S2·E188 Show #448

Episode recap

The broadcast identified as season 2, episode 188 (show #448) of the 1984 series Jeopardy! presented three new challengers: Phil Selway, Jill Beerman and Marvin Shinkman. As with every installment of the long‑running quiz program, the episode opened with host Alex Trebek greeting the contestants and explaining the rules that govern the game. The format, which has remained consistent throughout the series, divides the competition into three rounds: the Jeopardy! round, the Double Jeopardy! round and the Final Jeopardy! round. In each of the first two rounds the board displays a grid of clues organized by category and dollar value; the values increase from the lowest to the highest, and the Double Jeopardy! round doubles the monetary range of the clues. Contestants select a clue, respond in the form of a question, and earn or lose the indicated amount depending on whether their response is correct. After the Double Jeopardy! round, the three players write a wager and a response to a single “Final Jeopardy!” clue, which determines the final standings.

The episode’s three participants—Selway, Beerman and Shinkman—took turns selecting categories, buzzing in to answer, and managing their wagers. Throughout the broadcast, the familiar voice of announcer Johnny Gilbert introduced each new category and read the clues, while the studio audience reacted to correct and incorrect responses in the customary fashion. The episode adhered to the series’ standard production values, featuring the iconic blue‑and‑gold set, the familiar theme music, and the signature “Think!” music that plays during the Final Jeopardy! contemplation period.

While the specific scores and the ultimate winner of this particular contest are not detailed in the available synopsis, the episode exemplified the core elements that have defined Jeopardy! since its debut: a test of general‑knowledge recall, strategic wagering, and the rapid‑fire exchange between host, contestants and audience. The broadcast contributed to the show’s continued reputation as a staple of American television quiz programming, maintaining the format that has been described in reference works as the hallmark of the series.