Deal or No Deal

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Network: NBC

Premiere: Monday, August 25, 8pm

Host: Howie Mandel

Premise: Contestants choose a briefcase with a monetary unit labeled inside.  From there, they choose from a selection of numbered briefcases, each with different monetary values inside.  After every round, more briefcases are unearthed, their monetary values discovered, and the banker offers the player a “deal,” which is essentially a buy out.  Players have the option of eliminating all briefcases and then taking home the value labeled inside their own briefcase, but that almost never happens.  It's a game that requires almost no skill.

Love it or hate it, Deal or No Deal is a fascinating viewing experience.  Howie Mandel ably presides over the show, keeping the tension high and the audience entertained, but the real excitement comes from the often irrational decisions of the contestants.  I've come to root against the players during Deal or No Deal, especially when they make a especially greedy “No Deal” declaration. 

It's crazy to see how often normal people offered life altering sums of money, only to turn the banker down and go for a larger sum of life altering money.  It's almost never a good decision to let it ride, and it can exasperating watching decent people fall victim to their own foolish greed.

Deal or No Deal is as American a game show as you get, tapping into the inherent greed in today's society.  Frankly, I'm surprised the show has lasted this long, but NBC badly needs it as an easy schedule filler.  The formula has proven to be effective and, until the ratings start to absolutely plummet, it will continue to be a staple of the Peacock's schedule.  Which is fine.  Deal or No Deal is perfect for casual viewing.  If you want to turn your brain off and watch television, Deal or No Deal is a much better (and more rewarding) option than a crappy reality show. 


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of NBC)