Jeopardy or Wheel?

Jeopardy is considered to be a television program for intellectuals. The show is often paired up with Wheel of Fortune. When placed right next to Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune appears to be the game show for those who are less intelligent. I have a much different perspective when looking at these two shows.


Let me start with something that people know about me. I do not personally value memory as much as most people. Jeopardy is a show where people try to recall what they have read and what others have told them over the years. The brain's role in this is to find that information if available. I feel that there is no real thought process. Contestants are not actually thinking for themselves. They are simply relaying information provided to them that was unlikely to have value outside of a trivia game. I frequently refer to this type of information as mindless trivia. Yes, I view Jeopardy as one of the most mindless shows on television.

Obviously, I need to explain my views regarding Wheel of Fortune for this comparison to work. I'm not going to exaggerate and call Wheel of Fortune a game of intelligence. What I will say is that a degree of mental process is actually required in order to succeed. You have a series of letters available and a category. You have to figure out what can fit. It also helps to learn patterns. For example, "the" is a commonly used word. If you have a three-letter word starting with a T and want to keep going, you can guess an H. It might not be the most mentally demanding task, but you have to use your brain for more than merely repeating what you have been told over the years if you want to succeed.

Between Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, there is no doubt in my mind that Wheel of Fortune is the more intellectually advanced show. I haven't watched in years. If I want to give my brain a workout, there are much better options than watching TV. However, I have no problems saying that the reputations are wrong. For mental reasons, I would never choose to watch Jeopardy over Wheel of Fortune.