[2][4] Bank on the Stars was a memory game in which contestants, competing in two-person teams, viewed scenes from recently released feature films and were quizzed on what they had just seen.
[2] A review of the program's premiere episode in The New York Times said that Paar's opening monologue "left one wishing for something more substantial" and indicated that he lacked "mature confidence".
[6] The review also found fault with the show's format of quizzing contestants about film scenes that they had just viewed.
"[6] John Crosby described Paar's work as quizmaster as "a sort of weak mixture of Bob Hope and Arthur Godfrey — Telling jokes like the former and exuding charm like the latter".
"[3] The trade publication Variety commented that replacing Cullen with Nelson as host did not improve the program.