Alex Trebek’s Final “Jeopardy!” Episode Ends On Emotional Tribute

Longtime trivia show host and nerd icon Alex Trebek has officially signed off for the final time. Trebek, who had hosted Jeopardy! since its revival in 1984, passed away at the age of 80 in November, and he filmed his final episode just 10 days before his passing. That episode finally aired on Friday, and after the outpouring of love and support from fans online in the wake of his death, it only felt right to end the show with a special tribute to the man who had been the face of the show for nearly 40 years.

Many will (rightly) focus on the more emotional moments of Trebek interacting with contestants, bringing his kids to the set, and of course his iconic “So long, everybody” signoff. We feel it would be remiss if we didn’t also note that the man’s mustache game and self-deprecating humor were utterly unmatched among TV personalities. Put simply, there will never be another Alex Trebek, and the world is a brighter place for having had him in it.

Jeopardy! will continue with guest host and longest-running champion Ken Jennings at the helm starting Monday, January 11th. Longtime Today host Katie Couric will also reportedly have a weeklong run in the hosting role, but a permanent replacement has yet to be announced. We at FilmIronic would like to officially throw our support behind LeVar Burton, former Reading Rainbow host, Star Trek‘s best chief engineer Geordi LaForge, and man in possession of facial hair game nearly as strong as Trebek’s. (Sorry LeVar, but there’s no shame in second place in this instance!) Whoever is chosen as the next full-time host of Jeopardy! will certainly have some huge shoes to fill.

What did you think of Alex Trebek’s final episode and tribute? What’s your favorite Jeopardy! memory? Let us know in the comments below!