Because there were a whole bunch of trivia gameshows out there at the time, this one had to set itself apart somehow. So it’s trivia, but in reverse, which was novel for the time. The format and content were a hit formula, enjoyed by the well educated and the uneducated alike. We forget the weird gimmick because it has been a nightly fixture in homes for several generations. It’s just good, high paced trivia with little filler and, and for almost the whole series, a beloved host.
How bizarre.
Why not just ask questions the usual way?
edit: Evidently everyone really loves this show, as they are downvoting me like crazy for not having heard of it and finding it weird.
This pattern only really exists in the game show Jeopardy, and people specifically referencing the show.
Because there were a whole bunch of trivia gameshows out there at the time, this one had to set itself apart somehow. So it’s trivia, but in reverse, which was novel for the time. The format and content were a hit formula, enjoyed by the well educated and the uneducated alike. We forget the weird gimmick because it has been a nightly fixture in homes for several generations. It’s just good, high paced trivia with little filler and, and for almost the whole series, a beloved host.