User Reviews

I once used to watch deal or no deal regularly. I watched it every time it came on NBC or any other network, but one day I stopped and thought to myself, did I just succumb to insanity as Einstein defined it, according to Einstein insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome (not verbatim). What does this have to do with this show, well keep reading. Deal or no Deal is a show you become an expert at after watching a couple of episodes. Same story same occurrences but maybe the models might differ from one episode to another but mostly even they are the same. So for me there is no point on watching this show regularly when I can predict what's going to happen. After seeing about five or six episodes of this, I could literally tell what case number the players will choose, and what the banker will offer. For a game show it's not bad. But this is not a show you would never get tired of, or at least be in love with for a long time.

I noticed, at least in my area, that Deal or No Deal was not listed to be on the air. Has this show been taken off for the season? Last Friday, May 12, was the last episode I saw and it usually has been on the air 3 nights a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Sure hope to see it back soon......great show. Has anyone else noticed that too from where they are at? SO I missed the episode where it ended with the woman being offered I thought was $131,000. I sure would had a done DEAL on that offer, crazy not to. And Howie, quite the crazy Canadian eh? We are proud of him as he has done well, at least of late with his "cleaned up" profile, something that the family can enjoy.

The actual game show itself is mediocre. It does not have the traditional format, Press Your Luck is primarily based on chance as well, but it's more entertaining.

My huge problem with Deal or No Deal are the contestants. They want us to somehow relate to people who are average Joes. And editing is a factor but jeez. Most come with over the top hysterics. How are we supposed to root for them? They insist on picking the obnoxious people. It's embarrassing.

Am I awful for secretly hoping the most self-righteous and greedy contestants walk away with much less than they were offered in previous rounds? Well, for me, it makes the worst episodes more palatable.

The producers try to make DOND entertaining but most episodes are painful. Sure you're supposed to build up tension with long pauses, have some drama. This goes too far. Cut the theatrics, have real people (who aren't auditioning for a reality show), and edit it to a 30 minute show. That might work.

Saving grace is Howie. He deserves an Emmy for hosting a game show with so many drawbacks. My 4 stars are for a few things. First, Howie. The episodes which are worth watching, including my evil (antithesis) rooting for the banker, and when some truly deserving contestants win big. But they are few and far between.

What makes a good game show? A good game show is one that the viewer can play at home while watching it on T.V. You can answer Jeopardy questions or you can solve puzzles on Wheel Of Fortune; however - you, as a viewer, really can't do much of anything on this show.

The ONLY exciting thing about this show is the fact that there is big money involved. This is great for the contestant, but the viewer can only live vicariously through the winner.

Seriously, this is only fun to watch when the person loses (or wins) all the money - mostly loses though. It seems that later episodes, the producers put contestants on that had a good sob story (not to diminish them).

I think the reason this game show became such a hit was that they put a pretty good improv comedian (see his early works) as the host and that the games rules are ultra simple - answer only one question (Deal or No Deal).

I can only give this show a rating of 3 because it is the same ole' episode every single time. I can even guess with pretty good accuracy what the banker will offer.

"Deal or No Deal", from Endemol, the folks that gave you "Fear Factor" and "Extreme Makeover", brought this international import to the States for a five-night run on NBC originally back in December 2005. Hosted by Howie Mandel, the show is like a cross between "Let's Make a Deal" and "Russian Roulette", and here's how it works: A contestant out of the audience chooses one numbered briefcase out of 26 for their game. The cases have cash values ranging from one cent all the way up to $1 million (and there are several six-figure prizes starting at $100,000). All the values are posted on a large, projection-screen TV monitor in the studio. The contestant then begins a process of elimination, calling out the numbers of six briefcases. As each number is called, a lovely model opens the numbered case to reveal the cash amount inside (Mandel: "Nikki, open the case."). The cash amount is then removed from the list of cash values on the projection monitor.

