Amazon Prime Video’s newest show “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” has just arrived onto the streaming platform as of Dec. 4. Hosted by comedian, writer and actor Colin Jost, the show is near-identical to the original “Jeopardy!” television show—the only difference being the questions themselves. “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” focuses on—you guessed it—pop culture, with topics relating to music, celebrities, internet culture and more.
Jost is best known for his role as a co-anchor for Weekend Update on “Saturday Night Live.” Born in Staten Island, Jost has a knack for interacting with the contestants on stage during “Pop Culture Jeopardy!,” as he is able to joke with them while also performing the traditional hosting role.
“It’s really, like—you know, you don’t want to mess it up,” said Jost while discussing his experience as host during an interview with TODAY. “You don’t want to, like, disgrace this hallowed ground.”
One of the major changes that makes Pop Culture Jeopardy! stand out from its predecessor is a change in contestants. Instead of each contestant answering questions on their own, Pop Culture Jeopardy! instead allows its participants to work together in groups of three, with their very own team name.
As someone who has never found much appeal in the original “Jeopardy!,” I was excited to see if the newer version would speak to me more. The original Jeopardy! covers a very wide range of topics and ideas, but “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” has a specific niche that most people can find a way into.
In addition to the more culturally relevant topics, the usage of teams on “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” contributes to a more laid-back approach. The contestants can play with their friends by their side and the environment feels casual and approachable — even if a $300,000 grand prize is on the line.
“Pop Culture Jeopardy!” is structured in a bracket style. According to the show’s pilot, a total of 81 teams will compete against one another, advancing to the quarterfinals, the semifinals and eventually the final match. At the end of each episode, the winning team will be sent to the next round, although the losers still receive a consolation prize.
The show is set to run 40 episodes, although only three have been released as of Dec. 4. Every Wednesday, three more episodes will be released on Amazon Prime Video, until the season concludes with a winning team.
The first episode features the teams “Pop Queens,” “Oops! We Guessed It Again” and “Queen City Kidz”—all named by their members, of course. The participants on “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” created their teams on their own and applied as a group, meaning every team has their own story. Jost does take the time during the show to introduce the teams to the audience, allowing for a greater connection between watcher and participant.
Although “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” is made by the same companies as “Jeopardy!” and even features the same music and set, it still stands out against the traditional format through its usage of three-person teams. Jost is clearly still finding his footing as host, but he still does an excellent job in the pilot episode of the show. Despite not being a participant, he keeps the tone light and lively, joking with his contestants while also reading off questions and answers.
During his interview with TODAY, Jost aptly compared his show to “bar trivia,” as opposed to the more competitive style found in “Jeopardy!.” “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” allows itself to relax, and participants can have fun despite the prize money on the line.
Anyone can watch “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” alone, but the inherent relatability of the subject matters in the questions means it lends itself easily to a group setting. The show might be even more enjoyable if watched with others, as the audience can guess the answers themselves. Overall, “Pop Culture Jeopardy!” is fun and light, without losing the intense and competitive nature of the original show.
Rating: 4/5