S5·E56 Show #971

Episode recap

The broadcast listed as Season 5, Episode 56 of the American quiz program Jeopardy! (show number 971) presented three new challengers: Barbara Bradley, Dennis McNeil and Steve Brown. The episode adhered to the series’ established structure, opening with the iconic introduction and theme music before host Alex Trebek greeted the studio audience and introduced the contestants. As documented in the series’ general description, Trebek’s role is to present the clues and guide the game’s progression, while longtime announcer Johnny Gilbert provided the opening voice‑over and read the category titles.

The first segment, the Jeopardy! round, featured six categories, each containing five clues of increasing difficulty and monetary value. Contestants selected clues by indicating the desired category and dollar amount, then responded in the form of a question. Correct responses added the clue’s value to the player’s score, while incorrect answers deducted the same amount and gave the remaining contestants an opportunity to buzz in. After the initial round, the board was cleared and the Double Jeopardy! round began, offering doubled dollar values and two hidden “Daily Double” clues that allowed a contestant who found them to wager any portion of their current total.

Following Double Jeopardy!, the three competitors entered the Final Jeopardy! segment. A single clue was presented, and each contestant wrote down a wager and their response. The final scores were tallied after the reveal of the correct answer, determining the episode’s champion and the amounts awarded to the runner‑up and third‑place participants. The episode concluded with Trebek announcing the winner’s name and the prize, and with the customary closing remarks and theme music.

Throughout the broadcast, the production maintained the series’ trademark visual style, including the iconic board lighting, the “Think!” music during deliberation, and the studio audience’s applause after each correct response. No additional guest appearances or special segments were noted for this particular installment.