Following this, a "banker", seated in a surveillance room above the studio floor, phones the host with an "offer" - a dollar amount he is willing to make for the briefcase the contestant chose at the start of the game. Essentially, the offer is an average of all the cash amounts on the monitor that haven't been yet eliminated - the more low amounts that are eliminated, the higher the offer. The host informs the contestant of the offer - which is posted in large numerals on the projection monitor - and then, after a bit of mathematical banter, the host pops the all-important question to the contestant: "Deal or No Deal?" If the contestant accepts the Deal, he/she wins the value of the offer and the game ends. If not, the contest must open five more briefcases before the next offer is made. If the contestant passes on the Deal at that point, then he/she must open four more cases, then three more, then two more, until in the later points in the game, there is an offer issued after one briefcase is selected.

The tension increases with every round of selections because in many cases, a contestant chooses a case with a large dollar amount, eliminating the possibility of winning that prize. Also adding to the drama - the contestant has three to four other guests (loved ones or friends) on the show to help him/her decide whether or not to take a Deal, usually introduced after the second round of briefcase selections. So there is an emotional aspect to "Deal" as well, one the large studio audience gets pumped up for.

Once the contestant has accepted a Deal, the host has the contestant theoretically play out the rest of the briefcase selections ("Let's see what you would have done...") and then reveals the contents of the briefcase that the contestant chose at the start of the game.

Overall, "Deal or No Deal" offers the best odds for winning $1 million on national TV - 1 in 26. But as host Howie Mandel states at the beginning of each show, the game is a combination of "luck, guts, and a great sense of timing." Part of Mandel's opening spiel: "One million dollars as the top prize. No crazy stunts to perform, no trivia questions to answer. In fact, there's only one question you need to know how to answer, the only question that counts. Deal or No Deal?" At the time of this writing, "Deal or No Deal" was introduced by NBC as a "stripped" broadcast (same time for five consecutive weeknights), airing between 8pm and 9pm Eastern Time. The show's initial ratings for the first two nights were great news for NBC; they handily won their Monday and Tuesday time slots.

Part of the entertainment value of "Deal or No Deal" is watching the contestants agonize over whether to accept a Deal or press their luck; a knowledge (or appreciation) of probability helps a lot, and screen graphics are occasionally shown to help viewers do the numbers (Example: "Kyle has a 25% chance his case contains at least $300,000"). The exchanges between the contestants and their guests are often very funny. Host Howie Mandel, better known for his goofball stand-up comedy and appearances on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno", is an affable host, not overpowering the show. He has "a great sense of timing" himself, and sets up cliffhangers before each commercial (sending the audience into frustrated groans of anticipation).

And for anyone that doesn't believe there's a play-along element to the show, you get caught up in the moment, screaming at the TV, "Take the deal, you bonehead!" Most NBC affiliates also participated in the "Lucky Case" home game, in which viewers could win $10,000 based on their selection of one of the 26 cases.

Considering "Deal or No Deal" requires no intellectual knowledge (other than, perhaps, a little statistical analysis) nor mastery of a game (such as "Wheel of Fortune" or GSN's "Lingo") it is a surprisingly entertaining show. At the time of this writing, over 30 other countries had their own versions of the show.

The game is totally senseless...and I can't believe a big network would put up with that psychotic Howie Mandel. Get rid of HIM!

Just great. At my age, it's fairly bizarre to enjoy a show this much considering it is primarily aimed at a demographic somewhere in their mid-80s but I must confess, this is just grand. For certain, what knocks this show out of the park for me is Noel Edmonds. He gets soooo into it. It's a show where average members of the public open boxes and yet he treats the show likes its God's gift to the world. His enthusiasm turns a frankly rubbish television show into very amusing, very tense and very watchable rubbish. Definitely a highlight in the history of Channel 4. I would recommend it to anyone (particularly those that have little, or no, dignity).

Please, spare me!! This program was watchable at its beginning, and Howie Mandell is a likable presence. And even now, he does the best possible, given his "script," and the guests which the producers have chosen.

