Homicide Rewatch: Shaggy Dog, City Goat

 

Written by Eric Overmeyer

Directed by Kyle Secor

 

Those of you who've seen Magnolia – and I think its more likely that by this point in time its been seen by more people than Homicide was – will recognize almost immediately the story that Juliana Cox decides to baffle a group of medical examiners in the aftermath of her being honored as Chief Medical Examiner of the year. Indeed if you remember the opening of the movie Ricky Jay says this very story was told at a convention of M.E.'s – I assume with the names changed.

So the main plot by seem protracted given that Paul Thomas Anderson and Jay deal with it in less then five minutes of screen time in the prologue of that classic film. Like most of the stories in it the tale plays out with heightened emotion, anger and depression. But because this is Homicide – and more importantly because the primary is John Munch who loves these kinds of stories – it plays with humor and charm all the way through. And indeed throughout the entire plot it plays as a frothy comedy because it is helped with one of great bits of stunt casting in the show's history. But we'll get there.

Cox tells them about how she's called from home to see what appears to be a straight up suicide 'a jumper'. Munch and Kellerman are on the scene of a white, male John Doe in his 20s. He took a header of the roof, no signs of a struggle  with witnesses who, according to Munch "witnessed liftoff, solo flight by all accounts'.  He fell seven stories and they note the awning, mute witness to his solo trajectory. (That's the biggest difference; there's no netting that would have saved our jumper's life this time.) Cox seems determined to go home but Munch tells her "not to jump to any conclusions, as it were." (Long of great Munch lines in this one, obviously.) Then Cox notes the gunshot blast. Kellerman actually seems to enjoy this next part: "I say Holmes," he says in a British accent. "Shotgun if I'm not mistaken. Which would make this murder." Then he and Munch, as all good detectives do, bet on what kind of gauge was used.

The M.E.s then begin the speculation we're used to from our detectives. One says he was suicidal, stands on the edge, gathers his nerve and just as he's about to jump, gets shot in the back by an unseen assailant. (All of the storytelling is related over several dinners.) Cox admits to thinking this but its clear he was shot in the chest, not the back.  One woman claims to have heard a shot before our jumped launched his 'short but brilliant career as a kamikaze.

In the midst of this conversation Cox's pager goes off (mirroring what happened in the flashback and then is called into work. (The convention is clearly being held in Baltimore.) Cox makes it clear that the shotgun blast would have killed him. However if his intent was to kill himself it was still suicide. She argues the awning might have slowed his fall enough  to survive. In other words he would have been left in a permanent vegetative state "with a little bit of luck'. But then Cox realizes that he was shot from 'inside the building' because they found fragments of glass from window glazier'

So they went back looking for tell-tale signs. And they receive the slight clue that someone has their window boarded up. Now the episode really gets fun.

Every season since Robin Williams appeared in 'Bop Gun' Homicide has made a habit of having at least one episode a year with an actor or actress known primarily for their comic talent in a guest role, frequently but not always cast against type as a murderer. We saw Lily Tomlin play the seemingly benign Rose Halligan in The Hat, Chris Rock as an almost comically clueless killer in Requiem for Adena, Lewis Black as an ex con in Betrayal. Now in the roles of Mr. and Mrs. Cochran we get one of the first couples of television Steve Allen and Jayne Meadows, playing a feuding couple appropriately with the first names George and Emily. (See Hey, Isn't That…for the direct connection the two of them have with Fontana.) And while there's a similar darkness it plays out, like so many stories involving Munch, as tragicomedy as opposed to melodrama.

Allen and Meadows, like so many other great comic performers, play what follows completely deadpan. The two of them bicker in a sense of fairly curmudgeonly behavior as they lead them to the shotgun which "it's never loaded…almost never." He discharged the weapon on Friday night. To be clear this was a bit of theater between the two, something they did when they fought which was often. George asks: "How could I murder someone who was committing suicide?"

Munch: "You killed him before he finished killing himself."

George: "I didn't even know he was out there.

Kellerman: "if you try to kill A and end up killing  B instead, it's still murder.

He's been threatening his wife with a shotgun for years. An unloaded shotgun, of course.  He points the shotgun, pulls the trigger, goes boom and cackles like a maniac.

We actually see all of this.

This has been going on for a while, but the last time was a Thanksgiving dinner where she burnt the gravy.  Then she burned the pot roast which led to it playing out. Munch and Kellerman spend much of this time trying to get them to stop arguing. None of them can agree who loaded it in the interim.

It takes two more meetings for drinks before Cox gets to the point. Still unaware of who the victim and who loaded the shotgun they take a warrant to the Cochran home. They find the shotgun shells in the cupboard that have been put away by George Jr. They last saw him Thanksgiving. Emily had cut off George's allowance and they had been estranged since. They figure out his fingerprint on the gun matches the body in the morgue. And here's the twist.

George Junior knew the game they used to play and he was mad enough to load the shotgun to get back at his parents. If the gun went off it would kill Emily and his father would go to prison for it. He went back to Tulsa hoping that would play out.  Despondent at his plan of revenge not playing out – the Cochran's were getting along better thanks to couples counseling – he went to the roof of his parent's building to throw it in their faces. Ironically he picked the very night she burnt the pot roast causing his father to fire the shot just as George was 'passing by, so to speak." He wanted his parents to identify the body, but he underestimated their lack of interest in the outside world.

It's suicide, avec torque. You know, with a twist.

Gharty and Ballard are investigating a non-starter 'a street dealer, based on the neighborhood." Ballard tells him that they're not supposed to profile the victim based on race or neighborhood. Gharty's reaction says a lot about him: "What a crock. What else does a cop do?" He refers to him as "one more unknown soldier of the drug wars…what we call a collateral casualty of the drug war." Of course this being Homicide Gharty is immediately backed up when Cox comes on to the scene and says: "Let me guess, drug dealer?"  And when they talk to Stivers, whose still in sex crimes she immediately identifies him as Antonio 'Jake' Livingston. 26 separate slugs in what was clearly an execution.

 Livingston was known for peddling counterfeit drugs, sugar as smack, etc. They find out a couple of white boys from Pig town in a pickup truck. Ballard actually seems amazed white boys came up for drugs. Gharty is less surprised when Stivers refers to this as a city goat stretch 'bailing wire, caulk and compound and string." Both the black female detective and the white old male detective refer to them as dope fiends.

The phrase 'city goat' is a Baltimore term for hillbilly. Appalachia isn't that far from Maryland. Gharty talks in the derivative terms we all too frequently do for what was about to become known as white trash, arguing that if these weren't the people involved they're probably cousins. Ballard tries to make the argument that this isn't politically correct.  This leads to as close to what we've gotten to a car chase on this series between a cruiser and a beat-up pickup. The pickup wins, naturally. The car belongs to Douglas McCord and a section of Baltimore we've yet to see on this show.

