Judging by the empty feeling at my stomach and the sweat on my brow, you would think that I had either just finished running a marathon, just been informed that Survivor had been cancelled or had just risked everything as a contestant on Deal Or No Deal and was left with $5.
While none of the above happened, after attending the premiere taping of Deal Or No Deal Canada in Toronto, I felt like I had just played instead of only watching other strangers compete. And the fact is that I was just as engaged as I would have been if I had been playing.
Filmed in Howie’s hometown at the Toronto Production Centre inside the CBC Building, the concept of the show remained the same, save for a few Canadian extras. This included a whole new set of Canadian models and loonies and toonies being added to the possible prize winnings (Canadian currency for $1 and $2).
Aside from that, the slick setting closely resembled its American counterpart. Howie Mandel hosted the premiere show and will continue to do so for the tapings that are scheduled for the rest of the week.
One of the immediate things that I realized by being in the live audience was how exciting the show is. When you watch Deal Or No Deal on TV, eyebrows are always raised at the intensity of a game that is basically a random sport of chance where one contestant claims ownership of one briefcase and then eliminates other cases that contain different amounts of money. Even with the absence of the standard Deal Or No Deal theme music (that will undoubtedly be added during post-production), the audience was riveted and consumed with what they were seeing and it is this visceral appeal of the show that has made it a breakthrough hit across Canada and the United States. At times, I thought the guy beside me was about to lose his legs in a bad Vegas bet as he winced and grimaced with every case selection. The scariest part is that he wasn’t even related to any of the contestants!
Another aspect to look forward to for prospective Canadian audiences is Howie’s humor. With the models and players all hailing from his home, it’s like he has been given a whole new routine and it is fun to see. One of his trademark quips for this version of the series is the fact that the Canadian contestants will receive double what the Americans do, regardless of how much they walk away with. The reason is that prize winnings north of the border are not taxed like they are in Uncle Sam country.
I will continue to follow the shows this week, but my detailed thoughts will have to wait until after the episodes air in February.
Deal?
Deal Or No Deal Canada premieres on Global after the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 4 at 10 PM Eastern. The remaining four episodes will air on Thursdays at 9 PM
