Syndicated 'Deal or No Deal' - Smaller, Faster, Stronger

The daytime version of Deal or No Deal is a streamlined game that cuts the excess from the prime time offering. Where the evening hour-long episodes milk every drop of drama they possibly can, this one moves along at a quickened pace, cutting out the extras and focusing solely on the game. The main elements of the show are all still in play - the banker, Howie Mandel, the cases, and the models – and contestants still rely on the combination of luck and guts to win cash. But it's different enough to shine on its own, outside of the prime time spectacle.

The syndicated version of Deal or No Deal is a stripped-down copy of the prime time game show that America has fallen in love with. In the past three seasons of prime time Deal, we've seen the game evolve into a glitzy and somewhat gimmicky production, where the contestants are the stars and their life stories play a huge part in the tone of the each episode.

Not so with the daytime version! This is the way the game was meant to be played, with the 30-minute time constraints eliminating all of the excess. Contestants don't have supporters to be introduced and consulted. We don't learn an awful lot about their personal lives, jobs, struggles, or dreams for the future. Host Howie Mandel doesn't draw out the drama by making us wait for commercial breaks to find out what's in a case. And there are no stunts or extra incentives added to the Banker's offers. It's just a straight-up game of luck.

Game show purists will continue to argue that there is no real skill involved in playing Deal or No Deal, in any form of the game. They're right, of course. Anyone can play, and anyone can win a sizable amount of money on the show. Nevertheless, it's still a fun game with a catchy format. When you strip out all of the extravagance of the nighttime version, it becomes a simple and enjoyable game that's well worth watching.