He shows her the public baths where for a nickel you could get a scrub and for another nickel a towel and a cardboard comb. Ballard admits that there's a whole sense of history here that's not out west. Gharty says in Baltimore history has you by the throat on a daily basis. We got a sense of it from the antebellum side last week; here we get the other side. They go to the McCord household and find a woman who refuses to let them in. She refuses to talk any more than any African-American does to the cops. They find Donna McCord who looks like she's in her twenties at the most. Ballard thinks she's their sister. Donna says: "I'm their mother."  When Ballard says she's too young to be their mother she says: "Somebody shoulda told their daddy that." 

Ballard and Gharty take a trip to their uncle in Allegheny County, 90 miles away without clearing it with Giardello. When they look at it Ballard is stunned: "This is America?" (You might consider this bigotry except the writers keep it even-handed; when they look at they say: "West Baltimore ghettoes must have looked deceptively pleasant.) However when Gharty says: "It's a shock to see white people live like this" Ballard says: "As a matter of fact, yes."  They find the weapon belong to the McCord's but when they go to a dive bar to chase them down they get involve in a brawl (Ballard is manhandled by a barfly) they get away. Gharty (who is the primary) thinks that they're going to be spending every free weekend for the next two years 'chasing our city goats around." (Turns out its actually about two months, give or take.) Interestingly while at the Waterfront, nursing their wounds, Billie Lou says that she's from that part of Baltimore. "Some get out, some get left behind," she says.

By the way Gharty tries to flirt with her and immediately shows how far behind he is. When she says she composes atonal minimalism, the best he can come up with is: "I'm a tonal man myself." Ballard rolls her eyes so high at this.

So much of what unfolds in the two stories that involve Cox are far more comedy then we usually get. And that's to be admired by the writers. This has already been a very dark season even for Homicide and the third storyline is about to bring us into our darkest territory yet.

Falsone's custody battle is still going on and he's being told by his attorney that this is an uphill battle with no real chance of victory. Falsone is starting to show an unpleasant side. He's done a background check on his wife's boyfriend and wants to get his son out of the house because the man has one DUI.  He files the paperwork but Falsone is not sanguine. As he puts it "Its like Tyson and Holyfield sitting down to dinner. Theoretically possible but…" He makes it clear he's going to make Janine work for it.  Falsone then points out something that Meldrick is about to learn and Munch already knows: "Divorce is just swapping one set of problems for another." Meldrick then says: "That’s why people sometimes choose the other solution. Murder." The way Falsone says so casually: "Don't think it didn't cross my mind."

But the real story comes when Ballard and Gharty go to see Stivers. Someone comes to them; says he doesn't read the card he just delivers the flowers. He's a process server and he's having a busy day. Georgia Rae Mahoney is suing Stivers, Lewis and Kellerman for their role in the wrongful death of Luther Mahoney. She's also suing the city, the department, Giardello and even Cox (though that defendant isn't going to be around for trial, as we'll see.) for $60 million.

Ballard and Gharty actually discuss the Mahoney case but in an abstract fashion. Gharty dismisses it as a nothing case. He knows it’s a fiasco. Ballard asks for the first time: "Does anybody know what really happened?" Gharty: "Besides Lewis, Kellerman and Stivers? Luther. He ain't talking."

When Lewis is served it is in front of Falsone. The claim is that Kellerman shot Luther in cold blood and that Stivers and Meldrick conspired to cover it up. This is, in fact, exactly what happened but when Falsone asks if that's the case Meldrick storms off without answering.

Giardello is willing to stand by his men. He says Lewis and Kellerman will stay in the rotation and its clear he's willing to take the heat for them against Barnfather.  He actually asks for the first time if there's anything he should know about this. This might have been the last chance Mike and Meldrick had to get out from under this without anything else happening. Mike says so yet again it went down like they said – but leaves out everything he's been doing with Georgia Rae to this point. Lewis storms out – and that's when things become impossible.

Lewis goes to Georgia Rae's and confronts her. He says that his brother put a gun to his head and got killed. He assumes he's got a cop and an attorney and judge on her payroll (good thinking, as it turns out.) Its when Georgia Rae says: "She's just a businesswoman trying to get the system to work for me" that she pushes Lewis too far. He tells her: "Why don't you stick this suit where you used to mule crack and skank for the Colombians?"

For the first and last time Georgia Rae show her true colors. After Meldrick throws the process in her face she kicks him square in the crotch. He pays her back by hitting her in the face. Her bodyguards are about to fall on him but she pulls them back. There's a smile on her face and we hear that laugh – though we don't know it, for the last time.

Georgia Rae is on the phone with the department and the mayor's office by the time Lewis gets back to the squad room. We don't so much see an angry Giardello as a disappointed one. Lewis is suspended indefinitely for his actions by Barnfather. And when Meldrick asks Gee to talk him out of it – something he was clearly counting on – Al stops him by saying: "For once, I agree with him."  Perhaps it's because he burnt all his IOU's bringing Frank back to the unit or maybe he genuinely doesn't recognize the detective whose been with his unit this long. Whatever the reason Lewis accepts it.

There's something incredibly solemn about the last scene. Munch asks where Meldrick is going. "To get some cigarettes," Lewis says. Munch is surprised because he doesn't smoke. Lewis doesn't answer but goes to his desk, takes his fedora and the football that we've always seen being tossed around the squad. Then he walks out tossing it in the air. Indeed many fans were sure that this was a sign that Clark Johnson was leaving the show forever. I didn't buy it  - Johnson's name was still in the credits – but it really did feel that way.

But as a result of this the war against Mahoney has entered its final phase. And when its over frogs falling from the sky will seem less destructive by comparison.

 

Notes From The Board

It's possible that when Juliana prefaced her acceptance speech with "I've never ever actually won anything before" that Overmeyer is making a dig at the fact Homicide's disgraceful track record with the Emmys.

I almost wonder when in the teaser one of the M.E.'s is bragging about using a 'forensic entomologist' that someone at CBS would come up with the inspiration for Gil Grissom two years down the road. Certainly the way that one of them brags about figuring out where the body is based on a bug indigenous to the Delaware river really does sound like the kind of thing CSI would perfect.

'Detective Munch': This case leads John to get historical more then once. When Kellerman brings up the theory of overkill Munch tells the story of Rasputin. "They poisoned him, they stabbed him, they shot him 12 times, and then they stuffed him in a burlap bag, they dumped him in the Neva River to drown and here's the beauty part: an hour later, he flops up five miles downstream still kicking."  Kellerman replies: "That's why you're a great detective. Because you know stuff. Except about weapons." And the two start bickering about the shotgun used.' When Kellerman tells him to stop with the metaphors Munch adds: "Without metaphors what are we left with? We have a riddle, surrounded by a mystery, wrapped inside an enigma and stuffed in a body bag." So he goes from Rasputin to Stalin in the same conversation. Munch does know stuff.

But honestly the best line from Munch comes from Kellerman.

Munch: "It's homicide if the shot was delivered with intent. If its accidental discharge…

Kellerman: "Don't you hate when that happens?"

Munch: With that mustache and beady little eyes, he looks like a cross between Steve Buscemi, John Waters and Edgar Allan Poe.

