The “Deal or No Deal” format is sturdy enough to withstand endless variations. So, here we are with “Deal or No Deal Island,” and in its second season, no less. Tuesday’s episode, “Chain of Command,” finds our remaining dozen contestants still battling it out on the Banker’s not-so-tropical island hideaway. They’re ostensibly searching for cases filled with cash, though it mostly feels like they’re searching for screen time.
This week, the alliances forged in the first two episodes will be tested. It’s every man for himself, or at least that’s the prevailing sentiment as secrets are whispered and betrayals are plotted. Some might call it strategy; others might just call it reality TV. The episode hinges on a challenge, the specifics of which NBC is keeping under wraps. Let’s just say the winner gets to make a “divisive split decision,” which is network-speak for “something that will cause drama.”
This whole island twist is a curious addition to the established “Deal or No Deal” formula. Remember when it was just about opening briefcases and making deals? Now we’ve got contestants scrambling around like they’re on “Survivor,” except the only thing they’re surviving is the tedium of manufactured conflict. The eventual goal, of course, is to win a high-stakes game of “Deal or No Deal” against the Banker, presumably for the biggest prize in the show’s history. But first, they have to endure weeks of staged challenges and interpersonal squabbles. Tune in Tuesday at 9:00 PM on NBC to witness the inevitable fallout.
“Deal or No Deal Island” airs Tuesdays at 9:00 PM on NBC.
