Excursions

Each episode, the contestants compete in Excursions and must undertake physical challenges to retrieve briefcases with varying cash values. Certain challenges may include "red cases," which either permit a contestant to seize another player’s briefcase^[2] or contain a minimal cash amount.^[3] Contestants securing the lowest-valued briefcases are deemed at risk and may be selected to face the Banker's Challenge. The contestant or team gathering the highest combined case value gains immunity for that evening and determines which lower-ranking contestant will confront the Banker.^[4]

Banker's Challenge

The Banker's Challenge is a conventional high-stakes game of Deal or No Deal between the Banker and the player chosen to compete by the winner of the Excursion. The player goes head to head in a series of rounds, each round opening one or more cases and revealing their values. At the end of each round, the Banker presents the player with an offer. The player must decide whether to accept the Banker's offer or keep their case. If the player accepts an offer worth more than what's in their case, they are safe and must eliminate one of their fellow contestants. If they accept an offer worth less than their case value, they are eliminated. At the end of the Banker's Challenge, the value of the accepted deal or contestant's case (if final deal is rejected) is added to the total final case value.^[4] During the Banker's Challenge, if the player gets a record breaking offer from the Banker, he may choose to sweeten the deal by offering the player a personal deal, typically a cash prize that the player will receive regardless of the outcome of the game.^[5] In some cases, if the player accepts the deal, they must agree to leave the game immediately.^[6]

Final game

The last contestant remaining plays a conventional game of Deal or No Deal with 22 cases to determine their prize money, but this time with the Banker present in-person. The second half of the board consists entirely of cases containing $1 million on more, including the largest cases found during Excursions. The highest valued case was the total amount won in each of the previous Banker's Challenges, which in season 1 resulted in a top case valued at nearly $14,000,000.^[4]

Notes

Cheating

• In the first part of the two-part finale of Season 1, Episode 11 (S1E11^[34]), the final four contestants were challenged to navigate through the Banker's Garden, a jungle maze, to locate and retrieve briefcases of undisclosed value. The task commenced with a riddle-solving challenge that would grant access to a map pinpointing the briefcases' locations. Amy solved the riddle first and entered the maze. Subsequently, Rob violated the game's rules by looking at Amy's game board for the riddle's solution. This infraction prompted an immediate intervention by host Joe Manganiello, who paused the game to address the breach. Despite the violation, Rob was permitted to continue participating in the challenge but was assessed a time penalty determined by the duration of time between Amy and the third finisher entering the maze, which was ultimately three minutes. This penalty required him to wait until all other contestants had started their maze excursions before his penalty timer commenced.^[35]

Critical response

Rotten Tomatoes has given Season 1 a rating of 86% based on 8 reviews. The overall consensus among critics on Deal or No Deal Island is that it is a refreshing and engaging adaptation of the original game show. Critics appreciate the innovative blend of physical challenges and strategic gameplay, offering a fun and tension-filled viewing experience. While some note the awkwardness of combining different formats, the series generally receives praise for its entertainment value and creative approach to the established Deal or No Deal formula.

Fletcher Peters of The Daily Beast gives an honest review of Deal or No Deal Island saying "Although an honest reboot of Deal or No Deal may have been more preferred, Deal or No Deal Island is a welcome twist on the original romp."^[37] Reality Blurred's Andy Dehnart called the series "an awkward marriage of two different formats kinda works, but can't escape the IP that gives it its name."^[38]