Kellerman: "Aren't they all the same guy?"

Honestly these two were born to be partners. Shame how the season ends.

We learn the havoc the rotation is wreaking on the department. The policy has made it clear that no one there knows who the current players in the drug game are. Cox suggests they search out Stivers.

Hey, Isn't That…Steve Allen is  known for being the man who essentially invented late night as the first host of The Tonight Show. He co-created it in 1954 and would run it for 3 years before leaving. He would later create both the Steve Allen Playhouse and nearly a dozen other comedy shows connected to him, One of the most famous comedians of all time he was known for extensive guest work in television and film usually as himself. One of the only times he played someone who wasn't Steve Allen was when he played Lech Oseransky, Victor Erliich's birth father on St. Elsewhere which earned him an Emmy nomination. He was one of the great pioneers for TV as an art form yet in his later years rejected the kinds of dramas such as The Sopranos and OZ that HBO was created as disgusting and sick. He died on October 30, 2000 at 79.

Jayne Meadows was the sister of Audrey Meadows, who famously played Alice on The Honeymooners. She began her career in Hollywood and starred in such films as Lady of the Lake, David & Bathsheba. Like her husband she also was a pioneer in the early days of television in the first Hallmark Hall of Fame, Kraft Mystery Theatre and Studio One. After marrying Allen in the 1950s she would star in several sixties and seventies shows, most notably Medical Center as Nurse Chambers. She also appeared in several of her husbands works including his projecting Meeting of Minds where she played Cleopatra, Florence Nightingale and Catherine the Great among others. She had regular roles in failed series like It's Not Easy. She played Olga Oseransky, Victor Erlich's birth mother on St. Elsewhere (along with Allen) and was nominated for an Emmy for that along with her husband. She was nominated for her third and final Emmy in the short-lived series High Society in 1996 for Best Supporting Actress.  After Steve passed away in 2000 she retired from acting and passed away on April 26, 2015 at 95.

Neither Kyle Secor nor Andre Braugher appear in this episode. We'll get an explanation where Bayliss is in the episode that follows.

On The Soundtrack: Depending on which service you have, you'll hear John Campbell's 'Couldn't Do Nothing' as Ballard and Gharty travel through Allegheny county looking for the McCord's.

Jeopardy Masters 2026 Quarterfinals Recap: Friday August 28th

 

Match 1

Paolo Pasco vs. Juveria Zaheer vs. Long Nguyen

Long knew a win could help him the most and he came out swinging in the Jeopardy round. He found the Daily Double in the Jeopardy writers tribute to Oliver Stone: GREEN, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, IS GOOD.

At the time Long was in the lead with 2800 points and he bet everything:

In a Paris-set 1890 Marie Corelli novel, a character says of this "What an idea…Medicinal green! Think of melted emeralds". It took a while before he guessed: "What is absinthe?" He was so astonished he was correct.

By the end of it he had 11,600 points to Juveria's 2600. Paolo, who really struggled (as did the entire group with) NON-KELSEY GRAMMAR was lucky to finish the Jeopardy round at -800 points. (Grammar have never been my strong point either and I didn't even try to buzz in on any of them.) He finished by referring to Arthur Fleck as the 'Joka' before saying Joker just to get -800.

Paolo knew he had to come out swinging in Double Jeopardy and he demonstrated some Holzhauer like ability to find the Daily Double on his first two picks.

In the first category alone he showed true skill in A NOT-THERE PHRASE. This was the kind of category that was clearly designed for this tournament. Here's the example Ken gave: "Boy or A best selling novel'. The correct response would be Gone Girl. This is the kind of category even the best Jeopardy champions save for last. Paolo picked the 1600 point clue as his first choice.

He bet the 2000 he knew he needed to:

Relative humidity is used in calculating the index: a virtual tie in a race.

You gotta figure Paolo's crossword puzzle constructing clues helped him come up with: "What is dead heat?"

Immediately after that the Joka as Ken teased and Paolo smiled about found the other one in BODIES OF WATER. Again he bet the 2000 points he was allowed:

Once one of the largest bodies of water of its kind, its reduction came from the diversion of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers.

Paolo came up with it: "What is the Aral Sea?" He moved up to 3200 points and into second place. But despite his impressive recovery he couldn't catch up to Long.

Long finished in the lead with 22,400, ten thousand points more Paolo, 20,000 more than Juveria.

So the question was: would Paolo play safe and try to play for second, which would maintain his position on the leaderboard or go for the win in Final Jeopardy and try to lock up his place right now?

The category for Final Jeopardy was PEOPLE IN 2OTH CENTURY HISTORY. After brilliant service in Morocco in 1926 at age 33, he became the youngest brigadier general in the European Army.

Juveria was first. She wrote down: "Who is Petain?" That was incorrect but she wagered nothing.

Paolo was next: "Who is Lawrence?" He was clearly thinking of Lawrence of Arabia, not a bad idea but also wrong. He bet 7599, leaving him with 4801. He clearly wanted to lock up second place.

Long was now looking pretty safe. He was also thinking of the French. "Who is De Gaulle?"  As it turned out Spain was at war with Morocco and it turned out to be General Francisco Franco, who would famously become dictator of Spain. (For the record I was closer to Paolo; I wrote down: "Who is Montgomery?") Long lost 2401, which left with 19,999 points more than enough to get a victory he desperately needed.

 

Long received 3 Match Points. Paolo got 1 more match point. Juveria had zero

 

Interview: Long mentioned a story about how he had studied tennis for a while as a teenager and while he thought he was good one day he went to his tennis coach and asked whether to go to a math academic tournament or a tennis match that were on the same day, his coach told him he had a chance to get an academic scholarship, he had no chance as a tennis scholarship. Juveria shared that she had been comparing every single Master to someone from the MCU. Long was Ant-Man because he was an engineer who had just come out of nowhere, Paolo was the Filipino Peter Parker (same initials) and Juveria was protective of her husband and children so she was the Scarlet witch. Paolo joked that somehow since he'd first appeared on Jeopardy there were people on line who he said was a 'Filipino Jeopardy champ' who 'has swag' , something he greatly disagreed with based on close-ups from previous appearances. He thought he'd improved his dress sense since the Masters.

 

Match 2

Yogesh Raut vs. Victoria Groce vs. Andrew He

Andrew knew going into this game that he needed a win just to stay alive. He had to do it against the two highest ranked players on the leaderboard. It didn't work out as well as it did for Long.

It took a long time in the Jeopardy for anyone to find the Daily Double and VICTORIA found it in MYSTIC COMMERCE. She was in the lead already and bet the 5400 points she had:

The name of this optical brand founded in 1919 was meant to sound like the pinnacle of achievement. She figured it out: "What is Olympus?" and doubled her score to 10,800.

At the end of it Victoria led with 11,400 points to Yogesh 5200 and Andrew's 1400 points.

Victoria and Yogesh went back and forth early but Victoria found the first Daily Double in CAUGHT IN 4 'A's. There were going to be four A's in every response and at that point no one had gotten a clue correct. So Victoria, who had 16,200 points "based on this category bet a meager 200:

It's the title given to Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh kingdom of the Punjab.

