S5·E40 Show #955

Episode recap

The episode identified as Show #955 in season 5 of the long‑running quiz program Jeopardy! presents three new challengers: Paul Thompson, Alex Szabo, and Norton Moses. As with every installment of the series, the contest is hosted by Alex Trebek, with Johnny Gilbert providing his familiar announcing voice. The three participants sit at the iconic podiums and prepare to test their breadth of knowledge across a series of themed clue boards.

The game opens with the Jeopardy! round, in which the board displays six categories, each containing five clues valued from the lowest to the highest dollar amounts. Contestants select a clue, respond in the form of a question, and earn the associated monetary value for correct answers while risking a deduction for incorrect responses. Throughout this first segment, Paul, Alex, and Norton each take turns choosing clues, demonstrating their strengths in areas ranging from history to popular culture, though the specific categories and outcomes are not detailed in the available material.

Following the initial round, the competition moves to Double Jeopardy!, where the same format is repeated but with clue values doubled, raising the stakes and providing an opportunity for larger shifts in the contestants’ totals. Again, the three players engage with the board, selecting categories and attempting to out‑score one another through rapid recall and strategic wagering. The episode does not disclose the precise clues, categories, or the scores accumulated during these phases.

The culmination of the program is the Final Jeopardy! segment. After a brief commercial break, a single clue is presented, and each contestant writes down a wager and a response. The final answer determines the ultimate winner, though the episode synopsis does not reveal which of the three—Paul Thompson, Alex Szabo, or Norton Moses—emerges victorious.

Throughout the hour, the familiar production elements noted in the series’ credits are present: direction by Kevin McCarthy, Dick Schneider, and John Lauderdale, and the characteristic studio setting that has defined the show since its 1984 debut. The episode adheres to the standard Jeopardy! format, delivering a concise yet competitive showcase of general‑knowledge trivia among the three featured contestants.