NBC has taken a gamble with its latest game show “Deal or No Deal.” With 26 beautiful models, an appealing set and daring contestants, the show has managed to attract a large and loyal fan base in a matter of months. With cases hidden with values ranging from a penny to one million dollars, the international series has hit huge success, and much of its success is due in large part to host Howie Mandel’s alluring personality.
From the producers of “Fear Factor” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” “Deal or No Deal” has become a five-night event, and one that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. Each contestant chooses a sealed briefcase to keep until the end of the game. The remaining 25 briefcases are opened one, three or four at a time – in what the contestant hopes is a successful turn of events. If the contestant is lucky, the smallest amounts of money will be eliminated leaving large sums of money “up for grabs” and an enticing “Bank” offer. An anonymous entity known simply as “The Bank” lures contestants with an offer of cash in exchange for their original briefcase and as Mandel stated in a recent interview, “the drama in this show is undeniable.”
“Deal or No Deal” prides itself on America’s desire to “get rich quick” and as Endemol president, David Goldberg said, “[it] taps into the most basic human emotions: greed and a desire to improve one’s situation.” With “Deal or No Deal,” NBC hopes to have created a game of chance that will prove to be the deal of a lifetime.