Review: On the Cover


ON THE COVER
Mark L Walberg
Broadcast history: PAX May 17, 2004 -
Host: Mark L. Walberg
Announcer: Vanessa Marshall

GAME PLAY
Three players compete. In the first round, each had 15 seconds to earn points. They were shown different magazine, DVD and other covers and had to identify the celebrity on them. Each they correctly named in time was worth 25 points.

The podiumsThe round 2 boardIn round two, three covers were put on the board and assigned a value of 50 points. The player in the lead picked one and a question was asked. No penalty for wrong guesses, first to buzz-in got the points. On the next question, a new cover was introduced and those left unpicked went up in value 50 more points. This continues until time runs out.



A 'rack' found in round 3In the final round, three parody covers are introduced on one "rack" with their corresponding answers. Each question on the first rack is worth 100 points. If a player buzzes in with the right answer they get the points, otherwise the question is finished and the others can then buzz-in. After a number of questions, a new rack is introduced and questions go up to 200 points. For the last rack, right answers are worth 300. The player with the most points wins a prize package, and goes to the bonus.


Do YOU know who it is?In the bonus round, the winner was shown four covers, one at a time. A question was asked corresponding to the cover, with the right answer being a clue towards the final mystery cover. After four questions, the player was given a category, and all the unneccesary words in the clues were taken away. If they could identify who was adorning the mystery cover, they won the grand prize package.


NOTES
Mark L. Walberg started as a "runner" for Dick Clark Productions. Recently, among several cable game shows, Mark hosted the reality show "House Rules" for TBS, where the winning couple received a new house.

"On the Cover" was piloted for NBC and the former TNN during the big money boom.

The show was pulled after two days and apparently took a break in taping as to retool the set and format. It will redebut in July with "Balderdash."

MY THOUGHTS
Decent. A mish-mash basically, but a welcome return to a fast quiz format where the players can interrupt the host a'la "Sale of the Century." The set was awfully nice for cable, and Mark does a pretty good job.

JAY SAYS...
Cast � 2.0
Game � 0.5
Bells and Whistles � 1.0
Prize � 1.0
Tilt � 0.5

[ 05.0 ]

Without penalties in place, the players were willing to try and try again blindly in an effort to get points. But, too, with penalties in place, nobody but a gambler would buzz-in on trivial facts such as "keeps lucky panther stuffed animal with her at all times" or something. The bonus is kind of odd, too.

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