Page 2 | To find Deal or No Deal ridiculously overdramatic for what is essentially just opening boxes?

TheCheekyPlumBear · 2025-07-30T09:25:00+00:00

It’s literally just guessing numbers, yet they act like it’s life or death. The dramatic pauses, the tense music, the contestants in tears - it’s all a bit much isn’t it?

LlynTegid · 30/07/2025 11:28

I agree it is overdramatic, even when you allow for the people having been together for a few days and the excitement of being on television.

GasPanic · 30/07/2025 11:27

ShowOfHands · 30/07/2025 10:47

I seriously judge anybody who either takes part as a contestant or watches it.

"Ooh well I'm going for box 17 as Our Maud God rest her arthritic soul lived at number 15 Batshit Avenue and she had 2 shih tzus and she always said 'well I'll go t'foot of t'stairs' and in my first house we had 13 steps on our stairs but 4 of them were rotten what with the rising damp and the westerly wind from Hull. Anyway, I can feel Our Maud looking down on us and... and... <sniff> ... it's got to be box 17."

Why ?

If you win it's free money for doing pretty much nothing.

You need to spin a tale though because everyone likes a bit of drama. Like the backstories on Popstars and all that guff.

ShowOfHands · 30/07/2025 11:22

Ponoka7 · 30/07/2025 10:51

Tbf, I seem to able to win every week on the horses, based on names. I've had quite a few more than 16/1. One horse came in 66/1 based on a saying someone in a care home I worked in said. I haven't topped up my betting account since April. My DP watches deal or no deal, I'd take the money once it's £2k also it's wasted on me. But we play along and I'd come away with at least that, based on birthdays. That's what has made people financially comfortable, via the lotteries.

Edited

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It's just coincidence/chance/confirmation bias at play though. I know people take extraordinary comfort in believing in divine intervention and hidden meanings, fate and destiny but for every person who wins £50 on the horses because of Aunty Kathleen having a feeling in her water, there will be hundreds of addicts who cling to false hope whilst throwing away their lives and the lives of those who depend upon them.

Didimum · 30/07/2025 11:07

I don’t watch it anymore but I loved Deal or No Deal. YABU!

TerrierCollector · 30/07/2025 11:00

CeeJay81 · 30/07/2025 10:53

Exactly. I've watched a couple of episodes cause I was curious what all the fuss was about. The way people take stupid risks when they should have gone for the offer. I may sound judgemental but the contests are not the brightest sparks.

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See, if I were to go on a show like that (which I probably never would) I'd just go for it. I'd probably lose, but I'd be no worse off than I was before I went on.

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 30/07/2025 10:57

It amazed me when I first saw the British version. I was in Australia for a year when it first came out, so saw the Aussie version before the British version.

It was just your standard cheesy gameshow. Flashy lights, smiley people, cheerful host, no long calls with the banker, (no calls with the banker at all in fact, it was just a number on a screen).

Then I came home and it was just bizarre. Moody, weird, Noel Edmonds going slowly off his rocker.

Just had a look on youtube for the Australian version and it looks like they've retooled it to be more like the British one these days.

CeeJay81 · 30/07/2025 10:53

ShowOfHands · 30/07/2025 10:47

I seriously judge anybody who either takes part as a contestant or watches it.

"Ooh well I'm going for box 17 as Our Maud God rest her arthritic soul lived at number 15 Batshit Avenue and she had 2 shih tzus and she always said 'well I'll go t'foot of t'stairs' and in my first house we had 13 steps on our stairs but 4 of them were rotten what with the rising damp and the westerly wind from Hull. Anyway, I can feel Our Maud looking down on us and... and... <sniff> ... it's got to be box 17."

Exactly. I've watched a couple of episodes cause I was curious what all the fuss was about. The way people take stupid risks when they should have gone for the offer. I may sound judgemental but the contests are not the brightest sparks.

Ponoka7 · 30/07/2025 10:51

ShowOfHands · 30/07/2025 10:47

I seriously judge anybody who either takes part as a contestant or watches it.

"Ooh well I'm going for box 17 as Our Maud God rest her arthritic soul lived at number 15 Batshit Avenue and she had 2 shih tzus and she always said 'well I'll go t'foot of t'stairs' and in my first house we had 13 steps on our stairs but 4 of them were rotten what with the rising damp and the westerly wind from Hull. Anyway, I can feel Our Maud looking down on us and... and... <sniff> ... it's got to be box 17."

Tbf, I seem to able to win every week on the horses, based on names. I've had quite a few more than 16/1. One horse came in 66/1 based on a saying someone in a care home I worked in said. I haven't topped up my betting account since April. My DP watches deal or no deal, I'd take the money once it's £2k also it's wasted on me. But we play along and I'd come away with at least that, based on birthdays. That's what has made people financially comfortable, via the lotteries.

ShowOfHands · 30/07/2025 10:47

I seriously judge anybody who either takes part as a contestant or watches it.

"Ooh well I'm going for box 17 as Our Maud God rest her arthritic soul lived at number 15 Batshit Avenue and she had 2 shih tzus and she always said 'well I'll go t'foot of t'stairs' and in my first house we had 13 steps on our stairs but 4 of them were rotten what with the rising damp and the westerly wind from Hull. Anyway, I can feel Our Maud looking down on us and... and... <sniff> ... it's got to be box 17."

Steelworks · 30/07/2025 10:45

I agree, but you can get caught up in the drama. It’s a game of luck, not skill.

LongStoryLong · 30/07/2025 10:44

So much more than numbers in boxes OP. Thank you for reminding me of this brilliant article by Jon Ronson, well worth 15 minutes of anyone’s time

www.theguardian.com/media/2006/oct/21/broadcasting.arts

EnglishGirlApproximately · 30/07/2025 10:43

I'm with you OP, I don't get it at all. There's no skill involved it's just a guessing game with ridiculous drama. I generally love a good TV game show so no snobbery here, it's just boring!

its2025 · 30/07/2025 10:42

Totally agree with you! I don't watch it but the couple of times I've caught it by accident I'm like - "Just pick a friggin box!!!"

35965a · 30/07/2025 10:41

It’s so boring

TerrierCollector · 30/07/2025 10:40

I always say this, I hate it. But, actually, they have to pad it out with all of the silly woo-woo stuff and dramatics because otherwise, it would be over and done with in 5 minutes.

Original poster

TheCheekyPlumBear · 30/07/2025 10:39

yoshiblue · 30/07/2025 10:29

Bloody love it, is it back on the telly? 😂

It returns in September but reruns seem to be on constantly, don’t they? 😂 I reckon they could just loop it all year and half the viewers might not notice!

OP posts:

yoshiblue · 30/07/2025 10:29

Bloody love it, is it back on the telly? 😂