No deal! (Deal or No Deal)

Member Name: lellagrace

Product:	Deal or No Deal
Date:	18/09/07 (101 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can be interesting

Disadvantages: Boring if watched too often

Deal or No Deal is on Channel 4 on weekday afternoons, finishing at 5pm and then is repeated later on other channel.

Noel Edmonds is the host of the show and there are 22 contestants appearing each time. One is chosen at random to compete for the prize money and they can win anything from 1p to a quarter or a million, depending on luck.

Each contestant has a box which is numbered and the player has to choose which box s/he wants to open. Once the velcro strip is removed from the sealed box the amount of money is revealed. The player has their own box in front of them and as nobody knows what is in any of the boxes until they are opened, it is a nail biting game at times.

The boxes have the amounts in red or blue, and if they are the wrong colour they are not so lucky! (I am trying not to give too much away here, watch the game for more info).

Unlike many other quiz shows at the moment, this one does not require contestants to answer any questions, apart from the one which Noel asks them when an offer of cash is made from the Banker.

The Banker is someone who none of us ever hears or sees. He or She talks to Noel via an old fashioned black telephone and Noel is told what they banker will offer the player for his/her box.

The amount offered depends on the state of the board where the prizes are displayed. If the player has only got large prize amounts left the offer from the banker is likely to be substantial. The player then has to decide whether it is worth taking the money or carry on playing, bearing in mind that until the very last round the amount in the player's own box will not be known.

Future contestants hoping to go onto the show will have along wait as they are not taking any more names for the time being. If you are successful enough to be accepted to be on the show, then you are invited to take a friend with you and have to be prepared to take part in recordings over a three week period. This is because only one contestant is chosen each day and it could be weeks before you are chosen.

I have seen contestants on Deal or No Deal who have been on other quiz shows, which made me think that they were all out of work actors who took part.

Then my friend told me that her cousin had been accepted to appear on the show, so I realised they do take anyone.

I am not terribly keen on Noel Edmonds as a presenter, but he seems popular on this show. Also, the phone calls from the banker really annoy me as they happen very frequently and then Noel has some daft conversation with him. If indeed there is actually anyone on the end of the phone!!!

I know a lot of people are addicted to this show, but I could not watch it every day. It is one of those shows that I watch if I am bored or I can't be bothered to do anything else, I certainly could not become addicted to it.

However, if you have never seen Deal or No Deal, then it might be worth giving it a try. It does take a while to realise what is happening at first, and it can become tense when the large amounts have disappeared all but one and perhaps 10p.

But I can see why it is on Channel 4 and in late afternoon and not a peak time show.

Summary: Noel Edmonds in another show