Has Deal or No Deal had its day? (Deal or No Deal)

Member Name: dthpsb

Product:	Deal or No Deal
Date:	16/09/09 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great idea for a gameshow, simple yet entertaining

Disadvantages: Been on our screens for too long

Deal or No Deal is the game show that has been on Channel 4 at 4.15pm since 2005. The show lasts 45 minutes and we see one person trying to win £250,000. When the show first came out everyone thought it was fantastic, produced by Endemol (the people behind Big Brother) it was first shown in Holland. Channel 4 then got Noel Edmonds to front the show for them and it has been on our screens ever since.

The show involves 22 contestants all with a red box containing a figure between 1p up until £250,000. Half are red boxes with all the values being below £750 and the other half are blue boxes containing amounts above £1000. The identity of what is in these boxes is kept a secret until the box is opened.
So every episode one of the contestants is picked at random to try and beat the Banker. They will initially pick five boxes to open, then the banker will phone up and give them a cash offer. The player must then either deal and accept the money, or no deal and continue to play. If the player no deals the banker will ring up after every three boxes are opened with an offer for them to either deal or no deal.

The idea of the game is to deal for an amount worth more than the value in the box, the players red box is opened at the end of the game and we see if the player as beaten the banker.

In almost four years only two contestants have ever won the £250,000, many others have gone away with lots of cash though.

I used to really like this show, but like every other program that is on our TV for a long time it gets a bit boring after a while. I also don't like how they now seem to be changing the rules as they go along, maybe in an attempt to win more viewers. Swapping boxes half way through the game, getting an offer after every box and the bankers gamble are all examples of this. The last lady to win £250,000 had already dealt but because she got offered the bankers gamble she was allowed to re-join live play and go on to win the money.

I did really like Deal or No Deal but I think it is time for the show to hang up its boots and make way for other ideas and shows.

Summary: Stop changing the rules in order to make winners