Watson ruined J! for me

[MikeK]

Michael Davies openly saying he wants to produce the show as if it were a "sport,"

they may need to introduce a major twist to shake things up sooner or later.

The first part is why the second part won't happen. Sports generally don't introduce game-altering changes on a regular basis. In the past couple of decades, there's been Major League Baseball's pitch timer... and anything else?

Larger bases, rules regarding catchers blocking the plate, stadiums moving outfield walls in or out, pitchers facing a minimum number of batters unless injury happens, torpedo bats (not an MLB change)...

[Ian Wallis]

There are also benefits for the home audience, and not just the more satisfying feeling of material gradually increasing in difficulty as the round progresses. For the categories in which the writers attempt a clever-but-convoluted manner of presenting all five clues, it's no fun when a contestant starts with the second-hardest clue, none of the contestants understand what's going on, and the host has to explain what the contestants were expected to do after no one rings in. Better to have all that happen during the clue with the lowest stakes... or maybe that first clue is easy enough that the gimmick is more evident, demonstrating to everybody how the category works. (This is also the case for categories in which the host explains at the top of the round what the contestants will have to do, the category isn't selected until the round is halfway over, and everybody has forgotten that they need to, say, respond with the name of the movie character.)

It doesn't help with every category, or even a majority of categories (however, note how useful it was in the "P"s & "Q"s category in the linked episode), but when it goes wrong, it's rough to watch.

I understand your points and they make a lot of sense, but I'm (maybe one of the few) who really doesn't mind how the game is played now.  Watching for years (decades) seeing almost every contestant play the same way got a bit stale.

I'm not fond of the idea of making it mandatory to play top-down.  If a player in third place gets control of the board late in the round and there's a daily double left, they should have the option to hunt for it and try to get themselves back in the game.

I know this has been brought up before, but why not have some sort of signal half-way thru the round.  For the first half they have to take top-down, but as soon as the signal goes they're free to take anything - that way it has kind of the best of both worlds and may help contestants who struggle to get control.

[Joe Mello]

The first part is why the second part won't happen. Sports generally don't introduce game-altering changes on a regular basis. In the past couple of decades, there's been Major League Baseball's pitch timer... and anything else?

-NFL started replay challenges in 1999 and has since trickled down to all major sports. The major changes to NFL overtime started in 2010 and continue to this day. Also, NFL Kickoffs and onside kicks have been tweaked multiple times within the last 10 years or so.
-College football overtime has been in place only since 1996 and has recently been altered further in 2019 and 2021. And let's not talk about the postseason.
-NHL gave out points for overtime losses in the late 90's, started shootouts in 2005, and went to 3-on-3 overtimes in 2015 (they were 4-on-4 since 1999).
-NASCAR started playoffs in 2004 and in-race "stages" in 2017.
-The current point system for Formula 1 has been in place since 2010 and other recent changes include fuel-free pit stops, DRS, and the introduction of sprint races.
-The NBA's rules against players leaving the bench also would've been within the past 20 years (Malice In The Palace was 2005) and have introduced the Play-In Tournament and NBA Cup within the past 5.

[Kevin Prather]

Michael Davies openly saying he wants to produce the show as if it were a "sport,"

they may need to introduce a major twist to shake things up sooner or later.

The first part is why the second part won't happen. Sports generally don't introduce game-altering changes on a regular basis. In the past couple of decades, there's been Major League Baseball's pitch timer... and anything else?

Larger bases, rules regarding catchers blocking the plate, stadiums moving outfield walls in or out, pitchers facing a minimum number of batters unless injury happens, torpedo bats (not an MLB change)...

I'd say those rule changes aren't analogous to the suggested "Top-down" rule being proposed because they don't dictate a fundamental change in how the game must be played. These rule changes are more along the lines of doubling the dollars, adjusting clue difficulty, etc. Perhaps the addition of the tie-breaker.

Adding a top-down requirement would be more like NFL eliminating the field goal, or MLB saying you have to keep running until you reach home or get tagged.

[wdm1219inpenna]

Some examples of "niche" categories (just my opinion):

EPONYMOUS CAPITAL CITY AIRPORTS

WANNA BE AN AMERICAN IDIOM

SEEK & YE SHALL FIND

AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION

LET'S HIT HIGHWAY 101

HOT CROSS BUNNIES

VENTURE BROS.

PUT SOME RESPECT ON MY NAME

[Dbacksfan12]

LET'S HIT HIGHWAY 101

I went to j-archive on this one.  You can only say "California Landmarks" so many times.