She responded: "What is maharaja?"

Two clues later Victoria found the other Daily Double in 3-NAMED PEOPLE. She tried to do some quick math (and there was a category on the board called "WERE YOU TOLD THERE'D BE MATH?) before sighing and betting $2600:

She taught law at Notre Dame before being joining the Supreme Court.

There are two obvious candidates and Victoria picked the correct one: "Who is Amy Comey Barrett?" She went up to 21,000 even.

She would finish the round even stronger with 30,200 points. Yogesh had 9600 and Andrew had 4800. Victoria had locked up the win but Andrew still had a chance at a match point for second place.

The Final Jeopardy category was PEN NAMES. Schardanus Rider, a pseudonym found on 17^th century British Almanacs anagrams to this American pseudonym from the 18^th century.

In a sense all three of them got the correct response (as did I) but only two benefited.

Andrew wrote down: "Who is Richard?" He was clearly thinking of Poor Richard but they couldn't accept it as was. It cost him everything, but it wouldn't have affected the end result.

Yogesh was next: "Who is Richard Saunders?" And that is the complete pen name that Ben Franklin famously used for Poor Richard's Almanac. Yogesh added 1 point to his total, locking up second place.

Victoria also came up with Richard Saunders and bet 4375, locking up her third victory in the 2026 Jeopardy Masters so far and added another 3 match points to her total.

Interviews: Andrew said that in trying to keep up with Jeopardy he listened to a bunch of old songs on a loop which made him joke that after the last summer Spotify seemed to thing he was 93 years old! (It didn't pay off for him.) Victoria told her about competing in adult spelling bee which she says is with no offense to anyone here 'is the dorkiest crowd ever' and impressed us with another word she'd won to win with. Yogesh talked about his experiences in trivia around the world and how he seems to be using his newfound success to serve as a mentor to others.

 

 

LEADERBOARD AFTER AUGUST 29^TH

Victoria Groce – 9 Match Points

Yogesh Raut – 8 Match Points

Paolo Pasco – 6 Match Points

Long Nguyen – 5 Match Points

Juveria Zaheer – 3 Match Points

Andrew He -  1 Match Point

 

At this point Victoria has officially locked up her spot in the semifinals.  For the remaining three spots its mathematically possible that the remaining five players could qualify at the least until next week.  That said its looking pretty good that Yogesh will qualify for the quarterfinals for the third consecutive year right now.

But there are still four games left to play and next Tuesday we'll get a good idea who will be moving on to the semi-finals on Thursday. It's been thrilling so far, let's hope they can keep it up.

 

My Predictions for the 2026 Emmys Week 2 Conclusion:Outstanding Supporting Actress in A Drama Et Al

 

We've had multiple nominees from the same series in Best Supporting Actress every single year this decade so far. And it rarely works out for one of the nominees from the drama that has the most nominees.  Prime example: It's very likely the split between the four nominees from The White Lotus last year helped pave the way for Katherine LaNasa's win for The Pitt – which clearly shocked her.

Now she's the favorite to repeat but the shoe's on the other foot. There are four other nominees from The Pitt that very likely will divide the vote. Throw in the fact a couple of other performers have won awards for shows this season and this is far from decided.

For the record I'm going to do what I did for Supporting Actor in a Drama and throw in my personal pick from The Pitt as well as a favorite from a different show. Keep in mind this is a top heavy field.

 

Taylor Dearden, The Pitt (My Pick for The Pitt). For Playing: Dr. Mel King, sweating a deposition and finding out new facts about her sister. Pro: Dearden is my favorite character this season for many reasons. For one thing she's still incredibly nervous about working here in a way most of the staff isn't, spending the first half of the shift terrified of a deposition. For another, she's centered her entire life around the care of her disabled sister so it appalls her to learn that not only does her sister have a better social life she does but is pulling away from her because of it. And there's the realization that she's trying to keep things together without flying apart and has formed so many bonds that I already care about deeply. Throw in the fact that she is the daughter of Bryan Cranston and there's a feel good story. And come on for that post Season 2 credits rendition of You Ought to Know alone she deserves respect. (I want her and Isa Briones to recreate that moment on the Emmy stage this year.) Con: Like Mel herself it seems likely that Dearden will always be overshadowed by greater talent. I rest assured by the certainty that while this is his first nomination, it won't be her last.

 

Fiona Dourif, The Pitt. For Playing: Dr. Cassie McKay, facing a chaotic shift where she watches a terminally ill patient make a difficult decision. Pro: Like Dearden, Dourif is the daughter of a great actor. (Indeed her father Brad appeared in Season 1.) But her work is often more subtle and compassionate. Much of her work this shift dealt with her taking care of a terminally ill cancer patient and her family and then watched as she made the decision to end her life and spent most of that shift trying to prepare her family and most frequently her children to say goodbye. In one of those deep ironies that often affects this show, Cassie was on the street when her patient passed away and that clearly hit her even deeper then the death itself. Dourif's nomination was the least expected of the four nominees on this show but in my mind it’s one of the better choices by the Emmys overall this year. Con: The storyline she's a part of may help her – Tai Anderson was nominated for an Emmy along with Dourif – but its far more likely she will be overshadowed by other forces

Alison Janney, The Diplomat. For Playing: Grace Penn, ascending to the White House after the death of the President. Pro: There's the historical part if Janney were to pull of a victory here. It would be her eighth Emmy as an actress, putting her into a tie with Julia-Louis Dreyfus for most Emmys won by a performer. There's the synchronicity of it: her first four Emmys came for her work as CJ on The West Wing where she merely spoke for the President and now she is playing the President. There's the continued fact of her versatility and excellence. Going into this Emmy cycle she had a chance to be nominated in comedy for her work in Palm Royale and TV Movie Limited Series for Miss You, Love You. There's the fact that over the last two years, incredibly, the Emmy have shortchanged her, especially by ignoring her in this category last year when she was nominated for every award in the book for her role. And then there's the fact that yet again she demonstrates all the qualities that have made Janney one of the greatest actresses in history as Grace Penn, a President who has committed treason just before she took office and now has concerned about what will be done. Con: The Emmys might very well want to give a prize to someone who hasn't already got an Emmy in every acting category a performer can win in in both drama and pretty much comedy as well. Not saying they won't give it to Janney, or that she doesn't deserve it, but it hasn't been their pattern this decade

Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt (EXPERTS PICK). For Playing: Charge Nurse Dana Evans, dealing with a chaotic shift while still recovering from her assault from last year. Pro: It's been clear this shift that Dana is only slightly more put together then Robby. She spent much of the season helping a trainee adjust to her first day and several hours dealing with a victim of sexual assault, then erupting in fury when she learned a rape kit from weeks earlier still hadn't been collected. She spent the shift handling the analog ER and trying to protect her trainees and increasingly becoming worried by Robby's harsh and mean-spirited behavior. It all exploded in a long confrontation after Dana ended up dosing a patient who assaulted one of her nurses and she told Robby everything would be here when he came back. When he answered: "What if I don't come back?" you could see the terror forming over LaNasa's faces even as he never answered the question. All in all, it was a superb performance that deserves to repeat in this category. Con: What worked for LaNasa last year could very well work against her this year. Throw in the fact of what happened at this year's Astras and I'm beginning to think momentum might be shifting to…

Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt (DARK HORSE). For Playing: Dr. Al-Hashimi, the interim replacement who clashes with Dr. Robby and is hiding a diagnosis. Pro: Moafi was the most central new cast member to The Pitt in Season 2, an accomplished doctor with a clear history behind her who was more than qualified to replace Dr. Robby and yet no matter how good she was he challenged her in every scene they shared. The overwhelming majority of this was on him: as an outsider with no knowledge of the history she had the clearest look at how horrible his behavior was to his fellow doctor and it was satisfying watching her cut him down throughout the entire season. But there was clearly something she was hiding and when she told Robby about in the final episodes it faced him with an ethical dilemma that we're still not sure how it will be resolved next season. It was a restrained, calm performance the type that usually doesn't get recognition. So the fact that Moafi managed to win at the Astras a few weeks ago in this category is the clearest sign yet that it might resonate with Emmy voters. Con: Moafi's problem is the same as every other nominee for The Pitt: the other three actresses will (for good reason) take votes away from her. I don't envy them their jobs: all of these actresses gave superb performances and it's going to be tough for them to choose.

Julianne Nicholson, Paradise (My Pick). For Playing: Sarah Redmond, code name Sinatra facing threats from without and within after emerging from a month-long coma. Pro: I'm very grateful the Emmys have been catching up with one of the most undervalued actresses in 21^st century TV.  She won an Emmy for playing 'Dance Mom' on Hacks last year while being nominated in this same category. While her role in Paradise was somewhat diminished compared to Season 2, Nicholson continued to flesh about Sinatra to the point where by the end of the season (and in theory her life) she went from villain to antagonist to someone who did bad things for the right reasons. It's clear that all along she's been trying to save humanity and that caused her to horrific things even before the reality of the bunker. But we saw the good person she once was while she watched the birth of the first child in Paradise, someone who genuinely wanted the approval of her therapist, someone who may have done everything to see her son again and may have succeeded. In the final minutes of Season 2 she seemed at peace for the first time in the entire series, watching the bunker she spend her life and fortune on collapse over her head and in that final moment perhaps realize what she wanted all along. I don't really know if this will be the end of Nicholson's tour (as we saw throughout the season we saw a lot of the people who died last year in flashbacks) but it's the kind of role deserving of an award. Con: As superb as her work is I have to admit it's not at the same level of even some of the other non-Pitt nominees. But considering she's recreating the role that won the first Emmy she got in Mare of Easttown in Season 2 of Task I think it's safe to say she'll have another chance sooner rather than later.

Karolina Wydra, Pluribus. For Playing: Zosia, the representative of the hive mind to Carol. Pro: Wydra was one of the breakout stars of 2025 for her work as Zosia and that's saying something considering that most of the season she's basically a representation of the forces that have conquered Earth rather than a character of her own. I always give extra credit for those whose roles have deeper layer and you can't get much deeper than someone who doesn't think she's an actual person. Most of the time the viewer doesn't trust Zosia's motives any more than Carol does and we watch as Carol clearly becomes charmed by her with a sign of concern. But there's something about Zosia's very real ability to struggle with calling herself 'I' rather then the hive mind 'We' that is very really, along with the memory she shares with Carol as Zosia for the first time in the series. In that montage where its clear Carol has fallen in love with Zosia for the briefest of moment we want to believe in it not just for Carol, but for Zosia. That's how good a job Wydra has done. It's a revelatory performance that has gotten deserved respect, including a Saturn for Best Supporting Actress. Of all the nominees who aren't in The Pitt, I think Wydra has the best chance of breaking through and winning. Con: Wydra is a supporting actress in a series that was created by Vince Gilligan. We all know just how well that tends to work for them the last decade.

 

Prediction: I think that this one is more wide open then it looks. For the moment I'm predicted Moafi but I'm not confident of it. To be clear they are all deserving winners.

 

Now let's look through the remaining categories.

 

 

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Colman Domingo has previously won in this category and is the heavy favorite to repeat for the final season of Euphoria. I'm actually inclined to think that it will go to Jeff Kober for his work as Duke in the final stretch of The Pitt.

 

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Having seen all six performances my personally preference is for Shailene Woodley who is still the favorite for her work in Paradise. Brittany Allen is gaining on her but I'd personally bet on Tai Anderson for pulling it off for someone from The Pitt.

 

 

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING AND WRITING

I expect Pluribus to win in both of these categories. That being said, don't rule out an upset by Slow Horses in either one as that does seem to be their pattern. It's currently ranked in third place in writing for the season finale behind The Pitt and Pluribus so I'm guessing that's where it would happen if it does.

 

Next week, I will wrap up by coverage with Best Limited Series. Oh and stay tuned this weekend as I let the Emmy have it with both barrels as to how they're doing it this year. One week to change your mind, NBC.

Jeopardy 2026 Masters Quarterfinals Recap: Thursday August 27th

 

 

Match 1

Victoria Groce vs. Andrew He vs. Long Nguyen

Going into this game Andrew and Long needed a win far  more than Victoria did. For much of the Jeopardy round Andrew had the advantage, helped when he found the Daily Double early in CLASSICAL COMPOSITION. Already in the lead with 2800 points he wagered everything:

Debussy took the title of a piano movement from a Verlaine poem that begins "Your soul is like a moonlit landscape fair."

Andrew pondered: What is Claire de Lune?" It was correct and he was into a big lead.

But despite her reluctance to pick it Victoria finished strong by running the category RECENT HORROR to retake the lead, finishing with 9600 points to Andrew's 5600. Long trailed with 2800 points.

In Double Jeopardy Long was helped when he found the first Daily Double on his first pick SCIENCE & SCIENTISTS. Saying "I was kind of like a  a scientist back in the day" he bet everything.

Oblivious sharks and hungry remora have this symbiotic relationship, partly from Latin for 'table'.

Once again we were nervous until Long responded: "What is commensalism?" He moved up to 5600 points, right on Andrew's tail

Two clues after that Andrew got the other Daily Double in RATED MIDDLE 'X'. (The letter X would be in the exact center of the response.) With 7800 to Victoria's 11,200 he wagered 6000 or as he put it '6 kilo-points."

Synonyms for this include center, core & union. He couldn't figure it out. At home I was right – I guessed "What is nexus?" but because I hadn't responded correctly on the clue prior I gave myself no points. Andrew dropped to 1800. He never got out of third place the rest of the round. Victoria and Long went up and down much of the rest of the round but nothing changed in order by the end of Double Jeopardy.

This was the first game where at the end of Double Jeopardy no one had a runaway. Victoria had 15,600 points to Long's 8000 while Andrew had 4800 points. So the end result for any of the free players was not written in stone.