I must admit, though, I still watch it some, with the sound muted about 90% of the time or more. Almost without exception the contestants act like yowling hyenas or screeching magpies, and their actions are a good approximation as well.

If there are those who feel as I do, then suicide watches should be established for the inevitable moment when Howie says "...change your life" one too many times.

The game is a simplistic lottery, with no way the contestants, who usually avow they have chosen a case with big bucks, could possibly have any intelligent reason for so believing. And then the Stepford models wish them luck, and purport sometimes to act if revealing a huge amount is somehow their fault. All they do is walk-on and stand like attractive cyborgs, holding an object with a figure enclosed which nobody viewing has any notion as to its amount.

So why do I watch at all? First, it has reached the level, like some movies, as being so bad that it is (sometimes) pretty "good," in a fascinating way. And I hope to catch the occasional contestant for whom you can "root," who has the intelligence to take the 6-figure offer, perhaps $200,000 or more, rather than risk opening the one large case remaining, among several smaller ones. This would be like someone having a $200,000 bankroll in Vegas, and laying $150,000 on the table, knowing if they picked a low card (among, say, 4 or 5) they could make a nice winning but if they selected the high one, their 150 thou would be gone. No sane person should make this wager. Yet several who could have walked away with a quarter of a million or so have opened one case too many and left (if smart) with 30- to 50-thousand. But several of these have continued and opened the last reasonably large case to leave with $10,000 or less.

Even the best poker players - the pros - go "on tilt" - playing stupidly the nest hand or two after a significant loss, compounding the problem, even though they know better. The contestants on this show do this a maximum speed.

I'd also like to see the occasional show (only one I saw was close to this, although there have probably been some others) where a contestant opens almost nothing but low amounts.

The reverse would interesting, where a contestant might open the cases with the nine largest amount initially.

One other fact. Among the contestants, as well as the three friends/family each one has on-stage (they must be endured, as well, as well as Howie's banter with them) most seem to have one thing in common: whatever their ages, backgrounds or interests, few look like they have ever pushed away from the dinner table early, or refused additional helpings.

On a recent program, the man playing turned-down $41,000, and then opened the last big case ($300,000) with $5,000 the highest of the few then remaining. He got to the point of a $2,500 "offer, with two cases remaining - $5,000 & $10. He kept "his" case, walked away with ten bucks, but with Howie's affirmation that he has a lovely family.

On another, A young Korean man, for once a likable, non-annoying presence, announced his folks had come to America with just $750 to make a new life. His parents were in the audience (and thankfully, likable as well), and he had the good sense to take $200,000+, with $75, $750 and $750,000 remaining. The was indeed an interesting coincidence, and his case contained $750, more interesting yet. But Howie treated this as if it were just shy of being on the order or the "second coming." This show does not lack hyperbole in any way.

Deal or No Deal looks like a dumb game of luck on the surface, where you pick one case out of 26 and go through a process of elimination.

The real element of this game comes from the "evil Banker", who offers to buy your case and reduce your personal risk, in exchange for a guaranteed amount worth less than fair value.

Because of the Banker, this show goes deep into the world of psychology, human behavior, expected value (average value of the case), volatility, and utilitarian value (are you willing to sacrifice long term gains to secure a smaller win?), all of which have been studied extensively by brilliant experts writing papers on game theory.

Watching this show is intense, but that's also what makes it exciting. The differing views people have as to when to take a bank offer, they vary from taking the first offer, to going all the way.

I can understand why some people can't stomach it. Game shows love to bring extroverted contestants on air who are more likely to take risks.

Also, some of the bank offers are designed 1) to encourage risk taking 2) take advantage of scared contestants by making low ball offers 3) to be very generous to try to compel the player to settle for less.

In some cases the Banker offers more than fair value, just to be generous and toy with the audience.

