“Deal or No Deal Canada” Scores Big on Super Bowl Sunday

06 Feb

Posted by Alex Davis as Canada, Deal or No Deal, Ratings

The first episode of the English Canadian “Deal or No Deal” achieved history on the first night: Global said that it was the highest rated Canadian program of all time on the channel. The Super Bowl had 3.4 million, and “Deal or No Deal” managed to hold on to 2.7 million of those people. On the first episode, Brian Traynor won a big $109,000. He was the first contestant out of over 120,000 applicants. You can check out a clip of Canadian “Deal or No Deal” right here. I have to say I do like their set. The maple leaf is a bit out there, but their set is pretty cool. The audience is incredibly enthusiastic as well, which is nice to see, and Howie looks really charged and refreshed; much more than he is with NBC’s version.

14 Responses

Intelligentfan777
1
February 6th, 2007 at 11:44 am

Thanks so much for that! In fact, the entire episode is posted on Youtube. You know, I’m happy for Canada, I really am. They deserve a chance to win truly BIG money on a game show. A true salvation, if you will to starved(in terms of winnings) game show fans in Canada. No more fire escape ladder/crockpot/low budget/ain’t worth a damn/creepy Barbossa crap!

IMO, it’s been so overdue in Canada. The models are just as beautiful, too. Yeah, and Howie is really into it, although I feel he has a little something extra for this version because it is in his home…CANADA!

Arrrrgh… all of a sudden I can’t stop saying CANADA!
Marc
2
February 6th, 2007 at 1:37 pm

Plus, in Canada, game show winnings are tax-exempt, so when all the dust settles, their $1M top prize (about $850K US) is actually more than ours!

(Besides the UK and Australia, does anyone know any other countries where they don’t tax game show winnings?)
Rob
3
February 6th, 2007 at 5:19 pm

With the one key change in the board from the US game — $400,000 out, TOONIE in — you would expect the average prize to be a bit lower in the Canadian game. It’ll be interesting to see how this pans out…

I wonder if Endemol and NBCU would consider placing the Canadian shows on CNBC or USA (I doubt they’d make room on the mothership for the Canadian game).
Ohio WxMan (Doesnt Like Snow)
4
February 6th, 2007 at 5:43 pm

Howie does look very renewed on this one and I would love to see this version here in the states (even it was on a cable network at 4:00am)… Or hell, when they need a re-run, air one of these instead of the previous ep. all over again!

I laughed at the “Rogers phone”… Rogers has to get their hands into everything lol…
Andrew
5
February 6th, 2007 at 7:29 pm

that $750 on the right looks quirky!

i’ve already wrote the producers to remove that amount and put the 400k back!!
Marc Power
6
February 7th, 2007 at 4:41 am

I looks kinda cool to have the Banker pacing around in his “skybox” but it looks awakward on the set behind the contestant with just the monitor with the offer up.

I also don’t like the way the light flash when the bank calls, someone’s gonna have a seizure.

btw, small grammar mistake, but Canada doesn’t use commas in dollar amounts instead it’s just a space. so for instance $25,000 sould be displayed as $25 000.

But I do agree that Howie and the audience seem really into it and this is the first time since the 2 eps. of WWTBAM canadian edition aired that Canadians can win big. proof: The biggest prize I know off on a currently-airing Canadian is the $10,000 that “Inside the Box” offers but it’s impossible to win. most contestants leave with only $4000-$6000.
KP
7
February 7th, 2007 at 7:06 am

This tells the story: Brian could have become the biggest winner in Canadian history by taking the third offer.

This is a prize revolution to rival the start of UK Millionaire in 1998. It’s THAT big.

I’d change that $750 to $3k (woo for UK DoND values). The replacement of $400k with a toonie sends the mean down about 10% to about (aboot?) $116k; I’d expect $100k per show to be about the average, though needless to say with this format the variance will be ungodly.
Mark
8
February 7th, 2007 at 7:21 am

Yeah, that toonie really needs to go. When I first saw the board, I was thinking, “They dropped the $400K for this? Also, the $750 on the right side of the board also doesn’t look right. It should be replaced with either $2,500 or even $3,000. And the Banker looks like he’s pacing around in a penalty box, just like in hockey. But I must say, this show does represent a marked increase since shows like Definition, which were beyond cheap, and were made on a $15 budget. By the way, I’m Canadian, and I always use commas when I write out large amounts of money (4 figures or more). I also say “zee” instead of “zed”, and that’s because I’ve been watching American TV forever, and my mother’s an Ameircan.
Jordan S.
9
February 7th, 2007 at 9:58 am

In terms of the board, I don’t mind the $400k being dropped. Recall back when the American version was first out, some were complaining that the board was way too top-heavy. That being said, I’d fit in $2,500 on the board (that $1,000 –> $5,000 increase never sat right with me), drop $400, and keep the toonie.

But I do have to agree - they’ve done a fantastic job with the show, the set (hey, Canadian game shows with good production values!) and with the number of people tuning in, I imagine that it won’t be long before they start seeking contestants for a regular series.
Eric
10
February 7th, 2007 at 4:20 pm

Saw the whole Episode. Almost everything is better. Models Better looking. Better Audience. Money should have been kept the same though. or at least they should have changed $300,000 to $250,000. Although I find the plug for Rodgers almost as annoying as Regis’ plugs for AT&T on Millionaire during the phone a friend. Almost wants me to make a DonD calculator for the canadian version. a toonie is $2 right? lol
Intelligentfan777
11
February 7th, 2007 at 5:39 pm

The LOONIE is $1, the TOONIE is $2, you are correct Eric.

It kind of feels as if they have three “BANOODLES” cases, instead of just one. Makes me wonder if someone should pull a “Cheryl Jackson” and win one of those, a monkey will come out and give it to them personally.
Ryan
12
February 8th, 2007 at 11:31 am

I know it was awkward having the $750 on the right side, but who the hell cares, it’s doesn’t change the game at all.

I was reading the post on lower overall offers, yet, I could have swore that the first bank offer was huge, rathe rinflated considering the lack of the $400,000. I thought $30,000 was thie first gentleman’s offer, higher than what I have seen on average.

I like the set, and I like the Maple Leaf on the stage, it is Canadiana, not onyl that, but it’s nicely detailed, which you can see in some shots.

The production is great, nice to see a big money show return to Canada. Who know about the future of it. It is more promising that they developed there own set as compared to Millionaire, where they just used the US set.

Also, comparing to Millionaire, Pamela Wallin did not so a great job at all as host, whereas Howie has his routine down well, and has a much easier time selling the game.

Great work Global TV!
liberty ernie
13
February 8th, 2007 at 7:10 pm

They need to change loonie and toonie to $1 and $2 - it looks awkward having words on the board. They also should use a different sound effect for opening a small case value - it’s off-key.
Ryan
14
February 9th, 2007 at 10:11 am

I agree about the sounds. As for Loonie and Toonie - it’s Canadian, what can I say - it’s part of what makes us who we are, part of our culture so to speak. I do not think the “board” is a big deal here, I could care less if they had $1 or 100 pennied on the board.