Since the passing of beloved longtime host Alex Trebek in November 2020, Jeopardy! has struggled to find a replacement to fill the icon’s shoes. A rotating cast of guest hosts led to Ken Jennings, Robin Roberts, Anderson Cooper, and fan-favorite LeVar Burton taking turns at the lectern. However, more than a year after Trebek’s death, the game show has not named a permanent replacement. Executive producer Mike Richards was originally announced as Trebek’s successor in August 2021, but the resurfacing of past offensive tweets and misogynistic comments led to Richards resigning just days later.

Currently, Jennings and Mayim Bialik share hosting duties, at least through the end of the current season. With all the recent turmoil surrounding the beloved show, Jeopardy! fans are ready for a regular, permanent host to be named. It is the right time, as the show’s place in the public eye right now is arguably greater than at any point in recent years, helped by the runs of champions like Matt Amodio and Amy Schneider. If Jeopardy! truly wants to find a permanent host who embodies the charm, intellect, and personality of Trebek, they should look no further than Bialik.

The Case for Mayim Bialik

This season, viewers have had a chance to watch Mayim Bialik in action at the podium as she shares hosting duties with Jennings. Bialik is also hosting the Jeopardy! National College Championship, currently airing on ABC. The venerable game show is pushing for Bialik to take the reins of the syndicated series, as well as her previously-announced hosting of primetime specials, revealed alongside Richards in August.

While fans will likely never come to a true consensus on a worthy successor for Trebek, it is clear that Bialik fits the mold of an ideal Jeopardy! host. For decades, Jeopardy! viewers could take comfort in watching Alex Trebek and his love for knowledge on their screens every weeknight. As a neuroscientist, Bialik has already demonstrated that same love of learning that viewers saw in Trebek. Her credentials could bring some credit back to the embattled game show, which has seen its reputation falter slightly since the Richards fiasco. She also hosts a podcast focusing on mental health, an issue that has become much more prominent in the media since the onset of the pandemic. Additionally, the overwhelming majority of television hosts are still white men, so making a woman the host of one of America’s most iconic game shows would be a welcome step n the right direction.

Watch any episode of Jeopardy! with Bialik as host, and you will see that she is more excited to be there. She enjoys the personal anecdotes of the contestants, laughs and makes jokes, and shows a deep appreciation for the knowledge at the core of the game show.

Jeopardy! Show Needs a Permanent Public Figure

The contestants have always been the star of Jeopardy!. Yet, for the most part (except for some super-champions), the same contestants are not a fixture on the show. That honor fell to Alex Trebek. He was the game show’s public face for nearly 40 years and one that every viewer could always count on seeing when they turned on the TV each night. Many in the Jeopardy! community look to the host to represent what the show stands for. Having that constant fixture is significantly more difficult when you have an endless rotation of guest hosts rather than one permanent one. The recent runs of Matt Amodio and Amy Schneider have taken some focus off the host, as viewers watched the months-long streaks of these contestants in awe. But ultimately, a good and trustworthy host is what makes Jeopardy! the icon that it is.

Splitting hosting duties between Jennings and Bialik has returned some stability, as viewers can count on one of those two to show up on their TVs each night. But even more than a year after Trebek’s death, neither has been confirmed as a permanent host. Until there is one singular person behind the podium, that stability sought after by viewers will still be lacking.

A Sense of Stability After Controversy

Jeopardy! was an iconic and respected part of American culture for much of its run, free from any meaningful controversy. That all changed once Trebek passed. Soon after the search for a new permanent host was announced, one name instantly began to circulate among fans: LeVar Burton. Fans believed that the longtime Reading Rainbow host would bring the same love for trivia that Trebek valued for so many years. The campaign was partially successful, as Burton was given a one-week guest-hosting slot during the summer of 2021. However, Burton was ultimately passed over for the job, and he admitted in September 2021 that he no longer wanted the job.

Following the troubles with Burton, the game show had to deal with the Richards fiasco, further damaging its place in the public eye.

Trebek himself floated one possible name to take the reins from him, CNN analyst Laura Coates. But Coates revealed in January 2022 that she was never contacted by the series about the possibility of guest hosting.

The search for Trebek’s Jeopardy! replacement will always be marred in controversy. However, there is still a chance for the production team to end on a high note by selecting Bialik for the full-time gig. She has proven herself to be a worthy successor for Trebek, with a personable demeanor and love for trivia and intellect that so many viewers have seen in Jeopardy! for decades.