Inside the Box
Encyclopedia
Inside the Box is a Canadian game show which debuted in 2006 on the cable network
TVtropolis
, and was syndicated
in the United States by Program Partners in the 2008 television season. In the show, 3 contestants compete for a chance to win up to $
10,000 by trying to guess television shows, characters, or actors by asking the other contestants yes or no questions related to the subject. the show ran for two seasons, ending in 2007. But it went in reruns shortly after.
The series was created by Michael Geddes and Christopher Geddes of Lone Eagle Entertainment in Toronto
and is hosted by hosted by actor/comedian Sam Kalilieh. The two were also producers of two other game shows, Game On
and You Bet Your Ass
.
10,000. In the first two rounds, each contestant gets a turn inside a television-shaped booth called "The Box" which contains 2 monitors, while the other two players are seated at separate desks with single monitors facing and to the left and right of "The Box". The contestant "Inside the Box" is given a basic category to indicate what kind of an answer is being sought (for example, "Reality Series", "Male Actor", "Female Character", etc.), a list of questions on a touch-sensitive screen and reads questions selected from the list to one of his two opponents. The opponents outside The Box are shown only a photograph and the name of the character/actor/show which is the correct answer on their monitor screens.
The contestant in the booth has two minutes to determine the correct answer by alternately asking his opponents the "Yes or No" questions he is shown. If an opponent answers the question incorrectly, he is given a time penalty of 5 seconds. Each Yes-response question is displayed on screen for the viewers to see and on the second screen in The Box, regardless of whether the player outside the box answered correctly or not. After each group of 5 "Yes" responses, the clock is stopped and a more detailed clue is given. The player in the box is given a free guess, but if they can't correctly answer, the clock resumes and they must continue asking questions. Each time a new clue is given, new questions are made available to the player in The Box. The contestant continues to ask questions until either time runs out, or he is able to give a correct answer. The player in The Box may ask at any time for the clock to be stopped so they can attempt a guess, but an incorrect guess under these conditions results in a 5-second penalty. After each player's turn in The Box, the scores are totaled and time penalties assessed; then the remaining contestants are given their turn in The Box.
The scoring is based on time. If a player correctly identifies the player with 35 seconds to spare, those 35 seconds are added to his score. Any time penalties are deducted and negative scores are possible. Each player gets two turns in The Box and the player with the best cumulative time after the first two rounds gets a chance to play the final round.
.
, syndicated
Inside the Box to local stations for the first half of the 2008–09 season, as an optional replacement or companion program for Merv Griffin's Crosswords
, which was then on hiatus (although very few American stations actually took the series). However, it was eventually decided not to go forth with additional first-run episodes of Crosswords, and both shows were officially cancelled in February 2009. (http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6572447.html)
Cable network
A cable channel is a television channel available via cable television. Such channels are usually also available via satellite television, including direct broadcast satellite providers such as DirecTV, Dish Network and BSkyB...
TVtropolis
TVtropolis
TVtropolis is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Shaw Media and Rogers Media.The channel operates two time shifted feeds: East and West .-Programming:...
, and was syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
in the United States by Program Partners in the 2008 television season. In the show, 3 contestants compete for a chance to win up to $
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
10,000 by trying to guess television shows, characters, or actors by asking the other contestants yes or no questions related to the subject. the show ran for two seasons, ending in 2007. But it went in reruns shortly after.
The series was created by Michael Geddes and Christopher Geddes of Lone Eagle Entertainment in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
and is hosted by hosted by actor/comedian Sam Kalilieh. The two were also producers of two other game shows, Game On
Game On (Canadian game show)
Game On is a Canadian sports trivia television game show that was a variation on Jeopardy!. It originally ran from 1998 to 2000 on Global and has been rerun on Game TV from 2007-2010. The show was hosted by Tim Steeves in season 1 and David Merry in Season 2, with Jennifer Hill as the female...
and You Bet Your Ass
You Bet Your Ass
You Bet Your Ass was a Canadian game show that aired on The Comedy Network. It followed a Blackjack and casino motif, with contestants answering questions on popular culture to earn points. The contestant with the most points at the end of the show was the winner. Hosted by Canadian comedian...
.
Gameplay
The game has a similar format to 20 Questions, with a few minor twists. Three rounds in total are played. Three contestants compete for a chance at $Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
10,000. In the first two rounds, each contestant gets a turn inside a television-shaped booth called "The Box" which contains 2 monitors, while the other two players are seated at separate desks with single monitors facing and to the left and right of "The Box". The contestant "Inside the Box" is given a basic category to indicate what kind of an answer is being sought (for example, "Reality Series", "Male Actor", "Female Character", etc.), a list of questions on a touch-sensitive screen and reads questions selected from the list to one of his two opponents. The opponents outside The Box are shown only a photograph and the name of the character/actor/show which is the correct answer on their monitor screens.
The contestant in the booth has two minutes to determine the correct answer by alternately asking his opponents the "Yes or No" questions he is shown. If an opponent answers the question incorrectly, he is given a time penalty of 5 seconds. Each Yes-response question is displayed on screen for the viewers to see and on the second screen in The Box, regardless of whether the player outside the box answered correctly or not. After each group of 5 "Yes" responses, the clock is stopped and a more detailed clue is given. The player in the box is given a free guess, but if they can't correctly answer, the clock resumes and they must continue asking questions. Each time a new clue is given, new questions are made available to the player in The Box. The contestant continues to ask questions until either time runs out, or he is able to give a correct answer. The player in The Box may ask at any time for the clock to be stopped so they can attempt a guess, but an incorrect guess under these conditions results in a 5-second penalty. After each player's turn in The Box, the scores are totaled and time penalties assessed; then the remaining contestants are given their turn in The Box.
The scoring is based on time. If a player correctly identifies the player with 35 seconds to spare, those 35 seconds are added to his score. Any time penalties are deducted and negative scores are possible. Each player gets two turns in The Box and the player with the best cumulative time after the first two rounds gets a chance to play the final round.
Final round
In the final round, the champion is given two minutes. Instead of asking his opponents the "Yes or No" questions, he asks them of host Sam Kalilieh. The champion is given a starting clue and every 5 "Yes" responses earn another clue, however the clock does not stop in the final round. He is given three chances to give the answer. The amount of money in the pot is reduced by $500 approximately every six seconds until time runs out. If the player gives the correct answer before time expires he wins whatever money is remaining. If he gives 3 incorrect answers or time runs out, he takes home the minimum consolation prize of $500. Answers are usually derived from American pop cultureCulture of the United States
The Culture of the United States is a Western culture originally influenced by European cultures. It has been developing since long before the United States became a country with its own unique social and cultural characteristics such as dialect, music, arts, social habits, cuisine, and folklore...
.
Syndication
In the United States, Program Partners, a division of Sony Pictures TelevisionSony Pictures Television
Sony Pictures Television, Inc. is an American and global television production/distribution subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment. In turn, the latter is part of the Japanese conglomerate Sony.-Background:...
, syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
Inside the Box to local stations for the first half of the 2008–09 season, as an optional replacement or companion program for Merv Griffin's Crosswords
Merv Griffin's Crosswords
Merv Griffin's Crosswords is an American game show based on crossword puzzles. The show was created by its namesake, Merv Griffin, who died shortly after beginning production on the series...
, which was then on hiatus (although very few American stations actually took the series). However, it was eventually decided not to go forth with additional first-run episodes of Crosswords, and both shows were officially cancelled in February 2009. (http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6572447.html)