The Final Jeopardy category was WORLD LANGUAGES. One of 24 official languages of the EU, this island tongue spoken by 500,000 is a form of Arabic written in the Latin alphabet.

For the first time in this year's Masters all three players had the correct response in Final Jeopardy (as did I at home) What is Maltese?

Andrew wagered 4000, moving him to 8600. Long wagered 7601, giving him 15,601 and putting him momentarily in the lead. It came down Victoria and when her correct response was revealed as well as her 401 point wager for a well-deserved victory.

It was Victoria's second win and  3 more Match Points. Long got 1 match point. Andrew got zero.

 

Interviews: Long admitted that he and Victoria had gone all the way back to college in terms of rivalries both in Academic Quiz Bowl and that in high school she'd beaten his brother's team. He said his brother had come all the way across the country to see him play…hopefully. Andrew talked about how his increasingly long hair dated back to 2020 but before his audition he had been told to cut because 'it was Covid hair.' Victoria showed us a good luck charm that dated all the way back to her first appearance on Jeopardy, a baby toy named Mutton that was Nora's from 2005. It served her in good standing today.

 

 

Match 2

Paolo Pasco vs Yogesh Raut vs. Juveria Zaheer

The three top players on the leaderboard after Wednesday's games battled for a win that would give one of them a clear advantage going forward. Yogesh got an advantage early in the Jeopardy round in the category HAVE A SEAT. He was already in the lead with 2800 points and though the category made him want to 'have a seat' as he put it, he still bet all his points.

2 animals that don't typically get along combine in this folksy term meaning a position of great advantage. Yogesh knew it was: "What is the catbird seat?" And went up to 5600 points. He was then generous enough to select "I WANT MY REALITY TV' for Juveria, who thanked him for doing so before getting the 1000 point clue correct.

Yogesh finished the Jeopardy round with 7600 points but Paolo with 4800 and Juveria with 2600 were right on his heels.

Yogesh got off on a fast start in Double Jeopardy but before he could completely run away with it Paolo rang in on a 1200 point clue and then found the first Daily Double in OUR FAVORITE RHYMES. With little choice he bet 6000 points:

In this work the irrepressible Mr. Gilbert rhymed 'Ring the merry bells on board ship' with 'for the union of his lordship'. It is greatly to his credit that he knew the correct response: "What is H.M.S. Pinafore?" (Savoyard humor.) He moved up to 12,000 points.

Two clues later Yogesh found the other Daily Double in ELEMENTARY MY DEAR MASTERS. At the time he led with 16,400 points to Paolo's 10,400 so he also bet 6000 points. This time not going all in probably saved Yogesh the game.

The Soviets wanted to name element number 104 kurchatovium; the Americans got it named this, after a physicist and Royal Society president.

This one clearly stumped him (and me at home too). Before time ran out he guessed: "What is Seaborgium? It was actually Rutherfordium. He dropped into a tie with Paolo for the lead.

The rest of the round was a mix of incorrect responses, triple stumpers and a slow recovery by Juveria. But Yogesh would hold on to his lead. However unlike all the previous games  at the end of Double Jeopardy this one was anyone's to win. Yogesh led with 15,600 points; Paolo was next with 11,200 and Juveria right in there with 9800.

The Final Jeopardy category was LITERARY NAMES. A literary friendship began when these two met in Florence in 1350; the death of one in 1374 inspired a sonnet by the other.

Juveria's response was revealed first. Who are Chaucer and Petrarch?" Sadly she was half correct. Even sadder, it cost her everything.

Paolo wrote down: "Who indeed?" After the laughter subsided it cost him 6401, leaving him with 4799.

It came down to Yogesh. His response was: "Who is Dante and Petrarch?" And unfortunately he was also only half correct. Petrarch was correct but the man he wrote one of his famous sonnets for was Boccaccio. (I also was half correct but I misread the clue and wrote down Laura as the other half.)

It came down to Yogesh's wager which was 6801. It left him with 8799 and today that was enough as he managed a scrappy victory.

Yogesh managed his second win of the Masters and got 3 match points. Paolo got 1. Juveria zero

 

 

Interview: Juveria told them that with her Jeopardy winnings her eight year old daughter insisted that they go on the Disney Adventure Treasure cruise at the concierge level. While mystified her eight year old knew what concierge level was, she showed pictures of their trip and said they were headed for Hawaii. Yogesh said he'd been hanging out with Isaac Hirsch and since they were both Columbo fans they'd started guessing which villains from Columbo their fellow Jeopardy Masters would be. After debate Juveria was ranked as William Shatner. Juveria seemed charmed: "He is Canadian." And Paolo told us of a continued fantasy of his to recreate a music video involving OK Kid. (I remember this discussion) and apparently he's now in the position of owing a musician of OK's stature an email!

 

 

LEADERBOARD AFTER AUGUST 26^TH GAMES

Yogesh Raut – 7 Match Points

Victoria Groce – 6 match points

Paolo Pasco – 5 Match Points

Juveria Zaheer  -3 Match Points

Long Nguyen - 2 Match Points

Andrew He – 1 Match Point

 

Halfway through the quarterfinals only 2 match points are separating first from third. And a win for anyone in bottom three could shift things all over again.

I'll be back with Friday's results this weekend. Tomorrow's results could shift things irrevocably. We'll find out then.

My Predictions for the 2026 Emmys Week 2, Day 4: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama

 

As is frequently the case in this category and the next, the more things change, the more they stay the same.

The change: there are no nominees this year who were nominated last year and only two who were nominated two years ago. The same: as has been the case for at least the past ten years at least one show has a plurality of nominations.

The difference between this year and quite a few in the past is that I'm more than fine if The Pitt ends up with a winner, as I wasn't with other HBO dramas in the past. (Cough: Succession, Game of Thrones.) So I'm going to mix it up with this category and Supporting Actress. I'm going to list the expert's pick, dark horse and my pick. But I'm also going to list my pick for The Pitt because while all of the performances are excellent in both cases I differ with the experts.

All clear? Hopefully it will be. Here are the nominees.

Patrick Ball, The Pitt (EXPERTS PICK) For Playing: Dr. Langdon, returning to the ER for his first shift after six months in rehab. Pro: Let's get this out of the way. Ball absolutely should have been nominated last year for his incredible work as Langdon and he more than matched in Season 2. This was a more humble Langdon then last year, a man who had learned his lessons and was trying to atone to those he knew he'd wronged, particularly Robby who made it very clear he didn't trust him no matter how well he did. It's clear of all the characters we met last season he's come the closest to rebuilding his life after the trauma he went through and we can see the doubts he has in every action he takes. We see him trying to be a good person, knowing of his flaws and showing signs of him in other ways (the bond between him and Mel is already one of the series' deepest) and we know it's a long way back but he is taking the necessary steps. He's already managed to win the Astra for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama and all things are set for a triumph in this category. Con: The exact same thing could have been said about Walton Goggins and we all saw how that worked out for him. When there are many qualified nominees from a single show in a category the vote splitting will often hurt one more than qualified nominee over the others. HBO shows can avoid this at times (Peter Dinklage for Game Of Thrones, Matthew MacFayden for Succession his last two nominations) but it can work against you a lot. This is true, to be clear, for the other two nominees from The Pitt as well.