The thought of receiving a 6 figure bank offer, and people accepting, turning it down, making it bigger, or in some cases losing it all on national TV, it is absolutely wild.

The game show host, Howie Mandel, is fundamental to the show. He expands on the game by getting us to know the contestants and family members, who are an interesting bunch.

The contestants leave people sitting at home shouting at their tvs, because a contestant is, more often than not, a bigger risk taker than the person watching at home.

Also, Deal or No Deal is self aware of the fact that their game show can be viewed by some as a bit boring and overly simplistic.

In response, they change things up all the time with surprise celebrity appearances, family/community reunions, special themes that center on the contestant, and customized bank offers for dream prizes specifically appealing to that contestant, plus other silly things to make some episodes memorable.

One last comment: I find it ironic that the original run of Deal or No Deal ended in 2008, at the same time that "evil bankers" went from a silly gimmick, to a real thing involving trillions in dollars and millions of job losses in the 2008 financial crisis.

I really liked this game show because it felt like anyone could win. The entire show is based off of luck and no skill. As a person who doesn't do well with trivia or word games, I loved that this show was all to do with chance. It felt like the most ordinary person had a chance to win big. The host was also very well picked; he was very entertaining to watch.

This show makes Let's Make A Deal look great. Deal or No Deal is such a waste of time. Why do they waste so much time make EVERY question so suspenseful? Jeopardy is fast pace rapid fire. Maybe that's why it's number 1. On the other hand, this is so dreadfully drawn out. I can't watch it. I know Howie Mandel has talent, he was excellent in St. Elsewhere, but it doesn't show here.

To tell the truth, I never thought the former "Bobby" (host Howie Mandell) would become a game show host, but many other actors such as Louie Anderson and Richard Karn (Family Feud) and Donny Osmond (Pyramid) have done this and made success out of it, and Mandell, in my opinion, was a good choice as host, despite the many ways he can ask that one question every viewer can think of an answer to, "Deal or No Deal?" Out of all the prime time game shows, I predict this will not become a syndicated daytime game show like others such as "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire," which changed hosts while it became syndicated, but Regis Philbin has hosted a few specials after the change, otherwise, Meredith Viera from "The View" as the host. The only person I don't like on the show is the banker because I think he can give better offers to contestants than what was shown on episodes. For example, the banker may offer around $100,000 when the contestant has his own case and four other cases, including the $1 million case and a couple of other top amounts are still on the board in play, NO DEAL. Overall, great show, even though the banker needs to get real.

And I'm not saying that as one of those people who automatically hates game shows and discounts them as pointless.

What makes this game show truly idiotic is that people's chances of winning are completely random. The only thought involved in participating in this show is answering the titular question: "Deal? Or no deal?"

I'll explain. There are 26 suitcases, each with a different amount of money in it, ranging from 1 cent to 1 million dollars. The contestant picks one case at random. This becomes their case. He then chooses to look in some of the other suitcases to see which values aren't his. After opening some of the suitcases, he is offered a sum of money that may or may not be higher than the value in his suitcase. He can either accept it or reject it.

If you want to watch a game show, watch something good, like Cash Cab, Jeopardy, or Family Feud. Don't even consider watching this one.

Ben Franklin once said 'Is the game worth the candle?'.Little did Ben know that sometimes the match that lights the candle is more valuable than the game.

A man once stopped in Vegas while taking his family to Disneyland. Putting $10.00 in a slot machine in the hotel he won $500.00. Using that $500.00 to play Blackjack 4 hours later he had amassed $100,000.00. Moving to the Craps tables his winnings reached $300,000.00 before losing everything. When he returned home his co-workers and friends all expressed sympathy at the terrible tragedy he had experienced.

BOY you folks sure do get upset over losing 10 bucks !!! Was his reply.

Which is the proper way to look at people's greed on DOND......it cost nothing to be on the show so they can't lose any money.

