Pop Culture Jeopardy! is ushering in a different form of intelligence.
I, like many others, am a Jeopardy! lover. So, when I found out about the Pop Culture version—with comedian Colin Jost as the host, no less—I was immediately onboard. Similar to the first Jeopardy! the series is available weekly on streaming—with new episodes live on Prime Video each Wednesday—it’s reaching a whole new demographic of chronically online 20-year olds.
Pop Culture Jeopardy! is one of the best new additions to my week, validating my immense pop culture knowledge as a genuine form of intelligence.
With categories like “Friends,” “Thirst Traps,” and “Not Me, Not Hermione, You,” the show sees teams of three—rather than solo players in the original Jeopardy!—who spend a lot of time scrolling and consuming an insurmountable amount of media in book, television, and movie compete.
However, there’s been a spattering of negative reviews claiming the lack of science or history categories hinders the show. Even Jost himself constantly pokes fun at the show itself, both for its content and its availability on Prime Video.
It’s not the first time Jeopardy! has had a spin off show, but this time it seems to be making a bigger splash than the short-lived Sports Jeopardy! which ran three seasons between 2014 to 2016.
This got me thinking about the differences between Jeopardy! franchises and the separation between highbrow and lowbrow intelligence. Those with their finger on the pulse of popular culture, should be given the chance to show off their skills, and potentially be rewarded through a show like Pop Culture Jeopardy! Though I don’t believe scholarly knowledge should be eclipsed entirely, it’s refreshing to see a different type of intelligence be recognized as significant.
There has long been a divide between highbrow and lowbrow culture—highbrow referring to scholarly and esoteric content, while lowbrow typically describes more common and accessible entertainment. Critics in favour of scholarly highbrow culture have said pop culture, in all its definitions, isn’t only childish and stupid, but that its emergence alongside highbrow culture is dangerous.
While I agree shows like the Jeopardy! push for scholarly intellect and knowledge—and this is a good thing, as we should discard anti-intellectualism and know more about the world—the sheer volume of people in tune with popular culture bonds us to each other.
Many have felt the joy and community in understanding something only “chronically online” people could grasp. That same joy is felt in viewers when teams on Pop Culture Jeopardy! represent us every day online folk—obsessed with niche meme references and an uncanny knack for recalling movie plot points and actors’ names.
Pop culture is fun, and more importantly, it’s accessible. More people than ever have access to information about up-and-coming films, popular books, and celebrity culture through the internet, social media, and streaming services as opposed to digging through online research rabbit holes or through physical media at the local library to get on par with the usual Jeopardy! contestant.
Having this kind of representation on my television screen proves what qualifies as intelligence is changing, embracing the lowbrow as a facet of culture and knowledge. My friends and I love the show, and our enthusiasm for answering questions and recalling forgotten details reflects our willingness to learn and adapt. Enjoying it doesn’t make us less intelligent—it proves a well-rounded view of what’s worth knowing.
The best way to engage is to watch both Jeopardy! programs. Expand your horizons—on science, history, and politics—while also shouting the right answers about jukebox musicals and John Hughes’ movies at the screen with your friends and feel good doing it. We should strive to be as knowledgeable as possible in all avenues, embracing the inclusion of pop culture as a valid form of intellect.
Pop Culture Jeopardy! shows there’s merit in knowing your memes, validity in identifying your TikTok stars, and who knows—knowledge of your favourite ’90s sitcom might have you, and your team, walking away 300,000 dollars richer.
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