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show. For Playing: Cory Ellison, a former TMS executive dealing with increasing personal struggles. Pro: Crudup has won two Emmys in this category before and in a series with two of the greatest actresses in TV history, it says a lot that Cory has become for many fans the real star of Morning Show. In fact he is the only actor who has been nominated every season it has been on the air.  As Cory spent much of the series trying to find his new path he was faced with a horrible tragedy at the end of the series that led to him giving into his addiction in a big way in the season finale. As The Morning Show heads into its final season Crudup is finally getting the recognition he deserves for thirty years as one of our most underrated actor. Con: In 2024 The Morning Show was one of the most nominated series by the Emmys. In 2026 Crudup's nomination is the sole one The Morning Show earned. Aside from the obstacles facing you if you are the only nominee from your series, there's also the fact that The Morning Show has always been on the border between peak TV and hatewatching ever since it debuted and The Emmys have rarely been as generous to it as other great dramas of the period. (There's a possibility it did so well for Season Three because of the aftereffects of the 2023 strike in the industry.) Throw in the two Emmys he already has and there's no realistic chance of him winning.

Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt. For Playing: Dr. Jack Abbott, starting his shift early as his sideline mixes with his day. Pro: When Hatosy chose to submit for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama instead of Guest Actor – where he deservedly won last year – some had doubts. He only appeared in five episodes compared to the fifteen of his co-nominees. But Jack Abbott has a way of making his presence known in the few episodes you see him, particularly in every scene he has with Noah Wyle's Robby. This was true in the season finale which almost certainly the episode he submitted for consideration in which he finally calls Robby out on his BS and makes it clear that there is a reason for him to live. It was dark and depressing and incredibly funny at the same time. And that last line – "I'm listed as your emergency contacted and I do not want to be contacted' – speaks for so much that you can't help but love. There's also the history involved as Hatosy could be one of a handful of actors to win in two different categories for playing the same character. (One of them was nominated this year, by the way). I would be fine if he did that. Con: Same problem as Ball, compounded by the fact some voters may have issues with giving a smaller role to someone from this category whose more qualified. Not saying it won't happen, just saying they might.

Gerran Howell, The Pitt (MY PICK FOR The Pitt) For Playing: Dr. Whitaker, no longer the fresh-faced newbie from the first season. Pro: I was overjoyed when Howell was nominated in this category as I'd been pulling for him the most over frontrunners like Ball and Hatosy. In a very short time its clear Whitaker is Huckleberry no more. (Though every so often you get a sign of it.) He clearly has learned the lessons Robby taught him in the past year, and he's clearly got the mentorship down with so many of the other younger doctors then he did when we first met him. He can give as good as he gets, he clearly has more compassion then anyone currently on staff and there's a genuine heart to him that you see far more often then any other character. I feel more optimistic about Whitaker at this point then his fellow new residents and I'd love to see him win. Con: I'll be honest, even if it weren't for the divide in this category, I just don't see Howell winning. His role just isn't as flashy as some of those who win awards in this category and that's what tends to win in my lifetime.

Jack Lowden, Slow Horses. For Playing: River Cartwright, a Slow Horse battling a terror threat on London and increasing personal difficulties. Pro: I was overjoyed to see Lowden back in the ranks after being cast aside by The White Lotus and Severance last year. His work in Season 4 was absolutely the kind of role the Emmys should have nominated. In a series that is dominated by some of the greatest actors in history and who Lowden spends most of his screen time with its astonishing just how good River is. It's clear he's by far the most competent agent Slough House is, ridiculously overqualified to get back in MI-5. Much to the frustration of Lamb, he still gives a damn about doing the right thing and it clearly bugs the hell out of him. Lowden is absolutely going to be an action hero in his own right some day and he's clearly one of the great forces on this show. Con: I'll be honest, I can see almost anyone else in the cast winning an Emmy during this show's run but Lowden. This is the kind of role that never gets recognized by the Emmys these days because River is so duty bound and a sucker at the same time. His energy and activity are almost annoying for the viewer despite being the engine for this show. It's a superb performance, not gonna win this year, probably not ever gonna win. But Lowden works at Slough House. He gets it.

Tom Pelphrey, Task (DARK HORSE, MY PICK) For Playing: Robbie Prendergast, a working man robbing a biker gang for complicated reasons. Pro: Not gonna lie I've been pulling for Pelphrey ever since I saw Task last September. I've had immense respect for him as a performer for a very long time. He's been acting for over 20 years and has been in some superb shows but America only became aware of him five years ago during his stint as the doomed Ben on Ozark. He's starred in a lot of underrated series so it's hard to say his work as Robbie is his best performance. But it's an incredible one just the same. Robbie is a working man his entire life who has turned to a life of crime out of a sense of vengeance for his dead brother. He doesn't have the stomach for violence and murder so when a young boy is found at a stash house he doesn't kill but takes him home to his family. This sets off a chain of events that leads to the death of his friends, the isolation of his sister and finally a situation that leads to him dying in the back of a police car where the FBI agent who he held hostage an hour ago tries to save his life. It's an incredible performance because Robbie isn't doing this for him, he isn't good at it, and he hates how it makes him feel. And in that long conversation between him and Tom where Brandis thinks these are his last moments, you can see Robbie struggling with what he knows he must do and his genuine goodness – and that goodness wins out. I would really like to see him win. Con: There's a good chance he will be overpowered by The Pitt.

Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Pluribus. For Playing: His name is Manousos. He is not one of them. He wishes to save the world. (I'm sorry I couldn't help it.) Pro: He doesn't say a word in our introduction to him in the fourth episode. We don't see him again until the sixth. And honestly he only really has much of a presence in two of the nine episodes in the first season. Much of his dialogue is in Spanish and he says very little the rest of the way. And yet for all of that you get a very clear picture of who Manousos is by the time the season ends: meticulous, determined, with a clear sense of ethics. And it tells you something that by the time he finally shares the screen with Carol (in a first meeting that mostly takes under an umbrella over Google translate on a cell phone) that you clearly think you know him as well as a character whose essentially been onscreen the entire series. There are few moments of self-determination as Manousos marching through the Isthmus of Panama, repeating over and over "My name is Manousos. I am not one of them. I wish to save the world." Carol has sent a message of what humanity is and he is making clear what it means to him. It's a bravura work. Con: Of all the nominations in this category I suspect Vesga's was the biggest surprise as no other awards show and recognized him. It's a great performance but I'm pretty sure it's not going to win.

 

My Prediction: I think the momentum is shifting to Pelphrey in the voting. Still don't rule out the possibility Patrick Ball will prevail.

 

Tomorrow I will wrap things up this week with Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama as well as the other major awards in this category.

 

 

Jeopardy Masters 2026 Quarterfinals Recap: August 26th

 

Match 1

Long Nguyen vs Andrew He vs Juveria Zaheer

Long was up against two players with multiple Jeopardy wins behind them.

