Packers film review: Breaking down Aaron Rodgers’ first episode as ‘Jeopardy!’ host
The first episode of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers hosting “Jeopardy!” aired Monday. The three-time MVP has nine more episodes airing over the next two weeks.
How did Rodgers do during his opening appearance? It’s time to go to the tape to evaluate the performance.
Here’s a light-hearted breakdown of Rodgers’ first episode as guest host (note: spoilers ahead):
– Solid intro. Looks confident, ready for the moment. Possibly too much swaying back and forth. He might be fighting some nerves, and that’s just fine.
– Terrific job reading the opening categories. Noted the quotations, emphasized key or interesting words. Sounds like a pro.
– He read the first Daily Double a little fast, probably out of excitement. Still did an excellent job detailing the rules, the wager and also expanding the contestant’s answer to give the full name. Strong work.
– Handled his first question without an answer from the contestants well. Added a little humor. This is the way. He’s rolling now.
– He’s mixing up ways of confirming answers really well. “That’s the state!” You can tell he watched plenty of Trebek. His comfort level commanding this thing is rising.
– Got a little hurried at the first break but otherwise handled it well. Figured this might be one of the toughest jobs. You got the producer telling you to get to break, and then you have to execute the outro without rushing it. He’ll get better at it.
– Strong job with the contestant interviews. Got a few good stories. Good transitions, but these things are always a little awkward. Asked interesting follow-up questions. And most importantly: a smooth re-entry into the game.
– Hearing him say “Go Bears!” – as in, Cal Bears – will rattle some Packers fans momentarily.
– Hilarious job reading the Larry David clue. “Pretty, pretty good!” And he added a goofy pirate reference to confirm one answer. Veteran stuff from the rookie host.
– Strong grade for the first round. Can he keep the momentum going into Double Jeopardy?
– He has a good voice for this. It’s definitely not overwhelming. In fact, it’s probably understated. But it’s also relaxing in a way. Trebek had such a strong but soothing voice. And he always knew when to use inflection and add a little spice or emphasis to certain words within clues. We might want a little more energy out of the NFL quarterback.
– More of the same in the next round. He does sound like a natural. In command of the board, strong reading the clues, and gaining confidence in affirming answers. He doesn’t sound out of place at all, and the game is flowing nicely.
– “But today is Brandon’s day.” Throwing out the dagger a little too soon, Aaron? Might need to consult Wayne Larrivee about this.
– Scott, the two-day champion, threw him a curveball in Final Jeopardy, referencing the Packers’ decision to kick a field goal late in the NFC title game, and he handled it like a pro. A big smile while he let the moment play out, and a funny response. And a little jab: “Thanks for that.” It truly had a “Saturday Night Live” vibe to it. Good stuff.
– Cool moment with Mr. Rogers being the answer to the final clue. Bonus points for Rodgers adding something extra onto the end after the winner, Brandon, guessed right. “Long-time TV host and a neighbor to so many.” Clever. Good way to wrap up the show.
– Oh, a little mistake at the end. Background: “Jeopardy!” is matching the winner’s total and donating to the host’s charity of choice. Brandon won $23,244. Aaron said $26,244. He’ll go back to the tape and get that cleaned up for the next episode.
– Strong first episode. The best compliment you could give him: He was prepared, charming, and he emulated Alex Trebek well while adding his own style and patented dry humor. Of the guest hosts so far, he and Ken Jennings sound the most natural. His preparation paid off in subtle but important ways. I bet he’ll become more assertive with his voice and hosting style as we get into more and more episodes. But in terms of first impressions? This was terrific.