You know, I used to enjoy watching T.V. but today all we're getting is nothing but reality T.V. and terrible game shows that could never match such greats like The Price Is Right or Match Game. The dumbing-down of North American society mandated by Dubya and Hollywood continues to reach new lows and Deal Or No Deal isn't even the nadir.

To be honest, I've played the game on occasion at parties and it's pretty fun. However, there is no skill involved except for trying to control your greed.

The show, on the other hand, is absolutely unwatchable. It's not due to Howie Mandel, who I've always felt was a pretty talented guy or his models but for the contestants they bring in. These people represent the worst of North American society. Many of them deliver the exact stereotypes of a society gone terribly wrong. The accent has to be on "stereotype" because I can't believe any of these individuals are "regular people". I believe that no money is being won and the "contestants" and their "families" are just actors from Casting Central. However, the job of DOND is to convince the dumbed-down society that this is a legit game show and with the I.Q. of the viewing audience being lowered they believe that the show is legitimate. After all, if it's on T.V. it is real. Uh-huh.

Of course, staid contestants wouldn't bring in the big ratings. The over-the-top, overdone, over-everything reactions and stylings of the "contestants" are the reason the populace loves this show. In today's anything-goes-before-Armageddon T.V. this is what brings in the bacon. No successful show has staid qualities.

Sadly, all I can do is simply shake my head. I'm probably the only person who pities Howie Mandel. He deserves better than this. I think doing comedy in Las Vegas and being the spokesman for Boston Pizza in Canada was better than this. Oh well...

I'm not very patient. Waiting for Howie to reveal what's in the cases is infuriating with his after the commercial delay after his deadpan, dumb expression delay. All the drama surrounding the contestant's "deal or no deal" and their helper's standing nearby to help is childish. Howie's germ fetish is ridiculous. If he is that afraid of touching hands why is he on the show. Howie is not as funny as a host than when he is doing stand-up comedy with his "glove" on his head. Maybe he needs to put the gloves on his hands. Get the show moving!!! I'm afraid that the show would be only fifteen minutes long if that happened. I don't watch the show anymore even if there is nothing else on the "tube". Then, TV is off. Sorry, Howie, I hope you didn't quit your day job!

Hi,

It has already been revealed that the Banker is the producer. Most gameshow have a rule bible that fleshes out every possible scenario or what if, if/then. I'm certain the producer/banker has a cheat sheet laying out if case $ 1.00, $100,000 and $ 1,000,000 is gone then offer XXXXX. That would be the best way to handle it in production so all the CG's were available for the "offer" graphic.

According to NBC's website the show is taped in Los Angeles. Here's the full credits offered again from NBC's site.

Regards,

Terry

CREDITS: Day & time: Mondays (8-9 p.m. ET) and Thursdays (9-10 p.m. ET) on NBC Premiere date: December 19, 2005 Host: Howie Mandel Executive producer: Scott St. John Creator: Dick Derijk Director: R. Brian DiPirro Supervising producer: Mashawn Nix Executive in charge of production: Jack Martin Set designers: Anton Goss and John Ivo Gilles Lighting designer: Michael Veerkamp Wardrobe designer: Dina Cerchione Music: Groove Addicts Graphics: Fish Eggs Origination: Los Angeles From: Endemol USA

I just cannot warm to this boring and stupid tarting up of "Take your Pick". The only saving grace is that the old ludicrous "Yes, No Interlude" was omitted. (I am talking about the UK version of the game, not the American, which seems be an altogether more extravagant and flamboyant affair, if the other comments on it are anything to go by.) We have the Lottery, TV Poker, and other shows of their ilk coming out of our nostrils, and it seems to be the modern TV trend to turn the whole country into raving gambling addicts, and this "game show" is no exception to the madness.

There is virtually no viewer participation involved, not even the semblance of any knowledge, intelligence or brain work required (even to the extent of adding up two and two, which seems to be the limit as far as these types of shows go). I do realise that not all programmes have to be soul-searching and brain-wearying, but surely this show has been scraped from the bottom of the barrel. That people actually watch it, and seemingly enjoy it, is probably a great surprise to the producers. However, please forgive me for having better things to do... like sleeping.

