First Impressions: Deal or No Deal Australia’s Revival

Deal or No Deal, the iconic game show that was watched by millions of Australians in the 2000s, is back on our screens after a decade-long hiatus. The revived version, hosted by Grant Denyer, premiered on Channel 10 on Monday, January 29, 2024. I watched the first episode and here are my impressions.

This isn’t Grant’s first game show that he hosted, having previously hosted Family Feud, Game of Games and Celebrity Name Game. I felt he was his still energetic and entertaining self, and he did a great job of building chemistry with the contestants and the audience, which was one of his strong suits when he did Family Feud. I felt that he is a good replacement for Andrew O’Keefe, who hosted the original version.

That being said though, I felt that Grant was a little too hyper at times, especially when he was trying to hype up the suspense and the drama of the game, and making the audience continually shout “BALI, BOATS AND PIES” which easily got irritating. I feel in some aspects, he needs to tone down his enthusiasm a bit and let the game speak for itself.

The new Deal or No Deal follows the same basic format as the original, but with some tweaks and changes. The briefcase count has decreased to 22 from 26, and the top prize is $100,000 instead of $200,000.

In terms of presentation though, the new version uses elements from the US version. It uses the same theme song, some graphics and sound effects as the US version, which while a more modern and flashy look, it still retained some elements of the original AU version, such as the set design. I think this is a good balance, but I do miss some of the Aussie charm that the original had. I know it is still there in some aspects, but our unique theme song and the 50 cent monkey was not present, which were mainstays in the original version

Overall, I thought the new Deal or No Deal was a good revival of this iconic game show. I felt, on first impressions that it was fun, and entertaining, and it provided a good alternative to the news at 6pm. I am not sure though if the show will last the long haul, as it faces competition from other channels and streaming services. I also wonder if the novelty of the game will wear off after a while, as it can get repetitive and predictable, as for me mostly the nostalgia factor was the main motivation to watching it.

However, that’s enough of what I think -  Let me know in the comments below.

Deal or No Deal is aired weeknightly at 6pm on Network 10.