DEAL OR NO DEAL (Daytime): Second Week of Filming!

If you’re a fan of the show, and ever wondered what it would be like to stand in the models’ places, you may have your chance!

DEAL OR NO DEAL finally started taping its daytime, syndicated version last week. To adjust the show from prime time and into
daytime, some changes have been made to make it a bit lighter and quicker. The first being, MODELS! Viewers will not hear a 26 unified “Hi Howie”, but, only two ladies, Patricia Kara (#9), and Tameka Jacobs (#21) uphold the traditional host greeting.

Patricia cheers-on an audience member playing a game conducted by warm-up host during show break. “Deal Wheel” in the background.

Howie still hosts the show in full suit. In place of the gorgeous models are some real, non-camera shy folks picked as potential contestants. Only 22 cases and contestants are in play. A gold ball is dropped into a glass-enclosed “Deal Wheel” by Tameka while Patricia spins the wheel. Whatever number the ball falls on, correlates to the number of case/contestant is called down to play the game. Each person called down, does not have the benefit of having friends and family in attendance for moral support.

Howie enters the stage for a fresh taping of DEAL OR NO DEAL daytime version.

Tameka and Patricia take their places on both sides of the stage with contestants and are in charge of collecting the cases chosen and handing them off to production staff backstage. It’s very Vana White-like, but instead of turning numbers, they’re picking-up cases.

The case count is 5-5-4-2-2-1-1 with the two remaining cases left, one of which is the one the contestant either was given a the beginning of the show, or decided to trade out for another one. If a contestant choses to switch his or her case, their old case is given to the contestant he or she is switching with.

Also, all 22 contestants are kept for a 5-game run. That means, with the exception of contestants that are called down to play, they have a guaranteed five chances to get called. However, for the ones that are called, they are replaced with “alternates” (we spoke to one such alternate after the show) who play for the remaining of the five games. So, if “Joe Blow” gets called down for game number 4, then his alternate will play out the remaining of the five, which would be only one, game number 5. Contestants’ who don’t make it down to the stage, are kept in the show’s database to be considered for future shows (daytime and prime time alike)

Contestants take the stage where models stand during the prime time show.

The stakes are a lot lower. The highest number on the board on the left is, $500. Highest numbers on the right are: $50,000, $75,000, $100,000, $250,00, and $500,00. Only half a million can be won on daytime.

Money offered by the Banker seems to be contingent on how well he likes the contestant. If you’re ever on the game, you better hope he likes you because it can be a big factor on how much you walk away with.

Audience video reviews will be available soon!

MASTER OF DANCE: Club Scene Dance-Off!

“Master of Dance” is a new dance show that’s not a reality show, but a dance game show. Hosted by Joey Lawrence, it premieres on TLC next month. This will be the network’s second game show.

The scene on set is a mock dance club. Audiences are made to stand throughout the whole time of filming. Contestants are introduced onto the stage as average folks from all walks of life who think they happen to be the best dancers in their circle of friends. The show is divided into four rounds.

Contestants are judged based on best dance technique and staying true to dance styles within the eras they are given which include: 1980’s (Michael Jackson), disco, M.C. Hammer, and 1960’s (Elvis’ Jail house Rock, and Chubby Checker’s The Twist).

A panel of celebrity judges are: choreographer, Tyce Diorio, former Solid Gold Dancer, and star of the Breakin’ movies from the 1980’s, Lucinda Dickey, and comedian, Loni Love.

In the final round, dancers are forced to do a finale dance-off against each other. The winner is picked by the judges.

Six consecutive shows were shot at KTLA studios, one of which is the finale where the grand prize of $50,000 is given to the “master of dance”.

One winner is chosen at the end of each episode to go on to compete for the $50,000. Most of the winners selected were blatantly denounced by the audience who loudly booed most of the winners. However, once the show goes to air, I’m sure viewers at home will hear cheers from the audience from footage shot separately by producers.

In several cases, clearly the better dancers from their groups were sent home which, again, lead to a lot of disgruntled audiences. Again, subjects of the show are average folks who think they are all the rage at night clubs and barbecues. “Dancers” tended to be women in their thirties. Any male dancers, who showed any spark of real talent, were quickly sent packing. Male dancers who were not very talented, stayed to compete. In one incident, celebrity judge, Lucinda Dickey, commented on one male dancer who happened to be the best dancer on the show period, that his “Michael Jackson” dance was not very good. Yet, to a female dancer who did okay, Dickey spoke very highly of her dance style.

I’m guessing that the shows demographic audience is women ages 32-55. Too bad there’s not a Standards and Practices for “fair judging” on a game show.