Well, I, for one, find this show to be very interesting and entertaining. Walk away when the commercials come on and come back three or four minutes later and you will eliminate most of the irritation. Howie Mandel does a really good-natured hosting bit that should be a lesson to those that take themselves too seriously.

The girls are great and are having a lot of fun. This show will develop into a truly entertaining habit for the American viewing audience.

I found myself muttering at the ridiculous offers of the mysterious banker (the cheap creep ... get real!) I wanted some of the macho type, posturing contestants to refuse an offer and have to settle for a lot less. (goody goody) .. The whole gamut of human emotions that is strung out here is quite consuming... I look forward to the next show to see what sort of contestant we have and how they will handle it.

I should like so much to slap some of the contestants silly. Greed is either funny or pathetic and sometimes both at once. Tune in and feel very superior to these poor creatures and find yourself pulling for some of them and despising others. All the facets of watching a wrestling match without having to ignore the phoniness. These people really do want that money.

I am trying to tell you why you are going to get hooked. A very nice package and I say, "Yay, Howie, keep it on the fun level that it is now. Watch it. Enjoy it. Don't let anyone tell you it is not worth while until you have tried it yourself. Any night it is NOT on, I am very disappointed.

OLD DAD

I hate this show. Simple as that. It's horrible. The show takes an annoying host, and throws endless amounts of commercials at times where it seems suspenseful, but is just annoying, and is clearly just trying to scrounge out a few more dollars.

Not only that, this game is easy to get money at, you just have to walk away at the right time. No one does this. The producers of the show choose idiots to go up to the podium and play.

So what if they have beautiful models, that's just a cheap gimmick, good TV is not achieved through beautiful models, and large amounts of money, coupled with false suspense.

Just stay away, it's not worth. Lucky for them, I've seen much worse traverse our poor Televisions.

3/10

Just as an FYI, the $10,000 text message contest they advertise just before each commercial break costs each sucker (er … home contestant) $0.49. This means NBC pays for the prize after only 20,408 entries, which I'm sure they get within the first couple seconds. Hmm...maybe they should have fewer commercials since they are making so much money off the home contestants! Just a thought.

Anywho, I feel the show was OK, but the numerous commercial breaks and the dumb calls to the mysterious banker made it unwatchable. To be fair, I liked the shows premise and enjoyed watching the contestants' reactions.

I'm a big game show fan, and have liked most game shows through the years (not reality shows however). This one is terrible. It exploits people's greed which in most cases on this show far outweighs their common sense. The vast majority of contestants will keep going on with only 2 or 1 high amounts remaining on the board. They want to drive the deal up with the extreme risk that they'll hit one of the high amounts with the next case they pick. Or they have the completely baseless and empty belief that their case has the million or one of the high amounts. But then they hit the second to last high amount or the last high amount with the next case they pick and the deal goes way down. And then going to all the hassle and effort for appearing on the show isn't worth much to them after that. The deals can be low sometimes, but they're not bad and definitely worth taking as opposed to taking an enormous risk. Sometimes they get caught up in the excitement. Sometimes it's their idiotic family or friends encouraging them to keep going on. Foolish people making foolish decisions, it repeats so much. You wonder if the contestants have ever watched the show and seen others do the same stupid thing they're doing. Where do they find these contestants? I'm sure they go to Vegas and find the stupidest, most foolish people they can find, the people who go against all odds no matter what. The producers love them because they don't have to give away much money. However it's a painful watching experience. Enough people must've got sick of it for it to be cancelled, however it lives on in reruns on GSN unfortunately. We could have more classic game shows on the channel but there's unfortunately enough of a market left for this show for them to put it on a lot. Give this one a pass unless you like torturing yourself with depressing contestants.