In a surprising turn of events, the Hollywood writer's strike is now impacting the long-running game show "Jeopardy!" as it enters its 40th season. Executive producer Michael Davies revealed on the "Inside Jeopardy!" podcast that the show's original plan had been compromised by the historic labor movement. As a result, "Jeopardy!" will be recycling both old material and contestants for its upcoming season.

Davies explained that it would not be fair to have new contestants appear on the show with non-original material or a combination of pre-strike and non-original material. To address this issue, the show's producers have decided to invite back contestants from season 37 who lost their first games. This will give them a second chance to compete on the Alex Trebek stage, something they thought they had lost forever.

The recycled material will be a combination of material written before the strikes and material from multiple seasons of the show. While this may not be the ideal situation, Davies believes it is the most optimal solution given the circumstances.

In addition to the changes prompted by the writer's strike, "Jeopardy!" also announced an increase in prize money for second and third place finishers. Third place will now receive $2,000, and second place will receive $3,000. This decision was made to address the rising costs of travel following the COVID-19 pandemic, as contestants are responsible for their own travel expenses to appear on the show.

The show's refusal to cover basic travel expenses has recently come under scrutiny, with former contestant Ben Goldstein suggesting that covering travel and lodging would make the show more accessible to a wider range of potential contestants. "Jeopardy!" has taken note of these concerns and decided to increase the prize money for runners-up.

Despite these changes, "Jeopardy!" is still facing questions about whether Ken Jennings will continue to host the show during the strike. After Mayim Bialik showed support for fellow strikers by refusing to host "Celebrity Jeopardy!," fans are wondering if Jennings will follow suit.

Overall, the decision to recycle material and invite back former contestants for the 40th season of "Jeopardy!" is seen as a necessary compromise due to the writer's strike. While it may not be the ideal situation, Davies and the show's producers hope that viewers and contestants will still find enjoyment in the upcoming season. The show's beloved writers, who are currently petitioning for higher wages and better pay from streaming services, are greatly missed, as their original material is an essential part of the show.