Review: LeVar Burton’s (First) Week As Jeopardy! Host

Ever since the sad news of longtime host Alex Trebek’s passing broke back in November 2020, many (including this writer) have been lobbying for LeVar Burton to succeed him as host of Jeopardy! The well-known host of Reading Rainbow (in addition to many other iconic roles) eventually got his chance to audition for the role after personally lobbying for the opportunity in addition to widespread fan support. His run of five episodes finally aired this week, giving audiences who had clamored to see him in the role an opportunity to decide for themselves how well he fit as quizmaster of the long-running trivia show. So now that his all-too-brief run as guest host has come and gone, how did it go? Did Burton live up to the hype and strengthen his chances of winning the job permanently, or did he fizzle under the pressure of a hosting gig that was expertly handled by one extraordinary figure for 37 seasons?

From the outset, LeVar Burton felt like a natural fit for the role. Unlike controversial picks like Dr. Oz and oddball but inoffensive guests like Aaron Rodgers, a nerd icon like the actor behind Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s chief engineer Geordi LaForge just felt right behind that podium, and Burton’s clear enthusiasm and reverence for the show was apparent from day one. That is not, however, to say that there weren’t any hiccups along the way, especially in the first episode of the week. Burton’s clue reading was generally smooth and easily understandable, as you might expect from someone for whom reading has been such a passion for almost 40 years of his career, but he was clearly not as polished as some of the other guest hosts when it came to managing responses from the contestants. In a particularly notable example, he mistakenly flagged a contestant’s answer as incorrect when in actuality they had just run out of time; the next contestant to ring in gave a different answer that was actually incorrect but was later awarded the money lost as a result of the error. It’s the kind of thing that happened numerous times throughout Trebek’s tenure in the role and should be especially forgivable given it was Burton’s first day on the job, but it was undoubtedly a misstep early on.

That said, Burton seemed to grow more and more comfortable with the gig as the week wore on, and especially his last few episodes seemed to offer the best insight into what the show would be like under his leadership. His responses to contestants’ answers were varied enough to not feel robotic while not distracting or taking up too much time, and his rapport with the contestants, especially one who shared a story of his incredible recovery from a traumatic brain injury suffered while skiing, seemed genuine and respectful as if Burton truly appreciated the opportunity to share a stage with them and hear a little about their lives outside of the show. Especially in Final Jeopardy, his additions to correct responses provided some useful context without coming across as know-it-all-ish or entirely superfluous.

In the end, it was a solid weeklong audition that felt like it could either serve as the prelude to a long run on the show or simply as a self-contained career highlight for Burton. I still remain firmly in favor of the former – given the other guest hosts have mainly been veteran broadcasters who bring competence but not much personality, I would rather see someone who has room to grow as a host but has such an immediate and obvious connection with the audience. (Mayim Bialik and Buzzy Cohen would also fit that bill if the showrunners decide not to go with Burton, but I wonder if either one would draw in as many viewers as the veteran actor.) For his part, Burton has expressed an acceptance of either outcome, and I think that’s an appropriate, mature outlook to have. It’s also worth remembering that Alex Trebek himself wasn’t exactly a household name at the time he took over the show in 1984, so it isn’t incumbent on the show’s decisionmakers to pick the most famous or iconic name among the bunch. (No wonder, then, that many fans and critics alike consider executive producer Mike Richards to be one of the best candidates for the job even though he is one of the least heralded in terms of name recognition.) That said, after a solid (first, but hopefully not last) week, it would be a real disappointment if the correct response to “This person was the first permanent host of Jeopardy! after Alex Trebek” doesn’t end up being “Who is LeVar Burton?”

What did you think of LeVar Burton’s guest hosting spot? Would you be more likely to watch Jeopardy! on the regular if he was chosen to become the new host? Is there someone else you feel would be a better fit for the gig? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to follow us on Twitter @FilmIronic for more entertainment news, reviews, and features!