started and I disagree even more having watched. Pop Culture Jeopardy! pays loving care to its namesake while carving out its own path. Where the main show is mostly serious and pretty challenging, Pop Culture Jeopardy! aims more at providing fun for players of any age. Honestly, anyone could watch Pop Culture Jeopardy! and chime in with some answers, and while that’s true of regular Jeopardy!, it’s even more so possible here. It takes what you love from the classic show, tries a few new ideas, and ends up being original and enjoyable while not feeling like a cheap knock-off. That’s not an easy thing to accomplish by any means.

Pop Culture Jeopardy! feels like a spin-off done right in every measure. I will 100% be tuning in each week to see how things play out, as I want to see where the teams land, and I also want to test my own pop culture knowledge. I’ll even get to smile and chuckle along the way, and that only adds to the enjoyment. Hopefully others catch the show as well, as I feel Pop Culture Jeopardy! is more than worthy of having the same long and illustrious career that prime time behemoth has enjoyed.