On the Wednesday June 26 episode of Jeopardy!, viewers were introduced to three new contestants: Maryl Harris, a study operations manager from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Natalie Miliano, a manufacturing engineering manager from Portland, Maine; and Drew Basile, a graduate student from Birmingham, Michigan. Survivor alum Drew entered the game with a five-day championship streak and total winnings of $91,283.
The first round featured a diverse range of categories, including “Around the World,” “They Wrote the Books,” and the intriguing “You Don’t Hear as Much About…” The contestants demonstrated their knowledge and quick thinking as they competed for the top spot.
During the first break, the scores were close, with Drew at $3,600, Natalie at $2,000, and Maryl matching her at $2,000. However, as the first round progressed, Drew began to pull ahead, entering Double Jeopardy! with a score of $5,000. Natalie and Maryl trailed closely behind with $2,200 and $4,800, respectively.
The category options in Double Jeopardy! included “Historic Names,” “Double Talk,” “Ellis Island,” and “From the German.” This round proved to be a strong one for Drew, who successfully answered both Daily Double questions. The first Daily Double, valued at $1,200, was in the “Historic Names” category, and the clue pertained to the Pax Romana. Drew added $3,000 to his total, strengthening his lead. The second Daily Double, worth $1,600, was in the “From the German” category, and Drew once again demonstrated his knowledge, adding another $3,000 to his score.
As the game progressed, Drew solidified his position as the frontrunner, entering Final Jeopardy! with a substantial lead of $20,200. Maryl and Natalie gave him strong competition, entering the final round with scores of $10,000 and $6,200, respectively.
The Final Jeopardy! category was “Literature,” and the clue: “The British Library says of this 19th-century man, ‘one of his most famous poems… is a warning about the arrogance of great leaders.'” Only Drew provided the correct response, identifying the poet as “Who was Shelley?”, and adding $118 to his total winnings.
In the end, Drew emerged as the winner once again, with a final score of $20,318, bringing his six-day total to an impressive $111,601. Natalie and Maryl finished in second and third place, with scores of $4,700 and $6,201, respectively.
