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**Disclaimer: This Jeopardy! Masters article reflects the writer's personal opinions. Reader discretion is advised.**
Jeopardy! Masters episode 2 saw a dramatic decline in viewership, underscoring how risky programming and casting decisions can weaken even a beloved franchise. The season 3 premiere, which aired on April 30, reportedly attracted 3,123,000 viewers.
In that first episode, Victoria Groce, Brad Rutter, and Yogesh Raut played the first round, followed by Matt Amodio, Roger Craig, and Juveria Zaheer. However, by the time the second episode aired on May 7, the numbers had dropped to 2,350,000 viewers—a loss of nearly 800,000.
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That episode featured Adriana Harmeyer, Isaac Hirsch, and Neilesh Vinjamuri, with Roger, Isaac, and Yogesh returning for game two. By contrast, season 2 episodes reached around 4 million viewers, suggesting this season is falling short. For a show built around its best talent, these figures mark a steep fall and hint at larger issues.
The network’s bad calls and casting choices for Jeopardy! Masters
One of the most noticeable changes in Jeopardy! Masters season 3 is the absence of James Holzhauer, who won the tournament in 2023 and is one of the most recognized faces in modern Jeopardy! history.
It was surprising not to see James, wondering if perhaps the Top 2 from last season were retroactively allowed to stay. Another reason why he might have passed on the opportunity might have to do with Jeopardy! Masters' taping schedule, which didn’t work for him.
Considering how much of his life has revolved around Jeopardy! for the past six years, Holzhauer might have needed a break. Regardless of the reason, taking someone like Holzhauer out of the lineup has shaken up viewer interest.
Beyond casting, the scheduling has been criticized heavily. ABC moved the show to a 9 pm EST time slot on Wednesdays, putting it directly against reality TV giants like Survivor and The Amazing Race. Previously, the show aired at 8 pm, often with a direct lead-in from the regular Jeopardy! show.
A change in time slot will be a major change for the show. It should ideally air during the regular Jeopardy! time slot to prevent scheduling headaches. It’s hard to disagree when even Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, airing right before at 8 pm with Pat Sajak, pulled in 2,520,000 viewers, as reported by the US Sun— more than Jeopardy! Masters on the same night.
The format change hasn’t helped either. Instead of shorter, more frequent episodes, season 3 is airing just once a week in hour-long blocks. The longer format may be more taxing than thrilling, especially with fewer contestant rotations week to week. This could contribute to viewers not returning after the premiere.
The gameplay is another area of concern. After Yogesh Raut’s dominant performances, including another win on May 7, the competition has become predictable and even stagnant. The lack of variety in results and tone may be dulling the competitive excitement that the show once thrived on.
Still, it’s worth noting that TV ratings in general don’t hold the same value they once did. Viewers now have many options, from streaming platforms to social media content.
Live viewership is down across the board, and ABC likely tracks delayed streaming numbers through services like Hulu. But a nearly 800,000 viewer drop in just one week for Jeopardy! Masters is a significant signal. If ABC hopes for a fourth season, they’ll need to reevaluate the decisions that shaped season 3.
Jeopardy! Masters airs every Wednesday on ABC.