For the second consecutive game Long started the Jeopardy round in the red. Indeed at one point he was actually at -2400. But he began to dig himself out of the very deep hole when he found the Daily Double in WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

Foie gras can be used to make pate, a meat spread ; pate served in an earthenware dish is called this, from a word meaning 'earth'.

Somehow he figured it out: "What is tureen?" And went from -1600 points to -600 points.

This time Long managed to finish the Jeopardy round on the positive side with 400 points. He was 3000 behind Andrew at 3400 points while Juveria led with 4400.

Juveria struck first in Double Jeopardy in YOU STUDIED YOUR CAPITALS, RIGHT? And while she wasn't sure she'd studied as much as Long she bet the 6000 points she had:

The relationship with the Netherlands in the name of Aruba's capital. She mumbled before guessing: "What is Oranjestad?" And with that she doubled her score to 12,000.

She was on cruise control for a while and found the other Daily Double in THIS AIN'T SHAKESPEARE. (The category had to do with other Elizabethan plays and playwrights.) Already with a commanding lead with 20,800 she was modest this time and bet just 5000 points. It was the right call:

Thomas Kyd set the stage for 'Hamlet' and other Elizabethan tales of revenge with this bloody play set in Iberia.

Juveria was thinking of David Mamet: "What is The Spanish Prisoner?" So close it was The Spanish Tragedy.

She dropped to 15,800 points but despite that neither Andrew nor Long could catch her.  She ran away with 20,200, Andrew next with 7200 points, while Long trailed with 4000 points. However with those match points very important for both Andrew and Long second place was going to matter a lot.

The Final Jeopardy category was LEADERS. In a eulogy his successor Ingvar Carlsson said: "We stand united in anger & grief" and "he made the world aware of us all."

Long's response was revealed first. He said: "Who was Gustavus Adolphus?" That was incorrect. It cost him 3001 points, putting him at 999.

Next came Andrew. He wrote down: "Who is Dag Hammarskjold?" (That was my guess, for the record.) It was a good guess; it was the right part of the world but it was also wrong. He lost 1001 points finishing with 5999.

Juveria also wrote down Hammarskjold. The clue referred to Olof Palme, the prime minister of Sweden who was assassinated in 1986.  Juveria got the win and 3 match points. Andrew got his first match point, putting him into a tie with Long with 1 apiece.

 

Interview: Juveria revealed that when she first took the test she hadn't watched the show in 20 years. So the first she watched was the 2022 Tournament of Champions. She made it clear the player she watched and considered her idol – and who she'd gotten a picture with – was 'terrorizing her right now.' Andrew told us that the more he returns to Jeopardy he gets recognized – but not actually know who he is so they come up to him and just say "Jeopardy!"  Keeping himself humble he added "If they Google 'Jeopardy Asian Guy' they will come up with Jamie Ding." Long Nguyen told us he has a huge database of knowledge – a literal database on a computer. Then he told us "Mormons love Jello!" Ken naturally said: "I can't deny it."

 

 

 

Match 2

 Victoria Groce vs. Paolo Pasco vs. Yogesh Raut

Victoria came out swinging in the Jeopardy round starting off strong. She had 3600 points when she found the Daily Double in HELLO, GORGES. (Ken doesn't say "Oh the writers are having fun.") Victoria chose to bet everything yet again. (It took her awhile to say true Daily Double.)

Fossil Bed II at this site that lives up to part of its name dates somewhere between 1.15 and 1.7 million years old, y'know give or take.

She figured it out: "What is Olduvai Gorge?" She went up to 7200 points. She finished the round with an impressive 10,000 points to Yogesh's 3400 and Paolo's 2800.

There were struggles for all three players early in Double Jeopardy but Yogesh managed to turn it around when he found his groove in BRITISH WAR HISTORY and found the Daily Double there. Trailing with 7000 to Victoria's 12,000 he bet 100 percent of his money:

This war between Britain and Spain began in 1739 following the capture of a British ship and an assault on its captain. He figured it out: "What is Jenkins' ear?" He doubled his score to 14,000 and took the lead.

Two clues later Victoria found the other Daily Double in FESTIVALS & HOLIDAYS. She was tied with Yogesh for the lead and she bet everything. And then came one of those moments on Jeopardy that breaks your heart sometimes.

The Fete National De Quebec is also known as the day of this Biblical purifying guy; respond en Francais, s'il vous plait.

It was the Francais that got her. She said: "Who is Jean De Baptiste?" It was just Jean Baptiste; they didn't need the 'de'. It dropped her to zero and Victoria never recovered. Yogesh would finish with 19,600 points to Paolo's 4800 and Victoria's 2000.

How the match points would be awarded was preordained but Final Jeopardy went forward. The Final Jeopardy category was 19^th CENTURY BRITISH POETRY.

The famous opening of this long poem continues "But still will keep a bower quiet for us and a sleep full of sweet dreams.

It was a killer. Victoria wrote down: "What is a Prelude?" Apparently she was thinking of Wordsworth. It was wrong. She lost 222 points, dropping her to 1778.

Paolo just wrote a lot of dots. (Better than I did.) He lost nothing.

Yogesh seemed to have written. "What is Crossing the Bar?" The poem was actually was from Keat's Endymion and followed the famous lines "A thing of beauty is a joy forever." Yogesh bet 9999 points but he still won, receiving 3 Match points. Paolo got 1. Victoria 0.

(For the record I didn't even have the right century. My guess was Paradise Lost.)

 

Interviews: Yogesh told us he has spent time in zoom rooms watch cozy detective shows from 20 years and they pause halfway through to figure out who did it. He mentioned they're talking about the Ellery Queen show with Jim Hutton in the 1970s. Paolo went into detail about his job as a crossword puzzle writer. He told us about being raised on puzzle magazines and that one of his first tantrums because he couldn't get a second word search book at Walgreen's. Victoria then told us she had a chance to watch Paolo at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament last year. She compared his dominance at crossword puzzles to seeing Simone Biles at the U.S Gymnastic tournament. (Jeopardy champions always prop each other up.)

LEADERBOARD AFTER AUGUST 26^TH

Paolo Pasco – 4 Match Points

Yogesh Raut – 4 Match Points

Victoria Groce – 3 Match Points

Juveria Zaheer – 3 Match Points

Andrew He – 1 Match Points

Long Nguyen – 1 Match Point

 

All six Masters officially have points on the board and for the first time in a long time no one has a clear advantage after the first two nights of Jeopardy Masters. Furthermore after two matches the only players to have responded correctly to Final Jeopardy in either game were Victoria and Yogesh in Game 1. (They're  all still doing better than me; at this point in the Masters I'm 0 for 4, which is pretty close to where I usually am at this point.)

Tomorrow Yogesh and Juveria will face off yet again in the second game and I have no idea yet who will be leading off in the first match of Thursday. Still it's a thrill and a half. See you tomorrow, same Jeopardy time, same Jeopardy channel.